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Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Monday, July 9, 2012
Chinese androids wear tracksuits, play sports, but not at the same time (video)
When we last caught up with the Beijing Institute's family of bots, their abilities extended to slow (but pretty) tai chi moves. Returning three years later, we see that they're coming along nicely: BHR-4 is still going through the old graceful routines, but now he's wearing a human face and fetching sportswear to look like one of his creators. The 140-pound android beats certain Japanese alternatives by having both a fully-actuated body and a face that can mimic emotions, like surprise and fear when someone tries to give it a decent hair cut. Meanwhile, brother BHR-5 doesn't bother with appearances, but instead has graduated to playing ping-pong in the hope of one day taking on rivals from Zhejiang University. He uses high-speed image processing and 32 degrees of freedom to pull off rallies of up to 200 shots, and he'll do his utmost to impress you in the video after the break.
[Image and video credit: CCTV-4]
Continue reading Chinese androids wear tracksuits, play sports, but not at the same time (video)
Chinese androids wear tracksuits, play sports, but not at the same time (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Jul 2012 04:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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US scientist: Ocean acidity major threat to reefs
FILE - In this Jan. 23, 2006 file photo provided by Centre of Marine Studies, The University of Queensland, fish swim amongst bleached coral near the Keppel Islands in the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Ocean acidification has emerged as one of the biggest threats to coral reefs across the world, acting as the "osteoporosis of the sea" and threatening everything from food security to tourism to livelihoods, the head of a U.S. scientific agency said Monday, July 9, 2012. (AP Photo/Centre for Marine Studies, The University of Queensland, Ove Hoegh-Guldberg, File)
FILE - In this Jan. 23, 2006 file photo provided by Centre of Marine Studies, The University of Queensland, fish swim amongst bleached coral near the Keppel Islands in the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Ocean acidification has emerged as one of the biggest threats to coral reefs across the world, acting as the "osteoporosis of the sea" and threatening everything from food security to tourism to livelihoods, the head of a U.S. scientific agency said Monday, July 9, 2012. (AP Photo/Centre for Marine Studies, The University of Queensland, Ove Hoegh-Guldberg, File)
FILE - In this Sept. 2001 file photo provided by provided by Queensland Tourism, an aerial view shows the Great Barrier Reef off Australia's Queensland state. Ocean acidification has emerged as one of the biggest threats to coral reefs across the world, acting as the "osteoporosis of the sea" and threatening everything from food security to tourism to livelihoods, the head of a U.S. scientific agency said Monday, July 9, 2012. (AP Photo/Queensland Tourism, File) EDITORIAL USE ONLY
FILE - This undated file photo provided by the Australian Institute of Marine Science shows white coral syndrome in Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Ocean acidification has emerged as one of the biggest threats to coral reefs across the world, acting as the "osteoporosis of the sea" and threatening everything from food security to tourism to livelihoods, the head of a U.S. scientific agency said Monday, July 9, 2012. (AP Photo/Australian Institute of Marine Science, File)
SYDNEY (AP) ? Oceans' rising acid levels have emerged as one of the biggest threats to coral reefs, acting as the "osteoporosis of the sea" and threatening everything from food security to tourism to livelihoods, the head of a U.S. scientific agency said Monday.
The speed by which the oceans' acid levels has risen caught scientists off-guard, with the problem now considered to be climate change's "equally evil twin," National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration chief Jane Lubchenco told The Associated Press.
"We've got sort of the perfect storm of stressors from multiple places really hammering reefs around the world," said Lubchenco, who was in Australia to speak at the International Coral Reef Symposium in the northeast city of Cairns, near the Great Barrier Reef. "It's a very serious situation."
Oceans absorb excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, increasing sea acidity. Scientists are worried about how that increase will affect sea life, particularly reefs, as higher acid levels make it tough for coral skeletons to form. Lubchenco likened ocean acidification to osteoporosis ? a bone-thinning disease ? because researchers are concerned it will lead to the deterioration of reefs.
Scientists initially assumed that the carbon dioxide absorbed by the water would be sufficiently diluted as the oceans mixed shallow and deeper waters. But most of the carbon dioxide and the subsequent chemical changes are being concentrated in surface waters, Lubchenco said.
"And those surface waters are changing much more rapidly than initial calculations have suggested," she said. "It's yet another reason to be very seriously concerned about the amount of carbon dioxide that is in the atmosphere now and the additional amount we continue to put out."
Higher acidity levels are especially problematic for creatures such as oysters, because acid slows the growth of their shells. Experiments have shown other animals, such as clown fish, also suffer. In a study that mimicked the level of acidity scientists expect by the end of the century, clown fish began swimming toward predators, instead of away from them, because their sense of smell had been dulled.
"We're just beginning to uncover many of the ways in which the changing chemistry of oceans affects lots of behaviors," Lubchenco said. "So salmon not being able to find their natal streams because their sense of smell was impaired, that's a very real possibility."
The potential impact of all of this is huge, Lubchenco said. Coral reefs attract critical tourism dollars and protect fragile coastlines from threats such as tsunamis. Seafood is the primary source of protein for many people around the world. Already, some oyster farmers have blamed higher acidity levels for a decrease in stocks.
Some attempts to address the problem are already under way. Instruments that measure changing acid levels in the water have been installed in some areas to warn oyster growers when to stop the flow of ocean water to their hatcheries.
But that is only a short-term solution, Lubchenco said. The most critical element, she said, is reducing carbon emissions.
"The carbon dioxide that we have put in the atmosphere will continue to be absorbed by oceans for decades," she said. "It is going to be a long time before we can stabilize and turn around the direction of change simply because it's a big atmosphere and it's a big ocean."
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Ford Focus 1.0 EcoBoost and the 2012 Cholmondeley Pageant of Power
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See the Cholmondeley Pageant of Power video >>
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The experience at the Pageant circuit confirmed our findings on the road ? the 1-litre, three-cylinder petrol engine in the Focus provides it with more performance than you would ever imagine, and it makes a great noise. It?s also a light engine, which assists with the handling of the car on the track.
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However that wasn?t the end of the story. In addition to taking the Focus around the circuit, there was also the chance to go for a spin in a last-generation Ford Fiesta ST, a 3-litre Ford Granada (yes a Ford Granada), and a Ford Transit Van ? and a rather rapid one at that.
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The 3.2-litre racing Transit was driven by Justin Law, son of Don Law, who had a collection of cars at the 2012 Pageant of Power ranging from a Jaguar XJ220 to an AC Cobra.
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The eventual winner of the Supercar Class at the 2012 Cholmondeley Pageant of Power was the BAC Mono ? see the video of the BAC Mono at the 2012 Pageant of Power press day.?
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The single-seater Mono beat competitors such as a?Lamborghini Gallardo, Nissan GT-R and Ferrari 458 Italia ? compared to such opposition, the BAC Mono has a claim to be one of the greenest cars in its class.
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The Cholmondeley Pageant of Power is the North West?s largest and most entertaining annual automotive event, and this year it took place over the weekend of 15-17 June on the Cholmondeley estate in Cheshire.
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The Pageant features a wide variety of attractions, ranging from boating action on the estate?s own lake to aerial displays. However, of most interest to petrolheads is the motor racing on the 1.2-mile circuit, and this year there was an intense battle between a fascinating mix of cars in the supercar class.
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Cheshire-based car company BAC entered its Mono in the competition, driven by Duncan Tappy, who is currently racing a McLaren MP4-12C GT3 in the Blancpain Endurance Series.
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The Mono was up against stiff competition including a Lamborghini Gallardo, Nissan GT-R, Ferrari 458 Italia, Radical SR 3 SL, Porsche 911 Carrera S, and Ariel Atom V8.
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Following Friday?s wet practice session, all the cars had three runs each on the Saturday and Sunday. With the weather remaining inclement, the competitors had to wait until the final day to post their fastest times on a dry track. The Pageant circuit is technically demanding; although it is mostly flat, it has bridges, slippery hairpins and adverse cambers to contend with.
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The final result was that Cheshire-based BAC won with its Mono, with a fastest lap time of 63.06 seconds (see the full results below). Neill Briggs, Director at Briggs Automotive Company Ltd, says ?I?m delighted to have achieved our first win with the Mono, especially on our own Cheshire territory, and against such capable opposition.
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?I?d like to thank a number of people who have helped with this win, starting with our driver, Duncan Tappy, for doing such a good job in conditions that were often very wet, when the various four-wheel drive competitors should have had a considerable advantage. Also thanks go to all our staff, suppliers, sponsors, family and friends who have supported us whilst we have developed the car over the last few years.?
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Neill also says that the Pageant of Power event has improved every year, a result of the passionate leadership from event director James Hall and his staff, and that even the rain on the Saturday this year didn?t?
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Vehicle Driver Fastest Lap
BAC Mono,?Duncan Tappy,?63.06
Lamborghini Gallardo,?Niki Faulkner, 64.58
?Nissan GT-R,?Jann Mardenborough,?64.99
Ferrari 458 Italia,?James Pickford,?66.59
Radical SR 3 SL,?Mike Smith,?68.71
Porsche 911 Carrera S,?Richard Bott,?68.86
Continental GT V8,?Nick Beaumont,?68.95
Ariel Atom 500 V8,?Matthew Prior,?70.00
Jaguar XFR,?Karl Jones,?70.76
BMW M5,?Tom Onslow-Cole,?71.23
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See an in-car video of the drive around the Pageant of Power circuit.
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Saturday, July 7, 2012
Is your vocabulary in shape for the Olympics?
It turns out that the biggest sport at this summer's Games is something called 'athletics.'
Do you know the difference between the "modern" pentathlon and the ordinary plain-vanilla "ancient" one? Can you tell "artistic gymnastics" from "rhythmic gymnastics"? Do you know the four flavors of cycling on display at this year's Olympic Games?
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After I decided to look into the vocabulary of the Olympics, my most surprising finding was that "athletics" is itself a sport. Indeed, it's "the largest single sport at the Games," according to the London 2012 website.
Our English athlete traces back to the Greek athletes, a prizefighter, according to the Online Etymology Dictionary. It goes back to a Greek verb, athlein, meaning "to contest for a prize."
Athletics was probably formed by analogy with gymnastics, which originates with another Greek verb meaning to exercise or train, or more literally "to train naked."
Athletics, according to London 2012, "is the perfect expression of the Olympic motto 'Citius, Altius, Fortius' ('Faster, Higher, Stronger')." All those events, such as the discus throw and shot put, that we associate with the Olympic Games ? 47 of them, with 2,000 athletes competing ? collectively add up to a single sport known as "athletics."
These "ics" words for disciplines or branches of study can be tricky. They're generally singular, but can be plural: "Economics is an important subject to study," we might say. But: "The politics of the farm bill are very complex."
The Online Etymology Dictionary notes that "ics," instead of "ic," became the fashion during the 1500s. It appears to have been an instance of trying to get English to follow Greek grammar rules. Subject matters whose names in English were settled before 1500 tend to have singular names: arithmetic, logic.
One of the best-known events of "athletics" is the marathon, which goes back to the first modern Games, in 1896, and was "designed specifically to pay homage to Ancient Greece." But if you think the familiar 26.2 miles measured the road from Marathon to Athens, as I did, you would be wrong.
The first modern marathons were around 25 miles. But at the London Games of 1908 the distance was extended to 26.2 miles so that it finished in front of the Royal Box.
At this year's Olympics, under the supervision of its two mascots, Wenlock and Mandeville, who seem to have escaped from a very trendy plumbing-supply emporium, gymnastics will take two forms. There will be "artistic gymnastics," what most of us probably think of simply as "gymnastics," and "rhythmic gymnastics," a women-only sport combining gymnastics and dance.
The four kinds of cycling are BMX (bicycle motocross), mountain biking, and road and track cycling.
The athlon that shows up in so many Olympic events means "prize." The triathlon, or three-part sport (swim, cycle, run), has a classical name but a 20th-century origin.
This year's Games mark the centennial of the modern pentathlon, or five-part contest (ride, fence, shoot, swim, and run). Plain old pentathlon was the Greeks' term for a contest involving the long jump, javelin, discus, a short foot race called the "stadion," and wrestling. Wrestling is a stand-alone sport today; the other elements of the classical pentathlon are part of the "athletics" of the modern Games, where they are further sliced and diced into the 10-event decathlon for men, and the seven-event heptathlon for women. By the time it's all over, we should all be able to count in Greek.
Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/5eMmTaAmcaY/Is-your-vocabulary-in-shape-for-the-Olympics
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One Direction Fans Take Over Tumblr: We Have A Preview!
'Special Report: Inside the Crazy World of 1D Fandom' takes in-depth look at obsession with British boy band.
By John Mitchell
One Direction
Photo: WireImage
Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1689163/one-direction-tumblr-boy-band.jhtml
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