1) Check out the Leonid shower tonight, if the sky happens to be clear enough to catch something interesting. The general direction to look is the constellation Leo, which may be in the general direction of Northeast. You don't have to be able to recognize Leo because the meteors will be spread out over a fair area. If this seems unrealistic, then find 2 videos of the Leonid shower (at least, to include at least one that you would consider "worth it to have checked out"), or some other planet, moon, or other astronomical phenomenon. (a) Describe. (b) Then relate to the concept of colonization somehow. Or if you prefer, discuss colonization in the context of some other planet, moon, part of the Earth, etc.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yENQo3sh7po
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OL58ygztOzs&NR=1
Answer a1)
I watched these two videos on youtube taken of meteor showers. I’ve seen a few showers myself. While they are pretty there isn’t much to describe about them. The meteors look like streaks of white light racing across the sky. People always tell you to make a wish on a falling star. Guess they kinda do look like falling stars.
Answer b1)
Humanity has problems. Regardless of rather we are on Earth or Mars we will take those problems with us. We lack self-control and discipline. So many of us just can’t say no. Thus we have over population, pollution, and general wastefulness. I think the ability to colonize would only give humanity another way to run from its problems. What? Earth is destroyed? That’s okay we still have Mars. What? Mars is gone too? All well, who’s next?
2) Term projects - if you do not know when your presentation is, let me know. Work more on it...the closer you get to finishing it, the better off you'll be! Post new material on your blog. Also, start preparing your presentation. One way to do that is to use your project write-up as a guide, and make slides that will step us all through it (just a suggestion).
Note: for the presentation remember to show the video on how to construct the water filter (source: The Colony, Discovery Channel)
Funny water filter tid-bit: use bras to stain impurities from water. They are usually thick and can catch a lot of junk.
Note: These are the things we need to keep in mind
Power
Food
Water
Shelter
Comfort
How to Find Water in the Wild Article: Cleaning Water:
http://adventure.howstuffworks.com/survival/wilderness/how-to-find-water.htm
Your body can go at most 3 days without water. The body needs minimum two quarts of water a day on average.
You don’t want to drink water directly from an unfiltered source as that water may have bacteria and other harmful things.
One simple way to collect water is to make a belowground still. To construct one you need some basic tools: plastic sheeting, a digging tool, a container, a drinking tube and a rock. (Explain how it works and demonstrate using the image)
A filter (as described in the video) can be used to filter the water. Alternating layers of coarse and fine materials to filter out bacteria and solid matter. Even if you filter, always boil the water.
Boil water for at least 10 minutes to remove most bacteria. Either a fire or purification tablets will be needed to purify water. If using a fire, containers such as aluminum/tin cans, plastic bottles (filled to the brim, capped, and dropped into hot coals), and glass jars can be used (when suspended directly over the fire with the flames just touching the bottom of the container).
If you dig a hole in moist soil and wait a while it will fill with groundwater.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Homework 13: Toxo Gondii and Zombies
1) Recall the relevant class. Comment on Toxoplasma Gondii. What do you think??
I think it’s creepy cool. However, the research on how Toxoplasma Gondii affects human behavior was not conducted very well. They didn’t have a control group. You have to have a control group if you are going to use the scientific method (duh). It makes sense that Toxoplasma Gondii would affect our behavior, but I don’t think it affects it the way that poorly done research implies.
2) Add more to your project. Put the new stuff in a new blog posting. Consider new material that has some connection to Toxoplasma Gondii. Alternatively, it could have a connection to some other parasite or disease, or parasites or diseases more generally. Or it might be about something completely different...your choice!
This Toxoplasma Gondii stuff actually fits quite nicely with our zombie project. We want to come at this from a more realistic angle. For example, a disease, bacteria, or parasite that can alter human behavior. Sound familiar? The more I research this topic the more I wonder how realistic is might actually be.
This has already been covered in a previous blog so moving on to more relevant technology.
Emergency Power Systems:
http://home.howstuffworks.com/home-improvement/household-safety/security/emergency-power.htm
Conventional emergency power systems are designed with a temporary power outage in mind.
Generators tend to run on gas, diesel, or propane. All of which would be exponentially more difficult to collect. For a while we could siphon gas from the abandoned cars. However, we could only retrieve gas and diesel from gas stations for as long as the grid held-out as electric pumps are used to pump gasoline out of the tanks in the ground. I am unsure about our propane resources. However, I am certain they would be limited. And of course, these are the kinds of things everyone will be grabbing up.
An inverter is another option. An inverter is an electrical device that converts 12-volt power into 120-volt power. They are usually run off of car batteries or deep-cycle batteries (designed to power the inverter). A car battery can supply about 120 watts continuously for about three hours. A deep-cycle battery can pump out the same for about 6-8 hours. Of course, any way of recharging these batteries leads us back to gas or the grid (unless we could install solar panels which I doubt).
In conclusion, I think having a generator and/or an inverter stashed away somewhere isn’t a back idea in the event of zombie apocalypse, but I wouldn’t count on them for your livelihood.
Manual Hand Generator:
http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/gadgets/travel/hand-powered-generators.htm
Not likely to be something we can find, but a good option to have. Perhaps Sports Academy would have one? You can get a hand generator that has many different connections including a standard wall socket. To power your device just turn the crank!
If we can’t find one we can build one. All we need are some rechargeable batteries, a drill, and a handle. (Explain how to build the hand generator).
I think it’s creepy cool. However, the research on how Toxoplasma Gondii affects human behavior was not conducted very well. They didn’t have a control group. You have to have a control group if you are going to use the scientific method (duh). It makes sense that Toxoplasma Gondii would affect our behavior, but I don’t think it affects it the way that poorly done research implies.
2) Add more to your project. Put the new stuff in a new blog posting. Consider new material that has some connection to Toxoplasma Gondii. Alternatively, it could have a connection to some other parasite or disease, or parasites or diseases more generally. Or it might be about something completely different...your choice!
This Toxoplasma Gondii stuff actually fits quite nicely with our zombie project. We want to come at this from a more realistic angle. For example, a disease, bacteria, or parasite that can alter human behavior. Sound familiar? The more I research this topic the more I wonder how realistic is might actually be.
This has already been covered in a previous blog so moving on to more relevant technology.
Emergency Power Systems:
http://home.howstuffworks.com/home-improvement/household-safety/security/emergency-power.htm
Conventional emergency power systems are designed with a temporary power outage in mind.
Generators tend to run on gas, diesel, or propane. All of which would be exponentially more difficult to collect. For a while we could siphon gas from the abandoned cars. However, we could only retrieve gas and diesel from gas stations for as long as the grid held-out as electric pumps are used to pump gasoline out of the tanks in the ground. I am unsure about our propane resources. However, I am certain they would be limited. And of course, these are the kinds of things everyone will be grabbing up.
An inverter is another option. An inverter is an electrical device that converts 12-volt power into 120-volt power. They are usually run off of car batteries or deep-cycle batteries (designed to power the inverter). A car battery can supply about 120 watts continuously for about three hours. A deep-cycle battery can pump out the same for about 6-8 hours. Of course, any way of recharging these batteries leads us back to gas or the grid (unless we could install solar panels which I doubt).
In conclusion, I think having a generator and/or an inverter stashed away somewhere isn’t a back idea in the event of zombie apocalypse, but I wouldn’t count on them for your livelihood.
Manual Hand Generator:
http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/gadgets/travel/hand-powered-generators.htm
Not likely to be something we can find, but a good option to have. Perhaps Sports Academy would have one? You can get a hand generator that has many different connections including a standard wall socket. To power your device just turn the crank!
If we can’t find one we can build one. All we need are some rechargeable batteries, a drill, and a handle. (Explain how to build the hand generator).
Homework 12: Robots and Zombies
1) Suppose you had a coupon for a free robot. The catch is it can only do one thing. But you can get a robot that will do whatever one thing you like, just not anything else. What would you want your robot to do?
Answer 1:
My robot would be A.I and nano-sized. My little robot would live inside of me. Its only job would be to repair my body. The A.I would be required for decision-making. This little bug would know all there is to know about the human body, and mine in particular. When I first got the bug it would only know about humans, but after living inside of me for a while it would come to know what was normal for me. The little bug would determine, based of its knowledge, what jobs were more important then others. For example, repairing damaged tissue in my heart over damaged tissue due to a scraped knee. The little bug would use its wireless abilities to email me reports about my general health. If anything was seriously wrong the bug would notify me right away. The bug would be programmed to want to take care of me like a good owner wants to take care of their house.
2) Write or develop an additional significant piece of your project. As a suggestion, consider the connection of robots to your topic. However, if another subject besides robots seems more appropriate, that is just as good. Post the new section on your blog.
I don’t really feel that robotics can be connected to our topic as we are really more focused on a step back in technology rather then a step forward. Instead, I am going to continue with my work on relevant technology.
Find True North:
http://adventure.howstuffworks.com/survival/wilderness/true-north2.htm
No Google. No GPS. No OnStar. If you’re lost, you are alone.
First you need to know that there is true north and magnetic north – not the same place. If you whip-out a compass and try to head north you’ll end up in the arctic regions of Canada. Because the magnetic fields on Earth are fluid and constantly moving, you might not even end-up in the same place twice. Now the difference is not so great that compasses are useless. In fact, they work pretty good for short distances, but if you needs to go a long way, you need to correct for the difference. Right now that would be easy, you just go to Google, find what the difference is for your location and correct for it. However, once the grid goes out, no more Google (OMG!). If our survivors can’t correct for the magnetic declination compasses will be useless after a certain distance.
What now? – Look up
As we all know in the Northern Hemisphere the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. If it is about noon, the sun will be in the middle of the horizon and directly south. So if you’re facing the sun you are facing south. If its at your back you are facing north.
What if its not noon? – Watches
Yes, a watch can tell you more then the time. (Include image here with farther instruction)
Well, that’s great but I don’t have a watch. So what now? – A stick
Find a stick and a sunny spot on the ground. Remember the sun casts shadows in the opposite direction as its position in the sky. So when the sun is in the east, the shadows will point west. (Include image here with farther instructions)
What if its nighttime? – Look up
The moon can direction you as well as the sun. If the moon rises before sunset, the sun illuminates it from its western position. If it rises after midnight, the eastern side is illuminated. If you can determine one direction you can figure-out the others.
What if there’s no moon? – Look for the little dipper. The last star on its tail is the North Star.
This is all very interesting, but what does it have to do with zombie apocalypse? Amidst all the chaos it would be very easy to get lost. Or if for some reason a group needed to migrate out of their local area they would need to know how to find their way. If you don’t know where you are going, you are more likely to end up somewhere you don’t want to be (like dead).
Answer 1:
My robot would be A.I and nano-sized. My little robot would live inside of me. Its only job would be to repair my body. The A.I would be required for decision-making. This little bug would know all there is to know about the human body, and mine in particular. When I first got the bug it would only know about humans, but after living inside of me for a while it would come to know what was normal for me. The little bug would determine, based of its knowledge, what jobs were more important then others. For example, repairing damaged tissue in my heart over damaged tissue due to a scraped knee. The little bug would use its wireless abilities to email me reports about my general health. If anything was seriously wrong the bug would notify me right away. The bug would be programmed to want to take care of me like a good owner wants to take care of their house.
2) Write or develop an additional significant piece of your project. As a suggestion, consider the connection of robots to your topic. However, if another subject besides robots seems more appropriate, that is just as good. Post the new section on your blog.
I don’t really feel that robotics can be connected to our topic as we are really more focused on a step back in technology rather then a step forward. Instead, I am going to continue with my work on relevant technology.
Find True North:
http://adventure.howstuffworks.com/survival/wilderness/true-north2.htm
No Google. No GPS. No OnStar. If you’re lost, you are alone.
First you need to know that there is true north and magnetic north – not the same place. If you whip-out a compass and try to head north you’ll end up in the arctic regions of Canada. Because the magnetic fields on Earth are fluid and constantly moving, you might not even end-up in the same place twice. Now the difference is not so great that compasses are useless. In fact, they work pretty good for short distances, but if you needs to go a long way, you need to correct for the difference. Right now that would be easy, you just go to Google, find what the difference is for your location and correct for it. However, once the grid goes out, no more Google (OMG!). If our survivors can’t correct for the magnetic declination compasses will be useless after a certain distance.
What now? – Look up
As we all know in the Northern Hemisphere the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. If it is about noon, the sun will be in the middle of the horizon and directly south. So if you’re facing the sun you are facing south. If its at your back you are facing north.
What if its not noon? – Watches
Yes, a watch can tell you more then the time. (Include image here with farther instruction)
Well, that’s great but I don’t have a watch. So what now? – A stick
Find a stick and a sunny spot on the ground. Remember the sun casts shadows in the opposite direction as its position in the sky. So when the sun is in the east, the shadows will point west. (Include image here with farther instructions)
What if its nighttime? – Look up
The moon can direction you as well as the sun. If the moon rises before sunset, the sun illuminates it from its western position. If it rises after midnight, the eastern side is illuminated. If you can determine one direction you can figure-out the others.
What if there’s no moon? – Look for the little dipper. The last star on its tail is the North Star.
This is all very interesting, but what does it have to do with zombie apocalypse? Amidst all the chaos it would be very easy to get lost. Or if for some reason a group needed to migrate out of their local area they would need to know how to find their way. If you don’t know where you are going, you are more likely to end up somewhere you don’t want to be (like dead).
Homework 11: Trend Analysis, Weather Prediction, and Zombies
1) Under the heading "Question 1," "1," "Answer 1," or anything like that, discuss briefly the applicability or inapplicability of the discussion from Monday 10/26 to your project.
Answer 1:
Trend Analysis would likely be used during the initial outbreak. I’m sure the CDC would be using it to track the spread of the disease. After civilization breaks down I’m not sure any one person could obtain enough data to be conducting trend analysis.
2) Under the heading "2" or something like that, discuss briefly the applicability or inapplicability of the discussion from Wednesday 10/28 to your project.
Answer 2:
Once the grid shuts down weather prediction, control, and software bugs won’t really exist any more. Well, survivors are likely to try to predict rain, but weather prediction like we have now will not be possible. Funny that we can predict the weather better now, then in the situation where it would really matter.
3) Advance your project. Under the heading "3," etc., place the new things.
Research on apocalyptic technology that can keep us alive and healthy:
Solar Cooking and Clean Water:
http://science.howstuffworks.com/solar-cooking1.htm
Humans need cooked food. We don’t process raw food efficiently and raw meat makes us sick. Without the grid how will we survive? With solar cooking works. We can use sunlight instead of gas or electricity to cook our food. Now of course, sunlight isn’t hot enough on its own. We need a box cooker. A box cooker is basically a sun-powered oven. The inside of the box needs to be dark so black material should be used. We also need a piece of glass or transparent plastic for the top. Additional metallic or mirrored reflectors are often placed around the oven to direct more light into it. Oh, its works best if the box is airtight.
Now to cook, all we have to do is place a pot of food in the box. The sunrays will pass through the glass top, hit the dark materials inside the box, which will absorb the heat, trapping it inside the box. The box cooker can reach temperatures of 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
An alternative is the parabolic cooker which is a little better as it can reach temperatures of 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Basically, you use a reflector shaped a bit like a satellite to direct sunrays at a single point. A pot is suspended above the reflector at this point. And wala! Dinner is severed!
Only one drawback: won’t work without the sun. So no cooking at night, or on cloudy or rainy days.
Doug and I will be creating a solar cooker over Thanksgiving Break to test this technology. We’ll bring it with us to the presentation and let you know how it went.
Starting a Fire:
http://adventure.howstuffworks.com/survival/wilderness/how-to-start-a-fire.htm
During a zombie apocalypse I would think we would have access to lighters and matches. However, during the initial chaos much of Little Rock’s resources would be stolen and destroyed. We may need to make-do without. So how will we start a fire without lighters or matches?
First, we must pick a good location. A good location is defined by:
Dry
Flat
Wind protected
Close to our fuel
Close to our shelter
Close to our water source
(In the case of our urban fire) cleared of things that can catch fire
Inaccessible to zombies
For those who do not know the basics of building a fire: you need tinder, kindling, and fuel. Tinder is your easily ignited fire starter (think newspaper). Kindling is a bit bigger (think bits of broken wood and twigs). That goes on next to help the fire grow. Once you have a nice little fire you add your fuel (think logs).
Again, we can use the sun. If we have a lens or a highly polished surface that will do the job. All we would need to do is direct sunrays at our tinder. We could also use a battery to create sparks over the tinder.
Answer 1:
Trend Analysis would likely be used during the initial outbreak. I’m sure the CDC would be using it to track the spread of the disease. After civilization breaks down I’m not sure any one person could obtain enough data to be conducting trend analysis.
2) Under the heading "2" or something like that, discuss briefly the applicability or inapplicability of the discussion from Wednesday 10/28 to your project.
Answer 2:
Once the grid shuts down weather prediction, control, and software bugs won’t really exist any more. Well, survivors are likely to try to predict rain, but weather prediction like we have now will not be possible. Funny that we can predict the weather better now, then in the situation where it would really matter.
3) Advance your project. Under the heading "3," etc., place the new things.
Research on apocalyptic technology that can keep us alive and healthy:
Solar Cooking and Clean Water:
http://science.howstuffworks.com/solar-cooking1.htm
Humans need cooked food. We don’t process raw food efficiently and raw meat makes us sick. Without the grid how will we survive? With solar cooking works. We can use sunlight instead of gas or electricity to cook our food. Now of course, sunlight isn’t hot enough on its own. We need a box cooker. A box cooker is basically a sun-powered oven. The inside of the box needs to be dark so black material should be used. We also need a piece of glass or transparent plastic for the top. Additional metallic or mirrored reflectors are often placed around the oven to direct more light into it. Oh, its works best if the box is airtight.
Now to cook, all we have to do is place a pot of food in the box. The sunrays will pass through the glass top, hit the dark materials inside the box, which will absorb the heat, trapping it inside the box. The box cooker can reach temperatures of 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
An alternative is the parabolic cooker which is a little better as it can reach temperatures of 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Basically, you use a reflector shaped a bit like a satellite to direct sunrays at a single point. A pot is suspended above the reflector at this point. And wala! Dinner is severed!
Only one drawback: won’t work without the sun. So no cooking at night, or on cloudy or rainy days.
Doug and I will be creating a solar cooker over Thanksgiving Break to test this technology. We’ll bring it with us to the presentation and let you know how it went.
Starting a Fire:
http://adventure.howstuffworks.com/survival/wilderness/how-to-start-a-fire.htm
During a zombie apocalypse I would think we would have access to lighters and matches. However, during the initial chaos much of Little Rock’s resources would be stolen and destroyed. We may need to make-do without. So how will we start a fire without lighters or matches?
First, we must pick a good location. A good location is defined by:
Dry
Flat
Wind protected
Close to our fuel
Close to our shelter
Close to our water source
(In the case of our urban fire) cleared of things that can catch fire
Inaccessible to zombies
For those who do not know the basics of building a fire: you need tinder, kindling, and fuel. Tinder is your easily ignited fire starter (think newspaper). Kindling is a bit bigger (think bits of broken wood and twigs). That goes on next to help the fire grow. Once you have a nice little fire you add your fuel (think logs).
Again, we can use the sun. If we have a lens or a highly polished surface that will do the job. All we would need to do is direct sunrays at our tinder. We could also use a battery to create sparks over the tinder.
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