If you ever find yourself with a pile of wire and big transformers and can work with tools without killing yourself you might want to build a Tesla coil. What a Tesla coil does is transform low voltage low frequency (120V / 60 Hz) power into high voltage high frequency (5-1000 KV / 10-2000 KHz) power. It’s done by finely tuned coils and capacitors that resonate at the greatest efficiency. The results can be quite spectacular. The image I used for this entry is of a Tesla coil I shot a few years ago. It was pounding out a million volts of electricity and producing a dazzling display of sparks. The coil was about three feet high and the breeze made by the charge was downright amazing.
The guys at Deep Fried Neon have all the info that you will need to get started in the wonderful hobby.
Author: John
LP-XL50 Sanyo Ultra-short Focus Projector
Ah, the latest in projector technology is here and with a decidedly clever twist:
Japan’s electronics giant Sanyo unveils a new ultra-short focus projector "LP-XL50" in Tokyo. The LP-XL50 can project an image to fit an 80-inch screen from a distance of only eight centimeters (3.2 inches) from a range of positions and surfaces due to its new optical engine technology.
The resolution will be 1024 x 768 and is aimed at computer use rather than home theater use. I’m sure this will last about thirty seconds after the devices are released in the states come December.
Sanyo unveils ultra-short focus projector
Mr. Wizard, Dead at 89
I just read that Don Herbert, TV’s ‘Mr. Wizard’ passed away today at the age of 89. Mr. Wizard was and shall remain a remarkable man in that he introduced thousands of kids to the idea that science can be fun. His TV program started in 1951 and ran for 14 years and was revived in 1970 and then again from 1983-90. I remember watching the revival of his program on Nickelodeon in the mid 80’s and being amazed at how well he could explain the concepts of science to kid. His legacy lives on in the countless number of scientists and teachers that credit him for their early interest in science. I can only hope that there is someone out there that is inspiring the youth of today to be the scientists of tomorrow.
[via boingboing]
Don Herbert, 89; TV’s ‘Mr. Wizard’ taught science to young baby boomers – Los Angeles Times
The Official Website of Mr. Wizard Studios
Your Photos in a Museum?
Most photographers can only dream of having their works seen by countless numbers of patrons ‘de arts who mill through the galleries munching on crackers and brie while making casual remarks on the expressionistic realization of the artists as if they have a clue. Well, tough. Chances are that you won’t be seeing your photos on any ones walls other than your own and maybe the Post Office. But you can have some imaginative play time fun and make like the big time cam a knockin.
Upload your photo (or send it a URL) and choose the setting and the Museumr will do the heavy lifting for you. All you have to do is to sit back and have a sip of vino and bask in the radiance of pseudo artistic achievement.
Pclix LT100 – Timelapse Photos Made Easy
Time-laps photos are just plane neat. Being able to see the progress of a shadow across a wall or the movement of stars over the length of a night like stepping out of time. Most of the time you have to sit next to your camera and press the shutter ever few seconds if you want to do this, as far as I know no DSLs come equipped with an intervalometer. Well if your not up to hitting the button a thousand times just to get that breathtaking thunderhead building up then the Pclix LT100 might be just what your looking for.
With the Pclix LT100 you can trigger the shutter of a digital camera every second or every hundred hours plus anywhere in between all in one second increments.
Timelapse Photography using the Pclix LT100 and the digital camera you already own.
Nippon 2007 Worldcon
Being in Yokohama Japan at the end of August would be for many fans of science fiction could be the event of the year. Registration fee and location will keep all but the most dedicated of fen from attending but those who get a second mortgage or forgo grad school will have an totally other world experience. There is not much under programming (not a big surprise there, this far out it’s rare for a science fiction convention to have a definite list of programming) but from this you get the general idea:
English language programming will include the gamut of programming that Worldcons have come to expect. Topics will range from aardvark (Animals in Space? Traditions of Animal Transformations in Eastern and Western Mythologies?) to zygote (Alien Biologies? Reproduction in Space?) and lots of ideas in between.
The usual convention events will be going on, a masquerade, dealers room, hall prizes, and the chance to talk to famous and not so famous people from all over the planet who all share have the common interest of scifi.
If this sounds like your idea of a good time you might want to browse though their fannish to Japanese phrase book so you know how to ask "Do you have that in a larger size?" Ganbatte kudasai!