(The above photo will make sense if you read this post)
The Investigate Exhibit illuminates the possibilities of practicing science in daily life and in fact, without access to an exclusive lab! I certainly condone everyday science so this was probably great.
However, I chose to venture over to the “green wing” of the Museum of Science and into the taxidermy(ed) animals… yes very sustainable? Oh how lovely the green wing! I thought as a vegetarian I might see some neat vegetation.
No the green wing I witnessed was slathered in stuffed animals. I actually can’t imagine the taxidermy progress being all that green.
So, this blog will be devoted to my taking of a most morbid shortcut:
What sparked my interest was a terrifying death I witnessed on Monday April 2nd. While driving on the highway a large, (dare I say unusually large) gray feathered mass attempted flight about 200 ft in front of the vehicle I was in. This peculiar mass tried to fly and failed. Rather it appeared to take a courageous leap of faith to the other side of the highway. It dived into a utilities truck. Feathers coasted about all four lanes. I was disturbed and thanked the cosmos that I am a vegetarian. Honestly, this terrible flight has been replaying for over a week.
Thus I gravitated to first the stuffed animals- The mighty Moose I once saw with my mother in New Hampshire and slippery Otters. Eventually to the lower level where I was able to identify the gray mass as a : Turkey.
A huge turkey. For all of you meat eaters out there: this is food for thought.
Yes, I wandered about the delicate Chickadees, Oriels, common Chicken and of course the American Eagle (absolutely not the brand of clothes). I gave myself quite a tour,distracted only by the empty theater in the adjoining wing that had a massive screen with bizarrely high set volume. I suppose this might be the Museum of Science’s idea of background music?
My group, (consisting of Fouad, Emily, Dana and me) was quick to decide on building a mini- Peltier device. We were enlightened by Tom Vales class visitation/ presentation. Amongst other structures built in another time that Vales whipped out of nowhere, the Peltier device was one that stuck out. Although I have previously mentioned the Peltier, I shall elaborate for the sake of clarity.
This is Jean Peltier, he is French.
The Peltier device is used in this day and age to cool off beverages with something called the Thermoelectric cooling effect. It is generally found within small, portable cooling systems, think: soccer mom’s carrying portable coolers. Who would have guessed? While it is technically deemed a heat pump, it is mostly used for the cooling effects. The cooling is surprising produced between two different types of metals, one hot and one cold.
This is a Peltier device, see the HOT and COLD sides.
This is what the group is aiming to produce. And, I surely have my work cut out for me!
On Feburary 28th 2012, our class took a little field trip to the MIT plasma and fusion center. It is, in fact as nerdy as it sounds. Which is pretty awesome! I think that nuclear fusion is immensely powerful, and if we could come to practice it effectively, our world would be much cleaner.
When was this crazy concept brought about? Well, it is not so crazy…
Now –a- days we think ,we think about everything first. However, in the case of nuclear fusion, it was thought of in 1868 at the Novosibirsk conference held in Siberia. The Tokomak coils were introduced by the VRUSSSIANNZZZ YAH. Tokomaks created currents around the upper coil. 5 Tesla= 100,000 times the Earth’s field, which was worked on for decades, to burn hydrogen and create helium as waste.
First I will explain what nuclear fusion is:
It is natural! It happens in the stars and sun, while releasing energy that keeps them radiant and glowing! The stars and sun are made up of plasma. Also, florescent lights. However with nuclear fusion, plasma is contained within a torus shape. A torus looks like a doughnut. This plasma, which is 2mg, is heated up at 10,000x the heating waves of a microwave. That is intense. This process also entails fusing together 2 hydrogen nuclei……no big thing..Plasma is magnetically confined.
But why would we want to master this?
1.Because Plasma can be worked as an energy.
2. Waste processing would be so much easier! We are able to confine radioactive wastes to tiny fragments. Emissions reductions waste.
3. Fuel reforming: on-board hydrogen processing, we would not have to depend so desperately.
I learned a few terminology differences along the way of the tour and such, that I found interesting. I believe I recorded this information because of the delicate difference in fusion,phison, phusion etc, that , as an English major I have never quite grasped:
Phision= Breaking large atoms apart, nuclear process, releases energy.
Phision= Atomic bomb. This sh*t’s crayyyyzeeee.
Fusion= Hydrogen bomb, which is very very destructive.
After the lecture, where I recorded somewhat comprehendible notes, the Suffolk group was herded towards a building across the street. In this shockingly bland looking building (compared to the lively looking dorms), there was a ton of cool gadgets. The boys were acting even more impulsively than usual, touching surfaces and such. I mean, room after room, this place was filled with neat, innovative machinery. The very bolts that keep the fusion machine together are MASSIVE.
This is how big the bolts are!
If I remember correctly there is 84-90 bolts around each end of the machine. There was a great screen in the operating room, which had a picture of the fusion occurring. Very cool. While lingering around, we were informed of the lack-there of funding for the continuation of the research. MIT has been given the short end of the stick from the government. Most of the research will continue in Europe, especially France, where the ITER is based, and scientist are building the ultimate nuclear fusion machine. I might be making up the precise name of the structure. But, MIT is an important aid to this development. They are constantly in cahoots with the Frenchies and such, with the further development of the machinery. This is a global movement to a cleaner place for all of us. And, nuclear fusion is very important. I certainly will pay attention to its development, and support the cause!
Nuclear power plants happen to be very nice. They might look shamelessly heinous, but as the saying goes- ‘ diamonds on the inside’. In the case of nuclear power plants there is energy on the inside, rather than diamonds. Call me a crazy hippie, but energy is as precious as diamonds. I talked about some real nuclear stuff in my Fukushima Daiichi disaster blog, so I do not feel the need to delve too much into the benefits of nuclear energy. It is nice. That is all.
Indian Point looming in the distance
25 miles north of New York City, on the east bank of the Hudson River there rests the Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant. This plant is responsible for 30% of the electricity used in New York City and Westchester County. Which is quite a bit of energy. The issues that seem to be bothering people is that the plant was opened in 1962. This makes it a little freakishly “out-dated” in terms of how advanced and protected nuclear plants are in present days. Fukushima has created fear in many of the NY residents, also. A plant must be constantly updated and up-to-par. But, what is there to do? If the plant is shut down, there will be substantial financial challenges, and energy will be compromised ( threats of grid failure etc…).
Let me point out that there are 3 reactors on site, one of which is already shut down, and has been shut down since 1974. It was not making the cut. By the vague ‘cut’, I mean that the emergency cooling system was not up to the standards necessary to function under an emergency.
Que the eerie music and thoughts flash-backing to Fukushima emergency cooling system…
Alright so, right off the bat there is 1 shut down nuclear reactor out of 3, and one was built 50 years ago. Okayyyy……………… sigh.
The two lone rangers of the bunch: nuclear reactors #2 and #3 are functioning, built between the years 1974-1976. These two nuclear nuggets are the suppliers of 30% of the electricity in New York city. That’s a big deal. Huge domes made from concrete and steel also protect the reactors. Very fashionable.
Look at those fashionable domes!
Alright, I will pipe down about aesthetics. OH it is also ranked one of the worst nuclear plants in the world. Thought I might casually mention that.
There is one major con to the plant shutting down: of course, it is a Fiscal con.
According to the NY Times: Electricity prices would rise 12%, which translates to 1.4 billion dollars a year! Aye carumba. Lets ask Germany to help us out.
Another CON= the fact that 2.1 million customers in southern New York would, could, should have power interruptions between 2016-2020.
PROS: well, this nuclear plant is rickety. Which is scary. It is susceptible to lots of scary stuff. There was a case where loads of mucky water from the Hudson polluted one of the reactors. So, if the 40 year license expires in 2013, governor Cuomo NY, would like it to be shut down. Against the cons listed above. He is freaked out by the threats of ever being faced with another terrorist attack, and how unprotected the plant is. Even with those fashionable domes around it. Poor thing is vulnerable.
It is a matter of safety and immediately implementing new ways of electricity for NYC or just keeping it running, through the threats of emergencies or attacks. Frankly, I think Entergy, who owns the plant should find some ways to get new, fresh energy. And then, carefully dismantle the plant in time. I am pretty damn frustrated by people’s inability to recognize the important of taking care of clean energy production in America. We just gotta do what is right. For the sake of our children and theirs. Get it done. Do the right thing. Stop all the fuss and invest into stopping what is hurting this earth.
Heat and Thermal Dynamics with scientist- Tom Vales
* How being green has always been pretty suave, and how sometimes the oldest inventions are the best inventions. Because, really, the new stuff sucks the soul out of you: Facebook= not that great, Tesla Coil= brilliant.*
On February 21st, Tom Vales came to our classroom to discuss and show the class what heat and thermal dynamics looked like. It looked like it was illegal. And, boy! Did he show us! But, first he f
illed us in on some cool facts about old-school engines, and the historic battle of Nikola Tesla vs. Thomas Edison. Here are some factoids I picked up:
A long, long time ago there were some very green scientific developments:
– 200 years ago, the discovery of the Peltier device: a thermal cooling device that is now used to cool our beverages and such.
– In 1834 a cool Stirling Engine was used to replace steam engines. They take no fuel to run, as it is a hot air engine.
– A thang called a Mendocino motor came about, using magnets to run.
Look at the mini- replicas Tom Vales brought in!
Scientist Vales, began to discuss the glory of Nikola Tesla, and how his knowledge made living pretty damn easy! He also made sure to stress how genuine Tesla was with his intent to develop the little ole’ concept of: power distribution without wires! He was fascinated by this notion. He was gracious and a true man of science! Oh- and, Tesla created the power-grid. TESLA BELIEVED THAT ALTERNATING ELECTRICAL CURRENT WAS THE MOST SUCCESSFUL WAY TO PROVIDE ELECTRICITY.
Hey! You can thank me for the power-grid folks!
All the while, in bustling late 1800’s America, there was also man named Thomas Edison. Edison believed that DIRECT CURRENT WAS THE WAY TO GO. This was not pleasant . Tesla had it right, and homeboy Edison had it wrong.
Edison is perplexed by this thing he is holding..... thinking about cash money
But, because Tesla was humble, and Serbian, he was talked over by Edison and company. (Those loud and confident early American macho men….)
Well I be damned! Look at the current!
After the brief illumination on the Tesla coil (circuit)… Tom Vales brought out his very own model. A homemade Tesla coil, which he held various glass tubes up to! Very calmly, I might add. Although, he did shake often, which he attributed to: too much caffeine. Definitely not the home made Tesla Coil that he was holding rods up to……
Well, takes all types! No, but in all seriousness, he couldn’t have been shaking from the rods and current because he had a wooden barrier between him and the glass bulbs that were lighting up in pinkish neon quite beautifully!
It is undeniable, in my opinion, that Momma Earth is being destructed, eroded and depleted of her natural goodness: fresh air, clean waters, a fully functioning food chain under and above the sea, and land. And we are the worst culprit/ offender. Think about it: If you were the supplier of a beautiful abundance of resources, a giver of nature, you would expect that those who take, take and take from you would make sure to treat you carefully rather than carelessly right? That because you are THE GIVER OF LIFE, those beings would return the favor, and help maintain your beauty. Well, we have let you down Momma Earth. And as your children, we are unable to survive unless we start HELPING and BEING PROACTIVE.
This image on TIME from 2006 is startling!
Some people are able to recognize that the rapidly melting ice glaciers and natural disasters are attributed to our years of careless treatment of Earth. Most of us, as greedy and senseless we may seem, want to HELP . To give thanks for all that Earth have tirelessly provided. But, others continue to swim in de-Nile: The Nile that could only exist with your existence, of course.
WHAT THE HECK is with our BROTHERS AND SISTERS?!
There are some ceaseless deniers, always blaming depletion of the Earth’s health on………… ? . Voo-doo? Witch-craft? Dogma? Satan? Seriously?
In recent years, there has been a clash between believers and non-believers in what is very much real: Global Warming. Scientists have been practically waving huge, massive red flags about fossil fuels and the way we have been beating the breathe out of the Earth. Humans have become parasites. We have caused this problem. Doesn’t this all sound very truthful and logical? Some disagree.
Here are some examples of Global Warming denial-ists.
One thing they all have in common: they believe that environmentalists and earth scientists are (evil) and want to trick people into giving our money to them so they can ruin earth with their movements towards a cleaner place to CO-EXIST. Makes sense, right?! Also, they cannot really provide too much other back up materials to support their cause. Meaning, there are almost NO FACTS to their beliefs. Also, most are conservative.
1. Heartland Institute of Chicago.: An institute with fuels the fire of denial, with conferences to support the denial of climate change. Heartland also urges lobbyists to push for global warming denial curriculum to be taught in schools. They have to pay people to buy into their beliefs. For example: $304,704 was raised by collecting money from creepy wealthy non-believers in 2012 to help pay scientists to preach about the hoax! One of these scientists is named Fred Singer,( a man who must of really needed some cash) founder of the National Weather Bureau . Singer receives 5,000 bucks a month. He was recently caught by a watch-dog for being sketchy with financial forms. * side note: Philip Morris is one of the big-daddy funders to the Heartland, and Singer has been known to claim that second hand smoke is harmless…… I think this speaks for itself. These dudes are nuts! What would Burton Richtor do?!
2. Michele Bachman: Alright, this lady has been known to say some pretty controversial and un-edumacated (meaning not too much of what she says holds any water, or has a backbone) stuff. While Bachman was running as a GOP candidate for presidency, she made sure to let everybody know about all that “voodoo”! Wait? Does she mean the Mother Earth’s screams for help? Anyway- Bachman is really into carbon dioxide, and all that is gives to us. She said in 2009, ““It occurs in Earth. It is a part of the regular life cycle of Earth. In fact, life on planet Earth can’t even exist without carbon dioxide. So necessary is it to human life, to animal life, to plant life, to the oceans, to the vegetation that’s on the Earth, to the, to the fowl that – that flies in the air, we need to have carbon dioxide as part of the fundamental life cycle of Earth.” Thank you Michele Bachman, that was very informative, and made a TON of SENSE, (sarcasm at its finest tuning). Well, Bachman also mentioned that the “earth was already saved 2,000 years ago” and that “The big thing we are working on now is the global warming hoax, It’s all voodoo, nonsense, hokum, a hoax.” As she said in 2009 to Minnesota public radio. Who is “we” you and all of those Heartland scientists? Because, frankly there aren’t that many of you around to back this stuff up. Also a republican: Rick Santorum, in the Florida 2012 caucus said: We all know this “global warming stuff is a hoax”.
Solar Panels are used to produce clean, mean energy ( electricity in a constant wave) from the natural gift of light and life: the sun. They are becoming increasingly popular. One might find one very easily in New England, especially. I happen to live right next to the oldest home in town, literally. By contrast there is a new, shiny, kickass solar panel in the front yard. These people have something figured out, I think as I cruise by daily.
Here is a fact I learned during our lecture: the light intensity is a measure of the energy of the light, and is important. The more light intensity, the more voltage and stronger current generated through Photovoltaics.
Through our experiment using mini solar panels, a vibrant light, 3 color slides, and computer software, we were able to discover how solar power is translated into voltage.
Our mini panel and light source!
TRIALS:
1. Response of the solar panel with no light.
2. We put our lamp light on, shining onto the solar panel, and let the graphs determine the data (on our computer)
3. We placed our light source 2 cm away from the solar panel. Very closely. = Bigger numbers were produced on the graph! WOAH, that’s solar energy.
4. We placed our solar panel farther away, and noticed that the graph had some weak recordings.
Our graph shows the various results of distance between solar panel and light source. Here is a little look at the various trails: 1= no light filter 2= low light 3= low light, but closer 4=25 cm away( panel to light) 5= panel 60cm away from light
NEXT STEP: Pick a steady distance, and try the color slides on the solar panel. How will this effect our results?
Our distance: 6 cm and low power light
TRIALS shown on graph :
1. No filter= 0.336852
2. Pink=0.2945513
3. Purple=0.315041
4. Yellow=0.307343
This experiment was a great way to relate Photovoltaic’s to a tangible activity!
Well, I am ashamed to admit that I had no previous knowledge of the Solyndra scandal. Even though I am a devout NPR listener. This is a political scandal…one that could drum up conspiracy theories. The mysterious disappearance of $535 million dollars….
The Roots:
Solyndra, previously known as Gronet Technologies, was founded by Chris Gronet in 2005. This cute lil’ go green or go home company aimed to provide solar panels where they were missing. Which was in 2005, many solar panels.
This man is named Chris Gronet
And then came the Political Involvement:
During the oh so green George Dubya days…… oops! The Energy Policy act of 2005 was passed under the Bush administration. There were clear signs that energy was becoming an issue, thus the president adopted this Act. The Department of Energy was granted the right to provide loans to up- and–coming GREEN companies in America. Sure enough the applications poured in! One of which was from Solyndra. Years passed and the application was handed around to be examined and explored. In 2009 the energy committee announced that Solyndra had many a good idea and was built from impressive goals. But, there was not enough information to fully commit to a loan. There appeared to be too many cracks in the concept presented by Solyndra.
What did investment entail?:
4,000 jobs during a tough time!
Solar panels galore! Sounds convincing.
In March 2009 the loan was guaranteed and approved.
What HAPPENED?! :
Hope for a greener America was deflated and mocked. Solyndra filed for bankruptcy in August, 2011- firing 1,100 workers and stopped all manufacturing. That’s it. No comments. No explanations.
THEN CAME THE FLOOD OF SPECULATIONS: Was the bill rushed because of democratic investors in both the Obama campaign and Solyndra? And many other forms of fodder for the flames of stupidity.
UHMMM, where did that moolah go?! That taxpayer moolah:
Nobody really knows. There has been speculation that the company bought all sorts of new and shiny goodies for production use. $535 million bucks worth? How can that be? Apparently, Solyndra began to be careless with her cash flow. Naturally the FBI and U.S. Treasury Department took control and delved into an investigation. Solyndra’s president thereafter resigned and insisted that the company be taken over by bankruptcy specialists.
Friendly joking
This seems to be a case of good intentions and unfortunate results. Sparked by a generous, almost unlikely gesture from the Bush administration in 2005, Solyndra could have been a robust and sustainable fire cultivated by both Republican and Democrats. Truly the mystery of money is what gets the American people going. The thought of pure intentions backed up by dirty money evokes images of fraud and confusion.Mistakes are made and risks are taken. Unfortunately, the Solyndra scandal is a blemish on the growing and hormonal Green America. We must prevail!
The simple driving force behind our flashlight experiment:
To prove that WORK and FORCE are intertwined. Without WORK there is no FORCE! Think about being stuck in the snow with your car. Naturally, you panic and get out of your car to push it out of the snow. You are putting in FORCE at this point, and with that, it becomes WORK. Your car is successfully pushed out of the snow!
Someone needs to tell these guys about work= force!!
We did not use the above model to implant the motives of our experiment. Dr. Shatz instead, provided us with the mental images of how a windmill works. THOSE THINGS ARE HUGE. Without the force of the wind, there is no work produced by the windmills. The work =force concept is an environmentally friendly one, natural work produces natural force. The windmill concept is one that I hope to see more of in America. My family has a home in West Falmouth, MA on Cape Cod, and there are always various discussions and protests going on about Cape Air. I support the change in CLEAN energy needed. Who really cares about the windmills, if your bills will go down, and something natural will be infused into the situation at hand. I will now associate them with the Work= Force lecture.
Look at that beautiful windmill, using the sustainable work= force mechanism!
The experiment:
Testing Work + Force and how it is translated, through a small flashlight that is hooked up to several wires leading into the computer data. So, when the flashlight is being shaken, it’s voltage produced by the shake is shown on the computer screen. There is a small metal coil within the flashlight that, I presume accounts for the voltage of energy produced.
Previous to starting:
We fooled around with the system, just to be comfortable with the graphs, and data reading that we would be seeing on the screen. We established our given trials would increase by increments of 15 shakes in 30 second intervals.
1.Trial one: 15 shakes, by me: the voltages produced by the shakes are varying, The ninth shake shows up as a negative result. “I NEED TO SHAKE FASTER” runs through my head.
2.Trial two: 30 shakes, by me: The third shake packs a powerful punch with 1.4351 voltage produced! OH WOW! But, the rest vary and some are negative. This is okay, because we are still learning about the various outcomes of our shakes.
3.Trial three: 45 shakes, by Dana: Our total 45 shakes did not show up on our graph of data, but we were able to record the voltages of 18, I am almost certain that we were falling somewhat behind, and needed to continue to follow in a steady pace. SO, we took what we could get.
The total average of all our shakes was added up, and also the average of each trail was added up, to show how much voltage was produced by the work.
( SEE OUR GRAPH BELOW)
I hate to offer a disclaimer, but Dana and I had a few mishaps along the way.
Oneerror : When we were shaking the Flashlight in the first few rounds- I was shaking too slowly, or putting in not enough necessary work to provide accurate force results. I
We generated electricity by shaking a flashlight, there was a metal coil that was encased within the flashlight.
Second error: We could not translate our graph charts into e-mail format. So, unfortunately we have the cold hard facts to show the proof of our endeavors, but we do not have it in funky graph form.
Let me start by saying: initially, I had slim, or rather, no knowledge on this subject. Yet, after educating myself, I realized that this process is delicate, controversial and lucrative. I thought, correctly, that the HYDRO part of the process would have to do with some sort of water activity. Fracking, sounds a little similar to a cuss word, if I say so myself. So, those sum up the knee jerk reaction to all that is: Hydofracking. Needless to say, it is so much more than how it sounds…..
A provided contrast:
Hydraulic fracturing, is the natural production of fractures produced within a layer of rock, caused by pressurized fluids from within. A very robust example of Hydraulic fracturing is : A dike. These fractures, enable the natural transportation of gas and petroleum from their source rocks to reservoirs.
Hydrofracking: The man-made and man-enforced process of speeding up the natural process ( explained above), to release petroleum and other natural gases for use.
The Hydrofracking process, broken down into steps:
1. Build a well: on site, where there is rock layers present, holding natural gases, water or oil. Wells can be build in a vertical direction, ONLY, and accompanied by horizontal or directional sections stemming from the original. These sections can range from 1000- 6000 feet away from the original drilling.
2. Pump those fluids: made up of h2o or chemicals. These fluids are pumped into the formations made on the site. When the pressure gets EXTREMELY HIGH, the fluids have done their job, and the natural rock fractures are enlarged and discovered.
3. Keep the fractures alive: by pumping in a PROPPING agent. This will help to keep those newly found fractures open and detectable, even after the fluid pressure is released.
4. Drain the fractures: of all the natural goodness it has been holding! OH, and all of the chemicals that have been placed inside to provoke their début.
5. Use the stuff, because, my friend, you might have just left anywhere from 20%-85% of the chemicals you injected into mother earths beauteous wrinkles! The stuff you got out, is ‘flow back’, and will be stored in giant pits.
PROS:
– Americans might be able to depend on our land for oil and natural gases, and lessen our dependence on our oil rich, (slightly dangerous) friends in other lands.
CONS:
– Water use: there could be anywhere from 70-140 BILLION gallons of water used annually to fracture wells: this depletes drinking water and aquatic resources.
– TOXIC CHEMICALS: are used, and can easily seep into the drinking waters. A 4 million gallon frack job uses anywhere from 80-330 tons of chemicals. RED FLAG
– Various other Health effects: Shown below in graph form.
So, sure this might seem like a great way to further our Americans relying on America theme mentioned so much recently. (have you followed the GOP primaries?) But, it could also lead to furthering our health issues, environmental woes and eventually become more of a dilemma. It is something to look out for, and begin to recognize as being very apparent on our American soil.
