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The work of OLALEKAN JEYIFO: Architecturalist/ Futurist/ Artist

Posted by Carles CJ Juzang on April 27, 2015 at 4:00am

Going through my digital achieves (purging), I recovered a file I created of a number of contemporary African artists whom I draw inspiration, conceptualizations and graphic design trysts from. One of these artist is OLALEKAN JEYIFO. His Bio on his website reads like this:


"I am a Nigerian-born, Brooklyn-based artist and designer. In May of 2000 I received a Bachelor's degree in Architecture from Cornell University where my focus of study was primarily on investigating the relevant potential for a variety of computer software within the fields of art, design and architecture. After graduating I enjoyed a 4 year tenure as a senior designer at the inimitable dbox before continuing on to pursue my creative compulsions full-time. Since then I have been fortunate enough to exhibit my artwork in venues throughout the world as well as create beautiful visuals for a variety of amazing clients. I love what I do and I hope you do too."


And personally I DO as I share with BSFS just a few of HIS futurist visions in Illustrations, Computer and Digital Graphics, Architectural CAD drawings and 3D Printings.... Enjoy.

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His Website with sooo much more is:
http://vigilism.com/

Twitter:
https://twitter.com/vigilismdesign

Tumblr:
http://vigilism.tumblr.com/

Instagram:
http://iconosquare.com/kidcadaver

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3-D Proteins...

Posted by Reginald L. Goodwin on April 27, 2015 at 7:06am
Image Source: Technology Review


Topics: 3-D Objects, Algorithm, Biology, Computer Science, Molecular Biology


TECHNOLOGY REVIEW: One of the great challenges in molecular biology is to determine the three-dimensional structure of large biomolecules such as proteins. But this is a famously difficult and time-consuming task.

The standard technique is x-ray crystallography, which involves analyzing the x-ray diffraction pattern from a crystal of the molecule under investigation. That works well for molecules that form crystals easily.

But many proteins, perhaps most, do not form crystals easily. And even when they do, they often take on unnatural configurations that do not resemble their natural shape.

So finding another reliable way of determining the 3-D structure of large biomolecules would be a huge breakthrough. Today, Marcus Brubaker and a couple of pals at the University of Toronto in Canada say they have found a way to dramatically improve a 3-D imaging technique that has never quite matched the utility of x-ray crystallography.

The new technique is based on an imaging process called electron cryomicroscopy. This begins with a purified solution of the target molecule that is frozen into a thin film just a single molecule thick.

This film is then photographed using a process known as transmission electron microscopy—it is bombarded with electrons and those that pass through are recorded. Essentially, this produces two-dimensional “shadowgrams” of the molecules in the film. Researchers then pick out each shadowgram and use them to work out the three-dimensional structure of the target molecule.

Abstract


Discovering the 3D atomic structure of molecules such as proteins and viruses is a fundamental research problem in biology and medicine. Electron Cryomicroscopy (Cryo-EM) is a promising vision-based technique for structure estimation which attempts to reconstruct 3D structures from 2D images. This paper addresses the challenging problem of 3D reconstruction from 2D Cryo-EM images. A new framework for estimation is introduced which relies on modern stochastic optimization techniques to scale to large datasets. We also introduce a novel technique which reduces the cost of evaluating the objective function during optimization by over five orders or magnitude. The net result is an approach capable of estimating 3D molecular structure from large scale datasets in about a day on a single workstation.

Physics arXiv:
Building Proteins in a Day: Efficient 3D Molecular Reconstruction
Marcus A. Brubaker, Ali Punjani, David J. Fleet

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NExSS...

Posted by Reginald L. Goodwin on April 26, 2015 at 6:43am
Image Source


Topics: Aliens, Astrophysics, Biology, Exoplanets, Heliophysics, NASA, SETI


L’infini est infiniment infini: "The infinite is infinitely infinite."

The Nexus for Exoplanet System Science, or “NExSS”, hopes to better understand the various components of an exoplanet, as well as how the planet stars and neighbor planets interact to support life.

“This interdisciplinary endeavor connects top research teams and provides a synthesized approach in the search for planets with the greatest potential for signs of life,” says Jim Green, NASA’s Director of Planetary Science. “The hunt for exoplanets is not only a priority for astronomers, it’s of keen interest to planetary and climate scientists as well.”

NExSS will tap into the collective expertise from each of the science communities supported by NASA’s Science Mission Directorate:

-Earth scientists develop a systems science approach by studying our home planet.



-Planetary scientists apply systems science to a wide variety of worlds within our solar system.

-Heliophysicists add another layer to this systems science approach, looking in detail at how the Sun interacts with orbiting planets.

-Astrophysicists provide data on the exoplanets and host stars for the application of this systems science framework.

NExSS will bring together these prominent research communities in an unprecedented collaboration, to share their perspectives, research results, and approaches in the pursuit of one of humanity’s deepest questions: Are we alone?

“Two possibilities exist: either we are alone in the Universe or we are not. Both are equally terrifying.”

― Arthur C. Clarke

I posited a thought experiment, the post title inspired by the last two words of Sir Arthur C. Clarke's quote above.

Honestly, I saw this on my Facebook news feed and shared it. I then looked for the official NASA write up I italicize above.

I am prepared to review the data once its published, read also the papers and look at the presentations if they find things like (I'm assuming), spectrographic analysis of alien atmospheres and evidence of water; the telltale wobble of planets orbiting distant suns. I am looking forward to how this exploration will have application to our own planet. On that, I am hopeful.

I am also sadly, bracing for the kind of backlash that claimed Giordano Bruno*, though a bit of license was taken in presenting his story in the Cosmos reboot. I am prepared for the denialist, the conspiracy theorist; the flat earthers cum universe birthers. As I've gotten older, the hope of an expanding enlightenment has been snuffed by present darkness authoritarians that want others to grope in their caves; rammed down our collective throats.

* In 1584 Giordano wrote a thesis entitled "On the Infinite Universe and Worlds." Bruno argued that if a person believes it logical that even one other world likely exists, that it reasonably follows that all other worlds exist.

NASA: NASA’s NExSS Coalition to Lead Search for Life on Distant Worlds

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SUPER STRIKAS, Football (soccer) Animated and Comic Series

Posted by Carles CJ Juzang on April 26, 2015 at 6:00am

The marketing done with this franchise is what I am striving for with ALL of Abyssinia Media Group® productions. This is not science fiction but the SOUTH AFRICAN production studio Strika Entertainment and Canadian Audio marketeers DACAPO Productions have a REAL diverse and multicultural, family friendly hit based around a SA soccer team and organization. Been out since 2008, so check it out and get at me about your thoughts on their style, and unified animation, comics and marketing strategy. I find interesting how the Strika Entertainment Production company gets conglomerates like KFC, Neslie's MILO, Golden Penny Noodles, Chevron, Caltex, Texaco and First Bank to sponsor their website and Facebook page. I count Season One with 39 animated episodes all started with a South African Comic that now is a part a Pan African Culture.... Enjoy

http://www.supastrikas.co.za/

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Giant Leap...

Posted by Reginald L. Goodwin on April 24, 2015 at 7:50am
International Space Station - Facts and Figures Page


Topics: International Space Station, NASA, Space, Space Exploration


Growing up in the Apollo era, spaceflight and space exploration were "big deals" that stopped traffic, ensued water cooler conversations and dominated - at least in nerd culture - deep thoughts regarding where we were heading. It wasn't until the Space Shuttle Program that spaceflight became humdrum; routine. We'd pause when Challenger or Columbia tragedies dominated the news cycle, briefly reflect, give heartfelt condolences and go back to our technology-centered lives. My sincere hope is going forward we don't lose our need to explore and sense of wonder, nor suppress it with fear, propaganda, empty talking points and arrogant convictions. My optimism is many of our future leaders - in high school and college now - get to experience the "overlook effect" and maybe this cooperation will become a little more widespread, and sanguinely for out continuance, quite routine.

Since 1998, humanity’s had a permanent presence in space with the International Space Station. The ISS, which circles the Earth once every 90 minutes, is a model of global cooperation: A joint cooperation among five national space agencies, crewed by astronauts from more than 15 countries. Take an inside look at the daily life and science that goes on inside the space station whizzing by at more than 200 miles above our heads.
World Science Festival Staff
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Radio Electron...

Posted by Reginald L. Goodwin on April 23, 2015 at 6:28am
An electron in a magnetic field will turn circles and emit radiation. Adrian Cho - Science Mag


Topics: Cyclotron, Electromagnetism, Neutrinos, Particle Physics, Radiation


Physicists have long known that charged particles like electrons will spiral in a magnetic field and give off radiation. But nobody had ever detected the radio waves emanating from a single whirling electron—until now. The striking new technique researchers used to do it might someday help particle physicists answer a question that has vexed them for decades: How much does a ghostly particle called the neutrino weigh?

"This is a great achievement on its own, and we're really looking forward to seeing this technology develop over time," says Guido Drexlin, an astroparticle physicist at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany who was not involved in the work.

To understand the experiment, suppose an electron flies horizontally through a vertical magnetic field. It will experience a sideways force that is proportional to both its velocity and the strength of the field. That constant sideways shove will cause the electron to run in circles (see diagram). But that turning will also cause the electron to radiate electromagnetic waves, much as a wet dishcloth will fling off drops of water if you whirl it above your head. Of course, the radiation will sap the electron's energy, so that it will gradually spiral inward.

This effect has been understood for a century. It's used to generate x-ray beams by sending electrons racing around circular particle accelerators known as synchrotrons. Such radiation also emanates from swirling particles in interstellar space. Now, 27 physicists with Project 8, an experiment based at the University of Washington, Seattle, have detected radiation from a single electron. "I thought surely somebody must have done this," says Brent VanDevender, a nuclear physicist and team member from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland, Washington. "I looked and looked and looked in the literature and couldn't find anything."

Science Mag: Physicists detect radio waves from a single electron, Adrian Cho

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Current From Noise...

Posted by Reginald L. Goodwin on April 22, 2015 at 6:54am


In this electron micrograph of the energy-harvesting device, the lower quantum dot is the red blob at the top of the red triangle. The upper quantum dot is the blue blob at the tip of the blue triangle. The image shows an area that is about 2 μm wide. (Courtesy: F Hartmann et al.)

Topics: Coupled Quantum Dots, Electronics, Quantum Mechanics, Thermodynamics


Two quantum dots have been used to generate an electrical current from voltage noise. The device was created by physicists in Germany, who say that it could lead to the development of systems that convert waste heat into useful energy.

Electronic devices generate large amounts of excess heat that must be dissipated. Instead of simply discarding this energy, using it to do useful work could revolutionize the electronics industry, and make it possible to create more efficient devices. Indeed, for more than a decade, physicists have been thinking up ways to convert this heat into electrical currents that can do work, such as power electronic devices.

Now, Lukas Worschech and colleagues at the University of Würzburg in Germany have verified experimentally that random voltage fluctuations can be rectified to drive a direct current. The experiment uses voltage noise to mimic the hot and cold spots of waste heat, and is therefore not a direct demonstration of waste heat being converted into work. However, team member Fabian Hartmann explains that it shows that small voltage fluctuations can drive a current: "A device derived from our sample might be able to provide the necessary power to drive autonomous and self-powered systems."

Physics World: Physicists generate electrical currents from noise,
Katherine Kornei

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Shades of Sith...

Posted by Reginald L. Goodwin on April 21, 2015 at 6:18am


This Hubble Space Telescope image of four colliding galaxies in the Abell 3827 cluster shows the telltale signature of gravitational lensing--the bending of light's path by matter--in the form of blue arcs. The image suggests that dark matter in the cluster may interact with itself through some "dark force."

Credit: ESO

Topics: Astrophysics, Dark Energy, Dark Matter, Gravitational Lensing, Humor

Title note: with Episode VII coming out Christmas, I couldn't resist!


After decades of studying dark matter scientists have repeatedly found evidence of what it cannot be but very few signs of what it is. That might have just changed. A study of four colliding galaxies for the first time suggests that the dark matter in them may be interacting with itself through some unknown force other than gravity that has no effect on ordinary matter. The finding could be a significant clue as to what comprises the invisible stuff that is thought to contribute 24 percent of the universe.

“This result, if confirmed, could upend our understanding of dark matter,” says physicist Don Lincoln of the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory in Illinois, who was not involved in the research. So-called “self-interacting dark matter” has been suggested for some time but it has generally been considered unorthodox. The simplest model of dark matter portrays it as a single particle—one that happens to interact with others of its kind and normal matter very little or not at all. Physicists favor the most basic explanations that fit the bill and add extra complications only when necessary, so this scenario tends to be the most popular. For dark matter to interact with itself requires not only dark matter particles but also a dark force to govern their interactions and dark boson particles to carry this force. This more complex picture mirrors our understanding of normal matter particles, which interact through force-carrying particles. For example, protons interact through the electromagnetic force, which is carried by particles called photons (particles of light).

Scientific American:
Dark Matter May Feel a “Dark Force” That the Rest of the Universe Does Not,
Clara Moskowitz

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Writer's Block

Posted by Wayne Kelly on April 20, 2015 at 10:30am

     Speaking from my own perspective, the type of writer's block I am addressing is not trauma bases, where there is a death in the family, but rather the common persistent ones, which sprout up at the most inconvenient times. But ask yourself:

"Is this type of writer's block a hurdle in the road, Or perhaps what you have currently stored within your subconscious, the unformed, is a better idea than what you, the conscious, is working with?"

     A concept which came to me over time. Once I accepted this reality I no longer fought my blocks. I listen to music, stream the web, watch netflix, my dvds; whatever to get my mid off the 'here and now.' Once my body relaxes the hidden thoughts flow through me. I may from different periods, while engaging these deliberate distractions, pause to jot down notes in the document; as a way of guiding my process.  

     This exercises continues till nothing from the ether comes forth. After such, I organize the jumble lines to a workable paragraph, or passage. Polish it to a satisfactory result, and move forward.

How long does this process last? The results vary, but at least you'll be on a progressive track. Within time the gap between then and now is less.  

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OSIRIS-REx...

Posted by Reginald L. Goodwin on April 20, 2015 at 7:14am


NASA's spacecraft to an asteroid – the OSIRIS-REx mission — is being readied for a 2016 liftoff. Gary Napier, Lockheed Martin spokesman (left) and reporter Leonard David (right) stand in front of spacecraft build-up on April 6, 2015 as technicians work on the probe for launch next year. Credit: Leonard David

Topics: Asteroids, Bennu, Clean Room, NASA, Space Exploration, STEM


Ahem: in a lot of STEM fields that are "stimulating" (pun intended), you'll find yourselves in apparel like this, affectionately known as "bunny suits." You can find a brief history of the clean room here and here.

DENVER, Colorado – A fact-filled and incredible day at Lockheed Martin on April 6, visiting ultra-clean room facilities in which NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft is coming together for a September 2016 liftoff.

The Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security, Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) probe is headed for asteroid Bennu, a carbon-rich body that could hold clues to the origin of the solar system and host organic molecules that may have seeded life on Earth.

The spacecraft will collect and return samples of the asteroid, returning the specimens gathered back to Earth for detailed analysis.

Lofted spaceward next year, the probe will reach asteroid Bennu in 2018 and return a sample to Earth in 2023.

In protective garb, this reporter saw assembly, test and launch operations (ATLO) phase technicians hard at work in a critical stage of the program.

Over the next several months, spacecraft handlers will install on the OSIRIS-REx structure its many subsystems, including avionics, power, telecomm, mechanisms, thermal systems, and guidance, navigation and control.

The Bennu is an ancient Egyptian deity linked with the sun, creation, and rebirth. It may have been the inspiration for the phoenix in Greek mythology. Wikipedia

Space.com:
A Reporter's View: NASA's OSIRIS-REx Asteroid Mission Taking Shape, Leonard David

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We Got to Do Better

Posted by G.H. Wright on April 19, 2015 at 8:36pm
Because anything is better than the n word.Urban Resident One: Whatup my Vulcan?Urban Resident Two: It ain't nothing. Keeping it logical.Urban Resident One: Man I ain't had none in so long it's like pon farr up in here.Urban Resident Two: That's some old Romulan bulls@!#.Note: pon farr is a once every seven year mating ritual.
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Blurb from Timeswimmers: Chun Yi

Posted by Stanley Glenn Lewis on April 18, 2015 at 5:19am

I remember it rained a lot in New China. On those days I would hang near the front of the family store, and when my Mother was reading and my Father not in sight, I would silently slip out the front entrance and onto the sidewalk. With my eyes closed, I would lean back against the wall of the store. I could feel the coolness of the wet wind on my face. Above my head the shop signs swayed in the wind and water would begin to fill first the street and then the sidewalk itself. I couldn't wait to get my own spaceship so I could be free!

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Age of Einstein...

Posted by Reginald L. Goodwin on April 18, 2015 at 7:30am
Image Source: Biography.com


Topics: Einstein, Special Relativity, Space Exploration, Spaceflight, Spacetime


It was Einstein that entered the term "warp" into our lexicon before the notion was popularized on the original Star Trek. That warp was gravity from the mass of objects like planets, suns; wormholes and black holes. It has lived on in the discovery of the intermediate vector boson ("W" and Z0particle), theorized by Dr's Sheldon Lee Glashow, Abdus Salam and Steven Weinberg, meaning his was the "shoulder of [a] giant" these men stood on when they made their discovery. The foundation of the Higgs Boson were courses in special and general relativity as well as quantum mechanics, the root of all things micro and nano electronic. In a way, he's achieved immortality.

The link below is a PDF that goes through a primer of the physics at the high school level, which is appropriate. The more we understand about the physics that is all around us, the less we are frightened by, or put off by it. As we increase our intellectual acumen in STEM fields, is it too much to request such a self-study of those who wish to be our leaders, and possibly possess the nuclear codes?

This brief book is for the inquisitive reader who wishes to gain an understanding of the immortal work of Einstein, the greatest scientist since Newton. The concepts that form the basis of Einstein’s Theory of Special Relativity are discussed at a level suitable for Seniors in High School. Special Relativity deals with measurements of space, time and motion in inertial frames of reference (see chapter 4). An introduction to Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity, a theory of space, time, and motion in the presence of gravity, is given at a popular level. A more formal account of Special Relativity, that requires a higher level of understanding of Mathematics, is given in an Appendix.

Historians in the future will, no doubt, choose a phrase that best characterizes the 20th-century. Several possible phrases, such as “the Atomic Age”, “the Space Age” and “the Information Age”, come to mind. I believe that a strong case will be made for the phrase “the Age of Einstein”; no other person in the 20th-century advanced our understanding of the physical universe in such a dramatic way. He introduced many original concepts, each one of a profound nature. His discovery of the universal equivalence of energy and mass has had, and continues to have, far-reaching consequences not only in Science and Technology but also in fields as diverse as World Politics, Economics, and Philosophy.

Free Physics Book: The Age of Einstein
Frank W. K. Firk
Professor Emeritus of Physics
Yale University

Tomorrow: The Unraveling

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YuMi...

Posted by Reginald L. Goodwin on April 17, 2015 at 6:49am
Image Source: ABB Robotics (link below)


Topics: Economy, Futurism, Jobs, Robotics, STEM


We are somewhere on the Kardashev Scale muscling our way from type 0 to type 1, slowly and steadily against a resisting, authoritarian and fearful tide. The future is here. However, to continue its advance will require training young people unabashedly in STEM - science, technology, engineering and mathematics - the bedrock of advancement, economic prosperity, employment, equality and progress. STEM employees eventually retire, and need able replacements in their fields. Regressing, falling back to comforting dogma and superstitions heralds the dark ages. Irreplaceable artifacts from antiquity are being trashed by such forces in Mosul; similar ones here would have us too dumb to continue this important work. Robots at a minimum will need designers to dream them, and human hands to repair them.

The new era of robotic co-workers is here. YuMi is the result of years of research and development, making collaboration between humans and robots a reality, but it is also much more.

ABB has developed a collaborative, dual arm, small parts assembly robot solution that includes flexible hands, parts feeding systems, camera-based part location and state-of-the-art robot control. YuMi is a vision of the future. YuMi will change the way we think about assembly automation. YuMi is “you and me”, working together to create endless possibilities.

ABB Robotics: YuMi

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Eric Canete, Jonathan Tsuei, and Leonardo Olea begin RUN LOVE KILL at IMAGE

Posted by Carles CJ Juzang on April 16, 2015 at 6:19pm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

by Kat Salazar

After a brief hiatus from mainstream comics, Blak Boks LLC collaborators Eric Canete (The End League, Iron Man: Enter the Mandarin) and Jon Tsuei (Comic Book Tattoo) are announcing their ambitious take on sci-fi and action-centric storytelling in their book RUN LOVE KILL. They will be joined by designer and color artist Leonardo Olea, with Manu Fernandez providing eye-catching CGI build models for the covers. The series will be published through Image Comics in Spring 2015.

“Speaking personally, it's an incredible opportunity for me to finally get a chance to share this story that Jon and I have been laboring over for a few years now,” said Canete. “Our collaborative process has been open for discussion and always presented with the caveat there's always room for improvement. I believe these reasons are some of the major contributing factors of why we were able to create something we can both be really proud of. From script to final colored image, the story grew and evolved. To add to our momentum and good fortune, we've had the contribution of very capable partners in Leonardo Olea (book designer/color artist) and Manu Fernandez (CG covers)—both of whom understood our way of working and they really bought in early on to our creative process.”

The story follows a wanted woman in hiding named Rain Oshiro. The narrative style will prominently feature two very different but significantly connected moments throughout her life: "The Past"—which will explore her history as an impressionable student, an abiding soldier, and a wanted fugitive; and "The Present"—which will show her as she is now and how she copes with (and runs away from) the decisions made in her past. At its core, the story is an exploration of choices—both good and bad. And now, how her choices have formed her into the person she has and will become. Set against a background of a futuristic world as only artist Canete can imagine, Rain has just 24 hours to escape a barricaded city while trying to evade a military force determined to either capture or kill her.

“I'm excited for the opportunity to have an audience go along for the ride with us,” Canete continued. “While I believe it is some of the best visual work I've done in recent time, it is almost secondary to the effort we put into the characterization and story. We wanted to take our time to let the whole thing unfold without feeling rushed, and we hope the audience will feel that as they read through the issues. That really is the part that has me the most intrigued and excited—how the story will affect your views and opinions about the characters as we reveal more about them.”

Tsuei added: “I hope readers will join us for a story we feel extremely proud of. Run Love Kill has a fantastic setting wrapped in action and explosions, but at it's core, is a story about life and the difficult choices we all face. I loved creating this world with Eric and I'm excited to share it with all those who decide to give it a try.”

"Eric and Jonathan first approached me about this project years ago and it was an immediate 'yes,' so I can't tell you how thrilled I am to finally see Run Love Kill finally coming to fruition,” said Eric Stephenson, Publisher at Image Comics. “It's grown since we originally talked about doing the book at Image, which is all the more exciting, because I think what Eric and Jonathan are doing with this story is really special."

RUN LOVE KILL will launch from Image Comics this month, April 2015.

Links for more info:

http://www.comicbookresources.com/prev_img.php?pid=26695&cover=1

https://imagecomics.com/comics/releases/runlovekill-1

http://thenerdsofcolor.org/2015/04/01/an-interview-with-runlovekill-writer-jonathan-tsuei/

https://instagram.com/ericcanete/

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