26 APR 2012 by ideonexus
Early Speculation on the Fuel of Stars
A star is drawing on some vast reservoir of energy by means unknown to us. This reservoir can scarcely be other than the subatomic energy which, it is known exists abundantly in all matter; we sometimes dream that man will one day learn how to release it and use it for his service. The store is well nigh inexhaustible, if only it could be tapped. There is sufficient in the Sun to maintain its output of heat for 15 billion years. 1 
notes
notesFrom 1920, demonstrating an understanding that the fuel is subatomic energy, but betrays no insights as to how it is release.
22 MAR 2012 by ideonexus
The Enterprise's Impulse Drive
Moving back to the sub-light-speed world: We are not through with Einstein yet. His famous relation between
mass and energy, E=mc 2 , which is a consequence of special relativity, presents a further challenge to space travel at impulse speeds. As I have described it in chapter 1, a rocket is a device that propels material backward in order to move forward. As you might imagine, the faster the material is propelled backward, the larger will be the forward impulse the rocket will receive. Mater... 1 notes
notesThe ship uses hydrogen fusion to propel helium atoms at near the speed of light, but this hypothetical form of propulsion would require incredible amounts of hydrogen to work.
28 JAN 2012 by ideonexus
Gluttony is the Source of all Illnesses
Gluttony is the source of all our infirmities, and the fountain of all our diseases. As a lamp is choked by a superabundance of oil, a fire extinguished by excess of fuel, so is the natural health of the body destroyed by intemperate diet. 1 notes
notes1896 quote from Robert Burton.
24 SEP 2011 by ideonexus
A Succinct Definition of Lactate
Lactate is a dynamic substrate with great potential as an energy
source in sports drinks. To date, however, the efficacy of adding
lactate to these drinks has been sparsely assessed [5,15,16]. Lactate
was once considered a metabolic waste but is now recognized as an
important energy substrate in the body. Lactate is the main
product of carbohydrate metabolism and can be used as a fuel in
working muscle cells shuttled to other tissues such as the heart where lactate is fuel [17], or to the liv...
1 
1 A byproduct of our muscles converting carbohydrates to energy, which appears to serve as a secondary energy source.
08 JUN 2011 by ideonexus
The Evolution of Photosynthesis
When the first single-celled organisms appeared on Earth, more than 3 billion years ago, they fed upon carbohydrates—sugars—dissolved in the sea. The sugars had their origin in chance chemical reactions. Life, however, multiplied exponentially; one cell made two, two made four, four made eight, and so on. Self replication is the essence of life. It was inevitable that burgeoning organisms in the sea would outstrip their catch-as-catch-can food supply It would seem that life was doomed to ...Folksonomies: evolution natural history
Folksonomies: evolution natural history
1 notes
notesIf a microorganism did not evolve this trait, then early life would have quickly consumed all the naturally occuring sugars in the ocean.
28 MAY 2011 by ideonexus
With Warm-Bloodedness Comes Freedom
Pelorat said, "Tortoises are cold-blooded. Terminus doesn't have any, but some worlds do. They are shelled creatures, very slow-moving but long-living.”
"Well, then, isn't it better to be a human being than a tortoise; to move quickly whatever the temperature, rather than slowly? Isn't it better to support high-energy activities, quickly contracting muscles, quickly working nerve fibers, intense and long-sustained thought-than to creep slowly, and sense gradually, and have only a blurred a......but it is costly, requiring much more fuel.
02 MAR 2011 by ideonexus
A Useful Metaphor for Maintaining Momentum
"My boy is having his problems being a serious student," I told Eddie.
"Well, your studying is very important," Eddie said, while the boy sat smiling a smile that said: an old person his about to hand out some Wisdom. Could this please be over fast? "You know, a jet plane burns its greatest energy taking off; but once it reaches its cruising altitude, it burs less fuel. Just like studying. If you're constantly taking off and landing, you're going to burn more fuel as opposed to taking off an...The metaphor of a plane burning its most fuel when it takes off, and using less to maintain its soaring altitude works for studying, exercise, eating well, and a host of other good behaviors in life.
