Nanoparticles Improve Solar Collection Efficiency

Mechanical engineers at Arizona States University expect to raise the efficiency of the solar power cells as well as profitability with assistance from nanotechnology. The current photovoltaic (PV) solar panels can only absorb a small portion of sunlight for converting which the rest is transformed into heat energy, stated by Robert Taylor, a graduate student in mechanical engineering at Arizona State University. Due to this reason, he and his colleagues decided to invent the solar thermal collectors for better performance. They have included graphite nano-particles, which are black, into the oils of solar thermal collectors to increase the efficiency of collecting the heat for steam turbines. Why did they choose this substance, not other black substances? It is due to its pitch-blackness and cheapness.
In my point of view, with more efficiency in collecting the solar energy, many benefits can be drawn from the solar panels. For example, massive land used for solar panels could be decreased for different usage. Furthermore, the more renewable energy we use, the better our climate will be.

Link: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110405081910.htm

Stanley McChrystal: Listen, learn ... then lead

Link: http://www.ted.com/talks/stanley_mcchrystal.html

Summary: This video is about Stanley, a 4-star general, talking about his experience in leadership over his career time. Initially, he explained about his first belief that soldiers would do well if they follow their leaders and do what they have been taught. However, in the first segment of his leadership life, he noticed that it was not enough; the soldiers need encouragement, confidence and trust from their leaders. In his life as soldier, he was down at his feet once, yet he regained his strength to continue the career through a short compliment from one of his battalion commanders. During every Afghanistan’s operation he led, he use the media such as teleconference, e-mails, phone calls and messages not just for the purpose of communication, but also to provide the soldiers with faith, belief, consensus and confidence for them. Furthermore, the forces that he led during the Afghanistan’s war were not men with sturdy-built bodies, huge knuckle fists and marvelous weapons, so he had to improve their confidence to battle with the enemies. Finally, what he believes are crucial in leadership are learn to listen to comrade’s opinions, earn their trusts, encourage and raise their confidence.

Personal Response: This video is really encouraging for me. I have just realized that raising our fellow companions’ confidence and earning their trust are extremely beneficial for a work to be done. However, I believe that, in order to earn their trust, the leaders must trust them first. The comrades will help you up when you are down, and you’ll have to do the same when they are down. :)

Poseidon, the God of Sea

In the Greek mythology, Poseidon (Roman mythology: Neptune) refers to the god of sea, rivers and earthquakes. He is the god who carries the trident, which is a spear-like weapon with 3 prongs, and has a study-built body. He was the son of Cronus, a leader of the Titans, and Rhea, the daughter of Uranus and Gaia. Cronus was a very ferocious god due to the fact that he devoured every child he gave birth to. However, like his brother, Zeus, he was concealed by his mother after his birth from his father by using lamb to trick Cronus. He was famous for various actions:
1. War of Titan: He fought besides his two brothers, Hades and Zeus to imprison the former gods including their own fathers, Cronus.
2. He was assigned to conquer the sea and known as ‘the God of the Sea’.
3. He sent Cetus, a mythical sea monster, to punish the Trojan for deceiving him.
4. He provoked a contest with Athena to rule over Athen. However, he was beaten by Athena.
5. He was attractive to many women such as Tyro, a Thessalian princess, and Medusa, one of the three gorgons.

Ghost Map of London (Solution to cholera outbreak in London, 1854)

Cholera is a water-borne infection which infects the small intestines of the patients and causes them to vomit and lose tremendous amount of water due to diarrhea. Tragically, this disease has murdered thousands of people's lives especially in the developing countries. During the beginning of 19th century in London which was one of the metropolitan cities, people started putting their human's waste at their home's basements. Because of the unbearable disgusting smell, the government suggested their citizens to throw their wastes into the rivers. Therefore, cholera's existence originated. The government first thought that it was an air-borne disease, but actually, it was not. Then, a doctor named John Snow argued that it was a water-borne disease, yet none were convinced. Only after Henry Whitehead, a local minister, created a map, called as Ghost Map, to show the number of dead people around the epidemic areas that resulted from drinking the pump water which was infected by cholera's bacteria. Around 250,000 lives lost in London, until the government accepted that the disease is water-borne.

Personal View: I can highly assume that the death could have been prevented if the locals and states of London believed doctor John Snow since the beginning of the outbreak. No matter what happens, if we only act patient for a time being and listen to reasons, there's a high probability that problems will be solved.

Link: http://www.ted.com/talks/steven_johnson_tours_the_ghost_map.html