“Out of This World …” !!!

November 8, 2014November 8, 2014NatarajanLeave a comment

An American astronaut has offered a rare look inside the International Space Station, with a unique video tour showing viewers his intergalactic workplace.

Reid Wiseman records himself floating through International Space Station
He travels through the dining area and labs before finishing at front end
Space Station is 205 miles from Earth and travels at 18,000 m
Beginning at one end of the ISS, Reid Wiseman, from Baltimore, Maryland, floats through the station in just over a minute and a half as he explains its different rooms.

As he enters one area, Russian religious icons can be seen on the wall behind him, offering a glimpse of a rare personal touch in the highly-functional station.

PL CLICK THE FOLLOWING LINK FOR VIDEO CLIP ….

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2825624/Out-world-American-astronaut-gives-fascinating-video-tour-International-Space-Station.html#v-3880543431001

Reid Wiseman bumps into his colleague Maxim in the dining area, but thankfully there is enough room to pass

Just another day in the office: Reid Wiseman (pictured) continues his scintillating ISS tour

A narrow tube-shaped hallway connects the station’s laboratory, crew quarters and dining area.

Mr Wiseman is greeted by Russian cosmonaut Maxim Surayev in the dining area, which resembles most of the other sections of the station.

The tour also offers a glimpse at the close-quarter manoeuvres astronauts must adopt to function inside the ISS, which travels at a rate of 18,000 mph.

Breathtaking: Wiseman’s photos from the space station have proved hugely popular on Twitter

This incredible shot was taken by the Baltimore astronaut from high above earth

Mr Wiseman takes us to ‘the very front end’ of the International Space Station

Viewers pass through the dining area and the lab as the astronaut gives an insight into his workplace

Reid Wiseman and his colleagues appear in good spirits despite being over 200 miles from Earth

Wiseman has amassed 361,000 followers on Twitter following his postings from outer space

‘Butch, go high,’ Mr Wiseman says as he floats beneath his fellow ISS resident, making sure the two don’t crash into each other.

He ends the brief tour on the front side of the station, roughly 200ft from the back end.

Mr Wiseman has become a Twitter sensation since he joined the ISS crew. He has shared hundreds of photos of Earth from outer space and now has 361,000 followers.

His photos have frequently been used on NASA’s official website as their ‘photo of the day’.

He is due to return to Earth this weekend after spending 165 days orbiting the planet.

Natarajan

Baby Bears” First Sight of the World !!!

November 7, 2014NatarajanLeave a comment

http://emp.bbc.co.uk/emp/embed/smpEmbed.html?playlist=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bbc.com%2Ffuture%2Fadpolicy%2Fplaylist%2Fp026100c%2Fpc%2F&title=BBC%20Earth%3A%20Mother%20Polar%20Bear%20and%20Cubs%20Emerging%20from%20Den.mov&product=news

Cute polar bear cubs see the world for the first time ….!!!!

SOURCE:::: bbc.com

Natarajan

NASA quells rumor: “Days of darkness in December:”? Of course not !!!

November 7, 2014NatarajanLeave a comment

NASA quells rumor: Days of darkness in December? Of course not

Heard the rumor that “NASA says” Earth will experience several days of total darkness in December 2014? Not true, of course.

Question: Will Earth experience six (or three) days of darkness in December, 2014?

Answer: No.

We at EarthSky have received many questions already about the so-called days of darkness supposedly announced by NASA and supposedly coming up in December, 2014. This rumor has spread like wildfire, as did the same rumor in 2011, which called for days of darkness caused by the erstwhile Comet Elenin. 2014’s version of the rumor apparently first began with this article from Hutzlers.com. The article states:

NASA has confirmed that the Earth will experience 6 days of almost complete darkness and will happen from the dates Tuesday the 16 – Monday the 22 in December. The world will remain, during these three days, without sunlight due to a solar storm, which will cause dust and space debris to become plentiful and thus, block 90% sunlight.

Oh, brother. Just reading that quote gives us a combination of heartburn plus giggles. Why? Because there’s never been an event where a solar storm created that much dust and debris, at least not in living memory. Could such a thing even be predicted, sort of like Superman’s dad Jor-El predicted the explosion of planet Krypton (which also had never happened before)? Let’s remember for a moment that Superman was fiction, but, even given that, many other imaginary scientists on that imaginary planet Krypton were arguing that the explosion wasn’t really imminent. Likewise, here on our real Earth, a prediction of days of darkness caused by solar storms would be such outlandish science that scientists would argue about it up until the time it happened … or didn’t. NASA wouldn’t just suddenly “predict it,” in other words.

Before we go on, the inquiring reader may want to read what Hutzlers.com says about itself:

Huzlers.com is a combination of real shocking news and satirical entertainment to keep its visitors in a state of disbelief.

Well, they got that part right.

Needless to say, the NASA Earth Observatory website totally disavowed the hoax.

This incredible image of the night side of Earth is a composite of data gathered by the Suomi NPP satellite in April and October 2012 and mapped over previous imagery of the whole Earth. Image via NASA/NOAA.
This beautiful image of the night side of Earth is a composite of data gathered by the Suomi NPP satellite in April and October 2012. Is Earth totally dark when it’s night for you? No. Earth is always half illuminated by sunlight. Notice the crescent of illumination on one edge in this photo. If you were on the other side of Earth when the images used in this composite were acquired, you’d see Earth shining brightly in reflected sunlight, aka daylight. Image via NASA/NOAA.
Is all of this a replay of the December, 2012 winter solstice hysteria?

We don’t know what it is about the December solstice, the Northern Hemisphere’s winter solstice, but it seems to inspire all kinds of pseudo-scientific claims and apocalyptic fantasies. The days-of-darkness theme appears to be a revival of sorts of the bogus galactic alignment prophesy, which did not take place – as expected – on the 2012 winter solstice.

Snopes.com, which has already investigated and debunked the supposed December, 2014 NASA Blackout Warning, recalled a 2012 prediction whereby:

The Earth will shift from the current third dimension to zero dimension, then shift to the fourth dimension. During this transition, the entire Universe will face a big change, and we will see a entire brand new world. The 3 days blackout is predicted to happen on Dec 23, 24, 25….

Okay then … moving on …
As Comet Elenin passed near the sun in 2011, it was supposed to block the sun and cause three days of darkness. Of course, it didn’t. That would have been far more difficult than, say, a mosquito blocking your car headlight. Image via NASA

Remember Nibiru, the fictitious planet, which was predicted to bombard the inner solar system and collide with our planet Earth in 2012?

When acute telescopic observers wondered why this huge planet wasn’t visible in the night sky by 2010, Nibiru proponents answered the challenge by claiming the discovery of Comet Elenin in December 2010 provided proof of Nibiru’s existence.

Moreover, prognosticators went on to say that Comet Elenin itself was to bring three days of darkness – which, of course, never came to pass. Meanwhile, Comet Elenin eventually disintegrated.

So will you experience three to six days of darkness in December, 2014? No … unless you live north of the Arctic Circle, which has continuous darkness in winter every December.

Bottom line: NASA did not predict – and December, 2014 will not have – three to six days of darkness.

SOURCE::::www.earthsky.org

Natarajan

Gravity-Defying Rock Sculptures !!!

November 7, 2014November 7, 2014NatarajanLeave a comment

These seemingly impossible structures were assembled from naturally occurring rocks by Michael Grab.

Source: Michael Grab…http://all-thats-interesting.tumblr.com/

” Parked His Plane Outside Pub…Went in For a Beer…!!!”

November 6, 2014NatarajanLeave a comment

He Parked His Plane at a Pub, Went in For a Beer

The two-seater plane was parked at a pub in Australia. Photo courtesy: inside.com

SYDNEY: A man who taxied his light plane down a street in Australia and parked it at a pub while he went inside for a beer was being questioned on Monday by police, who were not amused.

Locals in Newman, Western Australia, were stunned when they saw the wingless Beechcraft two-seater aircraft chugging down the main drag of the mining town in the Pilbara region, before pulling up at the local watering hole.

“On the way back through town, here’s a plane parked outside the Purple Pub,” Newman resident Beau Woolcock told ABC radio.

“Even more special was seeing one of the local coppers poking his head in the door of the plane looking like he was asking for a licence.”

While the incident quickly became the talk of the town, police did not see the funny side.

“It was a pretty stupid thing to do,” Newman police sergeant Mark McKenzie told reporters, saying the propeller was running and it needed to be steered by foot pedals. It was not clear why it had no wings.

“Kids were coming home from school. It could have been very ugly. All he needed was one gust of wind because without the wings, it’s not stable.

“People think it was a bit of a laugh but it was very dangerous and we’re not very happy with it.”

The West Australian newspaper said staff at the pub had dubbed the man a “legend” for his casual arrival.

Police said they were investigating whether he had committed an offence, given the plane did not leave the ground or cause any traffic accidents and the man passed a breath-test at the scene.

“I need to look at what the appropriate offence would be as it’s a bit of an unusual one,” said police officer Mark Garner.

SOURCE::::www.ndtv.com

Natarajan

An Island In Bahamas…Eleuthera….A Little Known Beautiful Place One Should Visit…

November 6, 2014NatarajanLeave a comment

There some places in the world that we just don’t ever think about. They are never mentioned in the media and you rarely see pictures of them. Sometimes, these little known places can be breathtakingly beautiful. (More so than the beaches you see in almost every magazine.) One such example is Eleuthera, an island in the Bahamas. Besides it’s natural beauty as an island, Eleuthera is also well known for being located where the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea meet. Check out the pictures below and see the gorgeous sights of Eleuthera for yourself.

Here’s a photo of the surrounding area taken from space. So beautiful!

NASA

The Glass Window Bridge is the skinniest part of the island and is where you can see the Caribbean and Atlantic meet.

Google Maps

It’s an absolutely awe-spiring thing to see. Seeing a spot where these two massive bodies of water meet is so cool.

kolobok23

It’s also crazy to see the color difference of the Atlantic and Caribbean even when they are so close together. It adds to the feeling that you’re seeing two disparate worlds meeting.

kolobok23

Here you can see the where the two bodies of water connect at Glass Window Bridge, where the dark murky Atlantic meets the clear blue Caribbean.

kolobok23

50 miles east of Nassau in the Bahamas, this certainly seems like a worthwhile place to stop by.

Linda J Thornton

Three gorgeous shades of blue all in one picture. This is the only place you can see this kind of beauty.

Alex Freda

I definitely wouldn’t mind taking a walk along this bridge at sunset.

kolobok23

(via: wherecoolthingshappen.com)

It’s locales like Eleuthera that make me want to go look for the places no one ever talks about but that everyone should see.

SOURCE::::www.viralnova.com

Natarajan

Image of the Day… Full Moon On 6 November….

November 6, 2014NatarajanLeave a comment

Full moon on November 6 stays out all night!!!

Tonight … November 6, 2014 … the full moon will stay up all night and sleep in all day tomorrow, like a college student on vacation. From sundown on this night to sunup on November 7, the moon will follow the path of the early May sun across the sky tonight. Watch it rise in the east around sunset on November 6 and set in the west around sunrise the next morning. At midnight, when the sun lurks beneath our feet, the moon will assume the position of the noonday sun in early May. For us in the Northern Hemisphere, this November full moon is sometimes called the Frosty Moon or Beaver Moon.

Full moon about to set in the west as sun rises in the east, via G. Gillet/ESO

In the Southern Hemisphere, where it’s now spring, the November full moon could be called the Flower Moon. Click here to learn more about full moon names.

All full moons rise around sunset and set around sunrise. Tonight’s November full moon – like the full moon at any season – shines from dusk until dawn, and climbs to its highest point in the sky around midnight.

EarthSky lunar calendars make great gifts for astronomy-minded friends and family.

Image top of post via Peter Van Burun Bunswork of Columbia Falls Montana

Because the full moon occurs when the moon is most directly opposite the sun for the month, the full moon follows nearly the same arc across the sky that the sun follows six months henceforth. In both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, the November full moon will rise in the east-northeast and set in the west-northwest – just as the sun does in May. In the Northern Hemisphere, tonight’s full moon will soar up high – like the springtime sun. But south of the equator, the moon will follow the low trajectory of the late autumn sun.

So on this November 6, 2014 night, the full moon shines from dusk until dawn … unless you live north of the Arctic Circle. That far north, the moon simulates the midnight sun, staying out for 24 hours around the clock.

Bottom line: Full moon is November 6, 2014. Although moon can be seen from anywhere worldwide on this night – except southern Antarctica – its path in the sky varies, depending on where you live. Enjoy the all-night appearance of the full moon tonight, as it mimics the path of the early May sun across your sky!

SOURCE::::www.earthsky.org

Natarajan

This 13 yr old Inventor just Floored INTEL ….

November 6, 2014NatarajanLeave a comment

If Shubham Banerjee cannot lay claim to being the world’s youngest venture capital-backed entrepreneur, he comes very close.

Image: Shubham Banerjee holding Braigo.
Photograph: Nbanerjee/Wikimedia Commons

Banerjee was 12 years old when he closed an early-stage funding round with Intel Capital, the company’s venture capital arm, last month for his prototype for a low-cost Braille printer. Since then, the San Jose, California middle-schooler has turned 13.

That’s young, even by the standards of Silicon Valley, where many venture capitalists unapologetically prefer to fund youth over experience.

Young entrepreneurs usually have reached at least their mid-teens when they hit it big. Nick D’Aloisio, founder of online news aggregator Summly, was 17 when Yahoo bought his company last year for $30 million.

Image: Braigo – Braille Printer with Lego Mindstorms EV3.
Photograph: Nbanerjee/Wikimedia Commons

Brothers John and Patrick Collison, behind payments service Stripe, were 16 and 19 when they sold an earlier business to a Canadian company for $5 million.

After reading a fundraising flyer about the blind, Banerjee felt inspired to turn a high-tech version of Legos, the toy building blocks, into a device that could print in Braille. One day, he wants to mass-produce the printers and sell them for about $350, far less than Braille printers cost now.

This past summer, he worked on incorporating an Intel Edison chip, a processor aimed at hobbyists, into the printer. In September, Intel invited him to a conference in India to highlight uses for Edison. There, he got a big surprise.

Image: Shubham Banerjee with Braigo v2.0 at IDF14.
Photograph: Nbanerjee/Wikimedia Commons

Intel executive Mike Bell announced from the conference stage that the giant chipmaker would invest in his company, Braigo Labs. Until then, his funding consisted of the $35,000 his parents gave him.

“I turned back to my dad, and said, ‘What did he just say?'” Banerjee recalled. “I was all over the place.”

Banerjee and a spokesman for Intel Capital declined to disclose the size of the investment. A person familiar with the matter said it was a few hundred thousand dollars. He plans to use it to build a better prototype of the printer and test it with more groups for the blind.

After the announcement, Banerjee had to bone up on unfamiliar terms such as “venture capital.”

Image: A note to Shubham Banerjee from Garvin Thomas, NBC Bay Area.
Photograph: Courtesy, BraigoLabs

He also needed to convince adults to co-sign his funding and patent documents. Among the company officials he turned to: Braigo’s president, his mom, Malini.

Banerjee says he gets mostly As and Bs as a student at the ChampionSchool in San Jose, California. Teachers have given him time off to attend events like the conference in India and the Intel Global Capital summit this week in Huntington Beach, California. He catches up on school work on weekends, he says.

This is the second Intel investment connected to the Banerjee family. His dad, Neil, works for Kno, an education start-up that Intel bought last year.

While many young entrepreneurs who win venture-capital cash end up ditching their education to focus on their businesses full time, Banerjee says he won’t take that path.

“It’s an after-school thing,” he says….

SOURCE::::rediff.com

Natarajan

See This Man”s Creativity …Hats off To this Gentleman …

November 6, 2014Natarajan1 Comment

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svzPm8lT36o

An extraordinary man with a severe disability creates incredible works of art using a typewriter….

Paul Smith suffers from cerebral palsy. It’s a terrible degenrative disease that cuts him away from the world in so many ways. But in the next few minutes, Paul will prove to you how much deeper the human soul goes. There is a whole world inside Paul, and he is still able to share it with others, to let them see its beauty and express himself creatively. It’s a beautiful example of how much we have inside us.

SOURCE:::: You Tube and ba-ba mail site

Natarajan

Why No Guns For Cops of Britain and New Zealand ?…

November 6, 2014NatarajanLeave a comment

Britain and New Zealand have adopted an uncommon style of policing. Their cops typically don’t carry guns on the job.

You might assume this would lead to more officer fatalities, but that’s not the case.

In Britain, this tradition stretches back to the 19th century. When the Metropolitan Police force was formed, people feared the military and wanted to avoid a police force that was oppressive, according to the BBC.

If police officers don’t have guns, then they can’t use firearms against citizens. Moreover, police can’t have their own guns used against them.

By only allowing some officers to be armed – like a firearms unit in every police force in Britain and cops who patrol security-sensitive places like airports, for example – the logic goes, there’s less of a risk of gun violence overall.

A New Zealand police commissioner wrote in an editorial in 2009:

I have no doubt that carrying handguns would compromise officers’ ability to do their regular work, because when you carry a weapon, your primary concern is to protect that weapon. If this was balanced by a clearly demonstrable increase in personal protection, it would be a price to consider paying. But the protection offered by a firearm – particularly a pistol – is more illusory than real.

This has actually worked out quite well. The UK and New Zealand fare rather well compared to other countries when it comes to violent crime. They have some of the lowest homicide rates in the world:

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime

Gun deaths are lower in Europe and Oceania overall, too:

U.N. Global Homicide Report

Police shootings are far less prevalent in Britain than they are in the US. In the wake of the Michael Brown shooting in August, The Economistnoted that British citizens are about “100 times less likely to be shot by a police officer than Americans.”

Protests erupted in Ferguson, Missouri after a white police officer shot and killed Brown, an unarmed black teenager, during a routine patrol, leading to a national conversation about police brutality and use of force.

What helps Britain and New Zealand pull off unarmed policing is that gun ownership rates in these countries are much lower than in the US, which means that fewer criminals are armed with guns.

And police in Britain do have access to tasers to subdue suspects, which is a much safer alternative to guns.

SOURCE::::www.businessinsider.in

Natarajan

Take off with Natarajan

Airport Natarajan's Digital home

Engineering

Baby Bears” First Sight of the World !!!

” Parked His Plane Outside Pub…Went in For a Beer…!!!”

SOURCE:::: By JOHN HUTCHINSON FOR MAILONLINE

Here’s a photo of the surrounding area taken from space. So beautiful!

The Glass Window Bridge is the skinniest part of the island and is where you can see the Caribbean and Atlantic meet.

It’s an absolutely awe-spiring thing to see. Seeing a spot where these two massive bodies of water meet is so cool.

It’s also crazy to see the color difference of the Atlantic and Caribbean even when they are so close together. It adds to the feeling that you’re seeing two disparate worlds meeting.

Here you can see the where the two bodies of water connect at Glass Window Bridge, where the dark murky Atlantic meets the clear blue Caribbean.

50 miles east of Nassau in the Bahamas, this certainly seems like a worthwhile place to stop by.

Three gorgeous shades of blue all in one picture. This is the only place you can see this kind of beauty.

I definitely wouldn’t mind taking a walk along this bridge at sunset.

Full moon on November 6 stays out all night!!!