NeutralAxis

What nuclear fuel can be carried safely in your pocket, has a nearly inexhaustible supply in nature, leaves minuscule waste, and can run a reactor that could fit within a medium sized suburban house?  Need a hint?  Its named after a Norse god and was pretty much forgotten about by the nuclear power industry because it was too safe. (continue reading…)

More than 160 years ago, Charles Babbage of England, proposed building a computing engine in an effort to create more accurate tables of data for use in navigation.  The mathematician had been studying the books of tables and was appalled by the number of errors he found.  He is claimed to have said, “I wish to God these calculations had been executed by steam!”  The powers that be of the time, could not understand how a machine could perform mathematics and his invention never made it past the drawing stage.  Until now.  Full story, audio and video of the 5 ton, hand cranked beast made of cast iron, bronze and steel at NPR.org.