dan marrone, an astrophysicist who sits on the eht’s science council affirms, “seeing is believing”
the first ever direct image of a supermassive black hole has finally been captured.
the historic image comes from the event horizon telescope, a network of 10 radio telescopes enveloping earth and functioning as a single receiver.
the emblematic doughnut shape of the black hole affirms what theorists have imagined once confronted with albert einstein’s general relatively more than a century ago.
the image shows the boundary between light and dark around a black hole, called the event horizon, the point of no return, where the gravity of the black hole becomes so extreme that nothing that enters can ever escape. at the center of the black hole, time and space become so curved upon themselves that the laws of physics break down completely
einstein’s equations of general relativity, defined modern gravitational physics describing gravity as a phenomenon created when matter warps the geometry of space and time. in turn, curved space and time (“space-time”) tells matter how to move. he published the general theory of relatively in 1915.
shortly after einstein produced the equations for general relativity, german physicist karl schwarzschild calculated that if an object is dense enough, it would create a bottomless pit in space-time known as a “singularity.” anything within a certain radius of that pit — a region known as the “event horizon” — would be swallowed by its gravity. a black hole (another name for such a singularity) consumes clouds of gas and stars that wander too close; not even light can escape.
einstein found the notion irrational debunking it in a research paper.
all the evidence suggested that einstein was wrong about black holes — and that his theory was right.
the cosmic portrait belongs to the black hole at the center of messier 87, the largest galaxy we know of, about 54 million light-years away. “you’re basically looking at a supermassive black hole that’s almost the size of our solar system,” or 38 billion kilometers in diameter, said sera markoff, an astrophysicist at the university of amsterdam.
the image was divulged wednesday at the national press club in washington and in news conferences in six other cities. dan marrone, an astrophysicist a the university of arizona who sits on the eht’s science council affirms, “seeing is believing”
the city of chicago recently announced a $8.5 billion renovation of o’hare international airport including a new terminal that will be the centerpiece of the largest expansion in o’hare’s history.
to jump-start this vision, twelve global architectural firms were asked to submit proposals including danish architect bjarke ingels, studio fuksas of italy, chicago firms, gensler, hok, perkins + will, and chicago architect helmut jahn, who designed the stunning terminal 1 which opened in 1986.
a shortlist of five firms are highlighted below. two design contracts will be awarded: the winning team will design the global terminal and concourse. the second-place finisher is expected to design the satellite concourses. the eight-year project, made possible by the end of a 35-year lease with the airlines, would be paid for with future airline fees, and therefore would not require taxpayer dollars.
[ design objectives ]
> expand terminal and gate space
> replace aged infrastructure with state-of-the art systems
> introduce new technology and security innovations
> integrate domestic and international to create a seamless passenger experience
> enhance the passenger experience
> incorporate sustainability and enhanced accessibility features
> reflect the legacy of chicago’s innovation, architecture, and it’s diversity
[ scope of work ]
> increasing the airport’s overall footprint from 5.5 to 8.9 million sq ft.
> tearing down 55-year-old terminal 2 and creating a new global terminal
> adding 25% gate capacity at existing gates to accommodate larger aircraft
> increasing gate count from 185 to 235
> adding two new remote satellite concourses
> adding a tunnel to a new parking facility foreshadowing a future new terminal
> renovating terminals 1,3, and 5
while affirming the 14 project design objectives and scope of work expectations DesignApplause considers the heart of this project is replacing a 55-year-old terminal with a cutting-edge architectural solution that’s categorically a part of every world’s-best discussion.
[ uniquely different ] two concepts stand out: studio ord features ample neighborhoods and greenspace not seen elsewhere in terminals. foster epstein moreno jv boasts a world-first column-less concept under an extraordinary shell with a span of 550 feet.
[ wow factor ] one concept dominates: foster epstein moreno jv a space that pushes the limits of technology and truly lifts the spirits.
[ pro vs con ] what stands out…only one concept with zero con: foster epstein moreno jv.
[ shortlisted firms ]
above > the fentress-exp-brook-garza joint venture’s globally-minded terminal design for chicago provides an elegant, spacious, and sustainable gateway to connect chicagoans and the world with speed and efficiency. soaring spaces sparkle with sunlight and lift the human spirit. daylight and spatial composition guide passengers intuitively and purposefully. the latest technological advances shape a smart, seamless, comfortable, and unencumbered experience. from arrival to departure, every element of the new terminal is crafted to elevate the passenger, making their journey inspiring, engaging, stirring, and fun. our vision is to return the romance of air travel to all who pass through chicago’s o’hare.
above > foster epstein moreno jv / a joint venture led by foster + partners and chicago-based firms epstein and moreno. our design is based upon a sequence of memorable and distinctive spaces that create a gateway to chicago with architecture that is open, transparent, inclusive, welcoming and functional, in turn resolving the sophisticated security, airport and airline requirements in a way that meets the needs of both employees and passengers. three arches frame the landside of the building, merging into a grand single arch on the airside, thus dissolving the barrier between inside and out and allowing the spectacle of the airfield to be visible to all who pass through the gateway, and recapturing the romance associated with air travel.
above > studio ord / chicago is a city defined by motion; confluence – of our river, of trail networks, of railroads – has shaped our most vibrant civic spaces. studio ord’s elegant and efficient design for the o’hare global terminal and global concourse unifies the airport’s campus by converging seamless lines of motion across three terminals around a spectacular central oculus. this confluence becomes orchard field – a vibrant neighborhood that combines abundant green spaces with distinctive landmarks, bespoke retail pavilions, and diverse activity zones. richly layered and easily navigable, it captures the unique character of chicago and redefines o’hare as a 21st century international destination.
above > som / we have delivered global excellence in this great city, shaping chicago’s skyline, neighborhoods and public realm for more than 80 years. it’s said that our chicago buildings turn “pragmatism into poetry.”
our elegantly undulating o’hare global terminal aims to be the world’s best, through optimal functional planning, great design, and keen practicality – all quintessential chicago qualities.
we infuse the muscular heritage of chicago architecture and engineering with many lessons from the natural environment, to increase human comfort, save energy and define a distinctive sense of place. this can be chicago’s next great building and our new gateway to the world.
above > santiago calatrava, llc / o’hare’s global terminal by santiago calatrava is a masterwork of modern terminal architecture. with a glass façade and dramatic shell-like roof soaring over the approach road, the building unifies the terminal complex while establishing itself as its centerpiece.
inside, vaulted, light-filled spaces celebrate both the grandeur and simplicity of bygone travel as customers move easily to and from gate areas enlivened by chicago-focused concessions in an airy, park-like setting.
convenient links to adjacent terminals, satellite concourses, and public transit support a future vision plan that transforms the area opposite the terminal into a vibrant hotel, retail and business complex.
somewhat unusual is the jury is not being disclosed, not even to the architects. please stay tuned.
above> maintenance flight of solar impulse 2 over hawaii 14 march 2016
swiss pioneers bertrand piccard and andré borschberg are ready to resume their attempt to achieve the first ever round-the-world solar flight with solar impulse 2 (si2) – the first solar airplane capable of flying day and night without using a drop of fuel. after replacing overheated batteries and running maintenance flights, the team is now re-entering “mission mode”, and as of tomorrow, will identify the first favorable window for bertrand piccard to fly toward north america, despite the current difficult weather conditions. the goal of this entire endeavor is to demonstrate how modern clean technologies can achieve the impossible.
above & below> solar impulse 2 lands in hawaii
on 3 july 2015, si2 landed in hawaii after a record breaking flight of five days and nights (117 hours and 52 minutes) and around 8’900km from japan, accomplished by andré borschberg. during this flight, the airplane suffered battery damage due to overheating which led to an unforeseen pause in the adventure – it was going to take the team more time to replace the batteries than the remaining time left before the end of the season with long enough days, and short enough nights, to continue the round-the-world flight.
above> solar impulse 2 undertakes a maintenance flight in hawaii / below> flight preparation planning in hawaii
“as we experienced many times with solar impulse, obstacles often turn out to be opportunities for improvement,” explained andré borschberg, ceo and co-founder. “ultimately, this time was used to recreate the strong mindset within the team to continue our adventure. it takes sometimes more time to build up the right spirit then to develop new technologies.”
solar impulse was fortunate to find a shelter to protect the airplane during the winter on kalaeloa airport, thanks to the university of hawaii, the honolulu community college and the department of transportation, and received valuable support from many people and institutions, such as the governor of hawaii, the authorities of kalaeloa and honolulu airports, and the swiss consulate.
between late february and mid-april 2016, si2 accomplished a total of 13 flights. maintenance flights, carried out by solar impulse’s test pilot, confirmed the good performance of the aircraft and proper functioning of the newly integrated cooling system, installed to safeguard the batteries from temperature-related glitches. they were followed by a series of training flights completed by both pilots: andré borschberg and bertrand piccard, including a high altitude flight, in order to prepare for the remainder of the pacific crossing (watch the video here).
bertrand piccard performs a training flight with solar impulse 2 in hawaii
“an airplane with perpetual flight endurance, without fuel, like the solar impulse is not only a first in the history of aviation, but also in the history of energy,” emphasized bertrand piccard, initiator and chairman of the project. “the primary purpose of this adventure is to demonstrate that modern clean technologies can achieve the impossible and encourage everyone to use these same energy efficient solutions on the ground in their daily lives for mobility, construction, lighting, heating, cooling and more.”
when the weather is right, si2 will resume its round-the-world solar flight and take off for north america with bertrand piccard at the controls. the team is examining four potential destinations: phoenix, the san francisco area, los angeles and vancouver. based on the learnings of 2015, the decision was made to expand the range of potential destinations to leave a maximum flexibility for route planning. the final landing place will be chosen a couple of days before departure depending on the weather conditions. the mission will then continue onward to new york, europe or north africa and abu dhabi where it all started.
solar impulse 2 undertakes a maintenance flight in hawaii
above> the inflatable mobile hangar protects solar impulse 2 in nagoya, japan / below> solar impulse 2 rolled in its inflatable mobile hangar in nagoya below> solar impulse 2 takes-off from nagoya to hawaii
today satellite ‘rosetta’ delivers and enables landing pod ‘philae’ a first for mankind: landing on a comet-comet 67p/churyumov-gerasimenko. the feat, landing in a precise preordained spot is akin to a bullet landing on another bullet. it launched in 2004 traveling four billion miles rocketing at 21,000 mph, the comet 83,889 mph.
“we are on the comet,” stephan ulamec, philae lander manager, announced wednesday 12 november 2014, marking a historic achievement.
above> philae landing pod – simulation | below> satellite rosetta philae landing pod – simulation
above> the first image the esa released from the philae lander shows the craft breaking away from the rosetta orbiter and heading toward 67p | below> rosetta’s camera catches philae descending towards 67p
above> the philae lander took this photo of its descent onto comet 67p wednesday, when it was about 3 kilometers from the surface. the landing site is seen with a resolution of about 3 meters per pixel | esa/rosetta/philae/rolis
above> a close-up view of philae’s landing site on the comet. the red circle is about 500 meters, or 1,640 feet, across for scale. credits: esa/rosetta/mps for osiris team mps/upd/lam/iaa/sso/inta/upm/dasp/ida
above> date> 02 january 2014 | satellite> rosetta | depicts> philae lander | copyright> esa/atg medialab
rosetta will deploy the philae lander to the surface of comet 67p/churyumov-gerasimenko for in situ analysis with its 10 instruments:
APXS: alpha proton x-ray spectrometer (studying the chemical composition of the landing site and its potential alteration during the comet’s approach to the sun)
CIVA: comet nucleus infrared and visible analyser (six cameras to take panoramic pictures of the comet surface)
CONSERT: comet nucleus sounding experiment by radiowave transmission (studying the internal structure of the comet nucleus with rosetta orbiter)
COSAC: the cometary sampling and composition experiment (detecting and identifying complex organic molecules)
PTOLEMY: using modulus protocol (methods of determining and understanding light elements from unequivocal stable isotope compositions) to understand the geochemistry of light elements, such as hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen and oxygen
MUPUS: multi-purpose sensors for surface and sub-surface science (studying the properties of the comet surface and immediate sub-surface)
ROLIS: rosetta lander imaging system (providing the first close-up images of the landing site)
ROMAP: rosetta lander magnetometer and plasma monitor (studying the magnetic field and plasma environment of the comet)
SD2: sampling, drilling and distribution subsystem (drilling up to 23 cm depth and delivering material to onboard instruments for analysis)
SESAME: surface electric sounding and acoustic monitoring experiment (probing the mechanical and electrical parameters of the comet), comprising: casse (comet acoustic surface sounding experiment), dim (dust impact monitor), and pp (permittivity probe).
with a cost of 200 million euros — or about $250 million — the lander will provide ground truth for groundbreaking observations already underway by rosetta. the chief goal of the $1.7 billion rosetta mission is to find out how comets work and whether they may have seeded earth with water and the building blocks for life — like organic molecules, amino acids, and other life-forming material. [ watch esa live stream ] [ esa ][ esa top 10 at 10 km ][ npr ]
update> there were some problems upon landing: in an update from the lcc in esa’s live stream at 5:42 est, it was announced that analysis of telemetry indicated that the landing was softer than expected, that the harpoons had not fired upon landing, and that the thruster had not worked.
1> philae details
2> finding a landing spot is hard to do
3> size comparison: 67p and paris
A railway tunnel underneath the Bosphorus Strait has been opened (29 October 2013) in Turkey, creating a new link between the Asian and European shores of Istanbul. The Marmaray tunnel is the world’s first connecting two continents. It was inaugurated on the 90th anniversary of the Republic of Turkey. [ story ]
fatih sultan mehmet bridge looking from asian side to europe. tunnel crossing near this landmark
over 40,000 artifacts discovered during excavation
Work began in 2004, but archaeological excavations delayed construction. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has long championed the undersea project, first conceived by an Ottoman sultan in 1860. The underwater section runs for 0.8 miles (1.4 km), but in total the tunnel is 8.5 miles (13.6 km) long and and is designed to withstand earthquakes. [ 40,000 artifacts ]
installing tunnel into bosphorus seemingly easiest phase of project
Parsons Brinckerhoff, who’s role was design/construction supervision and D-B contract administration provides an enlightening video of lowering the tunnel into the Bosphorus. [ video ]
Most recent videos below…
The Gagosian Gallery app for iPhone and iPad has just come to our attention. We also learned the app won a Silver Lion at Cannes 2012 Lions in June under a new “mobile lions” competition category. Below is the entry description:
The Gagosian App for iPads is the first free app of its kind to provide exclusive access to distinguished artists from around the world, giving the user the ability to explore art in an entirely new way. With its 360-degree views and 3-D exploration of actual galleries, an art lover, collector or student can tour the Gagosian gallery in London, Paris or New York from their apartment in Prague or LA. Organized around current Gagosian exhibitions, the app offers a wealth of information and historical knowledge in multiple audiovisual formats, immersing users in an interactive art experience that entertains and educates. Leveraging the gestural interface of the iPad, the app allows users to experience art in new ways, from gigapixel zoom to touch-based 180 and 360-degree virtual reality. Site: Richard Serra 360 Immersive Experience The cavernous gallery exploration of Richard Sera’s Cycle and Junction sculptures is re-created with a virtual walk through in the app. Layers of artwork can be peeled away, inviting the viewer to discover how art is created, evolving from sketch to colorisation to completion. Site: Jon Currin or Roy Lichtenstein Sketch Viewers Compare the initial sketches of an artist’s work to their finished piece by simply scrolling over the image. Since viewing and interpreting art is a personal experience, exploration is encouraged, as users are drawn in to discover, get lost, rediscover and create all on their own. Innovative technologies allow our users to touch, feel and learn. Site: Damien Hirst’s Dynamically Generative Spot Paintings Create new combinations of Damien Hirst’s spot paintings by leveraging the iPad’s gyroscope technology. Simply tilt the device to see the dots fluidly change color within Mr. Hirst’s pre-set color scheme. The HD resolution images displayed in app allow users to look at the artwork so closely that they can see the brushwork and nearly feel the texture of the works created by world renowned and widely respected artists. Bold, innovative, creative, and totally unique, the Gagosian app brings the world’s most unique fine art collections into the living rooms of the art lover, the collector, the creative, and those simply interested in observing the beauty of innovative thinking.
[review ] This is a well organized and well designed app. However, all the features described above did not work on my iPad2 v5.1.1. Possibly the app needs iPad3. The help section (ty) lists icons for various functions such as 360 view, 360 room view, rotate, audio commentary, but these icons were nowhere to be seen. The only icons found and tested and did work: full-screen, map, and shop. Somewhat surprised that this app won the prestigious Silver Lion despite the good looks and ease of navigation. The 360 Immersive Experience must be a difference maker and especially if this is the first free app of its kind to provide exclusive access to distinguished artists from around the world. Just made a note to again play with iPad3 and download this app while at the Apple store.
[ gagosian gallery ] is a contemporary art gallery owned and directed by Larry Gagosian. There are currently eleven gallery spaces: three in New York; two in London; one in each of Beverly Hills, Rome, Athens, Paris, Geneva and Hong Kong. [ cannes lions ] app design by [ @radical.media ]
Hybrid can run solely on renewable energy or get over 200 mpg at highway speeds
Urbee is a two-seater hybrid vehicle and the first prototype ever to have entire body and glass panels 3D printed. Urbee is envisioned as an environmentally sustainable, safe to drive and fuel efficient vehicle. The electric / liquid-fuel hybrid reaches more than 200 mpg, highway and 100 mpg, city in U.S. gallons with either gasoline or ethanol.
For combined city and highway use, the Urbee gets about 150 mpg and costs only 2 cents per mile. This is only about 10 percent of the fuel consumed by a typical SUV. And on the highway, it costs about 1 cent per mile, or 95 percent less than that same SUV.
The car is charged overnight from any standard home electrical outlet. Alternately, it can be charged by renewable energy from a windmill or a solar-panel array small enough to fit on top a single-car garage.
All exterior components were created using an additive manufacturing process using Stratasys’ digital manufacturing service – RedEye on Demand. The development partner is Winnipeg engineering group, Kor Ecologic.
last week the world’s first ‘smart’ vending machine was installed in tokyo’s shinagawa station.
The new device from aCure not only boasts a touchscreen interface, but it can also recommend a beverage it thinks you’d like as you walk by. The machine’s internal computer takes a reading of passersby to record their age and gender and then recommends a drink based on that information as well as the season, time of day and location of the machine. It’s paperless, too, accepting only cellphone-wallets or the contactless Suica IC card used for public transit in Tokyo. Still, after all that you’d think they’d figure out a way to dispense your drink of choice in a way that doesn’t require you to stoop over. Looks like they are a few more kinks to work out before the proposed design hits stateside.
It might be the world’s first paperless car: Hyundai Motor America will include an iPad, loaded with a digital version of the thick owner’s manual, with the luxury sedan it plans to launch this fall.
The iPad pitch is aimed to tap into the hype over Apple Inc.’s sleek tablet computer and will be part of the package for consumers who drive off with Hyundai’s Equus luxury sedan.
People who buy the South Korean automaker’s first venture into the super-premium market will also be able to use one of the tablet’s preloaded applications to make service appointments.
“They are trying to position themselves as a modern, in-touch, technologically savvy brand. It is the sort of innovation you would expect from BMW or Mercedes, but not Hyundai,” said Mike Bloxham, director of insight and research at Ball State University’s Center for Media Design.
Known for budget cars such as the $9,970 Accent and the $14,145 Elantra, Hyundai is trying to break into the high-end market with the Equus, which the manufacturer compares with the Lexus LS460 and Mercedes-Benz S550 sedans. The three are similar in size and have engines with about the same power: around 380 horsepower.
The Equus will sell for $50,000 to $60,000, according to Hyundai executives, with the exact amount to be announced closer to launch. An iPad is $499. Will be nteresting to see how the high-end Hyundai fares against a Lexus or M-B.
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional
Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
