The Fermi Paradox is a fascinating argument…it basically says, if the probability of life is so high in this universe, as it appears to be, where are all the other civilizations? Why is there no evidence of their existence? It’s a puzzle for sure, especially as more and more planets are found orbiting other stars. We’ve already discovered 861, and scientists estimate there are about 100-400 billion planets in this galaxy, of which at least 17 billion are Earth-sized (not all of those habitable). Well, there’s a great article on IO9 (click here) that details eleven possible answers to the Fermi Paradox. My favorite – though it’s also the scariest – is that we’re living inside a sort of computer simulation, one that just wasn’t created to have the same level of detail in the entire universe.
The Fermi Paradox
Scientists at Nanyang Technological University have found that by turning titanium dioxide (TiO2)crystals into nano-fibers, you can then use those fibers to make flexible filter membranes. Those membranes can be combined with other materials, like copper, zinc, or tin, depending on what you want the final membrane to do. So, what would you use such a membrane for? That’s where things get really interesting, and why some are calling this a ‘wonder material’. Here’s a short list of some of the potential applications:
The world’s largest concentrated solar power plant has been switched on in Abu Dhabi recently. At a cost of about $600 million, it covers almost a square mile and will generate enough electricity to power around 20,000 homes.