Energy & Dynamic Braking

Energy: you can't destroy it, but you can certainly waste it. That's what most motorized vehicles do, including trains. Usually, the energy generated when you stop a moving vehicle is dissipated as heat, and is lost to the atmosphere. With GE's ecomagination we've discovered that you can capture and store that energy, then reuse it - that's how our hybrid systems work.

Watch the above video to see a simple illustration of the physics behind dynamic braking. Keep in mind an object's force is measured in newtons, using the equation force = Mass x Acceleration.

Note: If you read this via Email or Feed-reader can't see youtube video click Permalink below to see.

The American Trade Engine

Americans imported $1.95 trillion worth of goods and services in 2009, and exported $1.57 trillion worth. American crude oil imports totaled $189 billion in 2009--a figure equal to about half the trade deficit. The deficit aside, the United States is a robust exporter of a broad variety of goods and services. Click on the industry colours and lines below to see highlights.

via www.forbes.com
(Click above link to see an interactive graphics)

Note: If you read this via Email or Feed-reader click Permalink below to download bigger image.

7 Billion, National Geographic Magazine

With the worldwide population expected to exceed seven billion in 2011, National Geographic magazine offers a 7-part series examining specific challenges and solutions to the issues we face. The magazine introduces the series with its January cover story "7 Billion," offering a broad overview of demographic trends that got us to today and will impact us all tomorrow. The first in-depth story will appear in the March issue, focusing on humans' impact on the planet's geology. Other stories will follow throughout 2011.

Note: If you read this via Email or Feed-reader can't see youtube video click Permalink below to download bigger image.

Our Reliance on Plants is Increasing

A representation of the pressure local populations put on their ecosystem, this map shows how much plant matter people need for food and other products compared to the amount of plant material produced in each region (but not per capita use). For example, in the United States, each person uses 5.94 metric tons of carbon (vegetation) per year, while in South-central Asia, people use 1.23 metric tons per year. However, the United States produces more than it requires, so the ratio between usage and vegetation is low. South-central Asia, on the other hand, uses less per person, but it has a high population that collectively require more carbon than the land produces, and so must import products from other regions.

via earthobservatory.nasa.gov

Note: If you read this via Email or Feed-reader click Permalink below to download bigger image (3.5 MB).

How A Toddler Learns To Talk?

A massive data-collection effort reveals patterns in the ways that children learn language.

The MIT Media Lab's Human Speechome Project has collected more than 80,000 hours of video and 120,000 hours of audio recordings documenting the first two years of a child's life. The result is a massive database of parent-child interactions, illustrated in this graphic. Click on any word below to see when the child learned it and how often the child and his parents used it.

via www.forbes.com
(Click above link to an interactive graphics)

Note: If you read this via Email or Feed-reader click Permalink below to download bigger image.

What's Next for WikiLeaks?

The news about WikiLeaks is developing every day. good.is's latest infographic should give you all you need to know about the major players in the quest to either keep the site running or shut it down.

If you don't know what is WikiLeaks?. Sweden's public service television, SVT, is releasing this one-hour documentary chronicling the history of WikiLeaks.

via awesome.good.is

Note: If you read this via Email or Feed-reader click Permalink below to download bigger image.