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316
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History like youve
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ISSUE 77
Page 12
Discover the amazing
wonders of the world!
TRANSPORT TECHNOLOGY
Meet the team Why is the Tesla Model S the How do ATM machines
most high-tech car? Page 54 deliver your money? Page 48
Follow us
Thinkstock; Alamy
attention this an African safari. food differently. It track so we can holiday off-planet
issue. Who knew As sure as also means that I use our Lexus to see Earths
that so much goes Kilimanjaro rises can blame eating hoverboards to get curvature and
into the games like Olympus above too much bacon home and eat a experience Facebook Twitter
that we play?! the Serengeti. on science! rehydrated pizza. weightlessness. How It Works magazine @HowItWorksmag
61 NASCAR
haulers
Meet the experts
Laura Mears Gemma Ella Carter
Everyday science is Lavender Animal expert Ella
fascinating and the fact This month, All takes us on an African 911 swaps a How many people
is that we use magnets About Space safari, showing us the Porsche for an does it take to make
daily from the minute magazines Gemma spectacular sights. electric motor a videogame?
we wake up, whether reveals NASAs plans Youll discover how when he test- Gamess Dom
its blow-drying our hair, checking our to blast asteroids out of the sky the amazing plants and animals, drives the Tesla Model S. Find goes behind-the-scenes to reveal
phone or opening our fridge. Laura and stop humanity going the have adapted to survive in this out why its the most high-tech all on page 40. You wont believe
explains all on page 24! same way as the dinosaurs. challenging environment. car on the road on page 54. whats involved!
The invisible
force that
protects the
planet
explained!
06 Global eye
Amazing science and tech stories
from around the world
82 Brain Dump
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Showcasing the incredible world we live in
The
hoverboard
is here!
Lexus unveils a frictionless
board from the future
We may not have flying cars and
self-lacing shoes just yet, but another of
Back To The Future IIs predictions for
2015 is finally coming true. Car manufacturer
Lexus has created a working hoverboard that
uses electromagnetism to enable it to levitate 2.5
to five centimetres (one to two inches) above the
ground. However, before you get excited about
being able to hover your way to work or school,
there is a catch. The board will only work over
special magnetic tracks and can be used for just
20 minutes at a time. At the moment it is just a
prototype and wont be going on sale any time
soon, but now Lexus has proved it can be done,
who knows what the future might hold.
Balloon-
powered
internet
Google plans to deliver web
access from space
With two-thirds of the worlds
population unable to access their
online search engine, Google has
designed a network of balloons that can
provide high-speed internet to remote areas
without internet coverage. The idea involves
telecommunications companies beaming 4G
LTE wireless signals to the balloons, which will The Loon
communicate with each other to pass the
signal along. Each balloon will then act as a cell
balloons
tower, relaying the signal to any LTE-enabled Each balloon has a small box containing a circuit
board that controls the electronics, radio
devices within an area around 40 kilometres antennas for sending and receiving signals, and a
(25 miles) in diameter below it. The project has battery that is charged by an array of solar
already been successfully tested in New panels for day and night use. The network of
balloons will circle the Earth in the stratosphere
Zealand, but the next goal is to extend it to on the edge of space. They will be about 20
create a ring of uninterrupted connectivity in kilometres (12 miles) up, high enough to avoid
the Southern Hemisphere. bad weather, wildlife and aeroplanes.
As the stratosphere features layers of wind
that vary in speed and direction, software
algorithms will be able to determine where each
balloon needs to go and move it into the wind
layer that can blow it the right way. Each balloon
will last around 100 days in the stratosphere,
before being brought back to Earth in a
controlled descent for maintenance.
Tara Oceans
Shade balls
protect
LA water
96 million plastic balls help to
keep drinking water safe
It may look like an attempt to create a
giant ball pit, but city officials have a
good reason for dumping millions of
plastic balls into the reservoirs. The so-called
shade balls help block sunlight from reaching
the water, preventing a hazardous chemical
reaction. The water below contains both bromide
and chlorine which, when exposed to sunlight,
react to form bromate, a compound that increases
NASA; Alamy; Google; Gene Blevins/REX
Cockerels
crow in
pecking order
The sound of cockerels crowing in
the early hours of the morning may
appear to be completely random, but
it actually follows a specific order.
The most dominant cockerel of the
bunch always crows first,
announcing that morning has
arrived, followed by the second most
dominant and so on. Scientists
believe that a rooster knows when to
crow due to its own internal clock.
Dolphins have
Its better to cook collapsible lungs
with lard than oil After studying six bottlenose dolphins, scientists have
found out how these marine mammals avoid getting the
Recent research suggests that frying with bends (decompression sickness) when resurfacing from
lard is better than using sunflower oil. the oceans depths. It turns out that they have collapsible
When heated, oils rich in polyunsaturated lungs, enabling them to inhale and exhale up to three
fats (such as sunflower or corn oil) times faster than humans. They are capable of exhaling
released high levels of potentially toxic a staggering 130 litres (34 gallons) of air per second. Its
compounds called aldehydes. Fewer hoped that by studying dolphins more closely, scientists
aldehydes were produced when cooking will be able to help people who suffer from the bends
with fats rich in monounsaturates or when they are diving.
saturates, such as lard.
Farming dates
back 23,000 years
Until recently, historians believed that
farming was first developed around 12,000
years ago, but a new discovery has found
evidence to suggest that it has actually been
around for almost twice as long. In a
well-preserved hunter-gatherer settlement
in northern Israel, called Ohalo II, scientists Trakkies never lose
discovered the remains of crops and weeds.
The presence of weeds is a sign that the your valuables
inhabitants were attempting to cultivate the These coin-sized devices are ideal for those of us
land, as they thrive in disturbed soil. that are always misplacing our possessions. The
small circular gadgets, known as trakkies, alert
their owner when they are about to leave the house
without an important item, such as their wallet,
keys or phone. The devices can be connected to a
smartphone app that will give precise directions to
the lost possession.
Watching thrillers
boosts your memory
Thinkstock; NASA; Ken Ulbrich/ Bounce Imaging/ Spinali Design/ Solent News/REX
American scientists discovered that during a thriller
movies tense moments, our brains acquire a type of
tunnel vision, enabling us to fully focus on the films
action. This form of intense concentration could be
used to help increase memory recall, as the brain
works to ignore irrelevant information and give its full
attention to the matter in hand.
RS-25 engines
The four engines will
generate power equiv
5.5mn km (3.4mn mi
residential streetlight
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the become the first person to be fitted with a him back his central vision and even enables
most common cause of sight loss in the bionic eye to fi x AMD. The Argus II implant, him to see with his eyes closed. The Argus II is
developed world. It occurs when cells in the created by Second Sight, had previously only the first system in the world to combine
middle of the retina become damaged, been used to cure a rare condition known as artificial and natural eyesight, as electronic
resulting in a central loss of vision. Until retinitis pigmentosa, but doctors now hope it images in the centre of the eye merge with
recently there was no treatm he hundreds of thousands of images from the surviving peripheral cells in
the condition, but new e suffering from AMD. Before the the retina. Scientists are now working out how
technology has now provid ocedure, Ray could only see it can help patients who have been blind since
a cure. An 80-year-old Britis early out of the corners of his birth, as they will have not yet learnt how to
man called Ray Flynn has yes, but the implant has given process images from the eye.
Video capture
A tiny video camera
mounted on a pair
of glasses captures
the scene in front
of the subject.
Computer
processing
The video data is sent to a
video processing unit, which
transforms the images into Electrode array
electrical impulses. A shot cable transmits the impulses to an
array of electrodes attached to the retina.
Owners will have to take a special training course to drive this exclusive Aston Martin
If you have 1.5 million ($2.3 million) to and the colours and trim can be
spare, then you can get your hands on infinitely customised. The car is too
Aston Martins new Vulcan. Underneath powerful for road use, so included in
the front mid-engine, rear-wheel drive the price is a track driving course to get The Vulcan can reach a top
sports cars tough yet lightweight you started and a go in a racing speed of 322km/h (200mph)
carbon fibre body, is an simulator to refine your driving skills.
800-horsepower 7.0-litre V12 engine However, with only 24 being made, you
that can go from 0-100 kilometres per should get your order in fast.
hour (0-60 miles per hour) in under
three seconds. The cockpit is home
to a U-shaped smart steering
wheel that features almost
all of the controls, from
starting the car to
putting it in neutral,
Currently, creating
such surfaces has
relied on applying
New material could lead to rust-free metals and self-cleaning toilets coatings such as
By using a powerful laser to create an intricate
pattern on a metal surface, scientists have been
droplets slide off of Teflon the surface must be
tilted by 70 degrees, but the laser-etched metal
Teflon, but this
able to create an extremely water repellent material
that simply bounces droplets away. Currently,
only needs to be tilted by four degrees to remove
the moisture. There are many potential applications
new approach
creating such surfaces has relied on applying
coatings such as Teflon, but this new approach
for this new technology, including creating metals
that dont rust or ice up, and easy-to-clean surfaces
offers a more
offers a more permanent solution that is not just
hydrophobic, but superhydrophobic. To make
for medical and sanitary purposes, particularly in
developing countries.
permanent
solution
The superhydrophobic
metal is impossible
to get wet
Prof. Dr. Ingo Rechenberg; Yoji Okata; Jimmy A. McGuire; Michael Staab; Thinkstock
It is the only species of
frog in the world to give
birth to live tadpoles
Name: Deuteragenia ossarium
Location: China
This insect mother has come up
with a very gruesome way to
protect her offspring. First she
constructs a nest in a hollow
stem, creating several cells
separated by walls of soil. She
drags a paralysed spider into
each cell and lays an egg on top
of it, so that when the young Name: Limnonectes larvaepartus
wasp hatches its first meal is Location: Indonesia
ready and waiting. Then, in the
final cell, she plugs the Most female frogs lay eggs that are fertilised externally by a male, but this
entrance with several dead fanged amphibian has an entirely different approach. It is the only species
ants. As the ants are covered in of frog in the world to give birth to live tadpoles, depositing them straight
chemicals that confuse and into pools to grow. There are other frogs that have evolved internal
deter the wasps predators, fertilisation, but they all lay fertilised eggs or tiny froglets, rather than
they make a secure front door tadpoles. There is even some evidence to suggest that its the job of the
to protect the young inside. males to guard the tadpoles once they are born.
These prehistoric
snakes probably
used their tiny limbs
to grab onto prey
The cloakroom
robot can store
your luggage
for you
Being able to soar above traffic jams and land around five hours. The driver can input their be manually
right outside the office would certainly make desired landing zone, the cars wings will controlled in a similar
the morning commute more enjoyable, and this unfold and two propellers will lift it vertically way to steering a car. Then,
dream looks set to become a reality in the from any level clearing with a 30-metre once back on land, it can turn back
not-so-distant future. Looking like something (100-foot) diameter. During flight, the propellers into a car again in seconds. The TF-X is
from science fiction, the TF-X flying car is fold away and it can cruise at 322 kilometres estimated to be in development for a further
currently being developed by Terrafugia. (200 miles) per hour with a range of 805 eight to 12 years, but if you just cant wait that
The autonomous vehicle will be able to fit kilometres (500 miles). long, then the companys less easy-to-operate
inside a standard garage, carry up to four The TF-X will automatically avoid air traffic, Transition flying car is expected to be available
people, and learning how to operate it takes bad weather and restricted airspace, or it can for purchase at a much sooner date.
9 Collecting rainwater
5 Potential energy Rainwater will run down the
This increases the potential outside of the wheel to be
energy of the droplets, much collected and used as tap water.
like pushing a rock up a hill
against the force of gravity.
ThyssenKrupp; Terrafugia
NASA/JPL-Caltech/T. Pyle
This galaxy is 15,000 times denser
than the Milky Way!
If you were to stand within the M59-UCD3
galaxy and look up at the nights sky, you would
see a spectacular display of more than a million
Thinkstock; Paul Cooper/REX; Albert White / Alamy; NASA / ESA
DRONES
THE
Also available
EXPLAINIEBD!
LE
THE INVIS AT
1912
The year that the first
superconducting
FORCE TH S
PROTECT T
-197C
The temperature of the
THE PLANE
magnet was magnets in Lexus
made hoverboard
prototype
603 Fe,
km/h
The record-breaking
top speed of Japans
Ni, Co
There are three common
maglev train magnetic elements:
iron, nickel, and
cobalt
P
eople have known about New World. However, it wasnt until
magnetism for thousands of years, 1600 that English scientist William
but for centuries it was poorly Gilbert realised that compasses point
understood. Ancient civilisations in north because the Earth is a magnet;
Greece and China had access to a and so the science of magnetism began
natural magnetic rock called to unravel.
lodestone, and they first began to In 1820, Danish scientist Hans Christian
understand its properties around rsted noticed that electricity travelling
2,000 years ago. Soon people were through a wire generated a magnetic field. Other
using lodestone to attract iron scientists tried coiling the wire and found that for
objects, and later to build compasses every turn, the magnetic field got stronger. Then,
pointing to Earths magnetic poles. five years later, William Sturgeon wrapped the
During the Middle Ages, wire around a piece of iron, creating the first
compasses arrived in Europe and practical electromagnet, which led to the
sailors took them to the seas. In invention of the electric generator and motor.
1492, magnetism led Today, magnets are everywhere. But how do
Christopher Columbus to the they actually work? Join us as we find out.
A MATER AL
MAGNETIC?
To understand why, you have
to look at their electrons
Electricity and magnetism are linked. As
positively or negatively charged particles move,
they generate a magnetic field that circles
around the direction of the current. This
happens when charged metal ions swirl around
in the Earths core, charged particles zip
through the interior of the Sun and electrons
race along an electrical wire. Magnetic fields What makes a magnetic material a magnet?
affect other charged particles that attempt to
The reason why every lump of iron doesnt stick to the door of your fridge
travel through, forcing them to change the
direction they are travelling in.
This also happens at the subatomic scale. We
know that magnetic fields are generated when
charged particles move, but they dont have to
be travelling along an electrical wire, even tiny
electrons spin in the same direction. Their combined local magnetic domains can all be pulled into
movements are enough. Every electron in every magnetic moments generate local magnetic fields the same alignment. When combined
atom is spinning on its own axis, and because of called domains, but because each domain points in together, the effects of all of the domains are
its negative charge, this movement generates a a different direction, they cancel each other out. enough to generate an external magnetic field.
magnetic moment. Each electron is essentially
a tiny magnet.
In most materials, the electrons are in pairs
one spinning up and one spinning down
Magnetic fields
so their magnetic moments cancel each other Magnetic fields are generated when charged particles move. Inside a magnet, lots of electrons have been
forced to line up, all spinning in the same direction. The combined effect produces an invisible external
out. However, in other materials there are magnetic field that can be observed using iron filings.
electrons without a partner. If enough of these
unpaired electrons are spinning in the same
direction, the combined effect of their
3 1 Poles
A magnetic field has two poles, usually
called north and south.
individual magnetic moments generates an
external magnetic field.
Even if the electrons arent all spinning in the
1 2 Magnetic field
The field around the magnet extends in all
directions, influencing any moving charged
same direction, the fact that they are without a 2 particle in the area.
partner has important effects on the behaviour
of the material. Depending on their structure,
materials respond differently to magnets. If all
3Field lines
Iron filings are magnetic. When placed
near a bar magnet, they line up along the
invisible magnetic field lines.
of the electrons are paired, materials are
4
diamagnetic they are not attracted to
magnetic fields. In fact, they weakly repel them. 5 4 Opposites attract
When two magnets are facing in the same
direction, the interaction between their
This applies to most of the elements, including magnetic fields pulls them together.
metals like gold and silver, and non-metals like
wood or petroleum.
If a few of the electrons are unpaired,
5 In line
The iron filings line up between the north
and the south pole, aligning their own magnetic
materials are paramagnetic they are ever so fields to the fields of the magnets.
slightly attracted to magnetic fields. Two
examples include magnesium and oxygen.
Finally, if there are lots of unpaired electrons,
6
7
6 Same poles repel
When the like poles of two magnets face
each other, the interaction results in repulsion.
Alamy; Thinkstock
Electric current
Industrial magnets
WHY ARE Magnets are commonly used in industry to
Current flows through the coiled
wires in the electromagnet,
generating a magnetic field.
MAGNETS SO
remove magnetic impurities known as tramp
metal. In food and medical manufacture,
magnets can remove dangerous contaminants,
including loose bolts or metal flakes from the Electromagnet
MPORTANT?
They guided early explorers
machines. In the mining industry, large magnets
are suspended over the belts to capture iron
tools, nails, or other debris that might damage
the processing machinery. In glass, ceramics
and plastic manufacture, magnets ensure that
Coils of wire are
used to create a
large electromagnet,
powerful enough to
lift heavy chunks of
the final product is free from any iron-related
and today we would be imperfections that could be present.
scrap metal.
Radiofrequency transmitter
The transmitter produces radio waves, which
slam into the hydrogen atoms, flipping them
over by 90 or 180 degrees. When it switches
off, the atoms spin into line, releasing energy.
High energy
H Proton
Precession
As the proton spins,
When the protons are
in their high-energy
state, the spin and
Hydrogen atom H Rotation
it wobbles on its the precession axes
Hydrogen is the smallest + - Magnetic axis like a spinning move in opposite
- field
atom, made simply from one top or a dreidel. directions.
proton and one electron. Proton
2
Sol90; Alamy; CERN
1Hydrogen
in the body
Normally, the hydrogen
2Strong magnetic field 3Radiofrequency
stimulation
Inside the scanner, the field 4Relaxation
When the radio wave
generated by the superconducting The radiofrequency transmitter produces transmission stops, the high-
5Creating the image
The pattern of radio waves,
released when the protons
atoms inside the body all magnet causes the precession axes radio waves, which transform low- energy protons release energy and switch from high to low energy,
point in random directions. of the hydrogen atoms to line up. energy protons into high-energy protons. switch back to their previous state. can be used to build a 3D image.
MAGNETS 101
Why do magnets
Your curious
questions about
magnets answered!
Can people be
disrupt screens? magnetic?
Cathode ray tube (CRT) television screens and Some people are able to stick metal
computer monitors are very sensitive to the objects to their bodies in positions
effects of magnets. This is because the image that appear to defy gravity, but
is produced by a stream of charged electrons. despite appearances, there is no
Inside the screen is a cathode ray tube a evidence that they are magnetic.
vacuum tube containing a heated filament Their apparently supernatural
that produces a steady supply of electrons. abilities are actually down to friction
These hurtle towards the screen, where they objects cling surprisingly well to
collide with chemicals known as phosphors, hairless, clammy skin.
changing their colour. Holding a magnet to Distortion on CRT
screens can be removed
the screen bends the path of the electrons, by degaussing using a
warping the image. magnetic field to return The combination of
the screen to normal friction and a subtle
lean can make people
appear to be magnetic
No navigation No data
In uncharted landscapes, explorers rely on compasses to find their
way, using a floating magnetic needle to point to Earths magnetic
storage
north pole. It is thought that the first practical compass was made From cassette and video
in 1274, providing an invaluable tool tapes, to floppy disks and
for navigating the seas and oceans, hard disks, many of our
and eventually leading European early methods of digital
explorers to the Americas. data storage relied on
magnetic tape. To store the
information, a current is
passed through a coil of wire,
creating a magnetic field that
changes the direction of the
magnetic domains of tiny metal
particles embedded in the tape.
No radar (or
microwaves)
The radio waves used in
radar, and the microwaves
used to cook your dinner,
are produced by a piece of
equipment called a
magnetron. A powerful
magnet is used to curve
the paths of electrons as
they move through a
tube. They fly past
specially designed
cavities, causing them to No
resonate and producing
electromagnetic radiation.
electricity
We knew about electricity
before the 1800s and had
even created chemical
batteries, but electrical
generators relied on
magnetism. The invention of
the dynamo in the 1800s paved
the way for the invention of the
light bulb, and then all of the other
electrical gadgets that we use today
followed. Even now most of our
electricity is generated using magnets.
No fridge No music
magnets Well, only live acoustic music.
Thinkstock; Getty; Science Photo Library
A RECORD-
BREAK NG
MAGNET C More than 1,400 scientists a
year from around the world
F ELD
The Los Alamos National Laboratory in
do research at the MagLab
How to make a
neodymium magnet
Manufacturing powerful magnets
requires some specialist equipment
1 Combine the
raw ingredients
Neodymium magnets are made from three key
2 Grind them
into powder
The molten mixture is then poured into moulds or strips.
3 Align the
magnetic fields
Moments before the metal powder is pressed into the
ingredients neodymium, iron and boron. The finely These are allowed to cool before being broken into final shape of the magnet, a magnetic field lines up the
powdered metals are mixed and melted together in a chunks. The chunks are then ground into a fine powder, magnetic moments of the particles inside. The machine
vacuum induction furnace. each grain hundreds of times smaller than a full stop. squashes the powder, locking them into position.
VS
PERMANENT
Permanent magnets are always
ELECTRO
Electromagnets can be easily turned
magnetic, unless they are dropped
or damaged.
ON OR OFF on and off at just the flick of
a switch.
Permanent magnets are made from Electromagnets are made from soft
hard magnetic materials, capable
of holding their orderly magnetism.
MATERIAL magnetic materials, which only line
up when a current is applied.
The 100 Tesla Pulsed Magnet Permanent magnets can be Electromagnets do not work without
is powered by a huge
1.4-gigawatt generator
damaged by knocks, chips and other
magnetic fields.
FRAGILITY electricity, and can overheat if not
properly cooled.
COSMIC Auroras
The Sun releases streams of charged particles
into space as solar wind, and when these collide
MAGNET SM
Magnetic fields in
with Earths magnetic field, they squash and
distort it the side facing the Sun becomes
flattened, and the far side stretches out. This
enables some particles to interact with the
magnetic field lines, generating currents of
space are responsible electrons that travel toward the poles. The
electrons collide with gasses in the atmosphere,
for awe-inspiring which gain energy and then release it as light.
and sometimes
dangerous events
Magnetism is responsible for space
weather, including the coronal mass
ejections that can interrupt GPS,
The magnetosphere
Earths magnetic field protects us from
telecommunications and power grids. It powerful and damaging solar winds
is also the force behind the stunning
spectacles of both the northern and
southern lights.
Almost all of the plasma in the
universe (as far as we know) is
magnetised. As charged particles whip
past one another, they generate currents,
which in turn create magnetic fields. This
happens inside stars, in cosmic dust
clouds and in pulsars dotted around the
spiral arms of the Milky Way galaxy.
Fluctuations in magnetic fields can fling
charged particles into space, and when
they collide with another magnetic field,
the resulting interactions can have very
powerful effects.
Earth has its own internal dynamo Solar wind
which turns the planet into an enormous The Sun constantly
releases streams of
bar magnet, and in early 2015 NASA charged particles
launched four identical spacecraft as out into space.
part of their Magnetospheric Multiscale
Mission. Orbiting in a pyramid
formation, they are gathering
information about a phenomenon known
This image, captured by
as magnetic reconnection, where the NASAs Solar Dynamics
two fields temporarily link up, Observatory, shows loops and
transferring energy from one to the other. magnetic fields of a sunspot
The Suns
magnetic field
The Sun is made of plasma a state of matter different from a solid,
liquid or a gas. It is a sea of positive and negative particles, and as the
particles move, they generate electrical currents, which creates
magnetic fields.
The fusion reactions that power the Sun keep the plasma moving
and as it spins on its axis, the charge particles are whipped up even
more. Solar winds blowing away from the Suns surface also
contribute to the changing magnetic fields, and occasionally pockets
of extremely strong magnetism build up. This drives hot plasma away
from the surface in arcs, forming sunspots or coronal mass ejections.
Magnetotail
The side of the
magnetosphere facing
away from the Sun is
stretched into a long tail.
Magnetosheath
A sea of charged particles
swarm between the bow Magnetic poles
shock and the protective Earth is a bit like a dipole
shield of the magnetosphere. magnet, with a north and
a south magnetic pole.
Radiation belt
Charged particles
can be caught up in
the magnetosphere
when they enter the
trapping region.
Cusp
The magnetosphere is not
spherical; it is made up of two
arcs that meet at the poles.
Bow shock
As the supersonic solar wind
crashes into Earths magnetic Plasmasphere
field, it creates a shock wave. This region protects
our planet from
Magnetars
high-energy radiation, Neutron stars are born when massive stars
like an invisible barrier. collapse. As their fuel runs out, the outer layers of
the star come crashing in, forming a compressed
sphere of matter so dense that one teaspoon
would have the same mass as 900 Egyptian
pyramids. A magnetar is a neutron star with an
extreme magnetic field. Not every neutron star is
a magnetar, however. It is thought that in order to
Earths internal generate such an intense magnetic field, the
collapsing star must be rotating very rapidly.
dynamo
The Earths inner core is a solid ball of iron
and nickel, spinning at its own pace at the
Corbis; NASA \ SDO; Dr. Gary A. Glatzmaier
What is saliva?
Find out this frothy liquids
vital role in maintaining
human health
H
umans can produce an incredible two
litres (half a gallon) of saliva each day. It
is made up of 99.5 per cent water, so how
is it able to perform so many important
functions in our mouths? The answer lies in the
remaining 0.5 per cent, which contains a host of
Parotid duct Parotid gland
The parotid duct The parotid glands are the
enzymes, proteins, minerals and bacterial allows saliva to move largest salivary glands.
compounds. These ingredients help to digest Digestive enzymes easily from the They are made up of serous
The digestion process parotid gland to cells which produce thin,
food and maintain oral hygiene. begins in the mouth, as the mouth. watery saliva.
As soon as food enters the mouth, saliva contains enzymes
salivas enzymes start to break it down that start to break down
starches and fats.
into its simpler components, while also
providing lubrication to enable even
the driest snack to slide easily down the
throat. Saliva is also important in oral health,
as it helps to protect teeth from decay and also
controls bacterial levels in the mouth to reduce
the risk of infection. Without sufficient saliva,
tongue and lip movements are not as smooth,
which, in extreme cases, can make it very
difficult to speak.
With advanced scientific techniques and
research, an individuals saliva can reveal a
great deal of information. New studies have
shown that a saliva test can be used to find out
whether a person is at risk of a heart attack, as it
contains C-reactive protein (CRP). This can be
an indicator of heart disease when found at
elevated levels in the blood. A saliva test is
much less intrusive than a blood test and gives
doctors a rough estimate of the health of a
patients heart. Whats more, saliva contains
your entire genetic blueprint. Even tiny Sublingual gland
amounts, equivalent to less than half a Composed primarily of Submandibular gland Submandibular duct
teardrop, can provide a workable DNA sample mucous cells, these glands These glands produce roughly Also known as the Wharton
secrete only a small amount of 70 per cent of your saliva. They duct, this drains saliva from
that can be frozen and thawed multiple times saliva, accounting for about are composed of both serous both the submandibular and
without breaking down. five per cent. and mucous cells. sublingual glands.
Saliva performs
a variety of Can saliva speed up healing?
functions and
can actually help Many animals do it instinctively, but it They created two dishes of cells, one
wounds to heal turns out that there is a benefit to that was treated with saliva and one that
humans licking their wounds. A study was left open. The scientists were
found that there is a compound in human astounded when after 16 hours the
saliva, namely histatin, which can speed saliva-treated wound was almost
up the healing process. Scientists completely closed, yet the untreated
Alamy; Thinkstock
conducted an experiment using epithelial wound was still open. This demonstrated
cells from a volunteers inner cheek, that saliva does aid the healing of at least
creating a wound in the cells so that the oral wounds, something that has been
healing process could be monitored. suspected but unproven until this study.
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SCIENCE
Why do avocados
go brown quickly?
When an avocado is cut open and its flesh is exposed
to oxygen, the enzyme polyphenol oxidase converts
chemical compounds called phenols into quinones.
These quinones produce polymers called polyphenols,
which turn the flesh a brown colour. Of course, most
fruits turn brown eventually, but the process occurs
more quickly in avocados because they contain more
polyphenol oxidase. To slow this down, wrap it in
clingfilm to limit oxygen exposure, or add acidic
lemon juice which can slow down the enzymes.
Do carrots improve
your vision?
The myth that carrots help with night vision was actually started
by the Royal Air Force during World War II. To keep their new radar
system a secret, they claimed that eating lots of carrots was
helping their pilots spot enemy planes. Although this wasnt true,
carrots can help promote healthy eyesight. They contain a
chemical compound called beta-carotene, which your body
converts into vitamin A and then retinal. Retinal is found in your
eyes and helps to convert light into a signal that can be transmitted
to the brain, but this wont actually help to improve your vision.
L
aser hair removal works by firing a If you are relatively pale with dark hair this
specific concentrated light beam at the treatment should work very well, however, its
undesired hair, with a wavelength that limitations lie with people that do not have
targets melanin responsible for hair colour contrasting hair and skin colours. This means
and the hair bulb where living cells divide that less of the laser beam is absorbed into the
to build the hair shaft. The laser uses your hair, making the treatment much less
hair to absorb heat, which causes effective. Even when this technique works it is
inflammation to form around the follicle, rarely permanent; patients need between one
effectively killing it. As the hairs are not and four treatments a year to maintain it. This
targeted individually, the process is much is because at any one time, a number of your
quicker to carry out than electrolysis, but may hairs will be in the resting phase of growth,
Laser hair removal isnt cheap; a single treatment of a cause damage to the skin if it is not carried meaning that they wont be affected by the
large area can cost in the region of 640 ($1,000) out correctly. laser treatment and will grow back again.
T
he dangers of the Suns rays have
long been appreciated by Ultraviolent radiation
The Sun produces three types of
humanity. The ancient Greeks radiation, but UVC is filtered out
slathered themselves with olive oil, by the Earths ozone. Therefore, it
isnt responsible for skin damage.
while ancient Egyptians used extracts of
rice and jasmine that are still present in
UVA rays
modern day skincare products. The amount of UVA
Whether it is in the form of a spray, produced by the Sun is
constant throughout
lotion, gel or wax, modern sunscreen
the day; large amounts
works by combining ingredients that will cause the skin to
either block or absorb the Suns age and wrinkle.
UVB rays
dangerous ultraviolet (UV) rays. UVB rays account for five per cent
Minerals such as zinc oxide reflect UV of the Suns radiation and are
what causes the skin to burn.
rays directly, whereas organic chemicals
such as avobenzone absorb UV radiation
Protecting
into their chemical bonds, and then your skin
gradually release it as heat. The Sun Sunscreen stops up
Protection Factor, or SPF, indicates how to 97 per cent of the
Suns rays from
well the sunscreen will block the Suns penetrating your The epidermis
UVB rays, which are responsible for skin, by either The epidermis
burning the skin. An SPF 15 sunscreen reflecting or absorbs UVB rays
absorbing them. that will damage the
will prevent your skin from burning for
lower layer, resulting
15 times longer than it usually takes for in the eventual loss
you to burn, but will only block out of the top layer.
around 93 per cent of UVB rays.
The chore of rubbing on sunscreen
may soon be a thing of the past, however. The dermis
There is currently a race to develop a pill This layer absorbs
UVA rays, irritating
that will provide full UV protection, the blood vessels
based on a compound produced by the enough to make
algae that live inside coral. Scientists them swell and
Thinkstock
create the
hope to see this product for sale on the characteristic
market in the coming years. redness of sunburn.
Available
from all good
newsagents and
TM
supermarkets
ON SALE NOW
This is Pluto > Meteor showers > See Neptune tonight > 10 unbelievable space missions
EXPLORATION SOLAR SYSTEM DEEP SPACE FUTURE TECH ASTRONOMY
facebook.com/AllAboutSpaceMagazine twitter.com/spaceanswers
TECHNOL
HOW
VIDEOGAMES
ARE MADE
Discover the incredible journey from concept to console
P
laying a videogame is like entering a whole sound-mapping to make the product sound like using to build the game, and start to create
new world full of sights, sounds, artificial a game too. playable situations where the team can test
intelligence, simulated gravity and unique The first thing a studio needs when making a certain states of their build. Big-budget games
environments. The traditional videogames, such new game is a plan that includes a plot, a cast of require a huge selection of programming tasks to
as Mario and Space Invaders, relied on consoles or core characters and some sort of interactive be undertaken at this stage, including the
arcade machines to work, but nowadays gaming action. These three elements are typically simulation of in-game physics, the scripting of the
is everywhere: on your phone, on your tablet, mapped out and combined during the pre- AI and the generation of menu elements (or the
even in your TV. production period storyboards, concept art and user interface).
It takes a variety of different skills on the vertical slices (a finished portion of a game) are Programming is typically undertaken in the
journey between someones first thought for a designed here. These early tests are compiled into games codebase think of it as a library of
game and that same idea appearing in your a game design document a visual guide that information the game can constantly pull
hands. Some development studios employ details everything; from how menus work and material from. A codebase is a script unique to
hundreds of people, while other games are made character backstories, to how far a character can each game, and isnt dissimilar from a huge
with teams of only ten or less. Its not just a matter jump and level design. computer summoning documents from files
of knowing about the programming languages Once a game design document has been stored on its drive. If a game knows it needs to
videogames are constructed with, development created, the more technical side of development show three enemies and an explosive barrel on
teams also have to learn about 3D modelling or begins. This is a more interactive step in the screen, the codebase will be organised so the
pixel art to make the product look like a game, game-making process, where programmers and games script can easily and quickly find those
and they have to master audio design and coders will decide upon the engine theyll be assets and load them.
Programmer
Without the skills of the The person responsible for making sure the
Level designer programming team, you Systems designer
Every obstacle, every A game like Pokmon game does what you tell it to do, the programmer
wouldnt be able to get past a
enemy and every wall to games title screen works by running a highly writes scripts for in-game mechanics.
climb over, has been advanced set of algebraic
intentionally thought formulas off against each Artist
about to challenge the other. Its the systems
All the original visuals stem from the artists;
player and make them Network designer that ensures the
learn more about the programmer Narrative designer maths behind these they will provide the concept sketches,
games mechanics. Thats If a game has any online The narrative designer formulae is perfect and landscapes, character clothing and details.
the level designers job. functions or can be played works with the writer to bug-free.
in multiplayer mode, a make sure open-ended 3D artist
network programmer games still make sense The member of the team responsible for
needs to oversee when played out of order.
production on how your Most games have over
re-creating the artists work in 3D; producing
game will communicate 30,000 lines of dialogue textures, working on weapons and armour
with other players games, these days, so this role is a and even making terrain.
and how the code will cope mixture of word and
with 32 players at once. maths-based programming. Animator
The animator will make the 3D artists
characters come to life, either through
Most modern titles run on game engines in-game character. If the characters are monsters, manually creating scripts that make figures
which can interpret and translate script. dragons or something else entirely, the animators move, or by applying motion capture data.
Amazingly, many of these are available for free and 3D artists will get to work on putting these
Producer
to anyone interested in learning how to use together. There are many different programs
A jack-of-all-trades that makes sure the
them. These engines Unreal, Unity, CryEngine, capable of creating 3D art, so its important to
development deadlines are on track. They
UbiArt can simulate physics, graphics and ensure the 3D engine will speak to the game
also acquire funding or other necessary
sound at the press of a button, meaning engine a game wouldnt work if none of the
assets for the development studio.
developers and programmers can test out their characters costumes loaded onto their bodies;
codes much faster with an engine than without youd just see the 3D skeleton of a stickman Writer
one. Studios may have specific roles for people walking around! Lastly, a sound design team The author of the game. Writers jobs can vary
that know how to use an engine, or a must ensure all the sound-effects from gunshots from providing a key narrative arc for the
programmer might be able to perform both tasks to bridges creaking are in place. This can be game to giving in-game characters scripts
on the same project. done by recreating them within the games or backstories.
By now, the main game mechanics will be in engine, or recording them and applying them to
Audio programmer
place. Think of these in terms of gameplay the in-game world.
Creating the sound is usually undertaken by
Marios jump, Sonic the Hedgehogs spin-dash, There can be hundreds of people working in
a team of recorders and foley artists (who
MineCrafts building; these are all classed as any one game studio, but that doesnt mean
reproduce everyday sound effects).
mechanics. Its at this point that the graphics smaller groups of people cant design their own
team steps in. If the studio has decided their game. Its possible for a single person to release a Game Tester
character will be a human (or even just game on their own too, if they can learn the very Referred to as bug hunters, the quality and
humanoid), a motion capture (or MoCap) team can specific skills required to produce an interactive assurance team find parts of the game that
Thinkstock
begin work on recording and implementing story! Over the next few pages, youll learn exactly dont work properly and log them for
real-world movements by mapping them onto an how a game goes from a concept to your console. programmers to fi x.
Game production
2
milestones
A development studio must
complete many milestones
in order to get their game
into your hands
Videogame development is hard to track;
after all, there are so many different parts
of the game that are being worked on
simultaneously, that its difficult to
measure how close to completion a game
actually is. As such, development studios
use milestones to gauge their progress and
1
mark major achievements in their projects.
There is no industry standard when it
comes to milestones, but a typical game
which takes roughly two years to make
3
would follow a pattern similar to this.
The first playable: The first playable state
is exactly what it sounds like the very first
draft of a game that contains gameplay and
assets representative of the final product.
This build will be very closely based on
whats outlined in the game design
document, and is typically ready 12 to 18
months before a games release.
1 Concepts
planning
&
Artists will sketch
Alpha: The alpha stage of development is out what they want
4
the game to look
when all of the key gameplay elements like, and very basic
have been implemented. Ideally, a game in work will be done
alpha should be feature complete, which to early character
models and
means the product contains all the ideas environments to
and controls that will be used in the final give the team an
build. The codebase should be roughly 80 idea of how the
finished product
per cent complete at this point, and will look and play.
programmers will focus on finishing this
before adding extra content or features.
Beta: A game in its beta phase is
practically complete. The design team has
2Design
A game design
document is created,
signed off the product as code freeze, a which outlines exactly
what the players
term implying that no more code may be
objectives will be, along
added to the game, and only bugs or with how the games
glitches may be addressed. A beta build difficulty curve will
progress, what the user
will contain near-complete graphics and
interface looks like and
might only lack some precise details, such what the games story is.
as the way some in-game items behave
with the environment, for example.
Going gold: Once a game goes gold, its 3Engines & coding 4 Character creation
$265
An engine is chosen for the game In-engine tools and separate 3D art
officially out of the studios hands. The and this will determine the software software are used to build characters from
final build of the game is signed off and tools the programmers will work with as the ground up. Each individual part of the
production continues. All the interactive character is worked on first the body, the
sent to be printed onto Blu-ray discs, elements of the game from controller hair, the face, the clothes until eventually
cartridges or computer chips (for arcades),
and a digital copy is sent to publishers
input to character movement and more
are designed and implemented here.
Programming languages like C++,
every bit of the model is put together. New
software is in development all the time,
allowing for more lifelike creations. For
MILLION
The amount of budget it
wholl host the title on their online stores Python or BASIC are used to fine-tune example, TressFX is a system built took to make Grand
once release day hits. details that the engine cant manage. specifically to render realistic hair. Theft Auto V
100
MILLION 18.4 +
The number of registered
users of the building
game, Minecraft
QUINTILLION
The number of explorable worlds
in Hello Games upcoming
space-travel simulator
No Mans Sky
5
8
10,000
STAFF
The amount of people
employed by videogames
publisher Ubisoft
5 Motion capture
Once the character models are in
place, actors resembling their physical
6 Sound design & scoring
A composer will receive an early (alpha) build
of the game and play through it to get a feel for
7Debug & testing
Once all the characters, music, mechanics
and graphics are in place, the game is released
8 Pre-release
The game goes gold
(ready to be printed to disc)
shape are hired and kitted out in special the atmosphere and tone, before creating a into its beta phase. Here, teams of people and a final build is packaged
Illustration by Acute Graphics
suits that read their movements in a 3D soundtrack based on this. Music design now tends systematically play through the game and log together and sent to
grid. The actors perform actions to be dynamic, meaning composers must create and errors or glitches in the code. These logs manufacturers. Alternatively,
drawing a sword, rolling forward, dodging their tracks so they can seamlessly transition, are compiled into reports and delivered to the the package is sent to a
and so on and all the data is extrapolated depending on where the player is moving or what core development studio at regular intervals, publisher (like Microsoft,
from the 3D grid and translated into actions they are performing. Sound effects are where the programmers dig into their old Sony or Steam) and is hosted
in-engine sequences that programmers recorded by foley artists who recreate various code to find, fix or replace bad lines of code on that companys own
can apply to certain inputs or commands. noises in a studio and implemented here, too. that are causing the crashes or errors. digital storefront.
Creating Lights
realistic MoCap studios are typically
very bright the white nodes
on the actors suits need to
characters
Having a lifelike cast of characters
be keyed onto all cameras at
all times, so visibility is vital.
The rig
The rig keeps all the cameras
and lights in place, ensuring
that the action is well-lit and
recorded from all angles.
Real-time visuals
Some studios have the
facilities to directly
interpret the animation
data theyre receiving
into an in-game situation,
so you can see a
character walk around a
game world in real-time!
Recording
Microphone Studio director A series of computers
Certain studios (Ubisoft Toronto, Either the animation hooked up to the cameras
for example) decide to film director or a studio head will interpolate the 3D data
movement, voice and face all at will oversee the session. as its recorded, transmitting
the same time, and experiment They will make sure the it to 3D rendering software.
with true-to-life 3D performances. actors are moving and
responding in exactly the
way the game design
document outlined.
Actors
Studio
to screen
100 years ago, animators at Disney used
live-action footage to trace animations
and then project them. Thats fairly similar
to how optical 3D motion capture works.
Those white balls you see on MoCap suits
are interpreted by software (like
Autodesks MotionBuilder) that project
how the actor in the suit moves onto a
skeleton character, which programmers
can study in real-time. If the performance
has unexpected results which can
happen due to the unpredictable nature of
motion capture a director will offer
feedback to the actor that will directly
affect the way data is produced on
screen. This is a fairly modern practice, Ninja Theorys Hellblade features the character
and is only a viable method of animating Senua, whose MoCap was all achieved in a rig
due to how quickly and efficiently modern built by the developers themselves
computers can run.
Starting the
engines
A games engine is a software
framework that interprets the
code that videogames are
made in, but there are many
of them available for use.
Unreal
Unreal is a free-to-use engine thats SDKs are hard to
been the most popular choice for come by but are
developers in the last few years. It vital when testing
can deliver photorealistic graphics out new games
and lifelike lighting effects with
minimal effort.
Tools of the trade
Having a computer thats quick and powerful enough
to run a game-making engine is one thing, but having
a place to fully test an early build of your game is
another important requirement. These test units are
called SDKs (software development kits) and are
usually given to studios via the console
manufacturers (Microsoft, Sony, Nintendo). Having a
Unity kit in the studio means programmers can debug
Modern independent developers their games in real-time most test modes of games
have been using Unity due to its have a special button that lets developers break
easily accessible interface and through the graphics and interface, and interact
unique asset bank that enables directly with the code thats running the game.
you to use parts of games that These kits used to be incredibly hard to get hold of
other developers have made (if they basically let you look inside a consoles code
you pay for it!). and alter your games cyber DNA to suit it but
nowadays theyre becoming more and more
common. In fact, Microsoft shipped out over 1,000
of these SDKs to independent publishers in the last
two years alone!
machines
format. It will either be touch screen or
have buttons on either side.
Card slot
Once a card has
been entered, its
work?
black magnetic
stripe is read to
authenticate the
card and its owner.
Cash dispenser
Once the transaction is complete,
the requested amount of cash will
travel up from the vault through the
roller mechanism to the dispenser,
Receipt slot
Your transaction details are
where it can be collected.
printed on thermal paper,
which uses heat rather than
ink to turn the paper black and
form the necessary text.
Rollers
The rollers check the
thickness of each Deposit box
note to make sure Once cheques or deposits
that two notes arent are made they are stored
stuck together, so the in the deposit box, where
cardholder receives the bank will collect them
the correct amount at a later stage.
of money.
Illustration by Nicholas Forder
Cash chambers
Each chamber, or currency box,
Suction cups may hold thousands of notes.
The suction cups pick up Most ATMs will stock each
notes individually, before denomination depending on the
the rollers process them. currency used in its location.
I
ts somewhat hard to imagine our modern
world without cash machines, yet they only
became the norm during the 1970s. The first
machine that dispensed cash was invented by
John Shepperd-Barron and was installed
outside a branch of Barclays Bank in Enfield,
Greater London.
Today, they work to give us access to our PIN code shields similar
money 24 hours a day in a multitude of to the one pictured are
locations, and are far more convenient than one way of reducing
fraud
queuing in a bank. However, there are many
challenges for them to overcome in order to
provide the required level of service. They have
to check that you and your card are legitimate,
find your account information and carry out the
transaction required, all while protecting the
thousands of pounds stored inside its vault.
The magnetic strip on the back of your card
may look like a solid black line, but its actually
composed of millions of tiny magnets, each one
magnetised either north or south, which two
magnetic readers understand like a binary
code. The first reader confirms the card is real,
while the second reads your account number
and PIN, checking this against the code that you
entered on the keypad.
Once your PIN is confirmed, the machine
automatically connects to your banks network
which relays a signal back to the built-in vault,
giving it a specific set of instructions. The ATM
will then complete the transaction that has
been requested. If you forget to take your cash
for whatever reason, modern cash machines
will swallow the money after a short period of
time so you wont be out of pocket.
Cordless Organs-on-chips
telephones Is this the end of animal testing?
How digital cordless
communication became a
household essential
C
ordless phones are one of those
inventions that are hard to live
without. Packed with technology, they
originated in the 1980s and were the first
devices to enable landline conversations to be
taken all around the home. Made up of a
handset and a base, the former relies on the
latter to work. The base is plugged into the
telephone jack and receives the incoming call
This new technology may speed up drug
as an electrical signal, which it then converts
development by simulating how human cells
into a radio signal that it transmits to the respond to different chemicals
handset. The radio signal gets reconverted
into an electrical signal by the handset, where
D
esigned to imitate the functions of capillary cells on the other. These are divided
it is sent to the speaker and made audible. As complex organs such as the heart, lungs by a porous membrane a thin walled structure
you talk into the handset, your voice is and intestines, these silicon microchips that enables air or liquid to pass through. Air
broadcast as a radio signal to the base, where are only the size of a small USB stick, but could runs through one side and a blood-like solution
it is converted to an electrical signal and sent have the power to transform medicine. The flows through the other, while a stretching
through the phone line. chips are embedded with microfluidic motion generated by a vacuum replicates the
Range, sound quality and sound security channels, which are lined with human cells mechanics of breathing.
are all essentials, and have got better with from particular organs. Chemicals can then be Several different organs have been replicated
time as analogue frequencies have been pumped through these tubes, enabling so far by scientists at the Wyss Institute at
replaced with digital. Some long-range researchers to see how these organs will react Harvard University, who continue to test and
cordless phones enable you to make and through a microscope. evaluate the limits of their chips. It is hoped
receive calls even when you are 50 metres The lung chip, for example, features human that these devices could be used to develop
(164 feet) away from the base station. lung cells on one side of the chip and blood drugs without the need for animal testing.
Translucent
coating
Each chip will be made
Vacuum out of a translucent
The vacuum material that is both
channels on either clear and flexible for
side cause the lung easy study.
Wyss Institute at Harvard; Thinkstock
to regularly stretch
and relax, to mimic
breathing in and out.
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ADVERTORIAL
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F
or the past century, children around the
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construction possibilities are truly endless memory, and can be make up the Meccanoid are highly
updated through USB. durable but also lightweight,
When it comes to construction, the Meccanoid helping it to stand the test of time.
is by no means a one-trick pony. It is fully
customisable thanks to its Meccano
Maker System, enabling you to build
almost anything you can think of. As
is tradition with Meccano, its parts
are 100 per cent compatible with the
classic Meccano parts, Efficient motion
helping you to customise A set of small motors
your creations further. drive the Meccanoids
feet. They provide
stable movement
across most surfaces.
The larger
Meccanoid G15
KS looks great
when transformed
into a dinosaur
Voice recognition
Voice recognition plays a key role in the Meccanoids programming
the G15 and the G15 KS will respond to more than 1,000 pre-progra
voice commands such as walk forward, and can even be program
to respond to an unlimited number of user-recorded voice comman
Both models of the Meccanoid are capable of telling jokes, saying fu
facts, asking questions, and even starting conversations with the us
Remembering your name and birthday is another nice touch, showi
that the creators really have tried to cover all bases. Motion
capture
Installing your
video-enabled smart
device into the
Meccanoids chest
allows it to monitor
your movements and
copy exactly what
you do.
The M
may be sm
brother, b
just as much e
Ragdoll
avatar
By connecting your
smartphone up to your
Meccanoid, you can operate the
physical robot using the 3D virtual
model, enabling it to be
programmed with movements and
sounds wirelessly. By holding your
smartphone or tablet and swiping
the onscreen Ragdoll Avatar, the
Meccanoid will twist, turn or move
in any direction you want.
INSIDE THE
TESLA MODEL S
Theyre the most talked-about electric car manufacturer in
the world, but just what makes Tesla Motors so innovative?
T
he concept of an electric car is not a new manufacturers to look at alternative forms of specifically produces electric
idea. Manufacturers were building them power, such as hydrogen and hybrid systems. vehicles. Their innovation and
as far back as the 19th century, with Electricity has once again come to the fore, and commitment to making futuristic cars
Porsche building their first car, the electric P1, California-based Tesla Motors is leading the has ensured that this small Californian
in 1898. Despite its deep-rooted foundation with charge for this viable, greener technology in our company has garnered an impressive
vehicles, electricity was never substantially modern world. Unlike other manufacturers, reputation across the globe, and we will show
developed enough to become the power of Tesla (led by renowned entrepreneur and CEO you why
choice for cars. Instead, vehicles have been Elon Musk) is a relatively new company that
powered by igniting fuel in internal combustion
engines. However, this petroleum a product of
crude oil is in limited supply, prompting car
Auto-close boot
Boots can be heavy to lift,
but the Model S provides
the perfect answer with an
auto-open/close function
at the touch of a button.
Rear-view
camera
Mounted above the
rear licence plate, a
camera passes a
live feed through to
the large interior
screen, so the driver
can see behind the
car when reversing.
Preconditioning
Software Thanks to the intuitive
Tesla Model S app,
updates owners can precondition
the on-board climate of
One of the most creative
their vehicle remotely, so
innovations over a conventional
the car reaches the
car is Teslas use of software
perfect temperature by
updates. This is all done
the time they enter.
over-the-air, meaning cool new
features can be added to the
Model S overnight. An example
of this is the addition of the
creep function when releasing
the brake pedal in traffic, which
was added after Tesla consulted
with Model S owners on how to
improve the driving experience.
No more keys!
The Model S doesnt use a
conventional car key as we know
it. Instead, owners are presented
with a small fob sculpted to
mimic the shape of the car itself
which has a built-in transmitter
that talks to the car via onboard
sensors. This means an owner
only needs to have the key on
their person and, when they
approach the car, the door
handles pop out and the car is
ready to start.
Air suspension
Want to lower the Model S for sportier handling or raise it
Quiet tyres to clear a steep driveway? This can be done with a tap of
the dash-mounted touchscreen.
With a noisy engine replaced by
a beautifully silent motor, the
Model S glides along the road
with virtually no audible
soundtrack. From inside the car,
the only noise that remains (with
the radio switched off) is rolling
road noise. To combat this,
ContiSilent tyres from
Continental are used, which have The Model S is simple
an extra layer of foam inside to and speedy to charge
reduce the noise it produces up, with free use of
Tesla
Inside the
Tesla factory
Heres how the innovative
Model S is put together in
Fremont, California
Tesla Motors can lay claim to producing some of
the most innovative and technically advanced
electric vehicles on the planet. Currently, Tesla
produce one car the Model S which is
available with a variety of power and drive
options, however, a Model X SUV is planned for
2016. This Model X will be manufactured
alongside the existing Model S from Teslas
main factory in Fremont, California.
The facility was once home to General Motors
and Toyota, producing half a million vehicles
per year. Tesla Motors purchased the premises
on Fremont Boulevard in 2010. They
transformed the building into a factory thats as
technologically advanced as the cars that roll
out of it, all on a site that covers an area of
492,000 square metres (5.3 million square feet),
used for both manufacturing and office space.
Old assembly equipment was torn out and
robots were installed that can perform complex
functions, from assembling the chassis to
welding and laser-cutting parts. Each one is
named after an X-Men character, as they have
the superpowers to lift and manoeuvre entire
cars with ultimate precision.
The factory floor itself is split down into five
sections: stamping, assembly, body, paint and
plastics. Every part of the Model S build process
is carried out at the factory in California, from
the early panel beating to final test-driving.
State-of-the-art technology used by Tesla in the
production of its cars also means high
A robot named Xavier lifts cars down
efficiency, reducing its carbon footprint. This to the floor so the other superhero
includes basic measures, such as replacing machines can assemble them
fluorescent lights with energy-saving LED
lamps, all the way to using ultrasonic waves
inside the car instead of wasting gallons of
water for a leak test. They also use powder
From factory floor to your driveway
Discover what it takes to create a Tesla Model S
coatings for the primer and clear coat layers
instead of traditional liquid paints (which
contain harmful compounds), another
modification that helps lower emissions.
1 Stamping
Aluminium sheets
are machine stamped
The addition of advanced robots and into doors, roofs and
hood panels using a
conveyors enables the factory to process one hydraulic press.
million battery cells every day. Soon it is hoped
that the robots will also be able to install the
battery packs in the cars, which will relieve
2 Sub-assembly 3Framing
Groups of workers on
the production line join the
Robotic arms take the
sub-assemblies and begin
factory workers of one of the most labour- stamped pieces together gluing, welding and riveting.
intensive jobs in the process. Currently, Tesla can as sub-assemblies, while All doors and lids are hung
outer panels are welded to on the main frame, and the
produce up to 100,000 vehicles annually. Not bad the cars inner structures entire primary structure is
for a company that is less than 15 years old. for strength and safety. checked for imperfections.
6 Quality testing
Tests include a rolling road and
checking for leaks, as well as a
7 Delivery
The car is now ready to
be delivered and is shipped
visual examination at an inspection to various Tesla showrooms
station within the factory. all over the world.
Tesla
Automated features
How the Model S can switch lanes and park by itself
Although not quite a driverless car, the Model S constantly sense five metres (16 feet) around
does boast an array of automated features the car to check for objects such as cars in
including autopilot, lane change assist and traffic. The data is fed to the cars engine control
automated parking. The most revolutionary of unit (ECU), which determines what lane or path
these, autopilot, works by utilising a forward the Model S needs to take. The idea is to take
radar, 12 long-range ultrasonic sensors positioned the strain out of situations such as congestion,
around the car, a forward-facing camera and a offering increased comfort for the driver. reading road signs. Automatic parking is also
digitally-controlled electric braking system. Similarly, the software and hardware is able possible under the same technology. The car
The camera reads road signs and checks for to steer to keep the Model S within a designated will notify the driver when it detects an
objects in front of the Model S projected line, lane, or even change lanes with just a tap of a available parking space and be capable of
while the radar and ultrasonic sensors turn signal, all while managing speed by smoothy manoeuvring into it.
Ultrasonic sensors
A total of 12 long-range
ultrasonic sensors are placed
around the car and detect
Resuming objects that are up to five
cruise control metres (16 feet) away.
If you are at a standstill for a
long time, tapping the
accelerator will re-engage
autopilot mode and the car
will accelerate by itself to
your preset speed.
Adjusting autopilot
A stalk by the steering wheel
enables the driver to manually
adjust the distance between the
Model S and another car.
The forward-facing cameras and The Speed Assist function makes sure
sensors can scan up to 160m that the Model S keeps within the
(525ft) of the path ahead speed limit of the road
Q&A with Tesla UKs Georg Ell, are also working on a system where Tesla
owners can pay to upgrade their battery in
T
he travel industry is no stranger to thanks to clever re-engineering of a small
vehicles that can multi-task when it propeller plane (which takes care of the flying
comes to operating on various terrains side of its duties), enabling the craft to float on a
and atmospheres. Weve previously seen cushion of air above the sea. This means the craft by drawing on the wing-in-ground effect,
amphibious vehicles or even planes that can can save money and space for owners who dont increasing lift and reducing drag when an
land or take off on sea, but the CYG-11 craft has need to purchase both a boat and a plane for aircrafts wings are close to the ground. This is
gone one step further by being able to either fly their travels, and also opens a new way of getting done simply by mounting the wings lower down
in the air or float on the waters surface. The to destinations that were previously difficult to on the fuselage of the aircraft, enabling the
Chinese-built CYG-11 seaplane is able to do this, reach. The floating aspect of the seaplane works plane to effectively float on a cushion of air.
A
s sports car engines have become amplifying the noise. the cabin, making
cleaner, they have also become quieter, it more audible
for the driver.
particularly as vehicles switch to
turbocharged engines in order to keep
emissions down. However, some owners still
want to hear the roar of that hard-working
engine during performance driving, and its
here where the introduction of a sound
symposer saves the day.
In essence, a sound symposer projects noise
but not fumes from the exhaust straight into
the cabin of a car. Inside the Porsche 911, an Air filter
acoustic channel picks up vibrations from the This draws air in from
the atmosphere
engine, which are reinforced by a membrane most goes to the Sound symposer valve
and transmitted as sound into the cabin. To engines intake This opens and closes at a touch
system, and some of the Sport button, letting noise
Xinhua/Rex
NASCAR haulers
How this 18-wheeler transports race cars and more
O
ver the years NASCAR has become a transported to the next. Once it gets back to and unpacking a four-bedroom house every
huge part of American sporting culture. base, every single item on board the hauler is week for 38 weeks a year. Without the haulers,
Founded in 1947, it now sanctions more removed, before being either cleaned or the drivers would have no feasible way of
than 1,200 races across America, Canada, replaced and then loaded back on. This equates transporting their cars, and would likely be
Mexico and Europe. to around 10,000 items comparable to packing ill-prepared for their next race.
Getting the highly specialised race cars from
one race to another presents the teams with a
problem. You wont see a race car being driven
on normal roads, and since the NASCAR races
are so spread out across America, they have to
be transported in a specialised hauler to each
race venue. These haulers do much more than
simply transport the cars; they function as
repair shops, restaurants, meeting rooms,
viewing platforms and storage facilities.
As every racetrack on the calendar is
different, each NASCAR team will alter the
setup of their cars depending on the conditions.
This means that every car has to return to the
teams base after each race before it can be
Top deck
On top of the hauler is
a viewing area, used
to watch the cars on
the track. It may be
equipped with scoring
monitors for statistical
analysis as well.
Illustration by Nicholas Forder
Generator
Each hauler has its own
generator that provides Parts garage
power for each section, The back end of the hauler is
including the office and heavily stocked with parts
the parts garage.
Dreamstime; Thinkstock
African savannah
wings enable it to soar
above the ground,
carefully searching for
its next meal.
T
he savannah environment is a huge
expanse of wide-open grassland that is
home to a web of incredible plants and From tiny insects to mighty predators,
the savannah has it all
animals. Formed exclusively around the
tropics, savannahs are characterised by just
enough rainfall in the wet season to enable
plants to flourish, yet not enough for a
rainforest, and almost arid conditions in the
dry season, but not dry enough to form a desert.
The plants and animals that live here have
developed amazing means of coping with this
extreme environment.
Around the world, savannahs are known by
different names; in Asia they are steppes, they
are prairies in North America, and in Australia
they are rangelands. Usually only African
grasslands are given the name savannah, and
one of the most famous is the Serengeti Plains
in Tanzania. This ecosystem is home to some of Wildebeest
Earths most incredible creatures: big cats, Huge herds of wildebeest
roam the savannah. They
elephants, rhinos and giraffes to name just a
have evolved special teeth
select few. and a digestive system
that can process the
biomes tough plants.
At the water hole
In the savannah, water holes are incredibly
important features of the landscape, especially
during the dry season. The seasonal or
permanent pools of water, fed by rivers or Savannahs around
aquifers, provide much-needed hydration for all
animals of the savannah, sometimes drawing
the world
1. Africa, including Sahelian Acacia, Sahel,
them in from many miles away.
Serengeti, Maasai Mara
Predator and prey alike gather to drink, and Termite
2. North America, the Great Plains
these connections keep the all-important Termites are
3. South America, Brazilian Cerrados and
savannah food web healthy. With all the animals incredibly important
Llanos of the Orinoquia
gathering in one place, the predators have to savannah biomes,
4. Australia, largest areas are Kimberley,
enough food but kill only what they need, which as they cycle soil
VRD-Sturt, Mitchel Grasslands, North
monitors the population naturally. Meanwhile the from deep in the
East Queensland
prey species are able to take a good long drink earth up to
5. Myanmar (Burma)
before moving on to their next destination. the surface.
6. India
7. Madagascar
Elephant
The elephants large ears and
wrinkled skin keeps it cool, and
its trunk grasps leaves and
grasses for easy grazing.
Zebra
A zebra herds stripes
are designed to
confuse savannah
predators, making it
hard to distinguish one
zebra from the next.
Scattered trees
Trees in the savannah are
scattered in distribution,
but provide vital shade,
shelter and food for the
animal inhabitants.
Rhinoceros Lion
Herbivorous rhinos thrive The African savannahs Dung beetle
on the rich grasslands; apex predator, a lions These insects recycle the dung
their broad snout and wide sandy coloured coat helps left by other savannah critters.
upper lip are perfectly it to camouflage in the They break down droppings and
adapted for grazing. grass to stalk prey. use them to lay eggs.
Savannah foliage
Acacia tree Rhodes grass Red grass
The Umbrella acacia tree is a This tufty grass has a long root Incredibly, this grass is not only
symbol of the African savannah. system that extracts water from resistant to fire, but regular burning
Providing a source of food for many the soil from over four metres (13 enhances the grass prevalence,
creatures, the seedpods actually feet) deep. This enables the grass to providing its not overgrazed. The
grow better after passing through withstand short drought and species is a good indicator of a
an animals gut! grazing from animals. healthy savannah.
When you think of the word savannah, rolling The savannah biome has two distinct seasons, The rainy season stretches from around November
African grasslands come to mind, along with wet and dry, but there is still too little rain for many to May, and then the dry season sets in and
Mufasas words to Simba: Everything the light trees to grow, and so grasses and shrubs dominate temperatures remain around 27 degrees Celsius (81
touches is our kingdom. Disneys classic cartoon the ecosystem. These hardy plants are able to degrees Fahrenheit).
actually portrays an ecosystem that is very real. support the great migration of herds of herbivorous The hoards of wildebeest, zebra and gazelle
Africas most famous savannah regions encompass animals, such as zebra and wildebeest, which travel arent the only animals willing to make a trek to find
the Serengeti National Park, the Ngorongoro en masse, chasing the rains and spurred on by the water. Elephants, living in their close-knit familial
Conservation Area, Maswa Game Reserve, the growth of new grass. Hungry predators like lions groups, can locate water holes up to 50 kilometres (31
Loliondo, Grumeti and Ikorongo Controlled Areas and cheetahs anticipate the arrival of these herds. miles) away in a relatively featureless environment.
and the Maasai Mara National Reserve. So The savannah temperature remains fairly Its thought that they have excellent spatial
important is the 30,000 -square-kilometre constant, and water holes can be found at various memories ,and can use this to recall where the
(11,580-square-mile) region, that it contains two points across the plains (depending on the season), water holes are in this radius. Safari goers to these
World Heritage Sites and two Biosphere Reserves. where many animals will gather to take a drink. regions have also noticed large ruts in the earth
this is caused by elephants using their long, strong
There is still too little rain for many trees tusks to dig down into the soil to search for water or
to grow, and so grasses and shrubs to eat the soil to take in valuable nutrients.
Grasses are the prime source of food for the
dominate the ecosystem elephants and with so many other grazers, such as
This is because the grass growth occurs from the fires also help to keep encroaching forests from wheel that keeps the savannah biome in balance. Of
bottom of the shoot, so while theyre nibbling away, taking over the grassland. equal importance are the smaller creatures and tiny
the creatures are also gradually cultivating a grazing The hunters of the savannah are the big cats that insects that work the savannah soil and decompose
lawn. Different types of animals also have their own sit at the very top of the food chain. Lions are, of the waste to recycle nutrients.
feeding techniques and take greenery from various course, the kings of the plains, but leopards, Humans also flourish on these grasslands. Tribes
levels. For example, giraffes browse for shoots, cheetah and African wild dogs are also high up in such as the Maasai have lived and farmed there for
leaves and buds from high up in the trees, while the savannah court. When the migratory herds many years, as the soil facilitates the growth of
zebras graze on the savannah floor. This means that arrive it provides rich pickings for these stealthy cereal crops and the grazing of cattle. While we
there is little competition when it comes to finding predators, who ensure that only the fittest prey worry about garden invaders like foxes, the Maasai
vegetarian food. survive. And where there are predators, there are are concerned about elephants trampling and
Another rather more curious way that savannah scavengers, lurking on the sidelines. Spotted hyenas eating their produce! They are a culture steeped in
grasses stay in healthy balance is through fire. are skilful hunters but theyre not picky eaters and tradition and have a strong bond with the land.
Rainbow sundogs
Refraction separates
the different coloured Precise alignment
wavelengths of light, so Due to the precise angle of
sundogs often have a refraction, sundogs always
rainbow effect. Bright sundog appear roughly 22 degrees to
The refracted light from the the left and right of the Sun.
crystals hits the viewerss eye
at the same angle, forming a
bright spot in the sky.
I
f youve ever seen what appear to be three either side of it called parhelia, or sundogs. As they need ice crystals to form, sundogs
bright Suns lined up neatly on the horizon, Even rarer are jumping sundogs, which occur usually only appear during cold weather and
then youve probably witnessed sundogs. This when lightning discharge in a thundercloud when the Sun is low in the sky. However, they
rare phenomenon occurs when hexagonal ice temporarily changes the electric field above it. have been spotted from several different
crystals in the air align to refract sunlight into This adjusts the orientation of the ice crystals so locations around the world. Its not just the Sun
your eye at a precise angle. This forms a halo of that they refract the sunlight differently, making either, as light from the Moon can generate Moon
light around the Sun, with two bright patches on the sundogs move around as if theyre jumping. halos and moondogs in much the same way.
I
ts not just busy public transport energy is given off as heat,
that makes city life feel sweatier warming the area by as much as 12
than rural areas. On average, degrees Celsius (22 degrees
densely populated cities are one to Fahrenheit). Another contributing
three degrees Celsius (1.8 to 5.4 factor is that cities have less
degrees Fahrenheit) warmer than vegetation than the countryside,
their surroundings, resulting in a meaning plants cant help to cool
phenomenon known as the urban the air by using the excess heat to
heat island effect. evaporate the water they absorb.
Dark surfaces of urban buildings Use of cars and air conditioning Cities have very little vegetation for evaporative
Thinkstock
Nest building
Learn how weaver birds knit and tie
knots to build amazing structures
N
ot content with simply gathering a few Over 1,000 blades of grass are needed to make
twigs to fashion an open-top nest, one nest, so a great deal of energy is required to
weaver birds go to a lot more effort to harvest them one at a time. Only the freshest
create a home for their young. Their enclosed and most supple strands will do, as he needs to
and intricately woven creations not only help to be able to fix them to the branch using
keep out predators, but are also used to attract complicated knots and stitches similar to the
prospective mate. actions of a human weaver.
Its the male weaver birds that do the Using his thin beak as the needle, he weaves a
building, and the females judge who they want neat lattice-like pattern, alternately threading
to mate with based on his construction skills. strands above and below the strands that run
Therefore, it is vitally important that the perpendicular to it, to create an incredibly strong
structure is strong and sec ut and
begins the process by find oo weak Male weaver birds
branch, and then gathers h o cut it build nests to attract
potential mates
by ripping up strands of gr
2 Add a roof
More strands are weaved onto the
ring to build up the roof and walls of the
nest. He does this by poking a strand
through the ring structure, pulling it out
the other side and then feeding it back
through again, just like stitching.
3 Create a doorway
A hole is left at the bottom of the
nest to serve as a doorway, and he
Alternately
reversed winding
Overhand knot
The birds can loop a
Slip knot
Weaver birds can use
constructs a long downward pointing To strengthen the foundation strand and feed the complicated slip knots
entrance tube that leads to it. This of the nest, the birds may end back through to to weave strands and
helps to deter predators that would weave the initial strand secure it to branches branches together to
otherwise be able to swoop down and between two branches. or other strands. form their nests.
snatch the eggs or chicks from above.
F
ollowing the popularity and success of mankind, only seve
NASAs manned Apollo missions in the late the trip to low-Earth orbit, none of which have Russian Soyuz spacecraft to get to and from the
1960s, it seemed that space tourism would even come close to retracing his famous ISS, but after the ISS permanent crew was
soon become a reality. Pan American Airways footsteps on the lunar surface. doubled to six members, this was no longer an
were quick to jump on the idea, opening a waiting These individuals stayed on the International option. This has galvanised a number of
list for a planned service to the Moon. Up until the Space Station (ISS), and paid a considerable companies to explore alternative means of
company eventually disbanded in 1991, more premium for the experience. The most recent, transporting paying passengers for short
than 93,000 wannabe astronauts had signed up Canadian Guy Lalibert, coughed up an periods of time, such as space planes. The most
for the scheme. estimated 22 million ($35 million) for an 11-day talked-about space plane around is Virgin
A new kind of space race was envisaged; trip in 2009. Although excursions to the ISS are Galactics SpaceShipTwo, which is lifted into the
private companies would compete to become hugely appealing, it is not designed to sky by a larger mothership, WhiteKnightTwo,
the first to provide normal people with the accommodate a tourists needs. In spite of the before detaching and using its rocket engine to
chance to experience the wonders of space ticket price, there are no luxuries; the ISS sole take a total of six passengers into space.
travel. Its incredible to think that in the years purpose is to carry out vital research and Once out of Earths atmosphere, those on
that followed Neil Armstrongs giant leap for support the astronauts on board. board will experience around five minutes of
Forward window
This window enables
restricted views out of
the spacecraft, and is
The Boeing
CST-100
one of only three
windows on the CST-100.
Autonomous
docking system
Created for docking with the ISS or a
Service module potential future space station, the forward
The large back section houses the docking system is completely autonomous,
rocket engines, carries the propellant reducing training time for potential crews.
and stores other equipment that the
spacecraft may need.
Solar panels Forward docking system y; they are still one of only a few
Once in orbit, the solar The Dragon has a similar docking mpanies to complete a space mission, yet
arrays fold out from the system to the CST-100 concealed s recent mishap may damage their
back end of the spacecraft, beneath its nose cap, which is
allowing it to harness the discarded once the spacecraft leaves ances of becoming the first private
Science
Main truss
Forming the backbone of
the station, the main truss
will have each inflatable
module connected to it.
Central spine
The main rigid core of the
Scientific instrumentation module is home to the
Within the research laboratory is a stations major systems, such
wide range of instrumentation that as power management and
is spread around the labs life support.
interior surfaces.
weightlessness, while gazing in wonder at the 2017, and once this has been completed, along
Earths curvature and the surrounding stars. with service flights to the ISS, the door will be
The tragic death of pilot Michael Alsbury during open for commercial spaceflight.
a test flight in 2014 has not deterred Virgin The CST-100 is slightly larger than the Apollo
Galactic from reaching their goal, although it has Command Module and is being developed in
meant that the first commercial flights have cooperation with Bigelow Aerospace, as the
been further delayed. Whether or not this will capsule offers a means of reaching their planned
form the foundation of space tourism is yet to be space station in the future. As it is reusable,
seen, but they do not offer a prolonged off-world Boeings spacecraft will be fitted with a
stay. They also lack docking capabilities, which combined recovery system featuring both
means they cant be used to whisk people away parachutes and airbags, allowing it to land on
Solar panels to any form of space hotel that may exist one day. the ground rather than in water when it returns
Each individual module
is designed to support Aerospace company Boeing has taken a to Earth. Reusability is key to its success, as the
its own solar panels, so different tact. They have created a spacecraft that more times it can be used, the cheaper each
that when an extra is likely to perform the first commercial flights, as flight will become for both the company and
module is added, it
provides its own power. part of a 2.7 billion ($4.2 billion) contract with prospective customers.
NASA. The Crew Space Transportation-100, or If the future of space tourism doesnt involve
CST-100 for short, has been tasked with this staying on the ISS, there needs to be a new form of
honour. Boeing and NASA hope that this space station, which is where Bigelow Aerospace
spacecrafts first manned flight will take place in comes in. Their founder Robert Bigelow made his
In-orbit assembly
The inflatable design does
provide a large useable
ife in space
volume, but can be enlarged n spite of the many trials and
further by the addition of tribulations it has experienced,
extra modules in space.
space tourism is certainly going to
happen. A number of companies
have recognised the need for
specific products in space; ones
that are capable of overcoming the
issues of microgravity.
One such company is the Cosmic
Lifestyle Corporation, which has
already designed a zero-gravity
cocktail glass and coffee cup. Each
glass is designed with a specific set
of grooves that channel the liquid
Both of these products took their towards the mouthpiece. Without
inspiration from NASA astronaut these grooves, the liquid would
Donald Pettit, who tried to design a
float out of the glass in sticky blobs
cup while in space
which can scatter uncontrollably.
A space currency to pay for your
Martinis may not yet exist, but as
of 2014 there has been a way to pay
or things in orbit. PayPal Galactic
enables cashless payments to be
carried out in space, and will even
be capable of sending money back
Docking ports to Earth and vice versa. Although
Each module has connectors the cocktail glass isnt essential to
at both ends, which function
to provide docking points for our way of life, its technology will
different spacecraft and help no doubt be seen more and more
join the station together. when space tourism takes off.
fortune building hotels, but he has launch later this year aboard a However, despite having many of the
been interested in space technology SpaceX Dragon capsule, and it necessary components in place, we are still a
since childhood. Taking inspiration will be connected to the ISS for number of years away from space tourism
from NASAs TransHab concept, two years to demonstrate its becoming a truly viable vacation option. Its
Bigelow Aerospace plans to build its technology. Once this has been more likely that trips to low-Earth orbit will
own inflatable space modules. It will proven a success, the B330 will become well-established first, before any form of
use these to build private space be launched. This has over 20 hotel opens for business. There is still so much
stations, which it will operate and sell times the volume of the BEAM that needs to be investigated before space travel
access to the public. with 330 cubic metres (11,654 can become feasible for the average person.
In 2006 and 2007, Bigelow launched Genesis 1 cubic feet) of internal space, and a proposed Further research into the effects of remaining in
and 2 respectively, which were its first test craft 20-year lifetime. Although its walls are space for long periods of time is vital, and its
to enter orbit. Since these launches the company inflatable, they will provide inhabitants with hoped that NASAs ongoing Twins Study will
has been relatively quiet, relying on ground more protection from heat and radiation than provide some answers.
testing while waiting for space tourism to grow the rigid ISS modules. Bigelow hopes that these What is certain is that there will be plenty of
as an industry. However, the BEAM (Bigelow modules will mark the beginning of vacations adventurers packing their bags for a trip to
Expandable Activity Module) is scheduled to that truly are out of this world. infinity and beyond when the time comes.
Celsius
right down to near from MIT cooled sodium 5,000 light years from
absolute zero. gas to a fraction above enough anyway, but Earth, is the coldest
absolute zero. there are craters on its natural place in space.
hrenheit
surface in permanent
-200 -328 shadow that never rise
above this temperature.
WWW.HOWITWORKSDAILY.COM
o
0 32
100
50
70.7C/159.3F
Hottest place 100 212
on Earth
The Lut desert in Iran
achieved this record in
150 300
2,200C/3,992F 2005. It was measured
by satellite.
Atmospheric
re-entry 200 392
The heat shield on 400
NASAs new Orion 1,000
600
capsule will protect its
800
crew from blistering
temperatures when 1,000 1,832
WWW.HOWITWORKSDAILY.COM
-1,538C/-2,800F re-entering the
Earths atmosphere. 2,000
Iron melts
Under intense pressure, 5,000
such as at the Suns 3,093C/5,600F 3,000
core, iron will remain in Rocket boosters
a liquid state even at 4,000 Unlike the Earth, there is no
The temperature within solid surface on the Sun. Its
extreme temperatures. the booster of NASAs completely gaseous
Space Launch System 5,000
the most powerful 10,00 5,500C/ 10,000F
rocket booster ever built 6,000
during tests.
Surface of
the Sun
7,000
Hot enough to boil iron.
8,000 24,000C/
Heat of the Big Bang 43,232F
In the first few moments of its formation, the universe was 9,000 Core of Jupiter
pretty toasty to say the least, with a temperature in excess The immense pressure
of four trillion degrees Celsius (7.2 trillion degrees 10,000 at Jupiters core from
Fahrenheit). The universe was so hot and dense that 100,000 this massive planet,
protons and neutrons could not exist, but their constituent 100,000 makes it a massive five 55,000,000C/
elementary particles formed a quark-gluon plasma. This 1 million times hotter than the 99,000,032F
so-called quark soup was 250,000 times hotter than the 1 million Suns surface.
Suns core, but it cooled as the universe expanded. At 100 Supernova gas
seconds after the Big Bang, the universe was at one billion degrees The energy of a
10 million 18 million
Celsius (1.8 billion degrees Fahrenheit), but it took 380,000 years before the supernova can heat the
first hydrogen and helium atoms could form. gas surrounding it to
100 million 180 million blistering temperatures.
15,000,000C/
27,000,000F
1 billion 18 billion 100 billionC/
Core of the Sun 180 billionF
5.5 trillionC/ 1 trillion 1.8 trillion Not surprisingly, this is
9.9 trillionF the hottest place in the Core of a
Solar System, where newly-formed
Hottest recorded 1 quadrillion 1.8 quadrillion neutron star
each of the fusion
temperature reactions take place. Massive stars that
This gong goes not to a 1 quintillion 1.8 quintillion collapse sometimes
star or even a leave behind these
supernova, but was 1 sextillion 1.8 sextillion incredibly hot and
briefly generated by the dense remnants.
man-made particle 1 septillion 1.8 septillion
accelerator, the Large
Hadron Collider.
1 octillion 1.8 octillion
Blowing up asteroids
How NASA plans to save us from killer space rocks
I
t was 66 million years ago that the
dinosaurs reign on Earth came The asteroid
to an end. The instigator was an
asteroid, a large lump of space rock
destroyers
of around ten kilometres (six miles) flight plan
in diameter, which struck the Earth The HAIV undergoes a series
with a force thats one billion times of manoeuvres before it Bomb detonation
destroys its quarry Now that the bomb is in place,
greater than the Hiroshima bomb.
the follower enters the crater
Today, the destruction is evident in and detonates it, blowing the
Impact!
the form of the Chicxulub impact The leading small kinetic threat to smithereens.
crater in Mexico, approximately 20 impactor collides with the target
kilometres (12 miles) deep, by asteroid, creating a crater where
a nuclear bomb follows a
180 kilometres (112 miles) wide. millisecond later to land.
With asteroids tumbling through
the Solar System and some coming Ready to crash
Before it reaches the NASAs
close to our planet, its only a matter Hypervelocity
asteroid, the leader
of time until we end up with the portion of the Asteroid Intercept
same fate as the dinosaurs. Thats spacecraft needs to Vehicle would be
separate itself from launched on a
why we have to act fast in getting rid high-capacity
the follower.
of a potentially hazardous asteroid rocket such as a
before it gets to us. The solution? Delta IV Heavy
NASAs Hypervelocity Asteroid A continual stream
Once the HAIV has located
Intercept Vehicle, or HAIV for short,
the asteroid, the camera
which works by blasting an provides a continual stream
Earth-bound chunk of rock to of images of the target in
case any correction
smithereens with the help of a
manoeuvres are needed.
nuclear bomb.
HAIV will be coupled with an
asteroid warning system even if Sniffing out
theres less than a week until were the threat
Now in space, the
hit by an asteroid, HAIV can still be
used, meaning that its never too late
spacecraft seeks out the
asteroid threat using its
The wake-up call
to protect our planet. The spacecraft highly sensitive sensors and It was the fireball that exploded over Chelyabinsk in Russia on
optical/infrared cameras. the morning of 15 February 2013, that further highlighted the
will be launched to rendezvous with
need for an asteroid protection program, which includes the
the target asteroid. It will then use likes of the Hypervelocity Asteroid Intercept Vehicle.
an impactor to carve out a crater Follower and leader With some eyewitnesses claiming that they felt intense heat
and, only a millisecond behind, a The spacecraft is made up of two
from the meteor, which was brighter than the Sun and had 20
parts the leader and the
to 30 times more energy than that released by the Hiroshima
bomb follows to fit inside the bomb when it exploded, the lump of space debris injured
follower. The leader holds the
pre-drilled hole. The bomb then instruments such as the camera,
around 1,500 people and damaged over 7,000 buildings. Small
detonates, shattering the asteroid while the follower is the back-end
fragmentary meteorites that survived the blast were found
of the spacecraft.
later, along with a six-metre (20-foot) wide hole on Lake
into millions of tiny pieces. Chebarkuls frozen surface.
Depending on how close the
devastated asteroid is to Earth, its Ready for launch
thought that the fragments could When an asteroid is on its collision
still hit our planet in the form of an path with Earth, the Hypervelocity
Asteroid Intercept Vehicle is
intense meteor shower. However, launched on a rocket.
action-packed
cience and
ology magazine
feeds minds
Quote
Japanese castle
Whether at peace or at war, life was
hard for the population it protected
medieval Japanese castle was not only the
geographical centre of a rulers territory; it
A was also their most important structure.
The population relied on the castle to defend them Hip roof Novel location
when war began; during times of peace This type of roof design is Azuchi Castle was built at a great
known as irimoya, and height to give a wide view of an
they would either work to maintain the features a hip and gable approaching enemy, whereas
castle, grow food for its army or fight for it in structure. The sides of most Japanese castles were built
distant campaigns. the roof slope down and at the base of a mountain
then turn up slightly. surrounded by dense vegetation.
Extremely strict rules were enforced on the
locals; if a man was away fighting a campaign, his
wife would be forced to make repairs to the castle
Main keep
if it was damaged by the weather. The daimyos Azuchi Castles main keep was
(rulers) needs were always the priority. If a an impressive seven stories
single person failed to complete their task, a high, and is thought to have
been the largest wooden
punishment would be imposed on the building in the world when it
entire company. was built.
When war began, the daily lives of
both the garrison and the general
population drastically changed, as the Gable
castle was quickly converted into an active Decorative gables are thought to
military headquarters. All available personnel have been a prominent feature
of the design on the outer
would immediately be tasked with fortifying castle, and were more elaborate
the castle, typically by either replastering the than its contemporaries.
castle walls, constructing extra palisades
(defensive fences of wooden stakes) or by
deepening the ditch that surrounded
the castles walls. If the battle was
lost, everyone inside the
castle was at risk
of execution.
WWW.HOWITWORKSDAILY.COM
Lavish interior
Unlike previous Japanese
castles that were dark and
foreboding, Azuchi Castle
WWW.HOWITWORKSDAILY.COM
was decorated lavishly to
impress and intimidate
the owners rivals.
How to survive
a siege
Fighting off an enemy attack could
take months, which meant that
food and water supplies had to be
stockpiled inside the castle in case
a siege situation developed. Entire
Quick construction harvests were often kept within
The castle took only three and the castles walls, ensuring that
a half years to build, but was the population always had enough
burnt down less than three food stored if they were suddenly
years after completion during unable to leave the safety of their
a battle. castle. In certain provinces, food
could not be transported without
the seal of the Hojo (leader), so it
was highly important to keep
supplies in appropriate locations.
In Kumamoto Castle, dried
Loopholes vegetable roots were stored in
Similar in shape and function to floor mats, providing an
European arrow slits, emergency (if not particularly
projectiles were fired out of the tasty) food source.
castles loopholes in the event
of an attack.
Japans second
great unifier
Toyotomi Hideyoshi was a hugely influential samurai,
general and politician of the Sengoku period,
heading up the government between 1583 and 1598.
He worked to unify much of Japan, conquering many
areas and uniting them under his rule. He is known
for many cultural legacies, including his rule that
made it illegal for non-samurai to bear arms, and the
imposition of a rigid class structure. He also carried
out comprehensive surveys of Japan, ordering its Formidable walls
citizens to remain in their respective locations unless Measuring up to 6.4m (21ft)
they were granted official permission to leave, which thick, the castles walls were
paved the way for systemic taxation. To add to this, made from huge granite stones
Hideyoshi built Osaka Castle, the largest of its time fitted together without the use
and one of the most formidable ever built in Japan. of mortar.
3 Rotten teeth
The Tudors knew that sugar rotted their
Lowered overboard
Back onboard
The cord is pulled
5 Mouse-skin eyebrows
During the 18th century, it was
unfashionable for women to have thick
The weight is lowered over back up, bringing the
eyebrows, so they would shave them off and
the side of the boat, and iron rod with it, but
when it reaches the seabed, leaving the weight replace them with ones made from mouse
the cord goes slack. on the seabed. skin. Pale make-up was also popular but
deadly and contained poisons such as lead
and mercury.
The Mariners Museum/Corbis; Peter Reed / Oldtime / Alamy
Anatomy of a 19th
century fireman
How the USAs volunteers put the fight in firefighter
T
oday, firefighters are brave heroes that Helmet
come to our rescue with efficiency and The reinforced dome
professionalism, but that hasnt always helmets made from
specially treated leather
been the case. During the late 18th century and had an angled brim so
early 19th century, firefighters in the USA didnt that water could run off
have such a good reputation. Rather than being the back.
employed by the government, they were
typically volunteers who had been let off
military service or jury duty, and had to buy Beard
their own uniforms and equipment. Firefighters would soak their
beards in water, bite them,
Firehouses became like social clubs and
then breathe through them
when news of a fire broke, the volunteers would to prevent themselves from
race those from other fire companies to reach inhaling fumes from the fire.
the scene first, dragging heavy hand-operated
water pumps with them. These competitions
often resulted in the firefighters battling each Red shirt
other instead of the fire! Bright red, bibbed shirts
helped people identify the
Soon, local gangs began associating firefighters, and they soon
themselves with the firehouses, and the became a symbol of
firefighters became involved in party politics. elevated social status.
This resulted in even more violence, with the
firefighters sometimes starting fires
themselves. One particularly lethal
confrontation in 1856 became known as the
Know-Nothing riot, and saw several people Speaking trumpet
killed at Lexington Market in Baltimore. Excited and noisy crowds
By the mid-19th century, insurance would often come to
watch the firefighters at
companies and the Republican Party were work, so they used brass
lobbying for a professional fire service and speaking trumpets to
when horse-drawn, steam-powered water relay commands.
pumps became available, the volunteers were
replaced with paid fire departments.
Hose
The leather hose had
Vostok 6 mission
How the first woman was sent into space
T
he Soviet Union achieved many firsts in
the quest to explore space. They Tereshkovas Vostok 6 capsule
The spherical capsule
launched the first artificial satellite,
Sputnik, in 1957, sent the first animal, Laika the
spacecraft contained a 2.3m (7.5ft)
wide pressurised cabin,
The Vostok 6 capsule with an ejection seat for
dog, beyond Earths atmosphere in the same and its launch vehicle Tereshkova to sit in.
year, and then launched the first human into
orbit, Yuri Gagarin, four years later. However,
they werent ready to stop there, and so in 1963
Payload fairing
they beat America to yet another space race The Vostok 6 capsule was
milestone sending the first woman into space. shielded during launch by
two petal-like coverings
Valentina Tereshkova was a textile factory Air supply
called the payload fairing.
worker and keen skydiver before starting Tanks of compressed
cosmonaut training in 1962. She was chosen for nitrogen and oxygen
provided breathable
her excellent parachuting skills, as she would air for Tereshkova
be required to eject from her Vostok 6 Final stage and propulsion for
spacecraft when returning to Earth and The upper section of the the spacecraft.
rocket contained the
parachute down separately. Just one year later, Vostok 6 capsule and
at the age of 26, she was ready for her mission, helped insert it into orbit.
uttering the words Hey, sky! Take off your hat,
Instrument section
Im coming! just before launch. The conical module underneath
However, Tereshkova wasnt actually alone the capsule contained the
in space, as two days earlier Vostok 5 had Earth-return rocket and
Core stage thermal control systems.
launched onto the same orbital path. It was Also using kerosene
originally intended for both spacecraft to be and liquid oxygen as
fuel, the middle
piloted by women, with Tereshkova at the section continued to
controls of Vostok 5, but male astronaut Valery provide thrust when
Learn more
Bykovsky ended up in the capsule. The two the boosters fell away. Discover more about
spacecraft came within five kilometres (three Rocket booster the history of the
The Vostoks boosters Russian space
miles) of each other in orbit, and Bykovsky programme by visiting
used RD-107 engines,
reported that Tereshkova hummed songs to which had been the Cosmonauts: Birth
him via radio link before they drifted apart and developed from the of the Space Age
worlds first exhibition at the
the connection was lost. After Bykovsky had British Science
intercontinental
completed 82 obits of Earth and Tereshkova had ballistic missiles. Museum, from 18
done 48, both cosmonauts successfully September 2015 to 13
March 2016. Tickets
returned to Earth on the same day. Tereshkova are available from
was almost unconscious when she landed, but www.science
by the following day she was well enough to museum.org.uk.
film a re-enactment. She soon became a global
celebrity, but it would be 19 years before
another woman, Svetlana Savitskaya, would The two
follow in her footsteps.
Much of Vostok 6s heat
spacecraft came
shield was burnt during
re-entry, revealing the
within three miles
insulation layer
beneath
of eachother
in orbit
First stage
Each of the four boosters had a rocket
engine at the base, and were fuelled by
kerosene and liquid oxygen.
Shield removal
The payload fairing is then
Final stage separation
Lift-off split into two and
discarded to expose the
Vostok capsule within.
When the final stage is
travelling fast enough to
How Vostok 6 was deliver the capsule into orbit,
launched into space it is shut down and separated.
Booster separation
Several minutes after Launch site
launch, the four rocket On 16 June 1963, Vostok 6
boosters run out of fuel launches from the Baikonur
and are detached, falling Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan
back to Earth. at 9:29:52 UTC.
Back
to Earth Leaving orbit
Tereshkovas After almost three days in
daring descent space, the Earth-return
rocket is fired to drop
Vostok 6 back out of orbit.
Instrument
detachment
Just before re-entering
Earths atmosphere, the
capsules instrument
section and return
rocket are detached.
Re-entry
The capsule hurtles
through Earths
atmospheres at a
speed of 27,000km/h
Ejection (16,780mph).
After re-entry, the capsule
hatch is opened and
Tereshkova is ejected. She
then opens her parachute
to descend to Earth.
Safe landing
After separating from her
ejection seat, Tereshkova
lands just 400m (1,310ft) Capsule returns
from the Vostok 6 capsule. The capsules own
parachute is deployed
and it lands just
outside of Karaganda
in Kazakhstan at 8:20
UTC on 19 June 1963.
Tereshkovas call
sign for the mission
was Chaika,
Thinkstock; Alamy
Russian for
seagull. She had
one embroidered
on her spacesuit
MEET THE
EXPERTS
Whos answering your
questions this month?
Luis Villazon
Luis has a degree
in zoology and
another in real-time
computing. Hes been
writing about science
and technology since
before the web. His science-fiction
novel, A Jar Of Wasps, is published
by Anarchy Books.
Laura Mears
Laura studied
biomedical science at
Kings College
London and has a
masters from
Cambridge. She
escaped the lab to pursue a career Some people laugh
in science communication and also so hard that they
develops educational video games. physically squeeze
tears from their eyes
Alexandra Cheung
Having earned
degrees from the
University of
Why do we sometimes
Nottingham as well
as Imperial College,
Alex has worked at
laugh so hard, we cry?
many a prestigious institution Deborah McCubbin
around the world, including CERN, QThere are two types of tears and at least two possible answers to this question. Emotional tears are, as their
Londons Science Museum and the name suggests, produced at times of extreme emotion. The parts of the brain responsible for laughter and crying
Institute of Physics.
are thought to overlap, and some scientists think that this is why some people cry when they laugh.
Another explanation is that they are reflex tears. These are produced in response to environmental irritation,
Sarah Bankes
like when your eyes water in the wind. When you laugh really hard, muscles in your face contract and this
Sarah has a degree
in English and has squeezes on your tear ducts, making you cry. LM
been a writer and
editor for more than
a decade.
Fascinated by the
Why do bees
world in which we live, she enjoys
writing about anything from
make honey?
science and technology to history Claudia Barns
and nature. Throughout the winter months when flowers are
not blooming and bees are less able to forage
for food, there is little to no nectar available for
Shanna Freeman them to eat. Therefore, they convert nectar into
Shanna describes honey throughout the rest of the year to store
herself as somebody for the hive to eat during these cold months.
who knows a little bit Due to it being high in sugar and in turn, high
about a lot of in energy, honey is ideal food for these flying
different things. insects that remain active during the winter. A
Thats what comes of hive needs nine to 14 kilograms (20-30 pounds)
writing about everything from of honey to survive an average winter, but bees
space travel to how cheese is made. are capable of collecting much more if they have
She finds her job comes in very the space. SB
handy for quizzes!
Emily Currie
QIts important to note that parrots dont actually How big is the
talk, meaning that they dont converse like we Solar System?
do; theyre simply mimicking our speech. The Solar System ends where the
However, theyre one of a very small group of Suns gravity no longer dominates.
This point lies just beyond the Oort
animals capable of learning sounds and repeating cloud, a sphere of icy objects about
them. Scientists had long thought that this might 100,000 astronomical units (or 1.6
be due to the size of the parrots brains, and were light years) away. AC
aware of a genetic pattern tied to vocal learning in
both humans and birds that have the ability to
learn songs. In June 2015, researchers at Duke
University in North Carolina looked for the genetic
marker in the brains of a variety of parrot species,
and discovered that parrots have a unique brain
structure. Along with hummingbirds and
songbirds, parrots have a vocal learning centre in
their brains called cores. Unlike other birds with
song-mimicking abilities, however, parrots also
have a surrounding shell. This shell is larger in
parrots that are especially known for their ability
to learn and repeat human speech. SF
How do carbon
monoxide alarms work?
Gillian Rutherford
Q The simplest alarms use palladium and molybdenum
compounds that turn black when exposed to carbon
monoxide. This is a purely visual indicator, though. For
an audible alarm, some detectors use a clear gel that
reacts with carbon monoxide to turn opaque. An LED
shines through the gel and a photocell sounds the alarm
when the gel gets too dark. Other designs harness the
way carbon monoxide can lower the resistance in a
circuit, either by reacting with a tin dioxide
semiconductor or by dissolving into the electrolyte fluid
of a special battery. A circuit measures the resistance
change and triggers the alarm. LV
Do other planets
have rainbows?
Murray Todd
QTo produce rainbows, other planets
would need two essential ingredients: Why does hair get
direct light and an atmosphere
containing droplets of a liquid that can lighter in the summer?
refract light. On Earth, we see rainbows Brad Preston
when sunlight bounces in and out of QThe effect of sunshine on hair is the result of
droplets of water, but on Saturns ultraviolet light. The brown and red tones of skin and hair
moon Titan, they could form when light are caused by pigments known as melanin. As the short,
hits droplets of liquid methane. Its high-energy UV wavelengths slam into the melanin
thick atmosphere, however, means pigments, they oxidise. This changes their chemical
that visible light rainbows would be structure and makes them colourless.
rare, but infrared rainbows could be In the skin, living cells respond to this damage by
common. Titan is the only place in our producing more melanin, but there are no living cells in
Solar System where the conditions hair. Once the melanin is gone it cannot be replaced, and
needed for a rainbow are known to be the result is gradual bleaching. Other molecules in hair
present but they might well exist can also be oxidised by UV light and as their chemical
elsewhere in the universe. AC structure changes, it can make hair rough, brittle and
difficult to manage. LM
Ricardo Liberato-All
are still inside their mothers pouch. and cannot focus the light as well. By half closing
As they are still very small at this Squinting can help to our eyelids, we can put a little pressure on our
stage, a scar never develops into focus the light if it is
a visible navel. AC not quite in line eyeballs, changing their shape manually and
helping to bring the light into focus. LM
What are
growing
pains?
Jane Brice
Q The medical name for growing
pains is recurrent nocturnal limb
pain in children, and it describes
the sensation of aching, crampy pain
most often felt at night in the lower
half of the legs.
Children and preteens are often told
that they experience these aches and pains
because they are growing, but this is
untrue. If the pain really were caused by
growth itself, doctors would expect to be
visited by children that were going through
a growth spurt, but there does not seem to
be any link between periods of rapid bone
growth and experience of growing pains.
The pain is not in the bones or joints but
is actually in the muscles and soft tissues,
and one of the best explanations is that the
pain is the result of strain or overuse of the
muscles and joints during the day. LM
Whats the
FASCINATING There are many theories as to why
pigs tails are curly; the most popular difference between
FACTS
is that they were artificially bred
venomous and
poisonous?
Bradley Costa
Where does the saying Q Both venomous and poisonous
daylight robbery organisms can be harmful, sometimes
deadly, but the difference between
come from? them lies in the delivery of their toxins.
Its a myth that this originated from A venomous organism injects its
17th century window tax, whereby venom into other organisms using
people had to pay tax for every
window in their house. It actually Why do pigs have curly tails? either a stinger or fangs, which are
attached to a gland that produces the
refers to the audacity of committing venom. The venom is injected often to
robbery in daylight hours. SB Caitlin Hoover
Q Lets set things straight: only domesticated pigs have curly tails. Wild pigs immobilise prey or protect against
actually have straight tails. There are a number of theories on why this might potential predators. It is therefore
be the case. The most unexciting explanation is that there is no real reason. usually always intentional.
The degree of curliness varies in the sense that some domesticated pigs have Poisonous organisms are
a slight kink, whereas others have far more of a curl. Another theory suggests different in the sense that
that the curly tail evolved to protect the pigs when fighting each other, as a large parts of them, or
curlier tail is more difficult to grasp. However, there is a more widely held often the entire
belief that the curled tail was artificially bred by Chinese farmers because organism, contain
they felt curly tails were more aesthetically pleasing. This is a very popular toxins. Therefore
theory and one that is quite likely, given that the domestication of pigs eating, or even
occurred in China 8,000 years ago, relatively soon after the first just touching it,
domestication took place. SB can prove
harmful. SB
How do flies
walk upside down?
Andrew Hastings legs end in clawed segments called tarsi, which
QWhat appears to be a smooth surface, like a have pulvilli, or large footpads, at the bottom. The
ceiling, for example, is actually covered in tiny pulvilli are covered in lots of setae, stiff bristle-
cracks and bumps too tiny to be seen by the like hairs. The setae produce a glue-like goo that
naked eye. These can provide insects like flies lets the fly adhere easily to smooth surfaces, but Nail biting,
a common
with a sort of toehold, or rather, a hairhold. A flys also enables them to quickly take off. SF habit, is called
onychophagia
transportation laws to live in caves? Thats why addiction has come to be classified as
a disorder or a disease, rather than a flaw in a
Samantha Carey
Australia so strict? Q Caves provide bats with a shelter where they can persons character. Knowing that the habit isnt
Alison Wells sleep or hibernate with minimal disturbance. Hanging good for you doesnt keep your brain from
QAustralia has been isolated from the other from high ceilings and walls, bats are beyond the wanting you to keep it up. SF
continents for around 80 million years. Thats long reach of most predators but also able to immediately
enough for it to have evolved many unique species of launch into flight if needed. Large caves provide
animals and plants that dont have any natural
resistance to bacteria and fungi from other parts of
space for whole colonies to roost side-by-side,
conserving energy. Caves stable temperature and New Brain Dump is here!
Dreamstime; Thinkstock
the world. Even non-tropical countries have plenty of humidity conditions are also ideal for hibernation. Q Dont miss issue 28 of Brain Dump, the digital sister
diseases that could threaten Australia. If you want to Bats typically change roosts throughout the year to magazine to How It Works, which is available from
take your pet dog to Australia from the UK, for match their needs when foraging, raising offspring or virtual newsstand now. Youll learn whether eating fish
example, youll first need to have it checked for hibernating. Not all bats live in caves, though; many really is good for your brain, how birds know when to
rabies, ticks, canine influenza, worms, Brucellosis, species roost in trees and others have adapted to migrate, how high a balloon can travel when you let it go
Leptospirosis, Leishmaniasis and Ehrlichiosis, before living in barns, houses, tunnels and bridges. AC and much much more! There are loads more trivia
leaving it in quarantine for ten days on arrival. LV snippets for you to get stuck
into, giving you the
knowledge hit you need
without having to lug an
encyclopaedia around!
Download the new issue of
Brain Dump on the first
day of every month from
iTunes or Google Play.
If you have a burning
question, you can ask at
www.facebook.com/
BraindumpMag or Twitter
the handle is @
BrainDumpMag.
Gaming gear
The game-changing gadgets
that will make your opponents
green with envy and ensure
youre top of the leader board
Waist harness
The harness rests on
the support ring using
metal poles to let you
move freely.
EDITORS
CHOICE
AWA RD
Concave platform
The concave platform
results in a smooth
walking motion and
reduces any impact
on your joints.
EXTRAS
Resources to aid
your gaming
know-how
BOOK
Videogames
Hardware
Handbook gameplay
2 Get behind the wheel Vol 2 Q Roxio Game Capture HD Pro
Q Logitech G29 Driving Force racing wheel 9.99 (approx $16)
imagineshop.co.uk 129.99 / $149.99
299 / $399.99 www.roxio.co.uk
gaming.logitech.com Discover over 20
years of videogame If you fancy yourself as the next YouTube gaming star,
Get the full driver experience when playing your favourite racing games with this then this clever device can help get you there. When
superior console. The wheel features powerful dual-motor force feedback to history told through
the machines that connected to your PC, TV, PlayStation or Xbox, it can
realistically simulate shifts in weight, understeering or oversteering and tyre slips, so record your gaming footage in HD video and live-stream
you can respond quickly and effectively. Steering is smooth yet tight for precision made it possible, from
the Atari 5200 to the it, along with your commentary, to YouTube and Twitch
control, and sensors in the wheel use magnetic fields to reliably and accurately tv. Alternatively, you can use the supplied video editing
determine its position. The hand-stitched leather wheel can also rotate 900 degrees, very first PlayStation.
Youll also learn about software to enhance your footage with transitions,
the same as in a real car, and puts all of the control within easy reach of your fingers. A soundtracks, special effects and more, before sharing it
responsive pedal unit helps to complete the driving experience. the best games
available on these to YouTube or Facebook with one click. The device will
classic platforms, even auto capture up to one hour of gameplay and tag
Smooth display your be
The 90 frame per second including Space
refresh rate delivers Invaders and Super
smooth and super- Mario Bros.
realistic imagery.
APP
GamesTM
Free
App Store/Google
Play
Download this free
app to get your hands
on every issue of
GamesTM magazine.
Each issue is packed
with behind-the-
scenes looks at the
latest releases,
Plenty of pixels interviews with the
The 1,200 by 1,080 pixel biggest players in the
industry, plus much,
3 Play in virtual worlds screens in front of each
eye fill your field of vision. much more.
Q HTC Vive
TBC
www.htcvr.com
Tech giant HTC has teamed up with Valve, the games company that brought you Portal
and Half-Life, to create a virtual reality headset that will truly get your head in the
game. A gyrosensor, accelerometer and laser position sensor track your head position
to enable you to look around th
special base stations and gam
around and interact with objec
HTC Vive is currently only avai
WEBSITE
6 Experience high-qua
reality content creators, but a
model is due to be released in
sound effects
NowGamer. Q Creative Sound Blaster Recon3D Omega
com Wireless headset
4 Gain precise nowgamer.com 209.99/ $249.99
uk.creative.com
control As well as the
up-to-the-minute You can now ensure you hear your enemies coming
Q Razer Mamba gaming mouse news and reviews before they hear you, with this wireless gaming headset.
$149.99 (approx 96) covering multiple The supplied Recon3D audio enhancer features Scout
www.razerzone.com platforms from the Mode to enhance even the most distant noises, and
Billed as the worlds most advanced gaming mouse, this device can be used in either world of gaming, creates a 360-degree soundscape to help you hear what
wired or wireless configurations, and features a precise 5G laser sensor to ensure the NowGamer.com also is going on in front, behind or above you. This extra
cursor always stays on target. It also uses Adjustable Click Force Technology, enabling brings you fascinating accessory plugs into your PC, Mac, PlayStation or Xbox,
you to freely adjust the click force of the left and right buttons with 14 different features about this and connects wirelessly to the comfortable headset for
settings. This means that you can enable a distinct click for high accuracy shooting exciting industry, and complete freedom of movement. It can stop the
scenarios, or a lighter press for rapid-fire action. The sleek ergonomic design of the tips for how to master speakers sound frequencies from interfering with the
mouse is also complimented by customisable LEDs, which can be programmed with up all of the latest games. microphone, to ensure there is no echo and that your
to 16.8 million different colour combinations. voice sounds crystal clear.
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In summary
The substance youve created is essentially a primitive form of rock candy. The crystals grow due to their tendency to
clump together at a molecular level, which happens when they bump into each other in solution. This process is known as
nucleation, and will readily occur in solutions that contain high concentrations of solute.
Easy suction
A suction cup helps
the charger to stick
to any window so it
can start charging.
they are influenced by more than just this location, all the computer is
genetic coding. The fine details of the doing is removing the files header,
ridges, valleys and swirls that define They may possess identical DNA, but a so that the computer can no longer A skilled computer technician can easily
our unique fingerprints are set during fingerprint comparison is a sure-fire way read it. The file can still be restore deleted files using specialised data
the first few weeks of our to tell identical twins apart recovered at this point and will not recovery software
Tw ter?
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1. The Nature of Science 32. The Big Bang
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The Ordered Universe
Celestial and Terrestrial
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BY 1 1 O C 7. The Nature of Energy Revolution
8. The First Law of 39. Earthquakes, Volcanoes,
Thermodynamics and Plate Motions Today
9. The Second Law of 40. Earth CyclesWater
Thermodynamics 41. The Atmospheric Cycle
10. Entropy 42. The Rock Cycle
11. Magnetism and 43. What Is Life?
Static Electricity 44. Strategies of Life
12. Electricity 45. Lifes Molecular
13. Electromagnetism Building Blocks
14. The Electromagnetic 46. Proteins
Spectrum, Part I 47. CellsThe Chemical
15. The Electromagnetic Factories of Life
Spectrum, Part II 48. Gregor Mendel,
16. Relativity Founder of Genetics
17. Atoms 49. The Discovery of DNA
18. The Bohr Atom 50. The Genetic Code
19. The Quantum World 51. Reading the
20. The Periodic Table Genetic Code
of the Elements 52. Genetic Engineering
21. Introduction to 53. Cancer and Other
Chemistry Genetic Diseases
22. The Chemistry 54. The Chemical Evolution
of Carbon of Life
23. States of Matter and 55. Biological Evolution
Changes of State A Unifying Theme
24. Phase Transformations of Biology
and Chemical Reactions 56. The Fact of Evolution
25. Properties of Materials The Fossil Record
26. Semiconductors and 57. Charles Darwin
Modern Microelectronics and the Theory of
27. Isotopes and Natural Selection
Radioactivity 58. Ecosystems and the
28. Nuclear Fission and Law of Unintended
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