From Popular Science – New Technology, Science News, The Future Now: Tesla’s Model S Sets a New Standard for Battery-Powered Cars

This is a very welcome news as electric cars lacked one key factor: range. I hope Tesla makes electric vehicles a very welcome category as we need to move away more and more from gasoline powered cars.
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Tesla Model S Tesla

Until now, there hasn’t been an all-electric car fit for road-tripping. But Tesla’s Model S, due out late in 2012, is made for extended drives. Its battery goes up to 300 miles on a charge. Its cabin is spacious enough for seven passengers. And it can get up to cruising speed fast-the Model S accelerates from 0 to 60 in 5.6 seconds.

BIGGER BATTERY

At 85 kilowatt-hours, the Model S boasts more than triple the battery capacity of the Nissan Leaf. Its thousands of lithium-ion cells use a new electrode chemistry from Panasonic, which could allow them to store more power than other comparably sized cells.

FAST CHARGE

Tesla plans to install proprietary 440-volt charging stations (first along the I-5 Corridor between Los Angeles and San Francisco) built to match up with the Model S’s circuitry. They will provide a full charge in an hour. Standard chargers will require a full night.

TEMPERATURE CONTROL

To protect the motor, circuitry and battery from heat, channels filled with liquid coolant run through the components. Pumps cycle coolant through a front radiator and a pair of A/C condensers. This helps the motor deliver twice the power of its Roadster predecessor.

LIGHT BODY

To increase the sedan’s range, the designers of the Model S kept its weight low with a body constructed from 97 percent aluminum. They added heavier structural steel only where necessary for safety: in central supports and front-end crash zones.

ROOMY CABIN

The Model S’s batteries sit beneath the floor in a large flat pack that spreads the width of the car and about two thirds of its length. This arrangement leaves ample space in the trunk for cargo or two backward-facing jump seats. The main interior holds five adults.

Top Speed:130 mph
Range: 300 miles
Seats: Five adults, two children
Price: $77,400

from Popular Science – New Technology, Science News, The Future Now

From Morning Edition: As Citizens United Turns 2, SuperPACs Draw Protests

As Colbert has revealed the flaws and abuses in SuperPACs and in politics, this is a welcome progression… my 2 cents.

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Saturday is the second anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision, a key element in establishing the big-dollar superPACs now influencing the presidential campaign. It’s also primary day in South Carolina, where a superPAC backing Newt Gingrich has been blasting away at Mitt Romney.

from Morning Edition

From Morning Edition: Consumer Protection Bureau Takes On Payday Loans

I for one think this is way over due! Those insanely high rate loans need to be prosecuted for abusing power!

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The recently created Consumer Financial Protection Bureau went on the road to hold its first public hearing. The bureau traveled to Birmingham, Ala., to talk about payday lenders. In Alabama, there are four times as many store-front payday businesses than there are McDonalds.

from Morning Edition

From Engadget: Human Birdwings project takes flight… on video!

Just now catching up with the Human Birdwings project? Nice timing. The human flight machine — built by Jarnos Smeets to rely on a Wiimote and Wildfire S, among other niceties — has just enjoyed its first moments of liftoff. In essence, the wings were strapped onto a willing Earthling, and as he began to flap his arms… well, it’s a sight you need to see to fully appreciate. We’ll confess that the “flight” didn’t last long, but Jarno himself told us that it was but a first “test run.” Promising? Oh, yes. Head on past the break for the vid.

Continue reading Human Birdwings project takes flight… on video!

 

from Engadget