The Flybrid KERS does exactly this. It's similar to a traditional hybrid powertrain in that it stores energy for use at a later time, but instead of turning it into electricity that's stored in a battery, it turns it into kinetic energy stored in a flywheel. The flywheel operates inside a vacuum and can reach…

That depends; to what degree does his performance reflect superior technique as opposed to superior physique?

As an American, I believe that we absolutely need a universal health care system of some sort; we already have plenty of government-sponsored institutions that help preserve our lives, from food stamps to fire departments, and there's no reason medical care should not be on that list. However, I've actually read…

Look at me! Stannis is a killer. The Lannisters are killers. Your father was a killer. Your brother is a killer. Your kittens will be killers someday.

I'm not terribly familiar with underwater sensor technology, but couldn't we use sonar to conclusively search for something as big as Nessie? And if not sonar, don't we have a slew of other sensor technologies that could produce similar results? In a time when we are able to map large portions of the ocean floor, how…

The cheesy music combined with his expression make this sound more like a stoner rant than an explanation. He could have skipped right to the end and said "we believe all matter is comprised of the same strings vibrating at different frequencies".

So all these hills would show a slight downward slope if measured with an inclinometer? Have there ever been such hills that were actually measured with an upward slope?

When I first started playing Mount & Blade, I too was shocked to see 'Vikings' without horns or big double-headed battle axes, but after a while, the cat-eye visors and fucking huge boar spears were just as scary.

It's almost certain that there will be support staff on Mars alongside them. At the very least, they will need techs to make sure the filming and broadcasting go smoothly. It seems reasonable that other experts (doctors, engineers, etc.) will also be making the trip.

I tried the plastic/carpet experiment, and I can't seem to get it to work. I used a wooden desk for the common smooth surface, and my hands responded equally to it. How long should I keep my hands on the different textures? Should I rub them against the textures the whole time? Does looking at them make a difference?

I thought SCA used rattan cane weapons and light armor? Am I thinking of a different organization, or does it vary within the SCA?

My closet is a closet, because I know what's inside. That closet over there could well be a portal to Narnia.

I think Mass Effect could almost be classified as magic realism as readily as science fiction. A few fantastical elements aside, it's a fairly plausible universe. The only suspension of disbelief, aside from the Eezo and alien races, is the fairly reasonable assumption that we will be advanced enough to reach the…

Many people (mostly suburbanites) eat unhealthy food as a result of apathy or a lack of discipline. However, many others (such as lower-class inner-city youth) grow up eating unhealthy food because that's all they have access to. If you have a choice between having something available that you can afford and having…

I agree that consumer accountability is the bottom line, but regulation, to some degree, helps set a baseline that raises the average quality and pushes industries forward. The CAFE standards for the automotive industry, for example, actively promote the development of more efficient and/or sustainable powertrains;…

I assume the lower two arms are mimicking leg movements; maybe his harness has a way of translating his lower-body movements into the equivalent of leg motions?

To be fair, detonating a nuclear weapon within the planet's electromagnetic field sounds like a pretty bad idea, too.

Plants will continue to change and adapt both through natural and artificial selection. That's aside from genetic modification (which might technically be artificially selection; I'm not sure). I think it's more accurate to say that today's corn and sugar cane will be the likely ancestors of the last crops on Earth,…

Ah, I see what you mean. That brings up a few questions, though: