A detailed history of Japanese pencil manufacturing from 1952-1967, focusing on the rivalry between Tombow and Mitsubishi that led to groundbreaking innovations in pencil technology. The period marked significant advancements in manufacturing processes, design, and quality standards, culminating in the creation of two legendary pencils: Hi-Uni and MONO 100. Despite market changes, these pencils remain industry standards and continue to be manufactured today.
Firefly Aerospace plans to land their Blue Ghost lunar lander near Mare Crisium on March 2 at 3:34 a.m. EST. The mission carries NASA science payloads as part of the CLPS initiative and Artemis campaign for lunar exploration. Live coverage will begin at 2:20 a.m. EST on NASA+.
Scaling systems or projects by a factor of 100 requires complete rethinking of approaches and methodologies, illustrated through examples like bridge construction. Each order of magnitude increase presents unique challenges, but adding two zeros fundamentally disrupts all aspects of the problem domain and demands entirely new solutions.
Groundbreaking research reveals that trauma from violence can leave genetic imprints that pass through generations, as demonstrated in Syrian families affected by civil conflicts. The study found 14 distinct genomic modifications in grandchildren of Hama massacre survivors, providing the first human evidence of transgenerational stress transmission. These findings suggest violence-induced epigenetic changes may influence health outcomes and explain intergenerational cycles of trauma.
A critique of the current web browser ecosystem discusses how complex web standards create barriers for new browser engines, suggesting a simplified WASM-based alternative. The proposed solution advocates for a browser that runs WASM blobs without HTML, JavaScript, or CSS, potentially enabling more innovation and diversity in browser development.
Engineers worldwide mobilized to create low-cost ventilators in response to anticipated COVID-19 demands, with organizations like NASA's JPL, Virgin Orbit, and gaming PC maker Maingear developing prototypes in days. While the immediate crisis was averted through social distancing measures, questions remain about the future utility and safety of these rapid-response ventilators, particularly in developing countries.
Scientists propose that wolves may have domesticated themselves into dogs by choosing to stay near humans for food and selecting mates with similar tameness preferences. A new statistical model demonstrates this self-domestication could have occurred over 15,000 years through natural selection, challenging previous assumptions about human-driven domestication.
Mathematical advances in 'landscape function' theory have significantly improved LED light bulb efficiency, leading to substantial energy savings in US households. The technology enables more accurate simulation of LED designs, particularly helping solve the 'green gap' problem through V-shaped defects in semiconductor layers. US consumers are projected to save $890 billion by 2035 through LED adoption.
Princeton Engineering researchers demonstrated AI's ability to design complex wireless chips in hours instead of weeks, creating more efficient designs that humans find difficult to comprehend. The AI-generated chips, focusing on millimeter-wave technology, achieved superior performance by taking unconventional approaches and discarding traditional templates. While promising, the process still requires human oversight to address potential design failures.
BYD has produced its first solid-state battery cells on a pilot line in 2024, with mass demonstration expected around 2027 and large-scale production after 2030. The company is focusing on sulphide electrolytes for solid-state cells, aiming to achieve cost parity with current NCM cells at scale. BYD plans to use these batteries primarily in high-end models while maintaining LFP cells for other vehicle segments.