Russia and China Could Join NASA To Defend the Earth from Asteroids - http://clapway.com/2016/01/12/russia-and-china-could-join-nasa-to-defend-the-earth-from-asteroids-123/

NASA has announced the creation of the Planetary Defense Coordination Office to detect and track asteroids near Earth. Russia and China could join the effort. The office will be managing all projects funded by NASA in order to monitor asteroids and comets that lurk near the Earth’s orbit.

In Case of Impact Threat, The Agency Has Our Back

The office will also be in communication with the Federal Emergency Management Agency along with other US federal authorities. This will ensure that in case there is a real threat, NASA can take action in a timely way.

In a statement, the agency declared that asteroid detection, tracking, and defense is something the agency takes very seriously. At the moment, there are no pressing threats. However, incidents like the 2014 Chelyabinsk super-fireball and the recent Halloween Asteroid keeps the world on its toes. So NASA has designed an office to continuously be on the lookout.

Near-Earth Objects Are Always Around

There have been more than 13,500 NEOs or Near-Earth Objects discovered since 1998. According to NASA data, 1,500 NEOs are detected each year. Many of these objects hit the Earth every day though they fall as grains of sand. Most of these objects are detected with Earth-based telescopes and the Neowise infrared telescope.

New Initiative Will Detect Bigger Asteroids and Comets

Further research is done on these objects at places like the agency’s InfraRed Telescope Facility or the Spitzer Space Telescope or the National Science Foundation. The new Planetary Defense Coordination Office will act as the one-stop for all asteroid and comet-related research. The office will specifically focus on mid-sized and larger objects that are potentially dangerous, 450 feet or bigger.

The goal is to develop technology that can deflect or redirect threatening comets and asteroids. This is also the goal for the agency’s Asteroid Redirect Mission. As part of this mission, NASA is partnering up with the European Space Agency for the Asteroid Impact and Deflection Assessment mission in 2022. This mission will be testing the ability to redirect an object by hitting it with a spacecraft.

Will Russia and China Join NASA and ESA?

NASA and ESA could be joined by Russia and China. There’s plenty of time before 2022. While NASA may fair well from a joint mission with Roscosmos, the agency is currently banned from working with China in space missions. An international collaboration is an ideal scenario, so there could come a time when Russia, China, the European continent and NASA come together to protect the Earth.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6xJ_81TzBg

Russia and China Could Join NASA To Defend the Earth from Asteroids

NASA, Elon Musk and SpaceX vs ESA and China: The Race to Mars - http://clapway.com/2016/01/10/nasa-elon-musk-and-spacex-vs-esa-and-china-mars-edition-123/

NASA is committed to putting a man on the Martian atmosphere. Recent announcements from ESA, China and Elon Musk’s SpaceX are bringing out doubts. Analysts are predicting that NASA’s ambitions would need a budget of $100 billion to $1 trillion. The agency’s budget for 2016 is just $19.3 billion.

Is the Martian Price Tag Too Big?

There’s very low chances that NASA will get to Mars on their own. The majority of the space exploration community would agree that an international collaboration would increase the chances of success significantly. If not, NASA risks having another Apollo-like run on their hands.

ESA, China and Russia Have Eyes Set on the Moon

ESA and NASA have no problem forming an alliance, but the difference in their interests is halting the process. The European Space Agency is now joining Roscosmos and CNAS in efforts to build a colony on the moon for future human inhabitants.

However, that doesn’t mean that this is their only goal. The ESA actually covered $470 million of the expenses to build a space capsule for NASA’s Orion mission. The Airbus Group is building this initial module, which will serve as a stepping stone in getting men to Mars.

Roscosmos and the Chinese National Space Program are fully capable of helping to carry out a Mars mission. However, Russia’s declining economy is forcing it to reduce spending on space efforts. China and the United States have struggled to form successful partnerships for security reasons. In fact, China has been barred from the ISS since 2011. Since that date, the United States has been banned from collaborating with China on any space-related programs.

NASA Needs International and Private Partners

In addition to forming partnerships with international space agencies, NASA also greatly benefits from private sector collaborations. The most relevant to date are Boeing, Airbus and Elon Musk’s SpaceX. These two organizations are currently one of a handful in charge of commercializing space travel. Investment from these organizations help NASA out significantly. Reaching out to more relevant and interested parties will benefit the agency.

Getting aid from foreign governments is a harder but beneficial bet. But engaging the private sector is probably safer. Global companies are coming to terms with the real cost of space travel is. Now, some companies have even designed cheaper ways to do it.

SpaceX and Blue Origin Are NASA’s Best Allies

2015 hosted a safe launch and landing of reusable rockets by Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Blue Origin. These events prove that space travel doesn’t need to be expensive. It also brought NASA a recipe on how to make their resources reusable. The space agency has been looking for a greener option to using resources for 30 years. The private sector managed it pretty quickly.

NASA has a lot of work to do to if they really want to get the kind of budget to put men on Mars. Until then, it will greatly benefit from domestic and international partnerships. It’s going to be a slow run until we reach the Red Planet.

NASA, Elon Musk and SpaceX vs ESA and China: The Race to Mars

NASA Breaks Away from China and Russia - http://clapway.com/2016/01/09/nasa-goes-separate-ways-from-china-and-russia-123/

Despite NASA’s tireless efforts for a manned Mars mission and more Mars exploration missions, its partner has decided to go a different way. The European Space Agency has decided to return interest to the moon, which is the same thing that China and Russia are doing with their own space agencies.

NASA and ESA Used to Be Faithful Partners

The two agencies used to go hand in hand, but it looks like those days are just about over. The European Space Agency has released the details of their efforts in a video called ‘The Moon Awakens’. It tells the story of the ESA’s efforts to build a colony on the moon by 2020, and trips will be taking off from the ISS very soon.

This is not meant to be a competitive mission. ESA has expressed that they believe this mission should be ruled by cooperation, harmony and ‘peaceful coexistence’. The details on what exactly will be built will be released after some serious research and development. Regardless, it’s an exciting time for the agency.

Is Moon Exploration No Longer Exciting? China, Russia and ESA Don’t Think So

It wouldn’t be fair to say that we know everything we can know about the moon. If humans are to migrate anywhere out of planet Earth, the moon will most likely be the first stop. Mars is still too vague a conquest for the idea of a colony. Right now, it is more like a checkpoint to get further into the solar system.

ESA, CNAS and Roscosmos have different plans in mind. They want to know every particle of the moon and prepare it for potential human migration. This is no less ambitious a task than it is to venture off to Mars.

NASA Faces A Tough Time

United States presidential elections are just around the corner. Whatever president gets the seat this year will assign a new NASA administrator. This could also mean a new budget, new direction and new goals. President Obama was all for the Mars efforts, but the new commander-in-chief could have different things in mind.

Members of the Republican Party, for example, have expressed interest in the moon’s resources. A leader from this party would likely be inclined to drill and mine the moon rather than spend money on Martian efforts. It looks like NASA is pretty much alone in wanting to get to Mars.

 

NASA Breaks Away from China and Russia

NASA Mission to Mars Postponed, China Plans Mission for 2020 - http://clapway.com/2016/01/05/nasa-mission-to-mars-postponed-china-plans-mission-for-2020-123/

NASA’s mission to put a probe on Mars has been delayed, and China and the European Space Agency are taking full advantage of the setback. InSight was declared the winner of a NASA competition to become one of three missions funded by the Discovery Program, but the mission has now been delayed. The mission was designed to make a boat to sail the waters of Titan, the Martian moon, and a probe that could jump across the surface of a comet. However, the project has been delayed.

NASA Mission to Mars Delayed Because of a Leak

The project, which cost $425 million, has been inevitably postponed because of a delay on a specific instrument on the lander’s vacuum container. The seismographic instrument would measure the thickness of Mar’s crust and mantle. It is also capable of catching movement in Martian soil, even at the atomic level.

The instrument was shown to have leaked a few times through testing. This week, it failed a cold temperature experiment. In order for the sensor to remain active throughout its exploration of Mars, this instrument needs to be in full function. As such, the mission has been delayed from March of 2016 to May of 2018.

This mission would have also carried out the study of geological processes on Mars, as well as the internal makeup and any tectonic activity on the planet.

NASA Regretfully Announces Mars Mission Delay

The news came as a shock to the team in charge of the mission. The decision was hard to make, but the difficulties were too dire to ignore. For now, the InSight lander is being flown to the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. Carried by a C-17 aircraft, it’ll be examined by experts to find the root of the problem and fix them in time for a 2018 launch.

Meanwhile, NASA Researchers Consider Farming on the Red Planet

On another note, researchers are now considering how vegetables and fruits could be grown on their red planet. It’s about time that we examine growing food on Mars for human consumption. This is part of an experiment conducted by the International Potato Center. Their goal is to build a dome on Mars’s surface that could support Earth food farming.

ESA and China Take Advantage of Mars Slip Up

As NASA slows down, the European Space Agency and China show no signs of slowing down. Preparations for an ESA mission to Mars are complete and scheduled for a 2018 launch. China, on the other hand, has full preparations to launch another probe to Mars. They’re looking to explore the ‘dark side of Mars’.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBoj-1m-qLU

NASA Mission to Mars Postponed, China Plans Mission for 2020

Microsoft and IBM Get Profit Out of Air Pollution in China - http://clapway.com/2015/12/31/microsoft-and-ibm-get-profit-out-of-air-pollution-in-china-123/

Microsoft and IBM are getting great benefits out of the crippling air pollution in China, as it is bringing in quite a bit of business. Both businesses, some of the largest in the world, are looking to tap the air quality forecasting business.

Air Pollution in China: Beijing Suffers Two Red Alerts in December 2015

When red alerts for air pollution are issued in Chinese cities, they’re expected to be shut down for more than three days. This limits the amount of people on the street and the amount of cars allowed to operate. In essence, the city is dead and citizens are confined to their homes.

These alerts rely entirely on pollution forecasting. This is becoming very important politically, and Communist Party leaders are looking for better ways to accurately predict pollution readings to better protect Chinese citizens.

How Will Beijing Host the Winter Olympics?

This is of particular concern since Beijing is set to host the Winter Olympics in 2022. Microsoft has their eye on this business, already setting gears to design an air quality forecast service.

If predicting the weather has already been advanced to be handled from anywhere, predicting air pollution readings cannot be too difficult. It’s a matter of bringing in a few more variables and re-submitting all the information.

Cognitive Computing Will Design Air Pollution Index Predictions

Microsoft and IBM can help China through their advances in cognitive computing. These are composed of machines that are programmed to make advances to modeling on their own. It could even predict air quality indexes 10 days in advance, as regular weather forecasts do. This computer would use data from the weather, traffic and land use, real time pollution levels and wind readings. The data would rely on outlets from social media posts and government controlled monitoring stations.

This can be of wonderful help to the Chinese people. It can help local governments pinpoint which areas to close off and which schools and airports within them. It would also help restrict car movement in certain areas.

IBM and Microsoft Protect China

Microsoft and IBM are making wise moves in moving in on this business, but it will take some time to work out the exact measures that need to be taken to get there. Helping China get cleaner air is more important than ever, since the country still hasn’t peaked their emissions. Hopefully these two companies can give them a valuable helping hand.

 

Microsoft and IBM Get Profit Out of Air Pollution in China

Tesla Has No Future in China, BYD Qin Still Reigns - http://clapway.com/2015/12/28/tesla-has-no-future-in-china-byd-qin-still-reigns-123/

Tesla Motors has tried tirelessly to get into China’s EV market to no avail. As of November 2015, the BYD Qin is still the best-selling electric vehicle in the whole country, and there may not be any room for the American car maker in the foreseeable future.

Elon Musk’s company had a tough 2015 in China. It had a lot of tax breaks that went in favor of domestic car makers, complicated local license-plate laws, and it also faced a lot of copycats. This happens to most U.S. startups that try to go into the Chinese market. But it has been particularly rough on Elon Musk’s car company. Tesla only sold 3,500 cars in China last year, and they cut 30% of their staff in the country in March of this year.

Will Tesla Have a Turning Point?

This October, Elon Musk expressed intention to open a manufacturing facility on Chinese soil. This would make Model S cars made in China significantly cheaper and more accessible to Chinese clients. They also announced plans to streamline Beijing’s license plate lottery for Tesla buyers. As such, 2016 could be Tesla’s best year in the country yet.

BYD Is Beating Out Tesla In a Big Way

The Chinese government has set a goal to put 5 million electric cars on Chinese roads by 2020 in their efforts. Tesla, after the title of #1 electric car company in the world, Tesla is getting mighty competitive to help China get there. Its main competition is BYD, and its model, the BYD Qin, has outsold every other electric car on the Chinese market. It’s not going to be an easy feat.

Tesla’s Way into China is Through Charging Stations

Tesla has to adapt to the Chinese way of travel. They may need to install accessible charging stations for their cars, and figure a way around Chinese parking. Owning a parking garage isn’t very common in Chinese cities, which is a great inconvenience to the American carmaker.

There’s also the competition it has to face. BYD has had two of their models ahead of every other electric car maker in the world in China. It doesn’t look like that’s about to change, but knowing Elon Musk, we might be surprised to see what happens in the company within the next few years.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmJar7wpJyc

Tesla Has No Future in China, BYD Qin Still Reigns

China vs NASA: The Fight for Mars Colonization - http://clapway.com/2015/12/28/china-vs-nasa-the-fight-for-mars-colonization-123/

The upcoming year is rumored to be NASA’s toughest one in regards to manned missions to Mars. Though all missions are expected to take off as of 2030, 2016 is one where NASA will be taking ‘crucial strides’ toward making those missions happen.

NASA is hell bent on making a manned Mars mission happen. The agency is optimistic about getting at least to Martian moons or Mars orbit by 2030. A Mars colonization is still ways away, though. The agency’s priority right now is safety.

Scott Kelly’s Return Will Kickstart 2016

The first step the agency will take in the new year comes with the return of NASA astronaut Scott Kelly from ISS. Once he’s on Earth soil, he will give the agency a lot of answers in regards to the effect of long-term space flights on the human body. A regular crew only spends about six months in orbit, but preparations for a mission to Mars would require 8 months of travel.

The effects of microgravity on the human body are taken very seriously by NASA. As such, they’re working to minimize the danger of bone density loss, vision impairment and muscle atrophy for any crew that will be on that mission to Mars.

ESA, Rocosmos and NASA Collaborate for Mars Colonization

On the other hand, NASA is also planning on sending a probe to examine the Martian surface. The probe called InSight, is set to look into the evolution and formation of the planet’s landscape. This is one of two probes that will be making it to Mars in the near future. The other is taking off from a collaboration between NASA, the European Space Agency, and the Russian Federal Space Agency. Their program is called ExoMars, and the mission is to find out if there has ever been life on Martian territory. The power of these three agencies combined will surely bring some light to the many mysteries of Mars.

Stephen Hawking, Buzz Aldrin, and Elon Musk Endorse Mars Colonization

Many public figures have expressed their support for Mars missions. Science giants like Stephen Hawking have claimed that men on Mars are imperative for the survival of the human species. Why? Because it’s the best fit for colonization. Mars is the planet with the most similarities to Earth. It has the right temperature, atmosphere, landscape, and day length. A whole revolution around the sun (which is called a ‘sol’ as opposed to a day) takes 24 hours, 37 minutes, and 22 seconds in Martian atmosphere, which is pretty close to Earth. A Mars colonization would also be ideal because there’s water on top of its ice caps, and it was confirmed that liquid water flows on its surface from time to time.

Will China and CNAS Get to Mars Before NASA?

There’s still a long way to go for NASA, who has yet to design a spacesuit for deep space travel and deep space habitat. It also needs to build an interplanetary transportation system (which Blue Origin, Boeing, and SpaceX hope to facilitate). Despite NASA’s recent budget raise, $19.3 billion dollars likely won’t be enough to finance all of these ventures.

With all of these agencies and private companies collaborating, we might see men and women on Mars even before 2030. Though we could be surprised to see the China National Space Administration (CNSA) carrying out a Mars colonization by then, too.

China vs NASA: The Fight for Mars Colonization

China 2 Child Policy is Good for RenRen and Weibo, But Bad for Facebook - http://clapway.com/2015/12/17/china-2-child-policy-is-good-for-renren-bad-for-facebook-123/

RenRen and Weibo might take over Facebook’s title of the most visited social media website, thanks to the upgraded 2 child policy in China. As such, we can expect Facebook to be more aggressive in its approach to become the top social network in the West.

Clapway

China Could Double its Population Within the Next 20 Years

With the newly introduced 2 child policy, China could really take over. It’s still a mystery whether or not the country will be able to employ everyone, so they will move around and become the best consumers and suppliers. China has always had deep interests in technology, and they could ruin Facebook.

The most popular social media websites in China are Weibo and RenRen. RenRen launched around the same time as Facebook, and it’s one of the trendiest websites in the country. If it remains so in 10 years, it could dwarf Facebook’s popularity in the East.

China Has Never Needed Western Trends, But This is a Different Scale

The Asian continent is in a different world as the West. They have an alternative for nearly every Western trend or make their own. Usually, by the time that trend makes it to the West, it’s old news. This goes for a lot of things, like maglev wind turbines or even emojis. Facebook is popular with Chinese students that have friends in the West, but Weibo and RenRen are the ruling social media platform for the rest.

The West has some scrambling to do if they’re looking to make the same kind of capital that they do in America in Asia. Facebook, which has reigned since 2005, may crumble. Google might not have to since they have a consistent interest in Southwestern Asia and the continent overall.

Facebook Joins Hands With Uber

For now, Facebook has made it so that the Facebook Messenger lets users order an Uber from the platform. This is probably the first attempt from Facebook to show dominance in the Western hemisphere.

Why exactly did Facebook link Uber to its messaging app and not the social media website? This is perhaps in an attempt at novelty. Unless Apple or Skype make it possible to order a cab from their IM platforms, Facebook has no competition.

This is one more territory where Facebook stands proud, but it’s not a unique approach. China has been doing this for years. They have apps like WeChat, which handles voice, text, virtual retail and lets users run and pay for services. This platform allows customers, clients and businesses to interact, all from a single platform.

If China Moves for the West it’s Game Over

Facebook is only breaking ground in America because China hasn’t joined the Western market. If they do, and there is a high chance of it happening, things will change. It’s likely that many businesses will branch out to America because Chinese people are almost overloaded with these services.

Meanwhile, other Western companies have time to catch up. If Weibo or RenRen get a Western alternate or if more Chinese people move to the West, they will lose a lot of profits. Facebook is the front runner now, but things could change. China also may have a lot of power in Asia, but it could also be that they won’t stick in America. Still, they will most likely still be crushingly popular in Asia.

Clapway

Chinese Population Will Grow Anyway

The rate at which China will grow in terms of population is unpredictable. After censi proved that there weren’t enough women in the country. This is due to many factors. Regardless, they will pose a big threat to the West in terms of business. Hopefully, the Western hemisphere will move accordingly.

China 2 Child Policy is Good for RenRen and Weibo, But Bad for Facebook

NASA Reveals China and India Caused Sinking of Marshall Islands - http://clapway.com/2015/12/15/nasa-reveals-china-and-india-caused-sinking-of-marshall-islands-123/

NASA has released the results of a new study conducted from 2005 to 2014. The study analyzes and quantifies energy usage, environmental policy and civil unrest around the world.

NASA Particularly Looked at Nitrogen Dioxide Levels

Nitrogen dioxide is a commonly emitted gas from cars, power plants and industrial machinery. This compound can become ground-level ozone and is a major breathing pollutant particle in urban smog.

Nitrogen dioxide is often used as an indicator of air quality, and can be spotted over most major cities of the world. NASA’s research team looked into nitrogen levels around the globe and compared nitrogen dioxide levels with emission control regulations, national GDP and urban growth.

The Findings Confirm that Pollution and Changes in Air Quality Aren’t Random

The data has a direct reflection of the disparity between what government officials say about handling gas emissions and what actually happens. The team behind the study reveal that the largest emitter of nitrogen dioxide in the world were the United States and Europe though they have had a 50% decrease since previous years. This is thanks to environmental regulations that have been successfully carried out in both regions.

How Has the Syrian Civil War Affected Air Pollution?

Interesting data comes from nitrogen dioxide readings in Syria, where the population has been largely displaced because of the civil war. The mass exodus of Syrians have peaked nitrogen dioxide levels to neighboring countries while levels over Syrian territory have greatly decreased.

Air Pollution in Oceania

All major cities in Australia, according to the study, had their nitrogen dioxide levels decrease between 17.5% and 37.5%. Melbourne was the city to have the most dramatic change, also because the country has made some drastic changes to environmental regulations. In the same breath, Darwin, the capital of the Northern Territory, saw an 8% increase in levels of the compound.

China

China and India Reveal a Ridiculous Increase in Nitrogen Dioxide Levels

China is well on its way to peaking emissions. The country’s nitrogen dioxide levels rose 20%-50%  because of the increasing use of coal to power the cities and factories. In spite of that, Beijing, Shanghai, and the Pearl River Delta have seen up to 40% decreases.

While this may sound like good news, it means that these areas will take longer to peak gas emissions. Countries like China and India must peak gas emissions in order to bring them down. At the recent Paris Climate Conferences, China was one of the first countries to pledge that they will quickly peak emissions to bring them down.

India, on the other hand, has said that they will take their time peaking emissions. The West had ample time to flood the environment with harmful compounds, and they have been doing so since the Industrial Revolution.

China and India’s Failure to Peak Emissions Could Be Causing the Sinking of Marshall Islands

Majuro, the capital of the Marshall Islands, is flooding severely. This particular region of Oceania is incredibly vulnerable to rising sea levels and any kind of extreme weather event. The UN declared that more than 600 people have since been evacuated from the islands due to the heavy flooding.

The capital has been flooding since 4 AM on December 15, and videos are all over social media showing the true expanse of the damage. There are parts of the city that are only barely above sea level, at 30cm at most. This time is ‘king tide’ season for the region when tides are largest and strongest. While this is a seasonal hazard, it shows how much damage the islands will suffer if sea levels continue to rise and the planet continues to warm.

While China has expressed a passion for protecting the environment to the best of their ability, it’s important that the process is quick and efficient. Hopefully, China and India can collaborate so that the threat to the Marshall Islands can be controlled at the very least.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMnDoXuTGS4

NASA Reveals China and India Caused Sinking of Marshall Islands

China Helps Africa With National Development - http://clapway.com/2015/12/06/china-helps-africa-with-national-development/

It is safe to say that citizens of Africa should thank China for their early Christmas gift. Chinese President Xi recently donated around $60 billion towards helping Africa’s national development. This is huge news and it shows that the time is now for African people to take advantage of this very generous gift by China.

CHINESE AND AFRICA HELP EACH OTHER IN TIMES OF NEED

President Xi was stated as saying that he believes that Africa is building towards a new era and that they are trending in the right direction. He also mentions how China shares a similar future with them. As well as stating that they always help each other out when times are difficult. He continues by saying that China is committed to helping out Africa’s national development and that this is an unprecedented opportunity to do so. It is clear that the president of China cares about Africa. Xi and the country have shown a great deal of unselfishness in this ordeal.

AFRICA NEEDS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF CHINA’S GRATITUDE

Jeff Radebe, a South African politician, explained how he hopes that the citizens of Africa will do something with this. He states that they hope that the people there will take advantage of this and get themselves a better education and a better job. He also states he hopes to see more entrepreneurship’s and people use their skills more. Also, for the government, he states that hopefully they will take their position and rise in the global stakes. The time is now for everyone there to put it on themselves and make the country better.

NEW DAY FOR AFRICAN PEOPLE

Overall, it is a new day for the citizens over there and this should help them for years to come. They can’t, however, let China hold their hand during this either. Even though China has stated their allegiance and support for them, they may never get this type of opportunity again.

China Helps Africa With National Development

China to Take Over the World with Supercomputers - http://clapway.com/2015/11/17/china-to-take-over-the-world-with-supercomputers123/

The US Has the Highest Number of Supercomputers In A Single Country, but China’s Are Better

Top500 list of supercomputers has 109 on the list that are courtesy of China; that’s 72 more than they reported six months ago. According to reports, the sheer count of supercomputers in the country has tripled, and many of them are considered some of the world’s most powerful machines.

China’s Most Powerful Machine Yet: the Tianhe-2

China’s Tianhe-2 has been the world’s most powerful machine in the world according to the Top500 list of supercomputers for six years in a row, 2015 included. It was created by China’s National University of Defense Technology, and it’s currently being used at a supercomputer center in Guangzhou. It can make 33.86 quadrillion calculations per second.

That’s twice as fast as the US’s fastest supercomputer, the US Energy Department’s Titan. The United States has 200 supercomputers in the Top500 list, but this is the lowest number it’s been in 22 years, which indicates that there has been a steady decline in the number of supercomputers in the country for quite a long time.

Supercomputers Are Used to Predict Weather Forecasts, Making Drug Discoveries and DNA Sequencing

While the power of these machines is not directly indicative of how advanced technologies are in the countries that make them, it is indicative of the economic and business evolution of the countries. Since China has been the main site of job outsourcing, it has been able to overcome most other superpowers in terms of economy and business.

The true value of supercomputers is that they can help benefit the world quite significantly, and countries like China have the best opportunity at the moment to make ground-breaking research to even save the world. In addition, China has the money to invest in these super machines, and their supercomputers have remained in the top 5 of the Top500 list since 2013.

So China has the means, the talent and the equipment to set them in gear to make some great changes in technology.

 

China to Take Over the World with Supercomputers

China Makes A Robot that Looks Like Iron Man - http://clapway.com/2015/11/09/china-makes-a-robot-that-looks-like-iron-man-123/

China’s most influential space industry contractor has unveiled a space robot, and it looks an awful lot like Marvel’s Iron Man. It’s painted in red and yellow and even has a lit up piece at the center of the chest that very closely resembles the socket where Tony Stark’s arc reactor usually lies.

This must have come as a wonderful sight to fans of the franchise, and it perhaps attaches some more hope to the efforts towards space exploration. The robot, built by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp, is named Xiaotian, or ‘Little Sky’. The humanoid is apparently able to withstand extreme space conditions and complex tasks, and it’s to be deployed for future Chinese lunar landings, space station constructions and even unmanned space probe missions.

The robot was first introduced at Shanghai’s 17th annual China International Industry Fair, where the Chinese government also presented a model of a future Mars space probe. This would be the first one to come out of China, and they’re hoping for a launch date at 2020. Surely they hope to attach these hopes to Iron Man, whose movies have earned up over $350 million in China alone.

Though the Chinese have a knack for emulating Western pop culture, this seems to only come of good intentions and good style and assertive attitude that is usually associated with Tony Stark and Iron Man.

China Makes A Robot that Looks Like Iron Man

Scientists have discovered a snail so small that ten of them could fit in the eye of a needle. #smallestsnail #china #microsnail - http://clapway.com/2015/09/30/smallest-snail-china123/

The smallest land snail in the world was recently discovered in the Guangxi Province of China by scientists taking soil samples in the area. The “microsnail,” which could easily be mistaken for a tiny pebble, measures a mere .03 inches and is small enough in size that 10 of them can fit in the eye of a needle.

Barna Páll-Gergely, a scientist from Shinshu University in Japan and the co-author of a study that sheds light on the snail, specializes in the research about microgastropods (snails less than .2 inches (5mm) in size). He notes that this is an extremely large and diverse group, and there are still more species left to be identify. In this instance alone, scientists not only discovered the smallest land snail, but also six other different species of microgastropods in the Guangxi Province.

Microsnail discoveries

The smallest microsnail, Angustopila dominikae, is named after the wife of Pall-Gergely. It is gray in color, has a swirling shell structure and can be found clinging onto cliffs of limestone. Researchers believe it is not possible for snails to be much smaller in size, otherwise the organism would not be able to hold its internal organs. Furthermore, a minimum number of cells is needed to survive.

The six other species of snail that were discovered include Angustopila fabella, which measures between .03 and .04 inches. This snail receives the name fabella (latin for bean) because of its bean-like opening. Angustopila subelevata, the next largest in size, measures about .036 inches and is followed by Angustopila szekeresi, which comes in at .04 inches. Hypselostoma lacrima and Hypselostoma socialis are both .05 inches and Krobylos sinensis is around .09 to 0.1 inches.

Are they found anywhere else in the world?

Researchers believe this species of snail, as well as the others, is endemic to the region. This means they can probably be found only in this particular area. It’s not clear why the snails did not evolve to become bigger in size, as this is normally beneficial to the species. Researchers still have a lot to study and learn about microsnails, particularly with a focus on the biodiversity seen in this province of China.

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Smallest Snail In The World Found In China

How did the #Beijing, the capital of #China, manage to clear its #pollution for one day? - http://clapway.com/2015/09/09/beijing-blue-skies234/

This past Thursday marked the 70th anniversary of Japan’s defeat in World War II. To celebrate, a commemorative military parade was held in Beijing and the sky displayed a beautiful shade of blue throughout the event.

It sounds quite customary, but for the Chinese capital, it is not.

Beijing’s Pollution Temporarily Disappears

Beijing is one of the most heavily polluted cities in the world. Although it’s not currently ranked among the top ten, an average day in the city is overheated with dull grey skies.

So an entirely smog-free day filled with crisp air was meaningful for the people. By Friday morning, however, the sky had returned to its customary state. Many citizens were left baffled by this: how did their polluted sky clear up only on the day of the military parade?

The Chinese Government gave an explanation this Monday.

The Secret of Beijing’s Blue Skies

The Beijing Times reported on Monday morning that officials cleaned up Beijing’s air exclusively for the parade, by suspending or limiting the operations of 12,255 coal-burning boilers, factories, and cement-mixing stations around seven provinces of the country. Nearly 5,700 of these stations are located in Beijing, as well as the Hebei province, which borders the capital. Aside from this, authorities limited the use of the city’s 5 million registered cars. Since this past August, citizens were able to use their vehicles every other day, giving way to two weeks of cleaner air.

On Thursday, the Air Quality Index (AQI) of the city was 17 out of 500, which is classified as an excellent score. At midnight, after the parade, all restrictions and limitations were lifted. Consequently, the next morning, the AQI was at 160. That’s enough to cause adverse health effects, as the US Environmental Protection Agency states.

The Resulting Impact

This isn’t the first time the Chinese government took control of the smog levels. Last fall, Beijing was host to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, prompting authorities to bring similar tactics into play in order to improve the city’s air conditions. This gave away to the term “APEC blue”, which was used ephemerally but effectively. The Beijing Times reports that the military parade efforts were fifteen times as extensive as the measures taken for the APEC Summit.

These demonstrations left a deep impression, showing citizens that pollution is, in fact, the fault of the people. However, it can definitely be controlled and brought down until city pollution levels are as low as those in other metropolitan cities. On the other hand, the magic appearance of the blue skies did leave some citizens with doubt. Though the change was welcomed, it is unsettling to think one’s government can manipulate the weather.

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For technology related news and product reviews, check out Clapway Trends:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uh73AjBjCN0

Government"s Secret Behind Blue Skies In Beijing

The increasingly ambitious #China space program plans to land an unmanned #probe on the far side or dark side of the #moon, sometime before 2020. - http://clapway.com/2015/09/09/china-space-program-dark-side-of-the-moon123/

The increasingly ambitious China space program plans to land an unmanned probe on the far side or dark side of the moon, sometime before 2020. Announced on September 9, 2015 via state broadcaster CCTV by one of the program’s leading engineers, the mission would be the first of its kind worldwide, designed as a geological survey of unmapped territory.

As NASA seems to be exploring everything except the moon, the still-developing China space program is finding new exploration opportunities for our closest space neighbor, who we like to believe we understand. The mission is called Chang’e 4, named after the mythical Chinese goddess of the moon.

What’s To Explore If That Side of the Moon Is So Dark?

Of all the opportunities in outer space, why go to the dark side of the moon? Is it just so China can be the first? Is the country just compensating because the only thing it could never export to the U.S. is a classic rock album?

In part, it is for the pure sake of exploration. With all uncharted territory comes new discoveries and a greater understanding of our world and universe, even if those discoveries seem to be little more than a pile of gray rock.

The moon does this funny thing where it rotates in sync with its revolution or orbit. In other words, as it travels 360 degrees around the earth, its “face” is always turned towards us—always has been, always will be. So there is always the same “far side” of the moon; it is a “dark side” only in that it is dark to our vision and understanding. We just can’t see it from earth.

As such, it has also always been easier to land on the moon’s close side and explore what we have seen through our telescopes. New technology should make it easier for the China space program to travel around the moon, land on its far side, and begin analyzing the rocks and landscapes there.

China Is Scoping Out Some Prime Real Estate

The exploration has a practical purpose as well: judging the feasibility of building sensitive instruments there for the exploration of deep space.

A previous challenge of exploring the moon’s far side—that radio transmissions from Earth cannot reach—could make it into an ideal locale from which to explore the rest of space. From there, the China space program could set up sensitive radio telescopes without worry of interruption from Earth’s radio waves.

A Series of Giant Leaps for the China Space Program

The Chang’e 4 mission would continue a series of ambitious missions for China’s space program since it took off in the early 2000s.

In 2003, China sent its first astronaut into space, nearly a half-century after the U.S. and Russia did so. But soon after, it deployed an experimental space station and launched previous stages of its Chang’e lunar program. Furthermore, the country has launched a pair of orbiting lunar probes, and in 2013, it landed a spacecraft on the moon’s surface with a rover on board.

In 2017, before the Chang’e 4 mission to the dark side, it plans to send an unmanned probe to the moon’s close side, collect samples, and return to earth. It would be only the third country to do this, behind Russia and the U.S.

I only hope that on the launch of Chang’e 4, the astronomers at least have the decency to play this in the background.

What do you think the China space program will find on the dark side of the moon? Share your predictions!

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdcU4nKKV2E

China Space Program Targets Dark Side of Moon

An #explosion in #China with major world repercussions - http://clapway.com/2015/08/19/water-contamination-by-700-tons-of-sodium-cyanide-in-chinas-tianjin-explosions-425/

The massive August 12th Tianjin explosions at a chemical plant in northeastern China have released a nasty cocktail of toxic, life-threatening chemicals into the city’s water supply, causing water contamination by 700 tons of sodium cyanide.

After the blasts—which sent plumes of fire and smoke hundreds of feet into the sky, killed at least 114 people and injured over 700, and released shockwaves felt from kilometers away by this city of 13 million—most residents caught their breath and just made sure that they and their loved ones were alive. Few predicted that the longterm consequences of the blasts might be worse than the incident itself.

Few Measures To Prevent Tianjin Explosions

As Tianjin residents mourn those lost—especially firefighters, who make up 21 of the dead and most of the 95 still deemed “missing” by state officials—they also demand answers and compensation for the blasts.

In violation of Chinese law, the chemical plant was located less than one kilometer from the homes of hundreds of Tianjin residents. Their storage of over 3000 tons of dangerous chemicals like sodium cyanide (used in the mining industry and “rapidly fatal” if inhaled or ingested, according to the US CDC), calcium carbide (used in PVC plastic and can cause breathing and kidney problems), potassium and ammonium nitrates (used in fertilizers and dynamites, both toxic), and 40 other chemicals did not comply with international standards. These have been focal points for Chinese dissenters and protesters against the Tianjin explosions, many of whom have been censored or arrested.

Firefighters and plant workers were also ill-prepared to douse the chemical flames. Instead of using dry powder fire extinguishers or sodium hydroxide, they sprayed the burning chemicals with water, causing them to become more combustible. More than 6,300 people have been evacuated from a 3-kilometer radius of the site.

Tianjin Water Contamination Becomes Life-Threatening

Attempts by aid workers to clear the blast site before rainfall proved futile. Even without rain, the cyanide content of the city’s wastewater swelled to 28.4 times its normal level.

August 18th saw the first rainfall since the Tianjin explosions, and residents immediately noticed a mysterious white foam covering the wet ground. Those whose skin touched it reported burning, itching, and irritation.

The foam is likely from hydrogen cyanide gas, emitted by sodium cyanide when it comes in contact with water. Like it’s sodium cousin, hydrogen cyanide can be a quick killer.

Authorities have built cofferdams to keep rainwater from flowing out of the site. Still, Tianjin residents are advised to drink only bottled water.

A book that could be possible water contamination solution?

Groundwater contamination is also a major concern. The sodium cyanide that has soaked into Tianjin’s groundwater could be there for decades, and as a port city, it will affect ocean water as well. The water that humans draw from that ground—as well as the water that animals drink and swim in—will be highly toxic, since it only takes one-millionth of a gram of sodium cyanide per liter of water to contaminate it.

What do you think is the best way to use and conserve water in the wake of the Tianjin explosions? Please share your thoughts!

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It’s important to protect the environment from damages to keep the natural world them reality-based:

Water Contamination by 700 Tons of Sodium Cyanide in China’s Tianjin Explosions

Is there such a thing as the #first #flower ever in the world? - http://clapway.com/2015/08/18/ladies-and-gentlemen-here-is-the-worlds-first-flower-320/

Clapway has taught you how to grow flowers in space, we recently reported a story about mutated flowers and we have a whole category about Ecology. How could we resist this one?

According to researchers, the world’s first flower has just been discovered in Spain and it is nothing more than an aquatic plant. Named Montsechia vidalii, it existed 130,000,000 years ago — kind of.

MONTSECHIA VS. ARCHAEFRUCTUS SINENSIS

Groups of scientists based on the United States and Europe (Germany, Spain and France) wrote on their study published on Monday, that this ancient flower, Montsechia, may be older than Archaefructus Sinensis, another aquatic, 124.5-million-year-old plant from China that is also has been announced in the past as one of the first angiosperms in the world. Angiosperms are a large, infamous group of different plants but what is unclear is when they began producing beautiful buds, a feature that has made them quite popular today.

However, Montsechia’s descendants, Ceratophyllum, are found widely in lakes in almost every single country in the world, and there are six species of them discovered living among us in the modern day.

THE FIRST FLOWER, THOUGH, IS A MYTH

Even though Montsechia is, indeed, the oldest flower found to date, David Dilcher, Indiana University’s paleobotanist and lead author of the study, says that: “A first flower is a myth, like the ‘first human,"” and explains that it is hard to tell which flower is the first one because we will never be sure there was an earlier plant that first evolved, but perished leaving no trace behind. Still, getting to learn more will help us find out how these and more plants, as organisms, lived:

“This discovery raises significant questions about the early evolutionary history of flowering plants, as well as the role of these plants in the evolution of other plant and animal life,” Dilcher says.

THE WORLD’S FIRST FLOWER, DOES NOT LOOK LIKE A FLOWER AT ALL

Dilcher and his colleagues studied more than 1,000 fossilized remains of Montsechia using minuscule drops of hydrochloric acid to reveal structures hidden by stone. While this estimation gave more information about the age of the plant, it didn’t reveal structures that every day — not specialized people would recognize as a flower.

Dilcher says that Montsechia has no obvious “flower parts” (petals, nectar producers etc) and lives its whole life under water. “The fruit contains a single seed,” just like most of the angiosperms, “which is borne upside down.”

In fact, Montsechia looks more like a modern hornwort, a submerged aquatic plant with narrow forked leaves that becomes translucent and corneous as it ages.

“There’s still much to be discovered about how a few early species of seed-bearing plants eventually gave rise to the enormous, and beautiful, variety of flowers that now populate nearly every environment on Earth,” Dilcher said.

FOR MORE ECOLOGY NEWS, HERE IS THE LINK YOU’LL WANT TO VISIT — YOU’RE WELCOME!

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Ladies and Gentlemen, Here is the World"s First Flower!

China: Air Pollution Kills 1.6 Million People Every Year - http://clapway.com/2015/08/14/china-air-pollution-kills-1-6-million-people-every-year123/

Breathing in China has become an increasingly dangerous activity. The country’s toxic air problem is responsible for 4,000 deaths a day, mounting up to a staggering 1.6 million every year. This equates to 17% of the total deaths in China.

You Need To Breathe To Survive, But It Can Also Cost You Your Life

Richard Muller, a physicist at the University of California-Berkeley has described the hazardous levels of pollution while he was in Beijing in a recent press release. Every hour of outdoor exposure reduced his life expectancy by 20 minutes. In his own words: “it’s as if every man, woman, and child smoked 1.5 cigarettes each hour.”

Richard Muller, along with physicist and co – worker Robert Rohde have authorized a new paper in the journal PLOS that takes on the pollution problem in China and explores the deadly eventual consequences for human health.

Is There A Solution To The Pollution?

Since China gets about 64% of its primary energy from coal, the country’s authorities have increased public pressure to adopt air quality standards building monitoring stations and shuttering some of its most polluting coal power plants.

The 2022 Winter Olympics, which will be held in Beijing, have led the country’s officials to speed up the fight against pollution taking old vehicles off the streets of Beijing and closing two coal-fired power plants.

Concerns For The U.S?

In the U.S, the highest level of particle pollution is located in Fresno-Madera, California. The American Lung Association claims that the area hits unhealthy heights 47 days a year, but as Rohde told the Associated Press (AP), “99.9 percent of the eastern half of China has a higher annual average for small particle haze than Madera.”

According to a 2013 study from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 200,000 early deaths are caused by air pollution in the U.S, which is thought to be the tenth most problematic risk factor for early death, after causes such as smoking and a poor diet.

In China, air pollution is only the fourth most common risk factor for death after diet, high blood pressure and smoking.

Why Should I Care?

China’s air pollution problem is causing citizens to be at an increasingly great heath risk. They may or may not live in the same country as you, but they matter. What’s more, a study published this week in the Nature Geoscience journal says that ozone from China has been traveling towards the western U.S. This is a global concern that requires everyone to help, before it’s too late.

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China: Air Pollution Kills 1.6 Million People Every Year

#Playing #VideoGames is now legal in #China! - http://clapway.com/2015/07/26/gaming-consoles-legal-in-china-after-15-year-ban-236/

Irony is when a country manufactures every major gaming console on the market, but bans its citizens from owning one. All of that is set to change, however. According to The Wall Street Journal, China will finally be lifting this 15-year ban. The country’s Ministry of Culture will be allowing Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony to both manufacture and sell their gaming consoles everywhere in the country.

What this means for the industry

China had already made some modifications to its restrictions last year when the country allowed console manufacturers to operate in Shanghai’s free-trade zone. On September 29, 2015, Microsoft brought the Xbox One over. Sony then brought the Playstation 4 over on March 20 of this year.

By China opening the doors all across the country, console manufacturers now have a huge market to target all future gaming console sales.

Growing Fears of ‘Wasted Youth’ in China Brought About the Ban

Gaming consoles were originally banned in China all the way back in 2000. Many parents believed that gaming consoles would cause their children to waste too much of their time with the devices. As a result, the government believed the best plan of action would be to ban all companies and individuals from producing and selling electronic gaming equipment and accessories.

Of course, this didn’t stop people from gaming, nor did it fix the “problem” parents were hoping the ban to fix. Plug’n’play consoles were a legal alternative to gaming consoles, and many players (like Nintendo) released these alternatives to keep China gaming.

China’s Golden Age of Gaming

Even though the console ban isn’t strictly enforced, the ban has had a major effect on gaming culture in China. While it’s possible to obtain an illegal console through the gray market, most people are content with playing mobile games or games via the web. Now that Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo are able to get their consoles into the country via legal means, China will undoubtedly see a huge increase in the quality of games. The real question is, how long will it take before China decides to jump on the gaming console bandwagon?

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Gaming Consoles Legal in China After 15-Year Ban

A New Raptor Fossil Discovered in China - http://clapway.com/2015/07/16/a-new-raptor-fossil-discovered-in-china567/

You know how the new Jurassic World film was pretty much all about the raptors in the movie? What’s not to like? They’re pretty charismatic on screen, and Blue had some awesome coloration.

Chinese raptor fossil found in Liaoning Province

Well, if you like dinosaurs, be prepared to become stoked about a real one; this new find in China of a raptor has been named the Zhenyuanlong suni. This type of raptor lived around 125 million years ago during the Early Cretaceous era.

The fossil was unearthed in the Liaoning Province, by a man named Sun Zhenyuan, who helped to get the fossil to the researchers for study. This is why fossil was named after him.

What do we know about the new raptor fossil thus far?

The research conducted on the fossil was made available today in Scientific Reports. The report was filed last year in November before it was accepted in April, then published today. There are two authors on this study; Junchang Lü and Stephen L. Brusatte.

Like many of the dinosaur fossils found in this region, this raptor is the relative of the Velociraptor we all have come to know from the Jurassic Park franchise. But it is also a feathered one as well, evident by the fossilized feathers, and research suggest it is closely related to birds given the anatomy structure of the fossil. The fossil is almost a full body skeleton.

raptor had wings?

The raptor fossil shows that it has probably around the height of a human and short appendages that looked like wings but probably couldn’t fly. There has been some joking or commentary that it basically looks like a human sized chicken or turkey, which is slightly scary if you have ever had to deal with aggressive poultry before.

One of the authors thought it was interesting to see the raptor fossil have winglike appendages without the actual intent of flying. The question then became why this dinosaur has wings, why has it evolved to have these in the first place. Other questions such as what its behavioral characteristics were begin to come to mind as well.

Only further research can be done to find out more about the fossil. That, and finding more similar fossils for further study.

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A New Raptor Fossil Discovered in China