The Professor: Victorian heat sinks, new spacecraft, alien-language translators

The Professor rounds up a handful of interesting and informative gadget-related science stories from the week and presents them in an easily digestible liquid form.

Having trouble keeping your fingers, thumbs, or eyeballs on the pulse of modern science? Do you find yourself in the throes of panic due to misunderstandings in molecular goings-on? Did the latest aircar, split atom, or robotic insectoid go buzzing over your head before you had time to ready a response? Don't worry friends, The Professor is here to help. Though not an actual scientist, professor, or even a college graduate, he can help guide you through the cascading, complicated, and spasmodic visionary vistas of human invention and achievement as smoothly as a hot knife descending into softened butter.

Scientists theorize that miniaturized versions of Stirling engines (Victorian-era piston motors) could be used to cool down micro-electronics like infrared cameras or security scanners. The sugar-cube-sized devices would work by utilizing a gas-filled pump which enables waves of heat to be lifted from one end of a cylinder to the opposite side and dissipated via a copper heat sink. Unfortunately, researchers say these won't help with your lap-burning CPUs, so... sorry overclockers.

[Via New Scientist]

Read - High frequency pressure oscillator for microcryocoolers

Those coolers, however, may be put into action in outer space, perhaps on Lockeed Martin's newest babies: two unmanned commercial rockets which it hopes to put into use for cheap and easy satellite deployment. Of course, rockets tested recently at Spaceport America were only one-fifth the size of the actual crafts, and were used to demo design and handling inside our atmosphere. The hope is that the company would be able to easily transport materials to and from the weightless abyss above without lengthy launching procedures or hefty bribes to government officials.

[Via Slashdot]

Read - Spaceport launch tests future spacecraft

Likely the astronauts piloting the full-size versions of those ships will want to carry another new device on board, namely, a "Babelfish" communicator which would be able to translate alien languages into understandable speech. University of California researcher Terrence Deacon believes that language is just an attempt to describe our physical world, which limits the possibilities and paves the way for this future gadget. Sure, that all sounds like fun and games, but we doubt it will accurately translate the meaning of an Alien shooting that second, totally gross set of chompers out of its mouth.

Read - 'Babelfish' to translate alien tongues could be built

[fiochmhar_rc @ Apr 20th 2008 6:12PM]

This excites me like you couldn't possibly imagine.

[mac @ Apr 20th 2008 6:28PM]

Good news, everyone!

[DrZoid @ Apr 22nd 2008 8:19PM]

Alien: "We have it all......including proffesor Farnsworth's hand signature!"

The Proffesor: "Proffesor Farnsworth?! That ME!"

[Rohit Kapur @ Apr 20th 2008 6:12PM]

Nice concept for the new section. Though I wonder, would it be any worse if these stories were just posted independently on the site?

[Josh @ Apr 20th 2008 7:37PM]

But then they would have no reason to post Professor Farnsworth!

Haha

[Conor @ Apr 20th 2008 6:16PM]

Nice feature.
Could have featured the Ion Engine thats being developed for Space travel.
T.I.E. Fighter anyone?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7346789.stm

[Mike @ Apr 21st 2008 12:58AM]

Being developed? Ion engines have been in use for about a decade now. They have become almost ubiquitous on satellites for orbital adjustments. Deep Space 1 launched October 24, 1998!

[Steve Jones @ Apr 20th 2008 6:17PM]

Very good concept, perhaps an option to sign up and thus receieve via email if one wishes? You know, just in case i'm doing something terribly exciting on a Sunday, like slamming the bird.

[Raheem @ Apr 20th 2008 6:21PM]

I call sloppy seconds.

[Dillon @ Apr 20th 2008 6:44PM]

That reminds me of the episode where they were trying to translate some alien note, and the professor said that his machine can only translate into some ancient and unknown language, and then the machine says "Bonjour!" lol.

[ADAM @ Apr 21st 2008 7:18PM]

did anyone else read this in there head in the professers voice lol

[Ken Laninga @ Apr 20th 2008 7:30PM]

Yeah, cool idea! Like the neat idea I got from the Discovery Channel when Jay Ingram interviewed scientists et al re PUT-PUT or POP-POP Boats. Got so enthused about it I'm making boat 16 now. ALL my detailed instructions at:
http://www.sticksite.com/putputboat/ for the ones made from milk cartons and
http://www.sticksite.com/putputboat/metal-boat.html
for the metal ones. Darn addictive.

[BowserUSC @ Apr 21st 2008 3:50PM]

troll

[El Taco @ Apr 20th 2008 7:42PM]

why are all of the related comments about apple?

[Neebs @ Apr 20th 2008 7:54PM]

because you -- no, too obvious.

[bob @ Apr 20th 2008 10:46PM]

Because this is engadget. There's a reason why their coat of arms has 4 panels with the Apple logo on it....everyone's an Apple fan boy.

[andres @ Apr 20th 2008 7:43PM]

ill be in the angry dome!

[applefan @ Apr 20th 2008 9:10PM]

FIRST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.....wait....crap!

[Michael @ Apr 20th 2008 9:43PM]

Interesting stories. What about having writer's that are in the field? I am sure there are many people here that have advanced degrees or working on them who would love to write on the side to bring to attention to interesting works. Sadly my work is in cancer, but my love is gadgets!

[Thomas Cunningham @ Apr 20th 2008 10:08PM]

Good News Everyone! I've taught the toaster to feel love.

[Dillon @ Apr 21st 2008 12:05AM]

To shreds you say! tsk tsk tsk...

[ocelot212 @ Apr 21st 2008 1:52AM]

Whaa...!?

[Fred @ Apr 21st 2008 4:40AM]

This statement is wrong:

"Unfortunately, researchers say these [Stirling Engine coolers] won't help with your lap-burning CPUs"

MSI presents the "Air Power Cooler" chipset cooler:

http://global.msi.com.tw/index.php?func=newsdesc&news_no=591

[Yevon @ Apr 21st 2008 7:32AM]

Now only if they could put this article in suppository form...

[Bob @ Apr 21st 2008 9:46AM]

So thats what life would have been like if I had invented the finglonger, one can always dream, one can always dream...

[BluesK1d @ Apr 21st 2008 11:02AM]

Where can I get that big head Alien toy!? I must have one.

[Terpy @ Apr 21st 2008 3:19PM]

I think the little alien mouth is saying "Ich bin freundlich"
I'm not sure though, the conjugation is a little tricky.

[BluesK1d @ Apr 21st 2008 7:46PM]

For anyone else wondering where to find these mini Aliens (and others), Josh was kind enough to link me to the manufacturer - http://www.hottoys.com.hk/product.php?cat=15&pid=325