Finding the perfect route for Solar Impulse

Δημοσιεύτηκε στις 8 Μαΐ 2015

The zero-fuel Solar Impulse plane depends on perfect weather for its journey around the world. All forecasts are made by a team of specialists in Monaco, who also work out the best flight route. (RTS/swissinfo.ch)
Swiss aviation pioneers Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg are currently on the China leg of their first solar plane journey around the world. The pilots are constantly assisted by their team of meteorologists and engineers at headquarters in Monaco. At the Solar Impulse control base, the specialists work out the perfect flight route hour by hour.
For every change of route, Solar Impulse must get the green light from the air traffic control of the country it’s flying through. Because the plane is so light, even a bit of rain or wind can cause problems. But it also needs a lot of sun to recharge the batteries.
Weather was a key factor in the planning phase. The plane’s journey through India and Southern China was scheduled for certain months to avoid monsoon season. With so little sun in winter, Switzerland had to be ruled out as the starting point. One big hurdle for Solar Impulse will be crossing the Pacific and the Atlantic. Both require five days of non-stop cloudless weather. 

President Erdoğan: Turkey aims to use no external resources for defense systems

President Erdoğan predicts the Turkish defense industry will become completely independent in 2023 by using local and unique designs while defense producers are targeting $25 billion in exports by 2023

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said yesterday that Turkey is meeting 54 percent of its defense needs using its own resources. "Our aim is to completely eliminate external dependency on defense equipment supply with ongoing projects and investments until 2023. Our next target in the defense industry will be unique designs," Erdoğan said. Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 12th International Defense Industry Fair (IDEF), sponsored by the Turkish Armed Forces Foundation and held at TÜYAP Fair Convention and Congress Center, Erdoğan said, "There are two Turkish defense companies among the top 100 largest defense industry companies in the world. The production potential of our defense industry has surpassed $5 billion in the last year. With $1 billion in annual research and development expenses, our defense industry has become the industry that marks the most investment in research, development and technology." Turkish defense producers aim to increase exports from $1.6 billion last year to $25 billion by 2023, according to the undersecretary for defense industries. The top export items include aircraft, helicopter parts, engines, armored land vehicles, speed boats, missiles, rockets, launching platforms, light weapons and electronic systems, including transmitters, simulators, sensors and software.

Turkey is currently negotiating a $3.5 billion deal for a long-range air and anti-missile defense system, including local production, with suppliers from China and Europe. Turkey aims to spend around $70 billion on military equipment until 2023. The IDEF 2015 Fair, which has been held every other year since 1993, is expected to bring together more than 400 companies from 32 countries. The fair, which opened on Tuesday, will continue until May 8.

Erdoğan stressed that huge steps were taken in the defense industry during the first period of the Republic by considering the problems faced at the time, but unfortunately ready-made products began being bought from other countries especially after World War II. "Plane factories, shipyards and other facilities were locked down and those needs were supplied from external resources under the umbrella of NATO. The Cyprus interference and fight against terrorism, which has lasted for many years, clearly demonstrated it is necessary to establish our own defense industry. Always being prepared for security is an obligation as long as assailants are in the world," Erdoğan said. Turkey's defense spending was $13.2 billion in 2014, according to the Defense Ministry.

Erdoğan added that even the defense industry projects that he attended in the last two to three years were enough to give an idea about the ground covered in the field. He said: "I attended the opening of the ASELSAN Gölbaşı Campus Radar and Electronic War Technology Center on March 16, 2015. I witnessed the signing ceremony of the TÜRKSAT 6A project in Gebze on December 15, 2014. I also participated in the delivery ceremony of the ATAK helicopter in June 2014. I attended the delivery ceremony of the Büyükada warship, which is the second product of MILGEM projects, in September 2013. And I participated in the roll-out ceremony of our Hürkuş Aircraft in 2012. Besides all of these, works regarding the ALTAY main battle tank is in the final phase. The prototype of the tank is ready and mass production will begin soon. We are also engaging in many projects concerning unmanned aerial vehicles. The ANKA project and Taktik Unmanned Air Vehicle system are in their final phases, and MILGEM's Heybeliada warship came into service. As part of the same project, the building of the Burgazada ship is in process."

Erdoğan stressed nearly 100 military ships and fast patrol boats were built at Turkish shipyards and delivered to Coast Guard Command while the process of designing the national warship was continuing. He also highlighted the next aim in the defense industry was original design. "All of our projects serve this aim. Our ventures in the fields of industry and technology are not limited only to the defense industry. We are engaging in projects on various products ranging from indigenous chip production and indigenously designed automobiles, to high-speed train cars and wind power plants," Erdoğan said, emphasizing Turkey wants to reach a gross national product (GNP) of $2 trillion by 2023, which is now $800 billion. National Defense Minister İsmet Yılmaz said IDEF was the largest in the region and the fifth largest among the defense industry fairs in the world. Stressing the number of countries and defense companies attending the fair increases with each passing year and many protocols and cooperation agreements are signed during the fair, Yılmaz said, "Greater momentum will be gained in bilateral relations with new agreements. I believe IDEF will make huge contributions to the relations between countries.

The Harlem Globetrotters teach Pope Francis how to spin a basketball on ...

Turkey: Roman mosaics 'ruined' in botched restoration

Turkey: Roman mosaics 'ruined' in botched restoration

Mehmet Daskapan says "unforgivable errors" were made during restoration work

A number of valuable Roman mosaics have been badly damaged during botched restoration work at a museum in southern Turkey, it's reported.

An investigation has been launched after concerns were raised by a local craftsman over the condition of at least 10 mosaics at the Hatay Archaeology Museum, the Hurriyet Daily News website reports. Mehmet Daskapan first spoke out in an interview with a local paper in February, but the news was only picked up by mainstream Turkish media on Monday. "Valuable pieces from the Roman period have been ruined," Mr Daskapan told the Antakya Gazetesi website at the time. "They have become caricatures of their former selves. Some are in an especially poor condition and have lost their originality and value."

Before and after photos of the mosaics taken by Mr Daskapan show the "restored" versions look significantly different to the originals. Some stones appear to have been replaced with different colours and shapes, changing the facial expressions of the characters depicted. As a precaution, Turkey's culture ministry has suspended all restoration work at the site, which houses mosaics dating from the 2nd Century to the 6th Century AD. In December, the museum opened a huge new building, and curators are currently in the process of moving artefacts into the space. When the move is complete, it will devote 5,000 sq m (54,000 sq ft) to displaying mosaics.

Turkish media have likened the episode to an elderly Spanish woman's attempt to restore a Jesus Christ fresco in 2012. The finished product, on the wall of a church near Zaragoza, looked nothing like the original image.

Turkey's culture ministry has formed a commission to investigate the apparent damage

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5 MAY, 2015 - 14:08 LIZLEAFLOOR

Archaeological dig at ancient fortress site in Egypt reveals massive gate and graves of fallen warriors

Remnants of an ancient Egyptian army camp and mass graves containing fallen warriors have been found buried in the desert ruins site of Tjaru by a team of archaeologists.

The impressive size of the eastern gate of the ancient Tjaru fortress is revealed by the fragments uncovered at the site. Bearing inscriptions of Pharaoh Ramses II, the limestone pieces are 15 meters (49 feet) long and one meter (3 feet) wide. This massive gate secured the Way of Horus between Palestine and Egypt.

Large limestone fragments of the ancient gate at Tjaru Fortress, Egypt. Credit: Egypt Antiquities Ministry photo

Mamdouh al-Damaty, Minister of Antiquities in Egypt announced the discovery of the Egyptian army camp from the time of Thutmose III (Thutmosis) and Ramses II. The camp, located at the Tjaru Fortress in North Sinai (near present day Qantara) was led by the respective Pharaohs in the battles of Megiddo and Kadesh, reports Egypt Independent.

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A bas-relief carving of Seti I and Ramses II at Abydos. A collection of reliefs of these two men was found during the recent digs around Tharu. (Wikimedia Commons photo by Kurohito)

The 3,000-year-old ruin site of Tjaru was home to an ancient fortress on the Way of Horus. Due to its remote and hostile environment it was also said to be a place of exile for criminals.  The Way of Horus, or the Horus Military Road, led out of Egypt into Canaan (present day Gaza Strip). Along the route was a series of military forts with water reservoirs. These measures served as protection for ancient Egypt’s eastern borders.

“It was a key starting point for military campaigns during Egypt’s New Kingdom period (1580 B.C. – 1080 B.C.)” reports The Cairo Post.

This Google Map shows the present-day route of the ancient Horus Military Route from Qantara to Rafah. The body of water to the north is the Mediterranean Sea.

Archaeologists, working 3 kilometers (approximately 2 miles) east of the Suez Canal, also discovered several storage sites with seals bearing the name of Pharaoh Tuthmose III, as well as the graves and skeletal remains of soldiers who were killed in battle during the 26th Dynasty.

Thutmose III smiting his enemies. Relief on the seventh pylon in Karnak. Wikipedia

Thutmose III was the sixth Pharaoh of the 18th Dynasty. During the first 22 years of his reign, he was co-regent with his stepmother and aunt Hatshepsut, famous for taking on the male role of Pharaoh. After her death and his later rise to pharaoh of the kingdom, Thutmose III created the largest empire Egypt had ever seen, through numerous successful campaigns.

International Space Station bathroom tour

Δημοσιεύτηκε στις 5 Μαΐ 2015

Join ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti as she shows how astronauts on the International Space Station keep clean.

From soap to water and cutting your nails, everything is different in space. Samantha demonstrates her ways to ‘shower’ depending on how much time she has.

The astronauts on the Space Station spend as much time as possible on science. During her 40-hour working week Samantha runs many experiments from Italy’s ASI space agency and ESA, and takes part in even more from scientists all over the world.

Samantha is living and working on board the International Space Station as part of the six-strong Expedition 42 and 43 crew

Iranian Supreme Leader following Lausanne Declaration: Nothing Has Been ...

Δημοσιεύτηκε στις 5 Μαΐ 2015

In a speech delivered following the Lausanne declaration, Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said: "Our officials and those in charge of the nuclear portfolio tell us that nothing has been achieved in this respect. Nothing binding has been reached between the two parties." The speech was broadcast on the Iranian Al-Alam TV channel on April 10, 2015.

NEW 2016 BMW S 1000 XR review

Δημοσιεύτηκε στις 5 Μαΐ 2015

Following on from the S 1000 RR and HP4 superbikes as well as the S 1000 R roadster, BMW Motorrad is now unveiling the fourth member in the BMW Motorrad line-up of high-power motorcycles with straight-four-cylinder engines and a distinctly sporty bias. Building on the tantalising and unique mix of innovative technology, performance and safety already inherent to the existing models in this series, BMW Motorrad has taken the next step by bringing out the S 1000 XR, which offers this repertoire of core characteristics in a brand-new blend dubbed “adventure sport”. This encompasses dynamic touring qualities, sporty performance and high levels of comfort as well as outstanding everyday usability. In short, the new S 1000 XR serves up its own individual mix of sporting and touring flair at the same time as injecting a generous dose of emotion.

The straight-four-cylinder engine on the new BMW S 1000 XR is basically derived from the S 1000 R roadster. It has an output of 118 kW (160 hp) at 11,000 rpm and generates maximum torque of 112 Nm (83 lb-ft) at 9,250 rpm. This power unit produces torque in abundance, making it ideal for providing the punchy response at low and medium revs that riders seek when powering along country roads or carrying a passenger. The straight-four-cylinder unit combines tremendous pulling power and exhilarating acceleration with a high peak output, while offering the rider a usable rev range that spans over 10,000 rpm. This makes it just as adept at highly pleasurable touring as it is at sporty rides down winding country roads or holiday trips complete with passenger and luggage.

To enable the riding characteristics to be adapted to the prevailing road conditions as effectively as possible, the new S 1000 XR already comes with the “Rain” and “Road” riding modes as standard. The standard-fit Automatic Stability Control (ASC) ensures a high standard of riding safety by optimising traction. The new S 1000 XR can be equipped ex-works with the Pro riding modes option, which includes the additional riding modes “Dynamic” and “Dynamic Pro” along with Dynamic Traction Control (DTC) and ABS Pro.