The Alvin Weinberg Foundation is a non-profit organization established in honor of Dr. Alvin Weinberg, who was a prominent figure in the field of nuclear engineering and served as the director of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) for many years. The foundation aims to promote research, education, and policy initiatives related to energy, science, and technology, emphasizing the safe and sustainable use of nuclear energy.
A nuclear reactor is a facility or device used to initiate and control a sustained nuclear chain reaction. Nuclear reactors are primarily employed for two purposes: the generation of electrical power and the production of isotopes for various applications, including medical and industrial uses. ### How Nuclear Reactors Work 1. **Nuclear Fission**: The core principle behind nuclear reactors is the process of nuclear fission.
Direct energy conversion refers to processes that convert one form of energy directly into another without the intermediate step of converting it to heat or another intermediate form. Traditional energy conversion methods often involve multiple steps, such as converting chemical energy in fossil fuels to heat, then to mechanical energy, and finally to electrical energy. In contrast, direct energy conversion aims to reduce energy losses and improve efficiency by streamlining this process.
Todd Siler is an American artist, author, and entrepreneur known for his innovative work that intersects art, science, and psychology. He has developed a unique approach that focuses on the relationship between creativity and the way we perceive the world. Siler is particularly recognized for his contributions to the field of creativity training and his efforts to enhance creative thinking in various settings. In addition to his artistic pursuits, Siler has written books that explore the nature of creativity and the cognitive processes involved in artistic expression.
A neutron source is a device or material that produces neutrons, which are neutrally charged subatomic particles found in atomic nuclei. Neutrons are used in a variety of applications, including scientific research, medical treatments, and industrial processes. Neutron sources can be classified into several types based on their mechanism of neutron production: 1. **Radioactive Isotope Sources**: Certain isotopes emit neutrons as a result of radioactive decay.
A nuclear fusion-fission hybrid is a type of nuclear reactor design that combines elements of both nuclear fusion and nuclear fission processes to generate energy. The concept seeks to harness the advantages of both methods to create a more efficient and potentially safer form of energy production.
A survey meter is a portable radiation detection instrument used to measure the intensity of ionizing radiation in the environment. It is commonly used in various fields such as nuclear energy, medical applications, environmental monitoring, and emergency response to assess radiation levels and ensure safety.
William Herbert Rollins was a prominent figure in the field of radiology and is best known for his contributions to the medical use of X-rays. He was born in 1869 and became influential in the early 20th century as a physician and radiologist. Rollins played a key role in advocating for radiation safety and was concerned about the harmful effects of X-rays on patients and medical professionals.
An electric arc is a luminous electrical discharge that occurs when current flows through a gas, such as air, between two electrodes. This process typically happens when the potential difference (voltage) between the electrodes is high enough to ionize the gas, which allows electrical conduction. The arc produces a bright light and significant heat, making it useful for various applications, including welding, lighting, and electrical discharges in circuits.
KMS Fusion typically refers to a cloud-based solution provided by KMS Technology that focuses on helping organizations build and manage their development and deployment processes more effectively. It integrates various technologies and practices to streamline workflows, improve collaboration, and enhance software delivery.
A Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) drive is a method of propulsion that uses the principles of magnetohydrodynamics, which is the study of the behavior of electrically conducting fluids in the presence of magnetic fields. In an MHD system, a conducting fluid (such as plasma, seawater, or liquid metals) is propelled by electromagnetic forces generated by the interaction between the fluid's motion and an external magnetic field.
Nuclear pulse propulsion is a theoretical spacecraft propulsion method that uses nuclear explosions to generate thrust. The basic concept involves detonating a series of nuclear bombs behind a spacecraft, which pushes it forward. This idea was notably explored in the 1950s and 1960s in a project called Project Orion. ### How It Works: 1. **Nuclear Pulses**: The spacecraft would carry a payload of nuclear bombs.
Plasma stealth refers to the use of plasma technology to reduce the radar cross-section (RCS) of an object, such as an aircraft or a spacecraft, making it less detectable by radar systems. This concept leverages the properties of plasma—ionized gas that can conduct electricity and respond to electromagnetic fields. Plasma stealth works on the principle that a layer of plasma can absorb or deflect radar waves, breaking up the radar signature of the object.
Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence is a complex field of study that combines aspects of fluid dynamics and magnetohydrodynamics, which is the behavior of electrically conducting fluids in the presence of a magnetic field. MHD turbulence is particularly relevant in astrophysical contexts, such as in the behavior of plasmas in stars, galaxies, and interstellar space, as well as in industrial processes involving liquid metals and other conducting fluids.
Pencil Code is an online platform designed for teaching programming through interactive coding environments. It allows users, especially students, to learn coding concepts using a visual and engaging interface. The platform supports various programming languages, including JavaScript, and encourages creativity and problem-solving through projects and challenges. Pencil Code often includes features such as: 1. **Visual Coding**: Users can create animations, drawings, and games with simple drag-and-drop tools, making it accessible for beginners.
Pinned article: Introduction to the OurBigBook Project
Welcome to the OurBigBook Project! Our goal is to create the perfect publishing platform for STEM subjects, and get university-level students to write the best free STEM tutorials ever.
Everyone is welcome to create an account and play with the site: ourbigbook.com/go/register. We belive that students themselves can write amazing tutorials, but teachers are welcome too. You can write about anything you want, it doesn't have to be STEM or even educational. Silly test content is very welcome and you won't be penalized in any way. Just keep it legal!
Intro to OurBigBook
. Source. We have two killer features:
- topics: topics group articles by different users with the same title, e.g. here is the topic for the "Fundamental Theorem of Calculus" ourbigbook.com/go/topic/fundamental-theorem-of-calculusArticles of different users are sorted by upvote within each article page. This feature is a bit like:
- a Wikipedia where each user can have their own version of each article
- a Q&A website like Stack Overflow, where multiple people can give their views on a given topic, and the best ones are sorted by upvote. Except you don't need to wait for someone to ask first, and any topic goes, no matter how narrow or broad
This feature makes it possible for readers to find better explanations of any topic created by other writers. And it allows writers to create an explanation in a place that readers might actually find it.Figure 1. Screenshot of the "Derivative" topic page. View it live at: ourbigbook.com/go/topic/derivativeVideo 2. OurBigBook Web topics demo. Source. - local editing: you can store all your personal knowledge base content locally in a plaintext markup format that can be edited locally and published either:This way you can be sure that even if OurBigBook.com were to go down one day (which we have no plans to do as it is quite cheap to host!), your content will still be perfectly readable as a static site.
- to OurBigBook.com to get awesome multi-user features like topics and likes
- as HTML files to a static website, which you can host yourself for free on many external providers like GitHub Pages, and remain in full control
Figure 3. Visual Studio Code extension installation.Figure 4. Visual Studio Code extension tree navigation.Figure 5. Web editor. You can also edit articles on the Web editor without installing anything locally.Video 3. Edit locally and publish demo. Source. This shows editing OurBigBook Markup and publishing it using the Visual Studio Code extension.Video 4. OurBigBook Visual Studio Code extension editing and navigation demo. Source. - Infinitely deep tables of contents:
All our software is open source and hosted at: github.com/ourbigbook/ourbigbook
Further documentation can be found at: docs.ourbigbook.com
Feel free to reach our to us for any help or suggestions: docs.ourbigbook.com/#contact





