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"Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less." – Marie Curie
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Theme by Stijn
February 10th
19:46
11 notes

Thermal Imaging Reveals Elephants’ Secret to Keeping Cool

During the day, these large land mammals have a very consistent overall temperature and cool themselves off by tossing mud onto their backs. However, these images revealed that at night, the elephant’s temperature range was radically different, with the mud still very effectively keeping the back cool. Their trunks and eyes possess and radiate the most heat, while their ears stope giving off heat completely. Zoologists are grateful for the study, as the new information could help determine whether elephants in captivity should spend the nights indoors.

#science      #tech      #zoology      #animal beahvior      #elephants      #heat      #thermal imaging     
January 28th
21:24
14 notes
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Thermal image of bats in flight, taken by researchers at Boston University, in their attempts to understand how bats respond to differences in weather, climate, and bug activity when it comes to navigation.  According to the United State Geological Survey, bats save farmers at least $3 billion a year by scarfing down insects that would otherwise eat crops. But bats are threatened by white-nose syndrome, a fungal disease that kills them, as well as by deadly collisions with wind turbines. Researchers estimate that the loss of one million bats in the Northeast alone has probably resulted in between 660 and 1320 metric tons fewer insects being eaten by bats each year. Now that’s scarier than blood-red bats any day.

Thermal image of bats in flight, taken by researchers at Boston University, in their attempts to understand how bats respond to differences in weather, climate, and bug activity when it comes to navigation. 

According to the United State Geological Survey, bats save farmers at least $3 billion a year by scarfing down insects that would otherwise eat crops. But bats are threatened by white-nose syndrome, a fungal disease that kills them, as well as by deadly collisions with wind turbines. 

Researchers estimate that the loss of one million bats in the Northeast alone has probably resulted in between 660 and 1320 metric tons fewer insects being eaten by bats each year. Now that’s scarier than blood-red bats any day.

#science      #thermal imaging      #bats      #conservation      #environment      #pest control      #white-nose syndrome      #learn     
December 12th
00:41
10 notes
Source
Thermal Imaging Camera for Soldiers’ Smarthphones Smartphones are already all-purpose, do-everything tools for civilians. Could they soon fulfil the same role for soliders? DARPA wants to take a step in that direction by shrinking thermal imaging cameras to fit into soldiers’ phones. Thermal imaging shows how the world looks at infrared wavelengths of 8 to 12 micrometres. At those wavelengths, people, warm-blooded animals, and operating engines glow brightly against the cooler background of plants and soil. Firefighters use thermal imaging cameras to identify dangerous hot spots. Soldiers use them to check what might be lurking in the brush, especially in dim light. But today’s thermal imaging cameras are big and expensive: standard military versions resemble binoculars and cost thousands of dollars. Civilian models used by firefighters and contractors cost $1000 or more and may weigh a few kilograms. Key problems are the high cost, large size, and power requirements of the infrared-sensitive sensors needed to record images at wavelengths about 20 times longer than visible light. To overcome those problems, DARPA is paying Raytheon Vision Systems $13.4 million over three years to develop ways to make the sensors small and cheap enough to be integrated into phones. Soon every US soldier could have a thermal imaging camera in their back pocket.

Thermal Imaging Camera for Soldiers’ Smarthphones

Smartphones are already all-purpose, do-everything tools for civilians. Could they soon fulfil the same role for soliders? DARPA wants to take a step in that direction by shrinking thermal imaging cameras to fit into soldiers’ phones.

Thermal imaging shows how the world looks at infrared wavelengths of 8 to 12 micrometres. At those wavelengths, people, warm-blooded animals, and operating engines glow brightly against the cooler background of plants and soil. Firefighters use thermal imaging cameras to identify dangerous hot spots. Soldiers use them to check what might be lurking in the brush, especially in dim light.

But today’s thermal imaging cameras are big and expensive: standard military versions resemble binoculars and cost thousands of dollars. Civilian models used by firefighters and contractors cost $1000 or more and may weigh a few kilograms. Key problems are the high cost, large size, and power requirements of the infrared-sensitive sensors needed to record images at wavelengths about 20 times longer than visible light.

To overcome those problems, DARPA is paying Raytheon Vision Systems $13.4 million over three years to develop ways to make the sensors small and cheap enough to be integrated into phones. Soon every US soldier could have a thermal imaging camera in their back pocket.

#science      #military      #technology      #thermal imaging      #smart phones      #learn