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May 24, 2012
Jeff Jacoby: The peace process battered Israel's reputation
Michael Muskal: 'Pro-choice' position hits record low, according to poll
Chris Farrell: Are We in a Tech Bubble?
The Kosher Gourmet by Penelope Wall: PHILLY CHEESE STEAKS --- hold the steak!
May 23, 2012
Tony Pugh: More private colleges offering tuition discounts
Mary Beth Franklin: How to Choose the Right Annuity for You
Tina Susman: The wig wasn't enough: Man gets 13 years for posing as his dead mom
The Kosher Gourmet by Emma Christensen:A simple way to do fish right
May 22, 2012
Warren Richey: Can US group challenge overseas surveillance act? Supreme Court to decide
Thomas M. Anderson: Walking Away From a Mortgage
The Kosher Gourmet by Megan Gordon: Enjoy a celebration of the most rich and layered flavors: Black bean, sweet potato and quinoa chili
May 21, 2012
Mark Clayton: Cybersecurity: How US utilities passed up chance to protect their networks
Howard LaFranchi: NATO summit: Who will foot the bill for long-term Afghanistan security?
Chris Farrell : Earn Dividends in Emerging Markets with This WisdomTree ETF
Stephen Whiteside, Ph.D. : Mayo Clinic Medical Edge: Social anxiety disorder --- or just shy?
Guy Jackson : Victim's father regrets death of Lockerbie bomber
The Kosher Gourmet by Mario Batali: Famed chef's veal shoulder farsumagru: A festive meat course for late spring
May 18, 2012
Rabbi Berel Wein: Striving: The People of the Book's Book for (All of) the People
Steven Goldberg: 5 Great Stock Picks and the Exchange-Traded Fund that Owns Them
Mary Pickett, M.D.: Ask the Harvard Experts: Don't be forced into gluten-free lifestyle based merely on a doctor's false-positive test
The Kosher Gourmet by Carolyn Malcoun: DIY healthy lunchbox treats: HOMEMADE FRUIT BARS for kids and brown-bagging adults alike
May 17, 2012
Warren Richey: Teacher fired for being unwed and pregnant can sue religious school, court rules
Josh Mitnick: Netanyahu's 'centrist' coalition is already proving it's anything but
Steven Goldberg: Earn Dividends in Emerging Markets with This WisdomTree ETF
Amina Khan: Research links coffee to lower death rates
The Kosher Gourmet by Faith Duran : Cheesy Potato Breakfast Casserole with Cheddar and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
May 16, 2012
Carmen Terzic, M.D., Ph.D. : Mayo Clinic Medical Edge: A variety of exercises can help improve balance
Melissa Healy: National strategy on Alzheimer's disease aims to halt it by 2025
The Kosher Gourmet by Joyce White : GOODNESS GRACIOUS: GREENS! 4 winning recipes that are no longer just for down-home folks (Includes expert tips & techniques)
May 15, 2012
Kristen Chick: Obama administration resumes arms sales to Bahrain despite serious unresolved human rights issues. Activists feel abandoned
Pat Mertz Esswein: Homes are now affordable again and mortgage rates are low. What you need to know before you buy
Kathy Kristof: Our Practical Investor Fights Inflation with These 6 Investments
Sue Hubbard, M.D.: The Kid's Doctor: Lactose intolerant young child? Check again
The Kosher Gourmet by Kathy Hunt: Spread a Little Excitement with EXOTIC CONDIMENTS (4 RECIPES)
May 14, 2012
Lisa Gerstner: How to Protect Your Identity, Finances If You Lose Your Phone
Harvard Health Letters: Heart disease and dementia
The Kosher Gourmet by Megan Gordon: MANGO COCONUT OAT MORNING MUFFINS are a bright but hearty delight
May 11, 2012
Jessica L. Anderson: Get the Best Deal on a Used Car
Jett Stone: Forget face-lifts and fake knees. Scientists have seen the fountain of youth --- and it's broccoli
The Kosher Gourmet by Chef Mario Batali: The famed chef's vegetable dish that tastes true to the season: FAVAS AND SUGAR SNAP PEAS WITH POTATOES AND TARRAGON
May 10, 2012
Sergei L. Loiko: Putin sends warning to U.S., NATO in Victory Day speech at Red Square
Mary Rourke: How being a 'mentch' got Vidal Sasoon his start and fighting in Israel's War of Independence provided him with confidence and a strong sense of his own identity
Jeff Bertolucci: Get Home Phone Service for Less Than $10 a Month
The Kosher Gourmet by Betty Rosbottom: Gleaming with its golden, crimson, and snowy white hues, this silken smooth and creamy STRAWBERRY ORANGE TRIFLE looks impressive, but is easy to prepare
May 9, 2012
Sharon Palmer, R.D. How you can reduce your risk -- or delay -- chronic diseases associated with aging
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Jewish World Review
How jet packs work
By
Marshall Brain
http://www.JewishWorldReview.com | (MCT)
Lots of people fall asleep at night, and in their dreams they are able to fly like Superman. If you've ever had a dream like that, you know it feels great. The freedom is amazing.
So it's not hard to understand why the idea of a jet pack is so appealing. Imagine being able to put on some kind of backpack and being able to fly wherever you want. We see it in lots of movies. It's easy to imagine. Unfortunately, it has been very hard to turn this concept into reality.
But the attempts have been fascinating. By looking at the attempts, it is possible to understand why it has been so hard.
The first and most famous attempt is called the Bell Rocket Belt. It and its descendants do allow a person to put on a backpack and fly.
The way it works is incredibly simple. On your back are three tanks. One is filled with pressurized nitrogen. The other two hold highly concentrated hydrogen peroxide. This is not the stuff you buy at the drug store. Drugstore hydrogen peroxide is almost all water. Purified hydrogen peroxide is powerful stuff, and it makes a very good fuel.
The pressurized nitrogen is there to push the hydrogen peroxide out of the other two tanks. The hydrogen peroxide runs through a pipe and hits a silver mesh catalyst. When it hits the silver, the hydrogen peroxide immediately turns into oxygen and water. The water flashes into high pressure steam because of the heat of the reaction. The steam is then directed out two nozzles to create thrust. The pilot controls the amount of thrust with a hand grip, and controls the direction of the thrust by moving his or her body. An experienced pilot makes flying with a rocket belt look incredibly easy.
This system works great. People have flown it in James Bond movies and Super Bowl appearances. The only problem is that every flight lasts less than a minute, because the backpack runs out of fuel. You just can't put enough hydrogen peroxide on your back to fly for very long.
How do you get more range from the same amount of fuel? You have to use some kind of engine to move a whole lot of air, rather than using direct rocket-like thrust. There are two ways to move a lot of air: propellers and jet engines. If you think about it, you can see why. To create thrust, you use that classic law of motion: "to every action there is an equal and opposite reaction." So if you use a propeller or a fan to move air, you can take advantage of the reaction to that air's motion. Instead of carrying all of the "action" in your backpack, you take advantage of the air around you and move it with the propeller.
What we are seeing right now are people trying to fit propellers and jets into backpacks. There have been several attempts at this, the latest premiering at the 2008 Oshkosh air show. It's called the Martin Jetpack.
The Jetpack is a completely different animal. Instead of a relatively lightweight backpack, this machine weighs 250 pounds. It has a 200 horsepower engine powering two ducted propellers. To understand how big this engine is, keep in mind that many cars on the road today make do with less than 100 horsepower. The high-energy engine gives you enough power to get in the air. And it also lets you stay in the air for up to half an hour. With a top speed around 60 miles per hour, you can actually go somewhere with the Jetpack.
Will normal people be flying around with their Jetpacks anytime soon? It has taken almost 50 years to get to this point, so we can probably expect a few more years. And the initial prices seem to be in the north-of-$100,000 range right now. It will take time for prices to drop. Still, the possibility is looking a lot better than it did a few years ago.
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Comment by clicking here.
Previously:
How seismographs work
How Olympic technology works
How Personal Rapid Transit works
How 3G works
How the Global Position System (GPS) works
How octane works
How cruise missiles work
How submarines work
How miles work
How octane works
How food preservation works
How beer works
How holding your breath works
How smoke detectors work
How heat pumps work
How your night vision works
How concentrating solar collectors work
How your key fob works
How the common cold works
How the Large Hadron Collider Works
How making a TV show works
How dry cleaning works
How exoskeletons work
How an oil refinery works
How landfills work
How the Orion spacecraft works
The cutting edge in HDTV
Redefining the CD
How the HDMI cable scam works
How glow-in-the-dark toys work
How the subprime mortgage crisis works
How gift cards work
How Tasers work
How giant TV screens work
How foreclosure works
How Air Force One works
How wildfire fighting works
How vitamins work
How ejection seats work
How reattaching limbs works
How hot air balloons work
How paparazzi work
How counterfeiting works
How CDs work
How the Edsel worked
How Stinger missiles work
How hybrid cars work
How sharks work
How mosquitoes work
How diesel engines work
How water towers work
How the Dawn mission works
How Kassam rockets work
How the North American Eagle works
Why aren't we flying to work?
How tofu and soy milk work
How Colony Collapse Disorder works
How airbags work
How the U.S. income tax works
How gum works
How caffeine works
How Daylight Saving Time works
How a cruise missile works
How snow making works
© 2007, How Stuff Works Inc. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
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