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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 Stuff Works: How aircraft carriers work
By
Marshall Brain
http://www.JewishWorldReview.com | (MCT)
With tensions rising around the world, America's military is constantly in the news. One of the most important parts of that military power is the aircraft carrier. A carrier is the largest machine in the arsenal, and it has an incredible ability. With an aircraft carrier, the United States can bring a complete, miniaturized military airfield to any part of the world in just a week or two.
The most impressive part of an aircraft carrier is its sheer size. At more than 1,000 feet long and 20 stories high, an aircraft carrier is like a mini city. It comes complete with at least 5,000 crew members to keep everything running.
Such a massive ship would need an incredible amount of fuel if it were using normal engines. Instead, U.S. aircraft carriers use nuclear reactors. Once the two reactors are installed, a carrier contains enough nuclear fuel to run for more than a decade. The reactors create steam, which drives a set of steam turbines. Each of the carrier's four massive propellers (21 feet in diameter) has its own turbine, and together the turbines create something on the order of 280,000 horsepower. The turbines also drive electric generators to provide all of the ship's power.
An aircraft carrier needs a lot of electricity. There is a huge air conditioning system to keep people and equipment cool. There's a desalination plant that processes half a million gallons of water a day. And there is a massive refrigeration system. There is enough food on board to feed 6,000 people for 70 days.
The whole point of all this technology is to create a floating airport. The flight deck covers about 4.5 acres. Beneath it is a massive hangar that can hold up to 100 airplanes. This hangar is 110 feet wide and almost 700 feet long - about 2 acres of covered space where planes can be stowed and repaired. To move the planes from the hangar to the flight deck there are four gigantic elevators. An elevator can lift about 150,000 pounds at a time.
Although an aircraft carrier is huge, it is tiny compared to a normal airport. Runways can be thousands of feet long on land. At sea there's just a few hundred feet to take off and land. An aircraft carrier gets around this problem using special technology.
When a plane needs to lift off, the technology takes the form of a steam-powered catapult. An airplane lines up and a crew member attaches its front wheel to the catapult shaft. The pilot guns the engines for maximum thrust, and then a crew member known as the "shooter" fires the catapult. A 45,000-pound plane goes from 0 to 165 miles per hour in the space of 300 feet. The whole process takes about 2 seconds, and the plane is in the air. It is possible to launch one plane every 25 seconds if needed.
When it is time to land, the technology takes the form of a tail hook on the airplane and four arresting cables stretched across the deck. The pilot's goal is to drop the plane so the hook snags a cable. Once snagged, the cable will reel out and bring the plane to a stop in about 300 feet. If the pilot misses the cables, the goal is to gun the engines, get back in the air and try again.
All these airplanes take a lot of fuel. There's more than 3 million gallons on board an aircraft carrier. But, like the crew's food, it's a limited amount. For this reason, an aircraft carrier never goes out alone. It always travels with a flotilla of other ships collectively known as a carrier battle group. The battle group includes resupply ships as well as guided missile cruisers, two destroyers, two submarines and a frigate to protect against enemy submarines. Together these ships collectively protect the aircraft carrier and each other against ships, missiles, airplanes and torpedoes.
U.S. aircraft carriers are so impressive that other nations are building up their own fleets. Britain is in the process of building several new carriers that will come on line around 2017. Russia plans to have 12 battle groups. China and India are setting up fleets as well. In 10 years, there will be dozens of aircraft carriers roaming the seas. It will be a completely different world.
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Previously:
How antibiotics and vaccines work
How mucus works
How iron and steel work
How aspirin works
How igloos work
How the Predator UAV works
How retention ponds work
How water absorbers work
How melamine works
How digital music works
How coal mining works
How an economic depression works
How the liver works
How 3D movies work
How oil pipelines work
How jet packs work
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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