#electromagnetic signal receiver

[sw5w]

Anakin Skids to a Stop

STAR WARS EPISODE I: The Phantom Menace 01:59:00

[conflictofthemind]

TL;DR: HNL was studying how to give human subjects electromagnetic, most specifically visible light based, powers in order to bend space-time for their needs.

I’m going to try and condense this as much as I can because considering electromagnetism as a major force in ST (pun intended) opens up so many potential areas of analysis that can only be a brief cover of without turning into multiple essays.

Let’s go over the electromagnetic spectrum:

I hope you might already be recognizing some symbols we see often in Stranger Things, especially if you’ve been following the BTS and some location and set leaks from Season 5.

The electromagnetic spectrum encompasses the different frequencies of electromagnetic radiation - waves of energy that travel at the speed of light (and produce visible light to us at certain frequencies). You’ve probably heard of most of these, including cancer-causing gamma rays and x-rays, the visible light spectrum (the rainbow), microwaves, and radio waves.

In S5, we have the radio station as a main location for the characters. They’re also driving around in the radio station’s van, which has an image of a hawk emitting a rainbow (visible light radiation). Steve’s car also has a massive antenna on top of it. My first thoughts were that the team was trying to keep in contact with Max in hopes of her being able to hear them in her coma, considering she has a radio near her bedside. While that still may be a reason, I think the characters may have come to realize how important electromagnetic fields could be in their fight against Vecna (this where leader of the AV Club also focused on electromagnetic objects Scott Clarke may make his triumphant return).

Now to pivot onto why electromagnetism is so important to the lore of ST:

What the scientists in Hawkins Lab are likely studying is a way for human brains to produce or manipulate certain types of electromagnetic waves through telepathy. Most obviously this is seen by them having the kids try to manipulate and turn on a circle of light bulbs. Our brains actually already produce electromagnetic waves, but at a very slow frequency. The scientists are constantly measuring brain waves while conducting these experiments. We even get full shots of El’s brain waves during NINA, for example. We also see similar shots in S2 while Will is in the HNL.

You can also observe that the Hawkins National Laboratory has absolutely massive satellite dishes on it’s rooftop; ones that do not exist on the real life building but are added in post because they pose some sort of significance. Nudge, it’s because they are transmitting and receiving massive amounts of electromagnetic waves.

Why are they studying electromagnetic waves then?

They are studying electromagnetic waves because they are a method in which time travel can theoretically be achieved - the focus of the Montauk Project in which Stranger Things is based on. The military likely is investigating time travel as another war tactic against Russia.

Let us take a look at the first chapter of the Montauk Project: Experiments in Time book (they are seriously plagiarizing the living hell out of this thing):

Also, did you catch the whole 'attaching a massive antenna on the hood of my car to pick up a secret signal' thing? That's suspiciously similar to the state of Steve's car! Anyway...

The story of Stranger Things starts chronologically, as does Montauk, with the disappearance of the USS Eldridge and Project Rainbow (named after the bending of the visible light spectrum). Brenner’s father was revealed to have captained the boat in TFS, which disappeared for 12 hours into Dimension X and when it came back, the crew was killed or driven mad (except for Brenner Sr). This inspires Brenner to continue onto the Nevada project, and eventually, Hawkins National Lab’s studies. The USS Eldridge / Philadelphia Project conspiracy from real life went as follows:

They were studying electromagnetism, specifically the bending of light, to make objects invisible. This was only the first step in the experiments. Once Henry got involved and came back from his trip to Dimension X with powers, Brenner must have realized he could potentially use human subjects to manipulate electromagnetic fields themselves. Human subjects didn’t require machinery or set up and could bend space-time wherever they pleased, as long as they were able to learn the ability.

The more conspiratiorial side of Theoretical Physics proposes using circulating light beams to warp time-space, creating a wormhole in which one can literally walk through time. This is pop-science, likely not true but interesting for fiction purposes. This method of time travel being used is heavily implied due to the fact that the USS Eldridge was already able to disappear into another dimension by the bending of light.

This is how it worked in the Montauk Project book (absolutely ridiculous how much they took from this honestly):

My guess is that in the Stranger Things universe, they have not yet managed to time travel, only to create portals into this alien Dimension X. Previously, said portals were only made twice by highly advanced technological equipment. El demonstrated that she was able to open a portal all by herself - another step to achieving time travel with singular human subjects. Season five is when we will see the beginning of the time travel plot line, though it like in Montauk is likely already in a loop.

That’s where we get the name for the Rainbow Room, named after this Project Rainbow. The rainbow represents the full spectrum of visible light, and the goals of the project to bend said light into portals and eventually time travel wormholes.

Implications?:

-Well, first of all it seems very obvious by this point that we are going for a time travel plot line, and this is how it will be achieved.

-Will is heavily connected to light in general, the sun, and of course… the rainbow. He is also implied be the one involved in the time travel plot line. This will be very relevant going forward and deserves it’s own post. Potential funniness of defeating Vecna with the power of the rainbow afoot.

-Coma patients are known to have odd, barely detectable brain waves. The kids will be able to communicate with Max in her coma using the electromagnetic spectrum somehow, probably through the radio waves.

-On the farthest end of the spectrum, we have ionizing gamma ray radiation, which is known to cause cancer in humans. Expect Hopper’s daughter Sara to connect to this plot line (and perhaps Sam Owens’ dead son). There is a whole theory on this site already called radiationgate. I have not managed to look into it yet but I think they are probably onto something there. The original al pitch mentions the UD leakage into the real world causing cancer as well.

[rassicas]

so, home spawn points!

- are they considered a form of home security system, or some kind of safety feature like having a fire extinguisher around (or maybe both)? are they something that comes standard with inkfish homes, or is it an income-related thing where not everyone can afford one?

- do they have any additional purposes like maybe transportation (like can they be hooked up to other spawn points to quickly teleport an inkfish home)?

- how did the salmonids know where it was, and that they needed to disconnect it? makes me think they've been watching cress for quite some time...

[DISCLAIMER: the following post is full of headcanon, extrapolated from what canon information there is or just What I Think Makes Sense] i have SOOO many thoughts about spawn points i'll try and not get side tracked and answer the questions LOL Communal spawn points are located on rooftops of residential buildings, where the building owner pays to maintain it and it's expected that only residents of that building use it, and in public places around the city, funded by the city. The nearest spawn point to Cress falls under that first category.

I last minute threw some spawn points of the rooftops of some nearby buildings in the last panel. So to answer the last question, the Salmonids knew that the spawn point was on the roof, because that's where it always is for an apartment building. This comic takes place some time before S3 era, so the one-man flying spawn points aren't in common use yet. I'd imagine hi-tech communal spawns are less common in less affluent areas and areas with low populations of inkfish vs other species, and extremely rare in the octarian domes due to electricity demands. I'd think there'd be more low-tech, slower ways to respawn, but the modern style of machinery is truly the best way to do it. the spawn points have two purposes: -to revive an inkfish in case of an accident at home/public space -navigation

The spawn points themselves aren't teleporters, but rather the kettles are, kind of- the way i think that works is that the kettles turn the inkling's genetic info and soul into a gaseous form, and the spawn point functions as a receiver and can rebuild the body from there- anyway. The main way inkfish get around is by super jumping, and to super jump to a far away location, you need an electromagnetic signal to hone in on, like radio waves from a radio tower, a satellite dish, or a spawn point. this signal emitted from the spawn points helps not only with guidance for super jumping, but it also helps guide the soul of a downed inkfish to it. The signals of each of these spawn points Feel different (maybe depending on what ink color it's loaded with, or particular to the machine itself, or both), and it'd be much much easier to hone in on the signal of a far away spawn point you're used to and have physically been to before than one you haven't. Cell phones are also built to pick up these signals from spawn points, kind of like wifi networks. Also like wifi networks, you can register a spawn point as a "home" spawn point, and your phone can notify you if it suddenly goes out or if it's been reloaded with a different color or something.

fortunately for cress, he forgot to turn on "do not disturb" on the spawn point notifs.

[random-dex]

#0046 - Paras

Icicle Pokemon

"The spikes on its back serve as antennae, letting Paras pick up electromagnetic waves from the air, as well as transmit its own."

---------

 #0047 - Parastat

Icicle Pokemon

"Rather than think for itself, it follows orders received via electrical signals. If cut off from electromagnetic waves, it stands unmoving, the light in its crystal dim."

Note: Paras' sprite is based on Paras' DPPt sprite. Parastat's sprite is based on Parasect's Gold sprite.

[jamethinks]

They can take my electricity but they can’t take my liberty! Here’s a list of Anya power evolution headcanons

This is basically how I plan on having her powers evolve from simple audiovisual telepathy to something more advanced. Each evolution represents a specific personal growth in Anya and the ways she’s changed since first meeting Loid and Yor! (Less for you more my fanfic because writing helps me remember)

Spidey senses: the ability to identify when someone enters a room

Amplified empathy: the ability to visually see a persons emotions as an aura with blended colours. As Anya gets more in tune with her emotions and personal empathy grows. It starts as one major colour and then blends to give a more comprehensive profile

Echo location: uses the volume of someone’s thoughts to tell how far the are

Subconscious thoughts: currently Anya can only access someone’s active thoughts but with this ability she can access their more passive subconscious thoughts. The more she reads minds the better she is at understanding human psychology and what causes thoughts, therefore her interpretation become more detailed. Eg Damian can’t hide the fact he likes her anymore because she can actually map out the ramblings and find the source

Dream access: Anya can now see your dreams. Evolution on subconscious thoughts. If you’re asleep she can put her hand on your head and see what you’re dreaming about, granted it’s just as confusing for her as it is for you so not a very useful power

Memory access: now Anya can literally see your entire mind, start to finish. Before she would have to ask you what you had for breakfast (or prompt you) and hope you actually think bout it but now she can see everything you remember but only what you remember what ever your brain forgot she won’t know

Language sourcing: do you a language? Well now does Anya, temporarily. Essentially she can access your entire vocabulary and perfectly replicate it. This not only includes languages but also dialects, accents and unique speech quirks.

Limited mind control: while she can’t actually change your mind she can influence your thoughts in a rather disturbing way. Unlike her other abilities you can actually kind of recognize if she’s doing this because if she changes too many thoughts or makes too drastic of a change your mind will notice. It can always cause people to go crazy and have mental breakdowns because it’s basically like an auditory hallucination which isn’t very funny

AANN: Anya can connect to various antennas, satellites, Bluetooth, just about any wireless communication device. When connected it produces a Morse code that says AANN. The direction of the device does limit her ability so she can broadcast signals if it’s a broadcast device but receivers just means she’s hear the signal instead (so if she connects to a radio she’ll hear the radio). With the broadcast one it doesn’t send any message to anyone (the signal sent is replaced by AANN) but instead amplifies her telepathic reach so she can hear an entire country if she connects to a big enough tower. Note: Bluetooth does not exist in this canon just giving a modern example lol.

Pyrokenitics(?): she can set things on fire. Not a distinct ability, it’s normal a result of over extending the previous ability. It causes things to rapidly overheat which can cause it melt or combust

Telekinesis: this was a given I mean come on she’s an esper. It’s obviously very limited and would require and insane amount of power. Her powers are electromagnetic so she can act a sort of massive magnet and can push or pull things depending on which hand she is using. It’s a very faulty power though since it attracts any metal and it’s hard to concentrate it

These skills are all dormant in her at the moment mainly because she lacks the skills to use them. Even after gaining said skills she still has to learn how to use them. It’s mostly a case of either lack of education (math, geometry and physics specifically) but also emotional intelligence. So as she grows socially and educationally she will be able to unlock and learn how to use these abilities. This is also why she needs limiters because atm her powers are not that draining but as the grow with her it will cause problems

[colinmkl]

Kamen Rider NRV Lore Dump!

Manticore

Manticore LLC is a major medical technology company. Publicly, they are most known for their artificial organs and limb prosthesis as well as several other medical devices and equipment used in hospitals worldwide. Less widely publicized are their numerous military contracts, developing cutting edge medical treatment technologies but also advanced weapons, drones, and other offensive hardware.

Nanoderm

The scientific breakthrough that lead Manticore to dominate in the field of med-tech is the invention of micro-sensors that are capable of reading brain signals in the nervous system and translating them into data a computer can interpret with absolute precision. These microscopic sensors can be integrated into programmable nanomachines that interlock in a mesh that forms durable skin-like material called Nanoderm.  If an exposed section of human tissue is covered in Nanoderm and then allowed to heal, the Nanoderm will become integrated with the tissue like a layer of natural skin. Any impulses or signals sent by the brain to that part of the body will be received by the Nanoderm and translated into data. That data can then be read as motor commands by a Manticore prosthesis. Basic prosthesis models can receive this data via magnetic nodes embedded in the surface of the Nanoderm but more advanced models, capable of finer dexterity/expanded functionality, require a “bone spike,” a rod-like data plug that interfaces with a port in the Nanoderm area that is connected to more advanced sensors. The socket and sensor hardware is imbedded in the body through a surgical procedure.

The catch with the Nanoderm system is it must be applied to the body before the exposed tissue heals over and the exposed nerve endings have a chance to close off, or in other words, while the wound is “fresh”, otherwise the healed tissue must be cut away and a fresh wound made. This means that in emergency situations a patient or their next of kin must make a snap decision to undergo the expensive Nanoderm compatibility surgery as part of their emergency treatment. Of course some insurance plans will cover some or all of this cost. Additionally Manticore has deals with some insurance providers that the surgery come standard with higher end coverage plans, forgoing the need for patient consent. Manticore has exclusive patent rights to the Nanoderm system, meaning once you are Nanoderm compatible, you are locked into the Manticore ecosystem of prosthesis and devices. Additionally your devises can only be serviced by Manticore certified technicians and only Manticore doctors are trained in Nanoderm patient care.

Remote Command (RC)

Manticore is a sprawling corporation with many secrets. One such secret is the Remote Command program. A project Manticore has been working on behind closed doors, the Remote Command program involves research into sending brain signals over great distances without a physical connection between the sensor and the receiving devise. With RC a person could control a prosthetic arm in another part of the world as though it were part of their body. This is achieved by broadcasting the impulses across a proprietary electromagnetic wave length to the receiving nodes. The signal travels point to point and back again at light speed. The potential RC has for the future of drone warfare is staggering, not to mention the potential for profit.

Sensitive as this information is, there’s another layer. All Nanoderm currently in use by people around the world is capable of receiving Remote Command. With the right inputs it can reshape its self, self-replicate, and even, under certain conditions, send signals back to the user’s brain, causing brain damage or, theoretically, controlling them. Whether this functionality of Nanoderm was an intentional feature or not is unknown to anyone currently employed at Manticore but the company has no pans currently to use the Nanoderm in this way. What is known, however, is that if this function ever becomes public knowledge it would be disastrous for Manticore, not to mention the chaos that would ensue if a bad actor were to exploit this function for malicious purposes.

Manticore Special Security (Spec-Sec)

Manticore LLC has secrets, and it has enemies. To protect its secrets, combat its enemies, address the threats to public safety those things pose, (and protect its corporate interests), Manticore formed the Manticore Special Security Division. More than just your standard private security outfit, Spec-Sec is a fully equipped task force and strike force designed to identify, target, track, confront, and nullify any threat to the company and its assets. Thanks to Manticore’s history of generous donations and good standing with local police forces, the Spec-Sec Division is able to operate with a certain degree of discretion, allowing them to carry out operations without interference from police or the legal system. Lead by Special Security Director Sloane, her hand-picked crack team of Special Officers have carried out dozens of high risk operations with ruthless efficacy and, so-far, minimal casualties. Spec-Sec utilizes the most cutting edge technology and weaponry Manticore has, often before it’s even close to market ready. In some cases necessity dictates that Spec-Sec operations serve as ad hoc field tests for experimental equipment.

Core Drivers, Data Boosters, and the Kamen Rider program

The Core Driver is a piece of technology that was developed as part of research into the use of Nanoderm to enhance a soldier’s physical performance on the battlefield. The concept was to temporarily cover the user’s entire body in a layer of Nanoderm mesh that could respond to the signals from the user’s brain in such a way that would increase their strength, speed, perception, and reflexes. The solution was the Core Driver, a device that would house the billions of Nanoderm nanomachines and serve as the computational core for the whole mesh network. Along with the Core Driver was the Data Booster, a flash drive-like device shaped like a syringe. The data booster contained the information that told the nanomachines to deploy from the Core Driver and cover the user. Additionally the Booster came with its own payload of nanomachines that, when the plunger of the syringe was depressed, would also be deployed through the Core Diver and take the form of armor and weapons. Basically, a user need only insert the Data Booster into the Core Diver, clearly speak a voice authentication phrase, and depress the plunger and they would instantly be wearing a powerful yet flexible armored body suit. The project was called the “Kamen Rider program” after the masked visage of the user’s armored faceplate (“Kamen” being the Japanese word for “mask”).

The Project had its drawbacks, however. For one a user would need to already be Nanoderm compatible for the suit to work at all, meaning, practically speaking, the user would need to be an amputee, and the prospect of convincing soldiers to sacrifice a limb to use the Driver was deemed a “hard sell” and the idea of a approaching a freshly maimed soldier with the offer of further combat, well, that wouldn’t be a good look either. The second and most important drawback was the simple fact that the Kamen Rider program was far, FAR too expensive to be profitable, and the thousands of man hours it took to produce just one Core Driver meant mass producing them to sell by the battalion, as Manticore had planned, was simply out of the question.

The Kamen Rider Program was not completely abandoned, however. The first completed Core Driver, designation SVR (Special Versatility Rider model or “Sever” colloquially) is currently coded to Director Sloane of Spec-Sec, who happens to be a double transfemeral amputee. With the Director’s input, the device and the suit itself have been modified heavily over its years of use. It now features the ability for additional Data Boosters to be employed, loaded with weapons and tools in the form of appendages that attach to highly advanced versions of Bone Spike sockets on the suit at the amputation sites of the Rider’s body. The nerve signal enhancing properties of the suit allows the Rider to manipulate these complex, non-human-like appendages with a natural ease and minimal adjustment period.

A second Core Driver has just recently been put to use in the field at Spec-Sec. The first Kamen Rider designed from the ground up with Spec-Sec modifications. Designation NRV (Neo Rider Variant or “Nerve” colloquially) is encoded to the Division’s newest member, Special Officer Nat Agbayani. A right shoulder disarticulation amputee, he was promoted to the Special Security Division from the internship program in the research wing by the COO of Manticore himself… wait what? That can’t be right…

The existence of any other Core Drivers, in use or otherwise, is classified.

Thanks for reading

[exactlycleverpirate]

Love and Deepspace Prologue

The text from the intro in Chapter 1 of Love and Deepspace.

“DAY 1326 ATTENTION:

TARGET ANCHOR LOST.

NO RESPONSE FROM BASE.

Traceback II is about to pass the event

horizon and enter the black hole.”

“We are stuck in this loop…

This never-ending journey…”

“Hello, Linkon City.

DPSC FM here to greet you on this early morning.

Did you sleep well last night?

Weather’s nice today with winds at 5 km/hr.

Certain areas have a higher Metaflux 

index due to the Deepspace Tunnel.

Expect Wanderers to appear

more often.

We would like to thank the hunters 

in the city for allowing us to live a 

normal, peaceful life.

Next, a detailed report for each 

district.

Areas that are at “high risk” of being 

attacked by Wanderers-

All medical personnel,

please get ready.

Today is going to be another busy day.

We now have a message for 

all the new hunters who recently 

passed their exams.

Now that your journey is 

about to begin,

we want to express our deepest 

gratitude and wish you all the best…

as you face the challenges ahead!

And…that’s all for today.

But before we go,

please enjoy this gift we received from 

Deepspace 14 years ago:

Love and Deepspace.

These electromagnetic signals have 

traversed time and space.

One day, we will be able to evolve from 

our current limitations,

transcend the boundaries of life…

and reach the stars.

At a certain moment in the future…

we can pass through 

the Deepspace Tunnel…

And discover the future awaiting us.”

[archferret]

Alright I've got time before work and people did express interest so here's my headcanon on how Formie "Powers" and by extension Sparks Hat work.

So to start we know that the art book isn't true canon as Lake said if it's not in the games it doesn't count but given the minimal information given in the games it's really our only source of any kind of info. We also know Romalo functions off of Holographic Nanites and likely is the same for other "Nano Mage" units like the Qiqi's in 3. So let's start there. How I think (in an incredibly pesduo-scientific way as I'm not a real scientist and Spark isn't a hard sci-fi series) these robots (and by extension other Formie Powers) function is by the nanites they control emitting an electromagnetic field. The field simulates the properties of whatever is being made causing it to act as if it's really whatever is being simulated but the effect disappears if the nanites stop receiving power/a signal. So for example if Romalo makes a pie and throws it at you it feels like a real pie, but disappears as soon as he uses those nanites for another task. If you were to try and eat it the connection may become disrupted by your bodies own interference and it would vanish anyway, or if Romalo was damaged he might run out of power/disrupt the signal ect. Some effects might linger, for example nanties that cause fire aren't actually just fire they heat up already existing particles to cause real flames. Thus if you were to use a power to light something on fire it would remain on fire even when power/signal is cut.

Now onto Formie "Powers". The tools Spark picks up during Spark 1 are quite litterally just that, they're tools and toys used by other Formies in everyday life. And how I think they work is when you wear or hold the item it forms some kind of connection with a Formies nervous system through its electrical signaling. This allows a Formie to control the Power as if it was an extension of their own body. This would also mean overusing a Power too much can even cause physical exhaustion. They all come with an electromagnetic barrier (like Sparks Hat) which acts as "safety equipment" protecting the Formie from levels of physical harm to an extent. In this case I'm drawing more from pure theory than basis in examples but I'd wager normal commercial Powers tend to be fairly weak to allow them to be compatible with a wide range of people (since not every nervous system is identical) while modded/homemade gear like Sparks Hat tend to be more potent but more specialized to an individual. Not that it *couldnt* be used by others but the chance of "feedback" and damage from the connection would be much higher.

Now for Sparks Hat... in 1 he usually wears it in addition to the regular equipment provided by the Powers. For example the wind Scarf doesn't come with a hat yet Wind Spark still has hit hat on. What I'm thinking is Sparks hat while decently strong on its own is acting as an amplifier to the other equipment Sparks wearing. The stuff he's picking up are normal Powers and aren't as strong in the hands of someone else because Spark isn't using 1 Power he's using 2! So the regular Wind Scarf isn't anywhere near capable of what Spark can pull off with it.

And for the sake of just making things make sense in my head beyond gameplay mechanics being gameplay mechanics I like to headcanon the reason he doesn't use Powers in 3 the same way he does in 1 is that his Hat is actually too strong at this point and would overload any equipment he tries to use it with!

[love-and-deepspace-wiki]

Radio: DPSC FM

A Linkon City morning radio broadcast. This is the voice/broadcast heard in the very first chapter of the story. The full transcript of the broadcast is included below.

Hello Linkon City.

DPSC FM here to greet you on this early morning. Did you sleep well last night?

Weather's nice today with winds at 5 km/hr. Certain areas have a higher Metaflux index due to the Deepspace Tunnel. Expect Wanderers to appear more often. We would like to thank the hunters in the city for allowing us to live a normal, peaceful life.

Next, a detailed report for each district. Areas that are at "high risk" of being attacked by Wanderers-

All medical personnel, please get ready. Today is going to be another busy day.

We now have a message for all the new hunters who recently passed their exams. Now that your journey is about to begin, we want to express our deepest gratitude and wish you all the best as you face the challenges ahead!

And... that's that's for today. But before we go, please enjoy this gift we received from Deepspace 14 years ago: Love and Deepspace.

These electromagnetic signals have traversed time and space. A miracle of the ages. One day, we will be able to evolve from our current limitations, transcend the boundaries of life, and reach the stars. At a certain moment in the future, we can pass through the Deepspace Tunnel and discover the future awaiting us.

[reality-detective]

Lithium was found in the PCR test sticks‼️

Analysis of test sticks in Slovakia has revealed the following; (read full article with images as well)

“After spawning a mixture of nylon fiber fragments, Darpa Hydrogel remains on the nasal mucosa under the pituitary and pineal gland along with lithium.

This mixture immediately reacts with living structures to form crystals that are directionally oriented to the pineal gland, which has its own electromagnetic field. The shape of the crystals determines the type of hydrogel used. The crystals are conductive due to the lithium contained in it.

The crystals can receive the signal from the transmitter to the cell and transmit signals from the cell to the transmitter. These are actually nano-antennas.”

Source: 👇

[mariacallous]

Through local papers and word of mouth, volunteer Daya Shankar keeps track of a very specific cause of death. As soon as he receives news of someone being struck by lightning around his neighborhood in Jharkhand, East India, he picks up his motorcycle and heads to the destination. Sometimes he travels alone, other times with a team of five or six from the organization he volunteers for, the Lightning Resilient India Campaign. It’s a task he is undertaking increasingly often.

Last month, he rode to meet the Manjhi family, who lost an 8-year-old boy, Viresh, and his mother, Subodhra, after a tea stall they were sheltering under was struck during a storm. A lightning bolt can generate temperatures three times hotter than the surface of the sun, with a voltage millions of times higher than a household socket. If it connects with a human, it can stop the heart and respiratory system, damage the brain and nervous system, leave major burns, and cause blunt trauma if victims are flung by the force of being struck. On the day the Manjhis died, lightning also killed another person in the village and injured five others.

Each year, an estimated 24,000 people worldwide are killed by lightning. While a significant number, deaths per head of population have fallen sharply over the past two centuries, thanks largely due to urbanization, the protection of more substantial housing, and improved weather forecasting. But India’s large rural population remains badly affected. Between 2,000 and 3,000 Indians die annually by lightning, most of them working class people aged 10 to 50. Fatalities have risen by more than 50 percent since the turn of the century, outstripping population growth. Compare that to the US, where fatalities have been gradually falling and number around 20 a year. India can experience more than that number of deaths in a day.

For every person who is killed by lightning, roughly another nine are struck and survive, often with life-changing injuries. And with climate change making stormy weather and lightning more common, activists like Daya believe the Indian government is failing to protect its people. “A bare minimum would be to at least spread information about all things lightning at local government level,” says Daya.

India has systems in place to predict dangerous storms. These work by gathering a lot of precise data, says Sanjay Srivastava, chair of the Climate Resilient Observing-Systems Promotion Council (CROPC), an intergovernmental institute that works to develop resilience against climate change impacts. Srivastava is also the convener of the Lightning Resilient India Campaign.

“Detecting the precise location of a lightning cloud-to-ground strike is a calculation mechanism where a minimum of three devices are required,” says Srivastava. These are radio frequency detectors, to detect the radio waves produced by lightning; a doppler weather radar, to detect precipitation and wind patterns associated with storms that may produce lightning; and a lightning detector, a device specifically designed to detect the electromagnetic signals produced by lightning strikes.

As of April 2022, India’s National Remote Sensing Center had 46 lightning-detection sensors installed across the country. Another institute, Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune, has 83 in place. These, along with other private and institutional data, monitor and guide India’s lightning strike warning system.

The data shows that Jharkhand and other neighboring regions in East and Central India are among the country’s hot spots, as they are where hot and dry air currents from the northwest meet moist easterly currents. When clouds encounter warmer air, moist air rises until it reaches the subzero temperatures of the upper atmosphere, where it can freeze into ice particles called graupel. As these then collide with other ice particles, they generate electrostatic charges, which can eventually lead to lightning. Rising global temperatures are increasing this phenomenon.

However, despite advancements in meteorology, the full mechanisms behind lightning’s formation and behavior remain partially shrouded in mystery. The precise triggers, the exact nature of how lightning propagates through the atmosphere, and the factors that determine the intensity of each strike are still not fully understood. The risk to human life can be predicted in only fairly broad terms.

And while these early warning systems exist, their information often does not reach people in time. This is why volunteers like Shankar work to inform people on how to stay safe and teach how to build easy-to-make lightning arrestors—devices that neutralize cloud-to-ground lightning.

The day Shankar visited the Manjhis’ house, it was drizzling. On the way he spotted farmers and locals sheltering under trees. He stopped to inform them that standing under a tree during rainfall increases the chances of getting hit by lightning. But they said there was no other place where they could take shelter.

Lightning strike casualties are more prevalent in rural areas where infrastructure is limited. Concrete houses, which can have protective Faraday cage effects, are less prominent there than in cities, while tall vegetation, which workers might shelter under, can attract strikes. Densely populated areas in stormy regions also see more casualties. “We can say there are two factors behind lightning casualties. There are lots of environmental factors, and then there are socioeconomic factors,” says Anand Shankar, who works at the India Meteorological Department at the Ministry of Earth Sciences in the state of Bihar (Anand and Daya are not related).

Increasingly, attention is focusing on air quality too. In recent research for Bihar, which neighbors Jharkhand and is one of the worst affected states in India, Anand found that particulate matter in the air increased lightning activity in the region. Aerosols such as pollution or dust particles can affect the friction between the particles that generate lightning and make it more common.

But to what extent growing casualties in Bihar can definitively be attributed to pollution or global warming isn’t yet clear, says Ashish Kumar, a colleague of Anand’s at the IMD. “We had no data before 2015–16, so we have not come to the conclusion whether this is happening recently due to climate change.” But Kumar doesn’t refrain from pointing out that a warming planet can lead to increased lightning activities. Research has projected that a 1 degree Celsius rise in temperature can lead to a 12 percent increase in lightning strikes.

When Daya reached the Manjhis’ house, the family told him that Viresh and Subodhra had taken shelter under a plastic-roofed tea stall because a storm had hit on their way back home from their farm. “People consider that saving themselves from the water is most important,” he says, but they fall prey to dangerous lightning strikes if they stand under something that can act as a conductor. “The best option for them would have been to find a concrete shelter.”

Spreading this sort of knowledge is why volunteers like Daya hunt for the places where recent lightning deaths have taken place. “We often arrange talk shows and plays and other things in the rural areas, but people are either too busy or not interested. But when such accidents take place, people get aware and are willing to listen,” he says.

Another way the Lightning Resilient India Campaign tries to reach the masses is through schoolchildren. “They are curious and spread the message in their families and communities,” Daya says. Warnings are also pushed through government hooters and through mobile applications like the Damini app, which triggers a warning notification before a lightning strike.

“It is not like a cyclone, where you have seven days and you are evacuating people,” says Srivastava. “It’s instant. So, those 30 minutes or three hours are the golden hours.” But often farmers who live far away from their houses do not bring mobile phones to their fields and leave very early for work, and might miss the warning alert.

Srivastava and Anand agree that the best solution would be to put up more lightning arrestors. But with limited funds and a lack of government support, campaign volunteers have to resort to promoting the use of DIY lightning arrestors in high-risk areas. These can be made by fixing the metal rim of a bicycle wheel high up on a bamboo stick and attaching the rim to the ground using copper wire. “They are not bad for a small area, but their efficiency is limited when compared with bigger lightning arrestors,” says Srivastava.

In the absence of adequate protections, 16 of the 36 states and union territories in India have started accepting lightning strikes as a state disaster, including Bihar and Jharkhand, and so pay out compensation money of 400,000 rupees ($4,766) to the family of a deceased person. This does something to help families handle the economic shock of losing someone, but still leaves thousands unsupported. “Only 10 percent of people die—90 percent are left with a social trauma,” says Srivastava. “We need to create a psychosocial relief and also proper medical treatment for those who survive,” he says.

[sw5w]

Your Little Insurrection is at an End, Your Highness

STAR WARS EPISODE I: The Phantom Menace 02:00:39

[pupil-of-law]

@kit-just-kit (cont.)

David wordlessly took the second plastic cup and drank, noting a sense of satisfaction at not having first been asked whether he could drink or not. In the silence that held whilst Prince was drinking too, David took note that the doctor’s resting heart rate was slightly elevated, trapezius muscles tensed, and cortisol and adrenaline levels were increased. David’s eyes could see more than human eyes could. He could observe heat and electromagnetic energy as well as visible light; calibrated readouts overlaid on the picture of the world presented to him. But it did not take an 80 Series to observe that Dr Prince was suffering from stress and fatigue. He connected the symptoms of stress to something that had happened last night. He had been aiming his basketball at the wall in the Bridge as he patrolled on his night watch, and paused when MOTHER, the ship’s onboard AI, lit up a holographic label on one of the maps of the crew quarters. ‘Attention, David. Distress signal received from Crew Suite 3. Emergency button has been pressed. Immediate response r-' and then, just as David had stooped to carefully put down the ball and respond, ‘Emergency status resolved. Distress signal deactivated. No further action required.’ For the rest of the night, everything on the ship ran as smoothly as ever. David looked at Dr Prince with a placid expression that somehow contrived to be probing. ‘You should try to relax, Doctor Prince,' he smiled. 'Everything’s just fine.' Then, from behind the lip of his teacup, surreptitiously en passant - 'Forgive me for asking, Ma’am. But are you troubled by bad dreams?’

[drnikolatesla]

The Discovery of Stationary Waves

One of Nikola Tesla’s major discoveries in the field of electricity was terrestrial stationary waves deriving from natural lightning discharges. In 1899, at Colorado Springs one night during a huge thunderstorm, Tesla was witness to thousands of lightning discharges within two hours. He recorded in great detail the many branches each flash of lighting and their sizes. As the storm began to fade away, Tesla connected a rotating coherer (a device he used for telegraphy in New York prior to his visit in both wireless signaling and in investigating the properties of x-rays) to the ground along with a plate above the ground. A condenser was also used to magnify the effects transmitted through the ground. His device was adjusted as the storm gradually dissipated, and he continued to adjust its sensitivity as the distance was extended. The receiver would continue to react even though the storm was up to 50 miles away based solely on sound waves. After the device stopped responding, Tesla deduced that the storm had passed at a distance too far away to record additional data points. Suddenly though, the receiver began to record again and surprisingly to Tesla, the recordings were also increasing in strength even though the storm had moved on to a point that was essentially out of sight. The device would then cease again for a bit, only to begin functioning once again. Tesla would continue adjusting the sensitivity on the coherer and the same results would occur. The device would continue playing after small intervals of time. To Tesla, this was the most wonderful and intriguing experience because it clearly showed the existence of terrestrial stationary waves. This discovery proved that the Earth is responsive to electrical vibrations of definite pitch just as a tuning fork to certain waves of sound, and these particular electrical vibrations are capable of powerfully exciting the Globe. It proved that power could indeed be transmitted through the Earth to far distances utilizing his oscillator (later known as his Magnifying Transmitter).

Tesla's ultimate plan was to throw the earth into resonant vibration similar to a tuning fork. He would strike the earth with his oscillator sending electrical ripples around the surface of the Earth, and when the energy would return he would again strike it simultaneously in vibrational process known as constructive interference (when two waves overlap in such a way that they combine to create a larger wave). This is NOT electromagnetic radiation, such as with visible light and radio waves. This was nothing like the radio antennas we use today. Tesla's goal was actually to minimize the electromagnetic radiation from the system as much as possible by containing 95 percent of the energy in a localized standing wave confined to the Earth, the opposite notion of traditional radio antennas which give off 90 percent of radiation through the air. Tesla measured these electrical ripples traveling around the entire circumference of the earth moving faster than the speed of light, specifically pi divided by 2 times the speed of light (1.57c).

Some may question the ability to transmit anything faster than the speed of light; however, the speed of light is a constant, not a limit. The velocity of light is an expression of the ratio of energy to mass; Tesla’s waves functioned on different dimensions. The electromagnetic waves we use in today’s technology (which are transverse waves) travel at the speed of light, but due to the nature of these waves, they diminish with distance. This phenomenon is because the electromagnetic lines of force and the magnetic lines of force intercept at right angles to one other, causing resistance (radiation resistance) . This is also why the waves eventually lose energy. Tesla, on the other hand, used an oscillating wave (or a longitudinal wave), in which the electromagnetic and magnetic lines of force run parallel with each other (hence there is no friction or loss of energy). As a result, the more power he used, the faster and further these waves could travel. Many electrical experimenters have proven this velocity, including Charles Wheatstone, Jonathan Zenneck, and Arnold Sommerfeld.

“By this invention every live part of Mother Earth’s body would be brought into action. Energy will be collected all over the globe in amounts small or large, as it may exist, ranging from a fraction of one to a few horse power or more. Every waterfall can be utilized, every coal field made to produce energy to be transmitted to vast distances, and every place on earth can have power at small cost. One of the minor uses might be the illumination of isolated homes. We could light houses all over the country by means of vacuum tubes operated by high frequency currents. We could keep the clocks of the United States going and give every one exact time; we could turn factories, machine shops and mills, small or large, anywhere, and I believe could also navigate the air." –Nikola Tesla

[thesciencegeek]

The Startling Connection Between Airplane Mode And Death.

Next time you take a flight, don't risk it and turn airplane mode off. That might be your last flight. You were probably annoyed last time the flight attendants told you to turn off your wifi, but, it is for good reason. When you turn on airplane mode, your phone is temporarily restricted from sending or receiving texts and calls. The reason for this is greater than you think. When not in airplane mode, your phone emits signals at the same frequency as the plane's navigation and communication systems. This causes something called electromagnetic interference, and it disrupts the plane's main systems. This will cause the plane's autopilot to malfunction. On April 28, 2009, in a Cirrus SR22 that took off into a 200ft. Overcast from Cleveland’s Cuyahoga County Airport. It crashed four and a half minutes later killing both onboard because a signal interfered with the autopilot. This signal could've been from a phone, but it might not have. I do NOT want to take any chances, so I ALWAYS turn on airplane mode, and so should you.

If you want to learn more, Just look it up. DON'T BE LAZY! And, as always, Stay Nerdy!

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

Sentinel-2C joins the Copernicus family in orbit

Sentinel-2C launched into orbit on 5 September at 03:50 CEST (4 September 22:50 local time) and separated from the Vega rocket at approximately 04:48 CEST.

Around 14 minutes later, at 05:02 CEST, ESA received the all-important signal indicating that the satellite was safely in orbit.

Constantin Mavrocordatos, Sentinel-2 Project Manager at ESA, said, "I am overjoyed with the successful launch of Sentinel-2C, a milestone that would not have been possible without the dedication and hard work of our incredible team. Together, we've taken another significant step forward in advancing Earth observation and supporting critical applications that benefit our planet."

ESA's Director of Earth Observation Programmes, Simonetta Cheli, commented, "We are thrilled to celebrate the successful launch of Sentinel-2C, a new milestone in the well-established collaboration between ESA and the European Commission.

"This mission further confirms the role of Copernicus as a leading program to contribute to climate change and environmental challenges worldwide, but also ensures the continuity of vital data to support agriculture, forestry, maritime monitoring, and for many other sectors. Together, we are solidifying Europe's commitment to a sustainable future, empowering decision-makers with the tools they need to protect our planet."

ESA's Director of Space Transportation Toni Tolker-Nielsen, said, "Europe's Vega rocket launched the previous two Sentinel-2 satellites in 2015 and 2017, so this launch was a fitting farewell to a very successful rocket.

"Teams are already preparing for the next Vega launch, the upgraded Vega-C by the end of the year. Today's liftoff was Vega's 20th successful launch in its 12 years of service, farewell Vega, long live Vega-C!"

About Copernicus Sentinel-2

The Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission provides high-resolution optical imagery for a wide range of applications including land, water and atmospheric monitoring. The mission is based on a constellation of two identical satellites flying in the same orbit but 180° apart: Sentinel-2A and Sentinel-2B. Together, they cover all of Earth's land and coastal waters every five days.

With Sentinel-2C now in orbit, it will soon replace its predecessor, Sentinel-2A, following a brief period of tandem observations. Sentinel-2D will eventually take over from Sentinel-2B. Later, it is planned that the Sentinel-2 Next Generation mission will then ensure data continuity beyond 2035.

The current Sentinel-2 satellites each carry a high-resolution multispectral imager that generates optical images in the visible, near-infrared and shortwave-infrared part of the electromagnetic spectrum. From their altitude of 786 km, they provide continuous imagery in 13 spectral bands with resolutions of 10 m, 20 m and 60 m, with a large swath width of 290 km.

Sentinel-2 data are currently being used for a broad range of applications, including agriculture, water quality monitoring, natural disaster management, including wildfires, volcanic eruptions and floods. The mission has surpassed its original expectations, for example, by demonstrating its ability in detecting methane emissions.

For agriculture, the mission helps to monitor crop health, predict yields and enable precision farming. Images are used to detect crop type, and to determine biophysical variables such as leaf area index, leaf chlorophyll content and leaf water content to monitor plant growth and health.

The Sentinel-2 mission is the result of close collaboration between ESA, the European Commission, industry, service providers and data users.

ESA develops, builds, launches and operates the satellites in orbit, and downloads the scientific data.

Sentinel-2 data are freely available via the Copernicus Data Space Ecosystem, providing instant access to a wide range of data from both the Copernicus Sentinel missions and the Copernicus Contributing Missions.

The Sentinel-2 satellites have been designed and built by a consortium of around 60 companies led by Airbus Defence and Space.

The Copernicus component of the EU Space Program is supported by a set of dedicated satellites, known as the Sentinel family, and contributing missions (existing commercial and public satellites). Looking to the future, six Sentinel Expansion missions and four Next Generation Sentinels are being developed to address EU policy and gaps in Copernicus user needs.

About Vega

Sentinel-2C was the last liftoff for the Vega rocket. After 12 years of service—this was the final flight—the original Vega is being retired to make way for an upgraded Vega-C.

Other missions launched by the small and nimble rocket over its lifetime are flagship ESA missions such as technology demonstrator Proba-V, wind monitoring satellite Aeolus, the reentry vehicle IXV and LISA Pathfinder, a forerunner to LISA that will measure gravitational waves in space.

The Vega line ensures that Europe has a versatile, independent access to space, complementing the Ariane family of rockets to launch satellites to any orbit—continuing with Vega-C and the heavy-lift rocket Ariane 6.

IMAGE: Sentinel-2C was the last liftoff for the Vega rocket. After 12 years of service, Vega is being retired to make way for the upgraded Vega-C rocket. Credit: ESA–S. Corvaja