I want to draw a distinction between mental tinkering and planning. It’s kind of subtle because to an observer they both look the same – you’re just doing work in your head and maybe on a piece of scratch paper. However, I think the difference is huge. My distinction is... [Read More]

I’m currently reading Freedman Dyson’s excellent book, Infinite in All Directions. The title is apt, as that’s roughly the scope of the (science focused) subjects Dyson writes about. I wanted to share a very astute rule of technological thumb he introduces, and I find very compelling.  I dub it the fragile... [Read More]

To continue the thoughts on prototyping, here’s a really important question you should ask yourself: How many times will this be used? How many people will use it? This is a really important one because these numbers should heavily influence your approach to the project. It’s also one branch point... [Read More]

As you may have figured out, I've been trying to put up a weekly blog post on our lab website. This week I talk about how you can create your own nifty eddy-current demonstration for about $20. Check it out! 

Saturday Stories! Awesome Space Links of the Week 10/5 Bureaucracy vs. progress and efficiency: round one million Does it still count as a private company if it furloughs employees when the government shuts down? I sure hope they don't spit the shredded jellyfish back out again Now, can we 3D... [Read More]