Juggling Dynamite

Adam Savage walks through two spectacular examples of profound scientific discoveries that came from simple, creative methods anyone could have followed — Eratosthenes’ calculation of the Earth’s circumference around 200 BC and Hippolyte Fizeau’s measurement of the speed of light in 1849. Here is a direct video link.

For those interested in learning more on the hyperloop science proposed by Tesla’s Elon Musk last week, we can read this proposal now available on the Tesla web site.

And as pointed out by one of my readers, the science behind Musk’s proposal is not new:

“About four hundred years ago– sometime in the latter half of the 17th century– Isaac Newton received a letter from the brilliant British scientist and inventor Robert Hooke. In this letter, Hooke outlined the mathematics governing how objects might fall if dropped through hypothetical tunnels drilled through the Earth at varying angles. Though it seems that Hooke was mostly interested in the physics of the thought experiment, an improbable yet intriguing idea fell out of the data: a dizzyingly fast transportation system.”

Read more on the incredible mechanics of a 42 minute drop from one side of the earth to the other via gravity tubes through the planet’s core: The gravity express Our childhood ideas of digging our way to China may not be ridiculous after all.

“We are close to a time when we’ll look back and say we did some stupid things.”
–Ken Lewis, former Bank of America CEO, March 2007

The biggest challenge in boom periods is to not waste surging cash flow on poor allocation choices; because the up cycle always, always, mean reverts. Whether we are ready or not.

John Hewson, former leader of the Liberal Party of Australia, tells CNBC that Australia has squandered the benefits of the China-led resources boom.Here is a direct video link.