#advanced electronic signature

[skrivly]

In today's fast-paced digital landscape, Sweden is emerging as a pioneer in adopting cutting-edge technologies that enhance operational efficiency. One such breakthrough is AI-powered contract management, which is revolutionizing how businesses draft, review, and manage legal documents. With advanced tools like AI contract generators, digital signing, and e-signature providers becoming the norm, Swedish businesses are witnessing a significant shift toward smarter, faster, and more compliant contract processes.

In this article, we explore how AI for contracts is reshaping Sweden's digital economy, diving into real-world examples, legal alignment, and future trends — with Skrivly, a leading digital document and e-signing platform, at the forefront of this transformation.

[ifindtaxpro]

📝✨ Embrace the power of e-signatures! Discover how electronic signatures revolutionize document signing, offering speed, security, and efficiency in the digital age. #ESignatures #DigitalInnovation #EfficiencyBoost

[lesmana-enterprise-ltd]

WIP | Revival of The Windslar M-Train Station

Revival of a Monumental Project

Due to high demand, Lesmana Enterprise will be renovating the Windslar M Train Station to meet the latest standards of travel. Originally built in 1998 by Lesmana Enterprise in cooperation with the Windenburg Royal Ministry of Transport, the station serves as the terminus of the Windslar-Lykke line in the Windenburg High-Speed Rail network. This renovation aims to enhance passenger experience, modernize facilities, and ensure efficient connectivity for future travelers.

Easing your Travels

As part of the renovation, the Windslar M Train Station will be transformed into a modern transportation hub, equipped with state-of-the-art amenities. Passengers can look forward to a spacious café, a convenient capsule hotel for overnight stays, and premium waiting lounges. The Station will also feature digital information kiosks, luggage storage services, automated ticketing systems, and high-speed Wi-Fi to enhance the travel experience. Designed with comfort and efficiency in mind, this upgrade ensures that Windslar M remains a key gateway in the Windenburg High-Speed Rail network.

The Seraphim, the Legend of the Windeburg High Speed Rail Network

The Magnetschwebebahn-Serie A12 Seraphim (MSB A12 Seraphim), developed by Behr Technologies, is the latest advancement in high-speed rail travel. Designed for efficiency and comfort, this cutting-edge maglev train can reach a top speed of 510 km/h, ensuring rapid transit across the Windenburg High-Speed Rail network.

To enhance passenger experience, Lesmana Enterprise and Landgraab Electronics collaborated on optimizing the train’s interior, integrating ergonomic seating, ambient lighting, smart infotainment systems, and advanced climate control. With a focus on both comfort and luxury, the Seraphim sets a new standard for modern high-speed travel.

The Seraphim emits a unique and ethereal sound as it glides along the track. If you stand near the train (while stationary), you can hear the soft hum of its electromagnetic systems, resembling a choir in harmony—a phenomenon that inspired its name. This signature sound adds to the futuristic and almost otherworldly experience of riding the MSB A12 Seraphim. (*yes this is also true in game)

More Information

Windslar M-Train Station will come in two options.

Windslar M-Train Station building.

The Seraphim on a viaduct for photo op.

In Other News, Lesmana Enterprise is now on X!

Follow below link for more.

Sul Sul!,

The Lesmana Enterprise Co., Ltd.

[winniefrezcomics]

Wait omg The anti-kids visiting Ved in jail ? 🥺that sounds strangely cute and sad 😭

They visit him fairly often, yeah! Mostly bc Lezah needs a break sometimes, but Ved is always very happy to see his pups, and they love to visit (slash maul) thier daddy too! 🥺💕

Random hc about anti faires: anti parents don’t heal scars thier pups have given them, as a sign of affection 💙

Fear not, Ved enjoyers- Ved’s incarceration is FAR from the end of his story, and actually ends up being good for him! (AU Spoilers below)

As someone who’s always been hyper-motivated and felt like he needed to prove himself, current-day (ask blog era) Ved is very unfamiliar with concepts like “chilling” or “relaxing”- barley even taking time to SLEEP. in fact, when he FIRST gets thrown in the slammer, he’s OBSESSED with escaping and resuming his takeover, even managing to get free a few times, before getting unceremoniously teleported back into his cell by princess Lezah (they’re still a bonded pair, so she can locate him pretty easily- not to mention the FIRST few escape attempts where he went DIRECTLY to her begging forgiveness)

HOWEVER, while Ved was obsessing about escape attempts, DEV had his hands VERY full with two godkids, so he finally had to lock in and study up on the rules, putting more effort into his job than he ever had. as a result, all of the sudden, Ved found himself feeling sleepy, and content to just exist, in a way he’d never experienced before. After many years in prison, (while dev fought for his life trying to godparent two shithead teenagers at once) Ved grew more and more comfortable with the concept of taking it easy, mellowing WAAAY out over time, to the point that he no longer cared about escaping, and had no interest in extending his sentance, ESPECIALLY after his pups were born.

With the threat of not seeing his pups over his head, Ved actually gains some trust from fairy-kind, and becomes very helpful, being allowed to use his genius again to design his signature brilliant inventions (tho they’re more electronic advancements and less superweapons and than in his younger years) Ved loves to show his babies his blueprints, and is even allowed to attend Dev’s third baby shower in person (tho he is HEAVILY guarded, and kept away from tech of any kind lmao)

Honestly idk if taking over fairyworld would earn a life sentance or not, but the TLDR is that Ved lives a long, fruitful life full of love from his children and fulfillment from his inventions. even if he DOES live a lot of it behind bars for his crimes, that’s FAR from the end of him 💙💙

[gftimelord]

Greetings!

I am Dr. Stanford Pines, you may call me 'Ford' or simply 'Doctor'. I suppose it is about time I explore the World Wide Web, or the 'Internet'. There is much I still have to learn and figure out since returning to this dimension.

It seems I have fallen quite out of touch for the most part during the thirty years I was gone. It's frankly very impressive and jarring to see how so much has changed so I might take some time for me to properly adjust but I digress.

I travel through plenty of dimensions with my brother Stanley quite often to further my research. Nothing we can't handle now that Cipher is out of the picture so I will continue adventuring and learning.

I am glad to be of acquaintance to you all!

Ad astra per aspera

- Dr. Stanford Pines

OOC: HAHA- Here's a Ford blog because I genuinely couldn't help myself. My main blog is @matrixbearer2024! This Stanford Pines is very similar to the timelords from the Doctor Who franchise but other than that he's still pretty much the same. I'll mostly have him set post-weirdmageddon but I'm open to shifting whichever point in time for questions or RPs, have fun everyone!

P.S. Down below are insights to his character and inventory for anyone interested or planning to interact with him!

Doc's inventory:

Modified Sonic Screwdriver

Rift Manipulation: Creates and stabilizes interdimensional rifts using doors as conduits.

Wood Manipulation: Can interact with wooden objects, allowing for unlocking, modifying, or opening them.

Lock Picking: Can unlock doors and secure mechanisms electronically.

Repair Capabilities: Repairs mechanical devices, machinery, and certain types of technology.

Environmental Scanning: Gathers environmental data, hazards, such as toxins, radiation, or other dangers, detecting anomalies, and analyzing energy signatures.

Data Analysis: Capable of analyzing data from various sources and providing real-time feedback, which can be especially useful in scientific or technical situations.

Communication Device: Interfaces with various technologies for sending and receiving signals.

Universal Translator: Translates languages in real time, enabling communication across the multiverse.

Communications Device: Functions as a communicator to contact other beings or devices across dimensions.

Energy Emission and Manipulation: Emits energy pulses to create barriers, distract enemies, or manipulate technology as well as manipulating energy sources, allowing it to overload systems or temporarily disable them.

Holographic Projection: Can create holographic displays for visualization of data, theories, or environments.

Lock Picking: Bypasses and unlocks physical and digital security systems.

Thermal Regulation: Measures and adjusts temperature in different environments.

Frequency Manipulation: Disrupts or enhances certain technologies by emitting sounds at specific frequencies.

Medical Functions: Provides advanced diagnostics and medical support, which is due to Doc’s preparedness(paranoia) for unforeseen events. (e.g. scanning for vital signs, diseases, and medical conditions; performing rudimentary medical diagnostics and suggest treatments; minor surgical procedures, such as suturing wounds; administering certain medications or injections in emergencies)

Forcefield Manipulation: Can activate and control protective barriers or shields, adding a layer of defense in dangerous situations.

Data Storage & Retrieval: Stores information and interacts with databases, making it a powerful tool for research.

Manipulation of Atoms: Using the power of the infinity die, Doc’s sonic screwdriver can manipulate the energy within atoms of entities that have a tangible, alterable form. This ability allows him to rearrange or shift the physical properties of objects or beings.

Weaponized Function: Can shoot energy blasts, though this function was originally designed as a laser for electronic tinkering.

Time Manipulation: Has limited abilities to manipulate time within a localized area, such as slowing down or speeding up the perception of time for specific objects or people.

Emergency Beacon: Can emit distress signals to call for help or alert allies in emergencies.

Multi-Purpose Tool: Serves as a general tool for tinkering, adjusting mechanisms, and solving puzzles, which aligns with Doc's analytical nature and creativity.

Repair Box

Immortality: A set of nanobots that constantly repairs and heals injuries, rendering Doc functionally immortal. While he cannot die from age or illness, fatal wounds can still kill him.

Healing Factor: Non-fatal wounds heal rapidly, which allow the Doctor to recover quickly from injuries that would otherwise incapacitate others.

Phantom Pain: He experiences phantom pain from time to time, a side effect of the repair box, which sometimes immobilizes him during particularly bad days.

Journal & Pen

Eidetic Memory: While Doc has a photographic memory, he carries a journal where he records his travels, discoveries, and reflections. This is partly an emotional release and partly a way to process the things he can never forget.

Personal Reflections: His journal also contains musings, sketches, and insights into his more philosophical thoughts, which he tends to keep private.

Zygon Force Field Device

Personal Shield: A portable device that creates a personal force field around the doctor which protects him from the worst injuries in moments of danger.

Camouflage: For a temporary time, the advanced zygon technology refracts and manipulates light to turn Doc invisible to the naked eye. This can be activated and disabled manually.

Limited Durability: Though powerful, the forcefield can only take so much damage at a time before it needs to recharge.

Advanced Medical Kit

Comprehensive: This kit contains emergency medical supplies, medications, and advanced tools for situations where the repair box might not immediately be enough. The doctor’s paranoia drives him to always be prepared.

Multiverse Map

Hand-drawn: A rough sketch and collection of dimensions he’s visited or studied, filled with notes about potential dangers and anomalies.

OOC: Does Doc carry a phone with him? Nope! Thinks it's something redundant because of his sonic being able to act as a communicator at a rudimentary level. Granted, you're not going to get stellar audio or video quality from something like that, but it works throughout the multiverse so Doc doesn't bother. If you plan on having an OC or other character meet him through this route, it could be as a transmission to his sonic!

Doc's Appearance:

Since the time he received the repair box, Doc has been biologically frozen in a state where his physical body remains in its 40s.

Doc is standing tall at 6'2", no different from most iterations of his canon counterparts.

His coat the the same as the one he already uses in post-canon gravity falls, that hasn't changed aesthetically.

The doctor sports a suit because if he's going to kick butt might as well do it in style, he also switches between neck-ties and bow-ties because bow-ties are cool.

He wears sneakers instead of his boots since those had worn down and broken sometime during his travels and sneakers are just generally easier to replace.

Underneath all his dress-up though he's covered in scars from past battles and his old tattoos that he'd never had the time to get rid of.

His glasses still have a crack in them, mostly because he couldn't be bothered to get a new pair of bifocals anyway.

Always clean shaven, yes he still shaves his face with fire that has never changed.

Key Quotes About Doc:

"You don't need to look like a monster to be one."

"HAHAHAHA- I just SNOGGED Madame de Pompadour!"

"ALLONS-Y!"

"This apple sucks I hate apples-"

"Laptop. Gimme!"

"Who da man?! ..... Oh, well I'm never saying that again."

"Immortality isn't living forever that's not what it feels like. Immortality is everybody else dying because you can't."

"Goodness is not goodness that seeks advantage. Good is good in the deepest pit without hope, without witness, without reward. Virtue is only virtue in extremis."

"Sometimes the only choices you have are bad ones, but you still have to choose."

"The day you lose someone isn't the worst. At least you've got something to do. It's all the days they stay dead."

"Pain is a gift. Without the capacity for pain we can't feel the hurt we inflict."

"There's a lot of things you need to get across this universe. Warp drive, wormhole refractors. You know the thing you need most of all? You need a hand to hold."

"Love is not an emotion. It's a promise."

"The universe is big. It’s vast and complicated and ridiculous. And sometimes, very rarely, impossible things just happen and we call them miracles."

"Some people live more in 20 years than others do in 80. It’s not the time that matters, it’s the person."

"I’m the doctor, and I save people."

"First thing’s first, but not necessarily in that order."

"You want weapons? We're in a library! Books! Best weapons in the world!"

"People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but actually from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint— it’s more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly… time-y wimey… stuff."

"I’m about to do something very clever and a tiny bit against the rules of the multiverse. It’s important that I’m properly dressed."

"Arrogance can trip you up.”

"Do what I do: Hold tight and pretend it’s a plan!"

"You’ll find that it’s a very small universe when I’m angry with you."

See the bowtie? I wear it and I don’t care. That’s why it’s cool."

"Big flashy things have my name written all over them. Well… not yet. Give me time and a crayon."

"Never cruel or cowardly. Never give up, never give in.”

"Rest is for the weary, sleep is for the dead.”

"You don’t want to take over the universe. You wouldn’t know what to do with it beyond shout at it."

"Never be certain of anything. It’s a sign of weakness."

"Courage isn’t just a matter of not being frightened, you know. It’s being afraid and doing what you have to do anyway."

“Why do humans never do as they’re told? Someone should replace you all with robots. No, on second thought, they shouldn’t, bad idea.”

"You know, the very powerful and the very stupid have one thing in common: they don’t alter their views to fit the facts; they alter the facts to fit their views.”

[dinosaursonthetwinplanet]

Modern technology and dinosaur fossils

There isn't any credible scientific evidence that supports the mainstream mineralization theory but on the contrary modern technology proves that it can't happen the way the theory suggests. Modern technology, especially microscopy, has dramatically deepened our understanding of dinosaur fossils, revealing details that were unimaginable just a few decades ago. Here’s a concise overview of what microscopy and related tools have uncovered: 1. Discovery of Soft Tissues Using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scientists have found: • Blood vessel-like structures • Red blood cell-shaped objects • Bone cells (osteocytes) with preserved structures These were first reported in a T. rex femur by Dr. Mary Schweitzer in the early 2000s, challenging the idea that soft tissue couldn’t survive millions of years.

2. Protein and Molecular Structures Microscopy, combined with mass spectrometry and immunohistochemistry, has revealed: • Preserved collagen fibers, confirming a link between dinosaurs and birds. • Reactions with antibodies that only bind to certain proteins, suggesting that original molecules survived in some fossils.

3. Pigmentation and Feather Color With electron microscopes, researchers have identified melanosomes (pigment-containing structures) in fossilized feathers. These led to: • Reconstructions of actual feather colors in dinosaurs like Anchiornis and Microraptor (e.g., iridescent black, reddish tones).

4. Growth and Disease Evidence Bone cross-sections viewed under light and electron microscopes show: • Growth rings, like tree rings, indicating growth rates. • Signs of bone cancer, arthritis, and injuries helping us understand dinosaur health. 5. Cellular and Nanostructural Detail Advanced imaging reveals: • Nano-scale preservation of original tissue structure. • Differences between fossil material and possible contamination (ruling out modern biofilm or bacteria in some studies). In Summary: Microscopy and modern tech have turned dinosaur bones into biological time capsules, revealing: • Cellular structure • Protein preservation • Pigment patterns • Disease evidence This new level of insight has reshaped our view of dinosaurs not just as skeletons, but as once-living, dynamic creatures with feathers, color, disease, and growth cycles. Here’s a list of modern technologies that have been used to analyze and reveal new facts about dinosaur fossils especially those related to soft tissue, cellular structures, and ancient biology:

Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) • Produces high-resolution images of fossil surfaces. • Used to identify blood vessel-like structures, osteocytes, and melanosomes (pigment organelles).

Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) • Offers ultra-high magnification to see internal structures of cells and fibers. • Helped confirm collagen fibers and sub-cellular features in fossils.

Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) • Detects and sequences ancient proteins like collagen. • Confirmed molecular similarities between dinosaurs and birds.

Immunohistochemistry • Uses antibodies to test for specific proteins. • Proved some structures in fossils react like real biological tissue, not just mineralized look-alikes.

Synchrotron X-ray Imaging • High-energy, non-destructive imaging of fossil interiors. • Maps the chemical composition of fossils, including traces of blood, soft tissues, or pigments.

Raman Spectroscopy • Identifies molecular bonds and organic compounds. • Confirms presence of preserved proteins and pigments.

Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) • Detects organic molecules in fossils. • Supports claims of soft tissue preservation by matching spectral signatures of known proteins.

Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy • Produces 3D images of soft tissue structures inside fossils. • Used to observe elasticity and fine internal details of preserved vessels.

9. Micro-CT (Computed Tomography) Scanning • Creates detailed 3D models of fossil interiors. • Reveals hidden bone structures, growth rings, and sometimes trapped soft tissue.

Stable Isotope Analysis • Measures carbon, oxygen, and other isotopes. • Reveals insights about dinosaur diets, environments, and metabolism. These technologies are revolutionizing paleontology by uncovering molecular and cellular data that were never thought possible in such ancient remains. Here’s a summary with examples of specific dinosaur species where modern technology has revealed extraordinary fossil details:

Tyrannosaurus rex • Discovery: Soft tissue structures including blood vessels, osteocytes, and collagen fragments. • Technology used: Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), Immunohistochemistry. • Significance: First confirmed protein sequences from a dinosaur; supports a close evolutionary link to birds.

2. Anchiornis huxleyi • Discovery: Microscopic pigment structures called melanosomes in fossilized feathers. • Technology used: Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Synchrotron X-ray imaging. • Significance: Revealed feather colors — likely black, gray, and reddish hues — making it one of the first dinosaurs reconstructed with accurate coloration.

Brachylophosaurus canadensis (a hadrosaur) • Discovery: Preserved blood vessels, cells, and possible nuclei in bone tissue. • Technology used: Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (CLSM), FTIR spectroscopy, SEM. • Significance: Demonstrated that even delicate cellular structures can persist under rare conditions.

Microraptor gui • Discovery: Feather structure and iridescent coloration patterns. • Technology used: Electron Microscopy, Melanosome analysis. • Significance: Showed it had shiny, bird-like plumage linking flight-related traits with non-avian dinosaurs. These breakthroughs have turned dinosaur bones into molecular time capsules, and they continue to reshape how we imagine these ancient creatures.

[kasmika]

How powerful is the B-2 Spirit Bomber?

💥 Stealth Power

➡ Near-invisible to radar: The B‑2’s flying wing shape, radar-absorbing materials, and coatings reduce its radar cross-section to that of a small bird (about 0.001 m²). This means it can slip past most air defense systems undetected, even in heavily defended enemy territory.

➡ Low infrared + acoustic signature: Its engines are buried within the wing and exhaust is cooled to reduce heat signature, making it harder for heat-seeking missiles to lock on.

🎯 Weapons Capability

➡ Massive payload: The B‑2 can carry up to 40,000 lb (18,000 kg) of ordnance — all internally, preserving its stealth profile.

➡ Weapons it can deliver:

Conventional:

80 × Mk 82 bombs (500 lb each)

16 × JDAM GPS-guided bombs (2,000 lb each)

Standoff missiles (JASSM, JSOW)

2 × GBU-57A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrators (30,000 lb bunker busters — the largest non-nuclear bomb in the U.S. arsenal)

Nuclear:

Up to 16 B61 or B83 nuclear gravity bombs

➡ Pinpoint precision: With advanced GPS-guided munitions and synthetic aperture radar, the B‑2 can hit targets within meters of intended impact even in bad weather or GPS-jammed zones.

🌍 Global Reach

➡ Range: 6,000 nautical miles (9,600 km) unrefueled — and effectively unlimited with aerial refueling.

➡ Mission endurance: It can fly missions exceeding 40 hours nonstop, striking anywhere on the planet from its U.S. base.

🛡 Electronic Superiority

➡ The B‑2 features electronic countermeasures to jam or evade enemy radars and missiles.

➡ Recent upgrades have given it AESA radar, improved communications, and enhanced defense against next-gen air defenses.

Seemore

[adeercalleddoe]

. . . I made some Architect colts

They are all very baby and I ended up giving them flavored color palettes by accident- MI-LO is my favorite- laid back, fluffy and floppy, but JO-DI is pretty cool too very bubbly and chirpy. ER-IN is like a little sheep with their molting fur. CA-TH is kinda regal. AB-EL is a fussy baby and hopes to be a warrior someday. Then there's KE-TH, he's a wittle eepy.

*I should dump a light disclaimer here that I don't intend to sell these guys or do coms, HOWEVER, if you want them you're more than free to go ahead and doodle them, just leave the fanged stag signature I have somewhere :)*

Soooooo- the fact that some of them have faces is a part of a headcanon of mine that I'll leave below a cut since it may take a while to explain :)

The Architect, as we know, are a highly advanced and unified species, however, even with the "hiveminded" society, there is always room for individual thought and moreover opinions.

Now what the heck does this have to do with the babies? It's the process in which they are created.

There's two types of colts born through different methods which I label as "in-vivo" and "ex-vivo" (labeled literally). I'll write the differences below.

In-vivo: These colts are born through traditional methods (I won't go into detail on that for obvious reasons) which is what all forms of life do normally. Seeing as how the Architects are very goat shaped, I think that they would undergo pregnancy rather than laying eggs. Since these colts are born through this method, they don't have any electronic enhancements, they are naturally born with a thick fluffy fur, the weak bioluminescence on them is natural and doesn't shift, and most of all . . . they have what could possibly be the true faces of this legendary species. I feel that these colts would be more rare since they require time and effort to raise before being indoctrinated into the network, but a proper vessel would come as soon as possible. The colts aren't just small and weak, but the fact that they have a face is highly rejected in Architect society. Though choice is up to the broodsow (mother) they typically don't like to raise the colts and the face thing tends to make them uneasy. This could be due to the unified ideal of the society where a face is viewed as a sign of individuality where it isn't desired.

Ex-vivo: This type of colt is more common since they are fast grown from a seed producer by two (or more) donors, typically decided on collectively via what adaptations are needed. Neither donor has to raise these colts- that job is left to a nestmare and it often includes the basic teachings. Any colt must know how to seek out sources of energy- it's a fact that carries well into adulthood- if they can't, they are unfortunately culled and typically out of a brood of 15 only 5 will be able to carry out their lives. A broodsow of in-vivo colts by contrast can have up to all 15 surviving childhood before transfer where the same test is performed. Back to the ex-vivo colts, another issue is accidental malformalities which also contributes to the culling, which again is something that in-vivo colts don't have to worry about. The main thing about this method that makes it preferable is that the colts are naturally a part of the network, don't need to be taught much, very strong off the bat, and they fit well into society without the draw from the norms.

Both types of colts have their draws and benefits, but it's really up to the parent/network how they're born. Architects aren't really bound by good conscience and will naturally remove any bugs in their system. As a species with over 100 billon individuals a single death isn't too noticed- the memories and experiences of all members is catalogued quite well so for the most part it isn't too noticed. However; after the accident with Kahraa, any and all newborn colts are viewed in good light. Any efforts to repopulate the species is held in high esteem. Perhaps it does take an apocalypse to change society.

Also, the colts are about 3ft tall, super floppy like golden retriever puppies, love cuddles from any source, and are super playful- they get full cuteness baby cutie pie baby boo bop points from me <3

[actualpsychicability]

⏱️ The Advanced and Crude Devices of Reality Travel ☄️

Technology isn't consistent between places, times, or realities. Then how does one use technology to traverse the multiverse? How can we emulate techniques used by cultures with more complex technology than our own? The great thing about technology is that it's just tool development, something we use to extend the abilities of our first and most important tool Nature gave us - our own body. Anyone else's tool is merely a means of extending their own abilities. You don't need the same exact device to do what a more "advanced" civilization does, you simply need to figure out what effect their tool actually has.

Then you remake it using your reality's medium.

Transformation of the tools may be minimal or total, depending on what materials and know-how you have on hand. A typewriter could be entirely replaced by a pen, for instance, if the goal is simply to put some words on a piece of paper. A battleship could be replaced with a bulldog if the goal is intimidation. An electronic reading of your energy signature by a highly advanced cosmic being's on-board computer could be replaced by a comparison of different copies of your actual written signature written at different times. Comparing the writing would show variations of your signature's energy, a literal energy signature.

Most computers can be replaced with a deck of cards--indeed, many computers have, do and maybe always will run on punch card information input systems.

The fundamental difference between a manual (literally hand-based) device and an electronic device is that the manual device seems to have more opportunity for a person to purposefully alter the reading. When signing your name, if you wanted to "fake" being excited you could sign your name with a lot of bounce to the lines. An electronic device's results are less directly alterable but still able to be manipulated. An electronic reading of someone's energy signature could be altered in some way but it would seem less obvious to onlookers.

By displacing the tool from someone's hand to a separate electronic device that is not powered by that person's body, it's possible to make it seem like the electronic version is more neutral, less deliberately alterable, and less prone to error. This is an illusion. Both manual and electronic tools are capable of sabotage and accidental error. When the tool is someone's hand it's easier to assign blame to that person, because the connection between a person and their body is so hard to ignore.

It is possible to replace an advanced reality-traveling computer-based navigation system with a compass and a clear view of the sky. This is, in fact, how humanity has been navigating our own realities for the breadth of our existence.

[mariacallous]

With U.S. President Donald Trump, many high-tech titans have decided that now—after their coffers overflowing—Americans don’t need much government. Leading the charge to dismantle it is Elon Musk. His role is especially jarring because Silicon Valley was built on the government’s largesse. A booming high-tech sector—one of the signature achievements of the modern economy—wouldn’t have happened without the administrative state that Trump is seeking to root out.

The history of Silicon Valley exposes the grave dangers posed by the war on government. The hazard is that as a result of this push, Trump succeeds in breaking apart the marriage between Washington and the technology industry that has helped make America great.

The road to high tech really started to be built during World War II. In 1945, Vannevar Bush, who had directed the U.S. Office of Scientific Research and Development during the war, captured the zeitgeist of the era when he published “Science: The Endless Frontier,” which offered a declaration of principle for the government supporting scientific education. The report, submitted to President Harry Truman, explained why government support for research was so important to national security and the economic well-being of the nation. “The pioneer spirit is still vigorous within this nation,” Bush wrote in the letter that accompanied the report. “Science offers a largely unexplored hinterland for the pioneer who has the tools for his task. The rewards of such exploration both for the Nation and the individual are great. Scientific progress is one essential key to our security as a nation, to our better health, to more jobs, to a higher standard of living, and to our cultural progress.”

Much of the development of large mainframe computing systems was born of defense needs. While mainframe systems were being built in the early 1930s, during the war, the U.S. Army and several other defense units developed the Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer (ENIAC) under the direction of Maj. Gen. Gladeon Barnes. Congress devoted massive resources (today’s equivalent of millions in current) dollars to the construction of what would become the first general-use computer. The most important initial function of ENIAC, which was completed in 1946 by University of Pennsylvania scholars John Mauchly and J. Presper Eckert, was its ability to provide cutting-edge calculations about the trajectories of weapons. Before the project ended, the government discovered ways to use ENIAC for a wide range of jobs, including advanced weather prediction and wind tunnel design. With funding from the Census Bureau, Mauchly and Eckert next worked on the Universal Automatic Computer (UNIVAC), resulting in a digital computer allowing for data processing and storage methods that were new and extremely beneficial to industry. With CBS anchor Walter Cronkite standing by, UNIVAC, which weighed a whopping 16,000 pounds, famously predicted early on election evening in 1952 that Dwight Eisenhower would defeat Adlai Stevenson by a landslide. A computer star was born. The machine would even appear on the cover of a Superman comic book.

Throughout the early Cold War in the 1940s and 1950s, the federal government poured resources into the production of knowledge. The GI Bill of Rights (1944) vastly expanded the student body by covering the cost of enrollment and more for veterans, many of whom were first-generation students. In 1950, Truman signed legislation creating the National Science Foundation, an institution that complemented the National Institutes of Health by aiding nonmedical science and engineering. Their shared mission was to “promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity and welfare; and to secure the national defense.” Eisenhower, a Republican, worked with congressional Democrats such as Sen. Lyndon B. Johnson to respond to the Soviet Union’s successful launch of the Sputnik satellite in 1957 by building on this precedent. The National Defense Education Act (1958) financed student loans, graduate fellowships, and research funds. By the early 1960s, with substantial help from the government, U.S. universities were booming and considered to be among the finest institutions of learning anywhere in the world. As the Cold War kept heating up, one area where Americans were clearly ahead was on the campus.

Without the government-industry connection that emerged from this era, there would be no internet. While there may still be people debating whether former Vice President Al Gore invented the internet, there is no dispute that the federal government did. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), established in 1958, undertook high-risk, large-scale research, cooperating with private firms, that had the potential to produce enormous payoffs. DARPA was central to the Advanced Research Projects Agency Network (ARPANET) in the late 1960s, which constituted the first advanced computer network. Much of the drive for the military had been the desire for a functional network that could survive a nuclear attack. ARPANET was the basis for the modern internet. The National Science Foundation announced a distinct section, called NSFNET, in 1986. The foundation connected five supercomputer centers and granted academic network’s access. The project was considered to have been the “backbone” for the creation of the commercial internet. Other notable computer innovations also grew out of this operation. DARPA dollars facilitated the Stanford Research Institute’s making of the mouse, a technology that made it easier for an individual without great technical expertise to interface with computers. In 1991, Congress passed the High-Performance Computing Act—legislation that Gore helped move—which funded a team of programmers at the University of Illinois’s National Center for Supercomputing Applications that helped vastly expand the internet. Marc Andreessen, one of the engineers who co-created Mosaic and Netscape, acknowledged in 2000, “If it had been left to private industry, it wouldn’t have happened, at least, not until years later.”

Indeed, Silicon Valley would not have become what it is today without the government. The DARPA-Stanford research partnership, as the historian Margaret O’Mara has brilliantly recounted in Cities of Knowledge and The Code, is a big reason why the university emerged as such a powerhouse in high-tech education and research. Government money fueled the transformation of a formerly sleepy region, which O’Mara reminds us would have once been improbable to imagine as a hub of big inventions and money. A series of Stanford leaders, including provost Frederick Terman, opened their arms to the federal coffers and shepherded the Stanford Research Park into its current incarnation.

Not only was Stanford built up with government monies, but many of the companies that have littered the landscape in northern California had Washington to thank. Fairchild Semiconductor, established in San Jose in 1957, took form with Air Force and NASA contracts. NASA’s ongoing investment in the integrated circuits that it and other companies produced allowed costs to become accessible and for the semiconductor industry to emerge. Federal dollars during the 1980s and 1990s that were tied to programs such as President Ronald Reagan’s Strategic Defense Initiative—a massive laser missile shield that would protect the United States from nuclear attack, which critics derided as “Star Wars”—resulted in all sorts of computer innovations not envisioned by the administration’s plan. Though stories about Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak working out of a garage capture our entrepreneurial imaginations, the role of the administrative state continues to loom large over the entire region. “From the marble halls of Washington and the concrete canyons of Wall Street,” O’Mara writes in The Code, Silicon Valley was made by many hands. Other “cities of knowledge,” including Cambridge, Massachusetts; Philadelphia; and Atlanta, were similar beneficiaries of government.

The federal government has helped high tech in many other ways besides policies directly related to computers and the internet. Immigration reforms, for instance, that opened the doors to high-skilled foreign-born immigrants resulted in the arrival of people who helped build the computing products that the entire world depends on today. The Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society helped a young Sergey Brin and his family obtain a visa to emigrate from the Soviet Union in 1979. With that, Google was born. Musk was able to finish his education at the University of Pennsylvania with a student visa and stay in the United States because of an H1-B visa. Yahoo co-founder Jerry Yang immigrated with his family from Taiwan in 1978. The Small Business Investment Incentive Act (1980) provided valuable dollars to Silicon Valley firms as they struggled to make a name for themselves.

Indeed, Musk’s company Tesla benefited from government assistance. In 2009, a critical moment for the company, Tesla received $465 million in low-interest loans from the U.S. Energy Department that it used to construct the Model S. Electric vehicle tax credits have grown consumer demand for his and other vehicles. Federal research grants played a role in the different components that make up these cars.

The federal government and the high-tech industry have stood side by side for decades. And the high-tech story has happened many times over, often in some of what have become the country’s most conservative areas. In From Cotton Belt to Sunbelt, historian Bruce J. Schulman traces how the revitalization of the South and Southwest, ground zero for the modern conservative movement of the post-1960s era, was built on defense contracts and military bases. Reagan’s presidency, which pushed politics rightward, derived electoral profits from massive congressional investments made over the decades after the war.

While many agree on the importance of markets, the hand of government—sometimes hidden from view—has been equally essential to economic success. The history of high tech has revolved around a genuine partnership between markets and government, not one or the other. To destroy the partnership threatens to destroy what has made the U.S. economy great. Every American will be forced to pay the cost.

[beardedmrbean]

DES MOINES, Iowa —

In a 3-0 vote, Iowa senators advanced a hands-free driving bill through a subcommittee today. Senate File 22 would make it illegal to touch or hold electronic devices while driving.

Some state lawmakers have been advocating for this legislation for years but have never gotten enough votes to get it across the finish line. They're hopeful that new support from the governor will help.

"For the sake of all our loved ones on the road, let's finally pass legislation that requires drivers to keep their eyes on the road and away from their phones," Gov. Kim Reynolds said in her Condition of the State address earlier this month.

Some grieving parents attended Wednesday's subcommittee hearing, pleading with state lawmakers to pass the bill.

Judi Collora shared the difficulty she's faced since her daughter was killed in 2023 by a driver who was texting.

"We ask you to pass it and hope that we can save some lives and save families the agony of losing their loved one," Collora said. "My daughter is never going to call me again and say 'I love you mom.'"

Sitting next to Collora, Berta Pearson shared a similar story of devastation. In 2022, a driver distracted by her cell phone hit and killed Pearson's 20-year-old grandson and his coworker.

"We have to do something. We can't have more kids die just because somebody thought they needed to be on that silly phone," Pearson said.

No one spoke against the bill during Wednesday's hearing. Sen. Mark Lofgren, R-Muscatine, said he's hopeful that this will be the year that the bill will be signed into law.

Waukee police Chief Chad McCluskey said the bill would make Iowa roads safer.

"People texting, sending messages, playing video games, looking at social media, watching movies, that's just simply inappropriate on the highway. There's no room for it," McCluskey said in an interview with KCCI. "Things happen just in a split second on the highway, and if you're not paying attention, that's what causes these accidents."

McCluskey also said states with similar laws are seeing success.

"Within one year of passing similar laws, Minnesota saw a 30% reduction of traffic crashes. Illinois saw a 22% reduction," he said.

The bill still needs approval in committee and from the full Iowa House and Senate, and a signature from the governor before it could become law.

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

New Martian meteorite unveils secrets of Mars’ ancient volcanic systems

In a landmark discovery published in the inaugural issue of Planet, a cutting-edge journal dedicated to planetary science, researchers from Chengdu University of Technology have unveiled the petrogenetic history of a newly identified Martian meteorite—Northwest Africa (NWA) 16254 (Fig. 1). This gabbroic shergottite, the first geochemically depleted member of its textural group, offers unprecedented insights into Mars’ volcanic processes and mantle-crust interactions, bridging critical gaps in understanding the planet’s magmatic diversity.

Led by Dr. Jun-Feng Chen of the Research Center for Planetary Science, the team combined advanced mineralogical mapping and geochemical analyses to decode the meteorite’s two-stage crystallization history. The study reveals that NWA 16254 formed initially under high-pressure conditions (4.3–9.3 kbar) at the Martian mantle-crust boundary, where magnesium-rich pyroxene cores crystallized. Later, the magma ascended to shallow crustal depths (<4 kbar), where iron-enriched pyroxene rims and plagioclase developed. This prolonged cooling process, preserved in the meteorite’s coarse-grained texture, suggests episodic melt extraction from a long-lived, depleted mantle reservoir—a critical clue for reconstructing Mars’ magmatic evolution.

The meteorite’s geochemical depletion, marked by light rare earth element (LREE) depleted (Fig. 2) and low oxygen fugacity (fO2​=IW−1.0), aligns it with the rare QUE 94201 meteorite, hinting at a shared magma source. Its gabbroic texture, indicative of slow cooling in crustal chambers, distinguishes it as a unique archive of subsurface magmatism. These findings challenge existing models of Martian volcanic evolution, as NWA 16254’s consistently low fO2​, corroborated by Ti3+-bearing ilmenite assemblages, implies sustained reducing conditions during crystallization. This underscores the heterogeneity of Mars’ mantle and raises questions about the planet’s redox evolution over billions of years. Future geochronological studies could resolve whether this meteorite represents ancient mantle melting (~2.4 billion years ago) or younger magmatic activity, offering clues to Mars’ thermal history.

The study leverages state-of-the-art techniques, including TESCAN Integrated Mineral Analyzer (TIMA) mapping and laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS), to trace mineral zoning and trace element distributions. These methods revealed decoupled geochemical behaviors in pyroxene cores and rims—a phenomenon critical for reconstructing magma chamber dynamics. For researchers, NWA 16254’s well-preserved geochemical signatures present a prime target for isotopic analyses, potentially unlocking timelines of Martian mantle depletion and refining models of planetary differentiation.

IMAGE; Fig. 1 Image of the entire NWA 16254 sample studied in this work. (a) A backscattered electron (BSE) image obtained by TIMA. (b) Mineralogical mapping via TIMA. (c) Distribution map of the iron content obtained via TIMA. (d) Distribution map of the calcium content obtained via TIMA. Aug = augite, Pig = pigeonite, Pig-Fe = Fe-rich pigeonite; Mask = maskelynite, Fay = fayalite, Qtz = quartz; Ilm = ilmenite. Fig. 2 Chondrite-normalized rare earth element patterns of whole-rock for NWA 16254 meteorite and other depleted shergottites. The gray lines represent data from Udry et al. (2020).  Credit Chen, J.-F., Tian, X., & Cao, F.

[mysticstronomy]

IS THE MOON RUSTING??

Blog#341

Wednesday, October 18th, 2023

Welcome back,

While our Moon is airless, research indicates the presence of hematite, a form of rust that normally requires oxygen and water. That has scientists puzzled.

Mars has long been known for its rust. Iron on its surface, combined with water and oxygen from the ancient past, give the Red Planet its hue. But scientists were recently surprised to find evidence that our airless Moon has rust on it as well.

A new paper in Science Advances reviews data from the Indian Space Research Organization's Chandrayaan-1 orbiter, which discovered water ice and mapped out a variety of minerals while surveying the Moon's surface in 2008. Lead author Shuai Li of the University of Hawaii has studied that water extensively in data from Chandrayaan-1's Moon Mineralogy Mapper instrument, or M3, which was built by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. Water interacts with rock to produce a diversity of minerals, and M3 detected spectra - or light reflected off surfaces - that revealed the Moon's poles had a very different composition than the rest of it.

Intrigued, Li homed in on these polar spectra. While the Moon's surface is littered with iron-rich rocks, he nevertheless was surprised to find a close match with the spectral signature of hematite. The mineral is a form of iron oxide, or rust, produced when iron is exposed to oxygen and water. But the Moon isn't supposed to have oxygen or liquid water, so how can it be rusting?

The mystery starts with the solar wind, a stream of charged particles that flows out from the Sun, bombarding Earth and the Moon with hydrogen. Hydrogen makes it harder for hematite to form. It's what is known as a reducer, meaning it adds electrons to the materials it interacts with. That's the opposite of what is needed to make hematite: For iron to rust, it requires an oxidizer, which removes electrons. And while the Earth has a magnetic field shielding it from this hydrogen, the Moon does not.

"It's very puzzling," Li said. "The Moon is a terrible environment for hematite to form in." So he turned to JPL scientists Abigail Fraeman and Vivian Sun to help poke at M3's data and confirm his discovery of hematite.

"At first, I totally didn't believe it. It shouldn't exist based on the conditions present on the Moon," Fraeman said. "But since we discovered water on the Moon, people have been speculating that there could be a greater variety of minerals than we realize if that water had reacted with rocks."

After taking a close look, Fraeman and Sun became convinced M3's data does indeed indicate the presence of hematite at the lunar poles. "In the end, the spectra were convincingly hematite-bearing, and there needed to be an explanation for why it's on the Moon," Sun said.

Their paper offers a three-pronged model to explain how rust might form in such an environment. For starters, while the Moon lacks an atmosphere, it is in fact home to trace amounts of oxygen.

The source of that oxygen: our planet. Earth's magnetic field trails behind the planet like a windsock. In 2007, Japan's Kaguya orbiter discovered that oxygen from Earth's upper atmosphere can hitch a ride on this trailing magnetotail, as it's officially known, traveling the 239,000 miles (385,00 kilometers) to the Moon.

That discovery fits with data from M3, which found more hematite on the Moon's Earth-facing near side than on its far side. "This suggested that Earth's oxygen could be driving the formation of hematite," Li said. The Moon has been inching away from Earth for billions of years, so it's also possible that more oxygen hopped across this rift when the two were closer in the ancient past.

Then there's the matter of all that hydrogen being delivered by the solar wind. As a reducer, hydrogen should prevent oxidation from occurring. But Earth's magnetotail has a mediating effect. Besides ferrying oxygen to the Moon from our home planet, it also blocks over 99% of the solar wind during certain periods of the Moon's orbit (specifically, whenever it's in the full Moon phase). That opens occasional windows during the lunar cycle when rust can form.

Originally published on nasa.com

COMING UP!!

(Saturday, October 21st, 2023)

"HOW CLOSE ARE WE TO SPACE COLONIZATION??"

[atmarkabstract]

signas ramble

Signas units have very long, branching retractable antennae that extend from the back of the neck, easily extending their height from 9 feet to 13 feet, if not more. Designed for both sending and receiving data from the advanced transmission system the Stellaris line is renowned for, acting as a literal middleman to amplify, clarify and encrypt communications data. Metadata such as the sender's serial code, location, electronic signature and other information such as time of sending, data type and format is kept intact though some parts can be deleted upon request. Similar data about the Signas and their part in the process is also included in the packet.

However, consciously sent data is not the only sort they process. Lots of general status information is constantly resolved and transmitted so the rest of the hivemind can be aware of how they're doing, often opting to send their current thoughts and feelings. A stellaris squad is no mere group but a unique constellation of minds, sharing each fragment of information and curious thought between all of them, potent attachments both electronically and emotionally forged even in their testing phases, an eternal tandem of one signal after another. One could never guess the constantly oscillating information superhighway from their stoic, professional exteriors. And the Signas is the one who ultimately facilitates all of this, processing power far more useful than just strategising.

[dailycharacteroption]

Roleplay Ramblings: Alien Anatomy and Equipment part 3

(art taken from Alien Archive 1, credit goes to the original artist)

Interfaces

Computers are a big part of most galactic civilizations, what with such processors being required to control starships, vehicles, advanced machines, and of course, are an integral part of all but the simplest comm units.

But while most humanoids are quite comfortable with touchpads, keyboards, and either physical or holographic screens or headsets, others might struggle with them. Which is where we’ll begin, like yesterday, breaking down things be a few useful example species.

Going back to Bantrids, the immediate thing we have to consider is the fact that a bantrid requires constant movement to feel safe and at ease. A computer console for them must have a mini treadmill for them to roll on while they use it, for example. Furthermore, because their grasper tendrils are so close to where their eyes are, I imagine they already have an acute ability to focus on objects very close to their eyes, but for protection from bright screen, most probably prefer portable computers that project their displays holographically away from their bodies.

Meanwhile, most vehicles built for bantrids likely are steered by the bantrids’s own motion on a treadmill that they are locked into place on top of, which things like gearshift and consol controls being bult near the top of their bodies near both pairs of tendrils, making for a pilot seat that is very enclosed, likely with a wide glass front for maximum visibility.

While this is probably true for all psychic species, the physical difficulties that contemplatives have make physical controls undesirable, causing them to favor psychic control methods instead, with computers that have built in telepathic interfaces which may display output either physically or mentally, depend on preference and what other species need to use them. Similarly, they would favor vehicles with the same sort of interfaces.

On that note, how do you design an interface for a creature a creature that cannot see at all? Khizar are telepathic, but they lack sight, relying on vibration and life-sensing to get around, and even those are relatively short range. As such, displays for them, including vehicles, need to have a 360 degree sensory suit that projects a map of spoofed vibrational and life signatures in order to give context to what the computer is controlling or what is around the vehicle.

Meanwhile, beings of living plasma like novians need computers that are sensitive to the arcing energy tethers that are effectively their “limbs” while also being resistant to the damage prolonged exposure to those discharges (and their body heat) could do to most electronics.

Also, consider the two giants of biotech, the barathu and the raxilites. Raxilites in particular focus on engineered plants, creating living starships that resemble giant plants or even whole forests. Consider how such biotech might interface with the user, with things like direct sensory linkage, pheromonal messages, and the like.

Consider also that Raxilites almost certainly use miniaturized personal computers with holographic displays capable of projecting both fine images for their convenience and larger ones when they need to display for others.

As silicon-based life forms that prefer to preserve energy whenever possible, urogs most likely prefer computers with voice commands and subtle mental controls, but also possess manual controls for high-energy moments when physical action is needed. Imaging an urog grabbing the yoke of a starship or flying vessel in their dexterous manipulator trunk and steering with it.

Consider also how multi-tentacled races like scyphozoans and vilderaro would set up their computer consoles, perhaps with keyboards that nearly wrap around them, as well as multiple screens to feed their multiple receptors.

Finally, consider the modular computers that would be used by vlaka. Congenital blindness and deafness are common in this species, so building computers with tactile controls and non-audible interfaces would be paramount, especially switches that could be toggled manually when a device is transferred between users without navigating menus would be important, allowing the user to be able to access different options and accessibility options on the fly to suit their needs.

I think that will do for today, but tomorrow we’ll be stepping away from technology to focus on how different species would use magic in unique ways.