Category Archives: Education

learning in America

Formula 1

Education, Just for Fun, Science

Formula 1

There have been changes in this amazing racing vehicle. They have always been able to achieve fabulous HP from very small engines. Following are the latest details (would you have ever imagined a “hybrid?):

  • “In 2025, Formula 1 will continue to use 1.6-liter V6 turbocharged hybrid engines, a configuration in place since 2014. These power units combine an internal combustion engine (ICE) with sophisticated hybrid systems to deliver high performance and efficiency. The key components include the ICE, Motor Generator Unit-Kinetic (MGU-K), Motor Generator Unit-Heat (MGU-H), turbocharger, energy store, and control electronics. 
    Here’s a more detailed breakdown:
    Internal Combustion Engine (ICE): A 1.6-liter, 90-degree V6 engine limited to 15,000 rpm, producing around 830-850 horsepower. Regulations limit fuel flow, encouraging efficiency rather than just raw power. 
    MGU-K: An electric motor-generator recovers kinetic energy during braking and can deploy up to 120 kW (160 hp) to assist the engine. 
    MGU-H: Another motor-generator attached to the turbocharger, harvesting exhaust heat energy to either store or use for maintaining turbo speed. 
    Energy Store: A battery pack stores the energy recovered by the MGU-K and MGU-H, delivering it to the MGU-K. 
    Control Electronics: Sophisticated electronics manage the power unit, optimizing performance and efficiency. 
    Engine Suppliers: The four engine suppliers for the 2025 season are Ferrari, Mercedes, Renault, and Honda RBPT. These suppliers provide power units to the ten F1 teams. Renault is ending its engine program after the 2025” 

Debt Revisited

Broken in the USA, Economics, Education, Government Issues

Here’s how the government spent $6.8T last year   (From “USA Facts” article)   The federal government spent $6.8 trillion in fiscal year 2024. We’ll say that again.  $6,800,000,000,000. We’re not saying that’s good or bad, too much or too little. But we can agree that that scale is hard to fathom, right?    Our new agency spending chart makes 2024 spending for the executive, legislative, and judicial branches easier to understand. We even tracked the president’s budget, independent agencies such as NASA, and entities that get federal money but don’t slot neatly into other categories (think the Smithsonian).   A few insights:   The Department of Health and Human Services spent $1.7 trillion in 2024. That was about 25.4% of federal expenditures, primarily driven by the $1.5 trillion in spending by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.     Proportion of federal budget across cabinet agencies   The Social Security Administration accounted for the biggest share of independent agency spending: $1.5 trillion.  Federal Student Aid accounted for 2.4% of federal spending, totaling $161.0 billion.  The National Parks Service spent just under $4.5 billion, for 0.07% of federal spending. Congress runs the botanic garden adjacent to the Capitol Building. The garden accounted for $19.0 million in legislative branch spending.     FDA agency hover                                    

Terraforming Mars

Education, Environment, Perspectives, Science

Terraforming Mars

There has been quite a bit of discussion about terraforming Mars. While I do think it is possible my guess is that the process could take hundreds of years. Assuming that ET has been visiting us thousands of years (Ancient Astronaut Theory) why have they not already done this? They are far advanced technologically and likely have better and faster methods.

It puzzles me that we think we would do a better job maintaining Mars (after terraforming) than we have our planet. We have successfully overpopulated Earth beyond resource sustainability and are enroute to destroying the environment. Mars is not the solution.