Batteries Included

Every once in a while you run across a publication that stands head and shoulders above the crowd. Such a publication is Spectrum, the publication of the IEEE. It is one which is being read by a lot of interesting people, which should tell you something right there. Although the focus of the IEEE is anything to do with electrons, of necessity they stray into a lot of interesting areas.

One of the best articles I've seen on the war in Iraq was Re-engineering Iraq by Glenn Zorpette, published in the February edition of Spectrum, and they've scored another hit recently. It's so good that I'm linking it in the blog roll. Give it up for Spectrum, people.

In the current article it is reported that a world distance record was set for people carrying aircraft powered by AA batteries. That's right. The aircraft, built in Japan by technology students and sponsored by Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. a/k/a Panasonic traveled a distance of 391.4 meters under power, which is within spitting distance of 1/4 mile. The power pack comprised 160 AA batteries-Panasonic, of course.