Category: technology

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A Molten Salt Reactor That Eats Nuclear Waste Might Be the Next Big Thing

Scientists are always looking for ways to do things that relate to the way we use energy better, faster, smarter, and better for the environment.

Molten salt reactors were invented in the 1950s, but since the Atomic Energy Commission (which became the Department of Energy) was committed to light water reactors – they were already used in the electric power industry and were powering the nuclear navy.

A few engineers and scientists kept quietly working on developing the molten salt reactors, though, even without government support, and two engineers – Carl Perez and Ed Pheil – founded Elysium Technologies USA.

Image Credit: Elysium Technologies

Now, they have an updated design for a Molten Chloride Salt Fast Reactor (MCSFR).

The reactor offers a number of upsides and benefits, like zero downtime to fuel (online), not needing a large water source nearby, using less electricity, and that it’s fueled by nuclear waste from other reactors and weapons.

The reactor is a potential source of hydrogen generation and doesn’t cost much to run and operate, creating safe and reliable energy with built-in failsafes like not needing an operator to shut it drown.

Image Credit: Elysium Technologies

The Elysium salt reactor stands out from its peers by requiring less safety infrastructure in general, due to its low operational pressure requirements and its components having a high technical readiness.

The fact that it burns up nuclear fuel from water reactors and weapons waste, transforming it into useful energy, is a great bonus, too.

Once it’s finished burning, only about 5% of the nuclear waste remains, and it’s less toxic for a shorter amount of time, too – it decays in around 300 years instead of 10,000, like the waste from conventional solid-fuel reactor waste.

Image Credit: Public Domain

Obviously, that’s great for the environment, too.

Elysium believes they can built these on both large and small scales, and with the world turning to nuclear power as a leading option to reduce carbon emissions and meet climate goals, this seems to be a no-brainer as the way to go.

The post A Molten Salt Reactor That Eats Nuclear Waste Might Be the Next Big Thing appeared first on UberFacts.

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This Guy Used a Weird “DIY” Lifehack to Outsmart a Mechanic

It’s pretty much a meme at this point that any time you think you’re doing OK in life or you finally have some money saved, that’s when car problems strike and ruin absolutely everything. It’s a huge problem for me, a mechanically inept person.

My grandfather knows absolutely everything about cars, my dad knows some things, I know nothing. Following this pattern I assume my future son will not even understand what a car is.

Mechanical issues are of course exacerbated by unscrupulous mechanics who know that you can’t fix the problem on your own and will come up with all sorts of ways to trap you into paying way too much for a process that’s actually pretty simple. I need a new headlight installed. How long does that take? 10 minutes? 4 hours? I have no idea. I’m at the mercy of the guy quoting me a price.

Unless, of course, I come up with an ingenious plan, like this Tumblr user did.

Step 1: Identify the Problem

Nothing like a little bit of price gouging to start off a good story.

Step 2: Shop Around

Hey man, I’m just trying to play my part here.

Step 3: Find an Alternative Route

If you wanna play, we can play.

Step 4: Do It Yourself

When your own incompetence is secretly your greatest weapon.

Step 5: Revel in the Satisfaction

Holy, indeed.

So there ya have it. A life hack for those of us who are mechanically challenged. Go forth, and save some dough.

What weird loophole have you used to save money?

Tell us in the comments.

The post This Guy Used a Weird “DIY” Lifehack to Outsmart a Mechanic appeared first on UberFacts.

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Do You Have an Irrational Fear of Answering the Phone? People Confess That You’re Not Alone!

It’s one of the more ironic things about our society that now that we all have phones in our hands pretty much 24/7, we’ve developed an intense dislike of actually speaking on them.

We’d rather text or DM or PM or Snapchat or heck, even email before actually picking it up and talking to whoever is on the other end of the line.

This guy has an irrational fear of answering, no matter who is calling, and he wonders if he’s alone.

Does anyone else have this irrational fear of answering calls, no matter who’s calling? from NoStupidQuestions

Luckily, answers like that are just what Reddit is for.

Let’s check them out!

16. Definitely not.

I’m not alone then. I HATE getting calls.

Text me all you want – just don’t call me. I get anxious and uncomfortable and I have no idea why.

It’s gotten so bad even my girlfriend is affected. Yeah, she can call me and I’d answer, but our calls rarely go beyond 3 minutes.

I’m not even joking.

15. Those are the devil, too.

Sort of.

But for some reason I will never listen to a voicemail message as I think for some reason they’ll always be bad.

14. No good reason.

My biggest issue is unknown numbers.

I haven’t deleted a number I’ve saved in my phone since I got it but stuff like I’ve joined some service and the person I’m in contact with will use one number but their contact may contact me from another then the initial person has a work mobile that’s set to private and it’s all WHY IS SOMEONE PHONING ME???

13. Even more reason not to answer in your private time.

Yes.

I also work at a call center.

It’s lots of fun.

12. Things are getting worse, too.

I have a very difficult time answering phone calls. It wasn’t something I’ve always had… it’s progressed over the last 18 years.

Hell, even if I don’t answer and the callers leaves a message, I have a difficult time actually listening to the message. I don’t understand it… it’s completely irrational.

The only thing I can think of is that in my mind, if I don’t acknowledge the call or the message, I don’t have to deal with whatever potential threat/problem/situation exists on the other end.

11. Sometimes we have to.

I’m a 911 operator and I still have anxiety about using the phone, outside of work of course.

I’m guessing a different state of mind exists when you’re working that kind of blocks it out.

10. Sooooo awkward.

Yes, I have social anxiety to begin with but for some reason not being able to see the person I’m talking to makes it so much worse.

Also the city I live in has dogsh%t cell reception so by the fourth time I have to say “I’m sorry, say again?”

I’m about ready to curl up in a ball and give up. LOL

9. Anxiety is no fun.

Yes, but I suffer from generalized anxiety.

When my anxiety is really unsettled, the phone is really hard for me.

Making or receiving calls can be a totally daunting task.

Overwhelming, even.

Without the invention of texting, I would be SOL.

8. Just say no.

Yes. I hate answering my phone unless I know who it is or am expecting a call.

I just let it go to voicemail and then call back if necessary.

7. Apps are a godsend.

Luckily these days most places hat deliver support online or app ordering.

Haven’t called for a good delivery in a couple years.

6. Hopefully next year.

It certainly does make me feel anxious, and if I’m not expecting a call and it’s an unknown number, a little afraid too.

Either way, both of us should leave the house more often.

5. Humans should come with warning labels.

Yep! My boyfriend is nice enough to make appointments for me and pick up my meds.

I don’t know why but every time I make the calls myself it’s like I have this strange kind of goodbye exchange that seems all intimate and weird.

And then one time I accidentally hung up on a lady without saying bye and I could not get over it, I felt so bad.

I hate calling people, god dammit. I also probably never answer the phone when it rings.

Just send me an email or something I’m scared, I’m poor, I’m anxious, I don’t want what you’re selling.

4. It’s a real thing.

Telephone phobia is reluctance or fear of making or taking phone calls, literally, “fear of telephones”. It is considered to be a type of social phobia or social anxiety.

It may be compared to glossophobia, in that both arise from having to engage with an audience, and the associated fear of being criticized, judged or made a fool of.

3. Why would you?

Same.

I never answer my phone if I’m not expecting a call or don’t know who it is.

If they don’t leave a message I don’t call back.

2. This is definitely a thing.

I’ll do you one better.

If I’m going to order ahead from a restaurant and I discover that they don’t have online ordering, I find a different restaurant.

1. At least you’re not alone.

generalized anxiety
That feeling when you are watching the screen, knowing you cant reject the call, and holding your breath until the call leaves the screen, so you can get back to Reddit.

Next, you wonder how long is best to wait, before you text them an excuse as to why you didn’t answer..

Then, you get lost on Reddit and forget someone called, and you never call or text them back.

Eventually, you see them in person, they’re all, “yooo, you never answer your phone! Why do you even have one?!”

Sorry, I just suck at life.

I don’t think I have a fear,  exactly, but I would definitely rather text.

Give us your thoughts in the comments!

The post Do You Have an Irrational Fear of Answering the Phone? People Confess That You’re Not Alone! appeared first on UberFacts.

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Turning Off Gmail’s Smart Features Might Make You Harder to Track. Here’s How to Do It.

There are a lot of people out there who are more concerned with privacy than ever, and for some good reasons, too.

If 2020 has taught us anything it’s that we need to be prepared for anything, and honestly, I don’t know anyone who wants “the man” to be any more involved in our lives than they have to be.

Our email is easily tracked, of course, and if keeping things more private and harder to track is on your list of things to do in the new year, here’s one way to keep your Gmail account more secure.

Image Credit: iStock

If your smart features are currently turned on, Google is collecting data on everything you’re doing while you use their products and services. The data can be sold to advertisers, or sometimes used to make it easier to use Google’s products.

They use data from Gmail, Chat and Meet to make their user experience more convenient, for example, like when your email or text tries to predict what you’re going to type next.

If you don’t want your data tracked and stored for any reason, though, you can opt out.

Right now you have to dig a little deeper to keep your data to yourself, in a few months Google will roll out new email settings that will allow you to simply disable the smart features with a single click.

Image Credit: Google

That means you’ll no longer have access to features like Smart Compose, Smart Reply, etc, but it also means Google isn’t rooting around in your business.

You’ll also be able to disable a setting that allows Gmail, Chat, and Meet data to be used in other Google apps.

To get their eyes and hands off, you’ll have to give up access to things like content suggestions, restaurant recommendations, or automated bill pay reminders.

Image Credit: Google

If you don’t want to wait for the new prompts to show up, you can change some of your preferences right now.

You pull up your Gmail, then Settings > General, to turn off the following options individually:

  • Smart compose
  • Smart compose personalization
  • Nudges
  • Smart reply

Screenshot: Brendan Hesse

Next, you’ll click on Settings > Inbox and deselect all inbox categories and turn off “Importance Markers.”

If you want to see what other Gmail data you can mess with, check out Settings > Accounts and Import > Other Google Account settings.

Turning those off should help protect your data for now, and with the changes coming and Google being more transparent about how their Smart features work, it should get even easier in the future.

At least, as far as we know.

The post Turning Off Gmail’s Smart Features Might Make You Harder to Track. Here’s How to Do It. appeared first on UberFacts.

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A Deployed Father Keeps Up With His Kids Via Their Ring Doorbell

More people are buying into the idea of smart homes. We have personal assistant-type devices like Alexa and Google Home, we employ security systems, smart televisions, and yes, Ring video doorbells.

The Ring lets us see who is at the door, it can help us keep track of our packages (and record potential thieves) – and, apparently, let us keep up with our kids when we’re too far away to do it in person.

Image Credit: YouTube

Father Peter DeCrans bought his family a Ring doorbell before he was deployed with Minnesota’s National Guard’s 34th Infantry Division.

He’s stationed in the Middle East and loves having a camera that sends live feeds of his porch directly to his phone and other devices.

Image Credit: YouTube

Now, every morning before school, DeCran’s children – 7-year-old Zerick and 5-year-old Petroula – record a video that he can bring up and watch whenever he wants.

He told Twin Cities Pioneer Press that it’s something he looked forward to every single day.

“It was one of the best things ever, a little slice of home.

When you’re gone that long, you miss your kids, you want to see them. It’s a way to feel connected to what’s going on.”

Image Credit: YouTube

The kids prattled on in the videos, like kids do. They told their dad about their days, dances they’d learned, what they’d been taught in school – whatever.

“It was just part of the routine. They’d get dressed for school, and then they’d swing outside and leave a quick message telling me about their day.

One day Zerick had really long hair, and the next day he had a buzz cut because he had a wood tick in his hair, and he didn’t want long hair anymore.”

Image Credit: YouTube

Hard to blame him, right?

DeCrans sends his own recorded videos in return, using an app to read the kids stories and do other things that makes it feel like he’s not quite so far away.

So, while most of us could probably use a bit less technology in our lives, families like the DeCrans are using it to make the hard things in life a little bit bearable.

And I think we all agree that’s not a bad thing.

What did you think about this unique way to keep up with kids?

Let us know in the comments!

The post A Deployed Father Keeps Up With His Kids Via Their Ring Doorbell appeared first on UberFacts.

Posted on

A Deployed Father Keeps Up With His Kids Via Their Ring Doorbell

More people are buying into the idea of smart homes. We have personal assistant-type devices like Alexa and Google Home, we employ security systems, smart televisions, and yes, Ring video doorbells.

The Ring lets us see who is at the door, it can help us keep track of our packages (and record potential thieves) – and, apparently, let us keep up with our kids when we’re too far away to do it in person.

Image Credit: YouTube

Father Peter DeCrans bought his family a Ring doorbell before he was deployed with Minnesota’s National Guard’s 34th Infantry Division.

He’s stationed in the Middle East and loves having a camera that sends live feeds of his porch directly to his phone and other devices.

Image Credit: YouTube

Now, every morning before school, DeCran’s children – 7-year-old Zerick and 5-year-old Petroula – record a video that he can bring up and watch whenever he wants.

He told Twin Cities Pioneer Press that it’s something he looked forward to every single day.

“It was one of the best things ever, a little slice of home.

When you’re gone that long, you miss your kids, you want to see them. It’s a way to feel connected to what’s going on.”

Image Credit: YouTube

The kids prattled on in the videos, like kids do. They told their dad about their days, dances they’d learned, what they’d been taught in school – whatever.

“It was just part of the routine. They’d get dressed for school, and then they’d swing outside and leave a quick message telling me about their day.

One day Zerick had really long hair, and the next day he had a buzz cut because he had a wood tick in his hair, and he didn’t want long hair anymore.”

Image Credit: YouTube

Hard to blame him, right?

DeCrans sends his own recorded videos in return, using an app to read the kids stories and do other things that makes it feel like he’s not quite so far away.

So, while most of us could probably use a bit less technology in our lives, families like the DeCrans are using it to make the hard things in life a little bit bearable.

And I think we all agree that’s not a bad thing.

What did you think about this unique way to keep up with kids?

Let us know in the comments!

The post A Deployed Father Keeps Up With His Kids Via Their Ring Doorbell appeared first on UberFacts.

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A Company Created a Hidden Cat Maze Bed Frame People Will Love

Cats are great pets. They’re cute and cuddly, don’t need to be taken outside to use the restroom, and as a bonus, they keep pesky mice out of the home.

However, they can also be a pain when it comes to keeping the furniture in good condition. Unless trained otherwise, cats will dig their claws into couches, carpets, blinds, and beds. In fact, they love destroying the underside of a bed or couch and turning in into their own private hideout.

That’s why this cat maze bed frame, by CatLife is SO exciting.

Image Credit: CatLife

This is the Gatrimonial bed.

With a bed frame like this one, you’ll never have to worry about your cats destroying the underside of your bed again! Along with the frame comes a bed base and a back.

Unfortunately, the Gatrimonial bed is priced at $2,120,000 – $2,650, 000. (Gulp)

Image Credit: CatLife

But just look at how cool it is!

With a bed frame like this, your cat (or dog) can both hide away when they need some privacy, and entertain themselves by weaving through this wooden maze.

Honestly, it’s about time someone invented this.

CatLife has a full line of products for cat owners and their cats.

Like the Gatrimonial bed, many of their other products help to create cat-friendly spaces in a sleek and modern home.

If you have the money to spare, why not live with your cat in style?

Avoid the cat-scratched furniture by investing in furniture made specifically for you and your cat.

Would you buy the Gatrimonial bed?

Let us know in the comments.

The post A Company Created a Hidden Cat Maze Bed Frame People Will Love appeared first on UberFacts.

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Things That Would Have Seemed Normal in 2000, But Would Be Pretty Strange Today

Times change. We all know that, but in the past, we’ve had a bit more time to get used to those changes before something new comes down the pike.

For the past decade, our world and technology have been changing so fast and so often that it can seem like a whirlwind – and these 12 things that have gone all but obsolete are the proof in the pudding.

12. We all knew how to read maps!

Printing out your route from Mapquest before leaving the house.

Seems like there was one year where every car was guaranteed to have a Mapquest printout on the right front passenger seat.

And somehow mapquest was always wrong. Even if by just one street.

11. No way this happens today.

I remember 25 years ago getting on a plane and realized I forgot some important paperwork in the car.

The flight attendant let me get off the plane and I ran through the terminal and out to the parking lot to my car to retrieve it.

Then quickly ran back in, zipped past the security screener, out onto the tarmac and climbed up the stairs to the plane.

It was a rather small airport so it took less than 5 minutes. But I doubt I’d be allowed to do that today.

10. It’s been a wild ride.

Email has almost gone full circle in terms of usefulness in communication… (edit: personal communication, i.e. not work/professional/school. I clarifyed that at the end, but some responses suggest that point was missed)

2000: Email is common, but it’s not something people check very often. Easy way to disseminate information to a lot of people at once, but not great if you want/need instant feedback.

2010: Everyone has email and smartphones are becoming the norm, so everyone has email access at all times. With the limitations of SMS, is a popular and efficient way to do group conversions.

2020: Social media and dedicated messaging platforms have taken over, email is little but a vast wasteland of spam, so people stop paying attention it and don’t check it very often.

9. All of airports.

Waiting for your loved ones at the GATE rather than the luggage pickup.

I think low security is even overstating how bad it was.

My airport had 2 guys with those handheld metal detectors they casually waved and often times they just waved kids under 10 through.

Anyone could walk down to the gate with you without a ticket.

8. Or face the fine!

Rewinding movies when you’re done watching them.

BE KIND, REWIND

7. Do those still exist?

Teen magazines (Tiger Beat, M, Mad…) that you could take posters out of and hang in your room.

6. You know you still do this.

Blowing into video games to fix them.

5. We were very dedicated to our mix tapes.

Buying a stack of blank Cd’s so you can make your own custom mixes.

4. And AskJeeves!

Using Yahoo to search for things.

Or repeatedly signing up for 15 free hours of AOL using a spoofed credit card number and a fake name.

3. Or clicking the numbers multiple times.

T9 texting.

Having the keys memorized so you could text like Matt Damon in “The Departed”.

2. I barely remember doing this.

Switching to channel 3 to play video games.

1. It was good and bad.

Not freaking out when someone calls you out of nowhere.

Or comes by your place without messaging first.

It’s so, so crazy to think about our changing world in these terms.

Is this what getting old is like? I guess I’m there!

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