Sci/tech tidbits in and around New Hampshire
N.H. (like many places) has a tradition of hermits living in the wood
(This story isn't exactly geeky but I thought it would appeal to geeks, who often dream of becoming hermits. It was prompted by an ongoing situation with a guy who was forced out of his off-grid woodsy cabin; I won't link to any stories because it's changing every...
Science Cafe returns in person (outdoors) to discuss Concord’s clean-energy goals
Concord has a goal of making sure 100% of electricity consumed in the city comes from renewable energy sources in just nine years. This seemed a bit of a stretch when the council adopted it in 2018, yet in light of dire warnings from the latest climate-change report,...
New Hampshire patents through Aug. 8
By Targeted News Service The following patents were assigned in New Hampshire from Aug. 1 to Aug. 8. *** Allegro MicroSystems Assigned Patent for Gate Driver Isolating Circuit Allegro MicroSystems, Manchester, New Hampshire, has been assigned a patent (No. 11,082,038,...
99% of COVID cases in N.H. happen to (surprise!) unvaccinated people
"Since the beginning of February, unvaccinated individuals have accounted for 99% of New Hampshire’s COVID-19 cases and 98% of deaths, according to state data." That confirmation of the obvious is part of this piece from the Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy, a...
Lots of states use wood for heating more than N.H.
Burning wood to heat your home is a New Hampshire tradition, so it is slightly startling to hear that we're no longer one of the top-three states, along with Vermont and Maine, when it comes to heating primarily with wood. In fact, we're not even in the top 5! That's...
A deep dive on the federal prosecution of NH Bitcoin
The Verge has a deep dive into the federal prosecution of New Hampshire's Bitcoin fans, for those who want to keep up with it. Reviewing the case now, (Ian Freeman) is particularly alarmed by the charge of operating a “continuing financial crimes enterprise,” which...
Concord’s July was the wettest on record for a couple definitions of “wettest”
People love weather extremes, so the frequent heavy rains we've gotten in New England mean everybody wonders: "Is it a record?" The problem with that question is how do you measure it? Total precipitation over some arbitrary period is the usual method but that can get...
Redstone missile in little NH town is (finally) historic
The New Hampshire Division of Historical Resources maintains a State Register of Historic Places, and every year it adds a few more. Items are almost always buildings - town halls, chapels, schools, barns - but sometimes they're different. This year the division added...
Why we’re not known as The State That Birthed Segway
When the Segway came out from inventor Dean Kamen in 2001, for a brief moment it seemed like New Hampshire would finally have something to brag about other than the presidential primary. But as you know, the Segway fizzled and turned into something of a joke. Kamen...
Time magazine (yes, it still exists) admires Vermont’s changing power grid
Time magazine has a big spread on the push by Green Mountain Power, Vermont's electric utility, to remake itself. This month is should become the first U.S. utility-built community microgrid able to run on renewable energy without a fossil-fuel backup. The home Tesla...
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