HOW TO BUILD A RAILGUN

BRING IT ON, TERMINATORS!

I've been meaning to get to writing this post for some time as it is something near and dear to my heart.. or maybe my brain.  No, it is not some save-the-Earth cause or suggestions on a way to feed the homeless.  This is an article that gives you, the reader, a concise overview of the many ways to build the world's most awesome cutting-edge explosive-free weapon; the rail gun.

For those of you not familiar with this particular form of badassery, A railgun is "an electrically powered electromagnetic projectile launcher based on similar principles to the homopolar motor."  Essentially, in its many forms, it is a pair of parallel conducting rails, along which a sliding projectile is accelerated by the electromagnetic effects of a current that flows down one rail, into the projectile and then back along the other rail.

Railguns first burst into public view in theSchwarzenegger flop; Eraser, but have since become a weapon with a cult following comprised of physicists, engineers and plain old weapons geeks and science buffs.  Even the U.S. Navy has an affinity for this technology.  

For example, in the late 2000s, the U.S. Navy tested a railgun that was able to launch a 7 lb. projectile to hypersonic velocities of approximately 5,400 mph (about Mach 7).  In comparison, the fastest gunpowder-filled bullets travel around 3,300 mph.  Most rounds fired from conventional hunting and assault rifles travel between 1500-2200 mph.

Remember, when you are marveling at the above photo, that all the flames you see are not from an explosion in the normal sense of the word.  In this case it is merely the air crapping its pants and catching on fire. In more scientific terms "The flames are from pieces of the projectile disintegrating; the 7-pound slug is jammed so firmly between the rails that when it’s fired, pieces shear off and ignite in the air."  

But I won't bore you to death with the details.  Ladies and gents, I give you the DIY railgun guide:

**PLEASE BE CAREFUL WHEN ATTEMPTING ANY SCIENCE PROJECT OF THIS NATURE.  WEAR GOGGLES AND PROTECTIVE GEAR AND ALWAYS BE MINDFUL OF WHAT IS DOWNRANGE FROM YOU**

 

Basic explanation of the science behind the railgun.  Gives some interesting ideas as to how to design your launch system and also gives important safety precautions to be taken.

A more in-depth, higher-tech version that shoots a needle-like projectile between two powerful magnets using a daisy chain of disposable camera capacitors.

All the way up to 'Merica-sized.  This is Navy prototype with a test-fire.  Remember, no explosives are used in these guns.  It is all magnets.

Here is a close-up of the projectile leaving the barrel using a high-speed camera.  That fireball is amazing, but is also a reminder to be very careful when experimenting with this technology.  If a projectile can ignite the oxygen in our breathing air like this, imagine what could happen if you had some gasoline fumes lingering around in your garage.

So now that you're familiar, you may be considering toying around with one in your home or garage.  If you're like me and are too curious to let any unknown knowledge go unexplored, here are some blueprints of past successful railgun builders:

Princeton, Physics Dept project

Powerlabs

If you are intimately familiar with how to read electronic schematics, I would recommend the book More Electronic Gadgets for the Evil Genius, Iannini, 2006.  Apart from other cool projects like "Vaccum Coil Tesla Project" and "Ultrasonic Phaser-Pain Field Generator", Chapter 16 "Magnetic High-Impact Cannon"(p 133) may be just what the overachiever in you is looking for. 

I encourage anyone who may attempt to build one of these to post a video on this blog.  It will be very educational for all of us.  Also, while the construction of a railgun is not illegal, full transparency with your neighbors and law enforcement, should the occasion arise, is fully recommended.

Good luck!

Product review: EMPCO Bioluminescent algae

GLOW BABY, GLOW! 

Tired of giving boring and obligatory gifts for Christmas? Looking for that unique, off-the-wall gift for your special someone?  Did you get into the movie Avatar a little more than expected?  If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, EMPCO's bio-luminescent algae cultures may be just what you're looking for to WOW gift recipients this holiday season.

As a fellow pursuer of the curious, I made a somewhat rash decision one night after downing a few too many shots of tequila to purchase a beaker of this in an effort to make my 800 sq ft apartment glow blue without the use of electricity.  Don't judge me.  I was playing Skyrim and thought those glowing mushrooms would be pretty cool to have.  Hindsight is 20/20, friends.  Nevertheless, it was still a very cool purchase.

EMPCO provides reasonably-priced beakers full of procystis fusiformis, procystis nociluta and procystis lunula for around $25.00 each.  They also offer more comprehensive packages for around $100.00 which includes other equipment and solutions intended on keeping your cultures alive longer.  It is up to you to decide which package is right for you.  For what it's worth, I opted for the less expensive package and my culture kept chugging along for about two months.

So here's how it works:

Contrary to what the photo attached to this article (which was taken from the EMPCO website) would have you believe, you should not expect that brilliant blue glow, at least not to that magnitude.  Granted, I'm no phycologist, so I may have just cultured them incorrectly, but the intensity of glowing blue light my algae gave off was about 1/10 of what you see in the photo.  The algae also operate on a circadian rhythm, meaning that they'll only glow blue during the dead of night.  Don't bother trying this during the day in a dark room.  It won't work.  Furthermore, don't expect to wake up to the beaker glowing by itself in the middle of the night as the light is only given off if the beaker is disturbed.  Instructions recommend you lightly shake the bottle.  Surely enough, though, when all conditions are met, you'll be witness to a very satisfying (yet very temporary) iridescent blue glow.

The verdict:

Regardless of how much the algae makes you work for it, I still recommend this as a purchase for any curious soul.  It is very cool to have a beaker of bioluminescent algae on your counter-top at home, either as a conversation piece or just to satisfy your own curiosity as a science dork.  If you really want to understand the science behind what's going on in that little beaker, I would also recommend checking out one of the following books as well: The Optics of Life; Johnsen, 2012 or Bioluminescence - Living Lights, Lights for Living, Wilson & Hastings, 2013; the latter of the two being easier to understand to the lay man (also has nicer photos).

Cultures are available at EMPCO.org.

Bill Nye: Still working to save the world

BILL NYE:  GOOD WORK IS NEVER DONE

Bill Nye explains the motivation for creating his popular show and how he plans on continuing to educate the children of the world.  Interesting anecdotes regarding those who have tried to challenge the science in his claims. 

Science continues to be attacked by the religious community, climate change deniers, "Young Earth" advocates and the like; even in the face of insurmountable evidence in support of science.