clinton

Yeah one atmosphere, but with the same atmospheric mix as what is on Mars. I was trying to simulate compressing the Martian atmosphere into a pressurised and thermally insulated greenhouse.

My enclosure is only good down to about 0.8 atmospheres, below that the big rubber seal around the door starts to leak. The vacuum pump is used when mixing the atmospheric composition.

Figure the first martian plants would live in a pressurised, insulated greenhouse. There are some neat passively heated designs around.

I think my next experiments will be with legumes trying to fix nitrogen and improve the soil. The way I see it, pressure, warmth and light are all problems for which we have existing solutions. The real question is can we get stuff to grow without importing tons of fertiliser?

It seems that this short story was originally published in an old science fiction magazine (that my local library doesn't stock). Was wondering if it also made its way into a compilation of some sort. Google hasn't turned up anything for me yet.

Best places to find a copy these days?

I ran a similar experiment at home, albeit with a fern rather than potatoes and without simulating martian light.

My fern started to perish (and it was a well established plant). The biggest problem I'm facing at the moment is that Mars is extremely nitrogen deficient.

https://reprage.com/post/marsarium-9

https://www.reddit.com/r/Colonizemars/comments/5vi52v/inspir...

It doesn't look like they have much storage at the top of the system. An easier approach might be to dynamically control the flow through the system, restricting it during low load and returning more water to the stream as 'environmental flows' to keep it healthy.

Thank you! Your hard work, and desire to be recognised for your efforts rather than your gender will make it just that little bit easier for my daughter to follow in your footsteps (if technology is her chosen vocation).

Somewhere between 32,000 and 70,000 consumer 3D printers have been sold to the end of 2012 -- http://reprage.com/post/35354576225/how-many-consumer-3d-pri...

About a month ago I installed OSQA and 'shapado' -- http://shapado.com/ QSQA appeared much more rounded compared with shapado, and behaved much more like StackOverflow. Only problem I have had with QSQA is that changing the theme / template could be easier.

Oh, and by default the admin page of QSQA had a strange almost intelligible layout. However this is a mode that can be turned off... Once you find the option.

QSQA also has a neat 'community bootstrap' mode that lowers the required reputation for many actions, linking URL's down votes, etc.

All in all very happy with QSQA.

That is interesting, descending or ascending order of price might be one of those things that you can only please half the people... Some of the time.

This is an interesting article that offers a counter argument: http://uxmovement.com/content/7-useful-design-strategies-for...

Video was done by my good friends at Josh Lamont Design, http://www.lamont.com.au/

Thanks for the tip of idea of description / value prop above the fold.

Been working on this for a little while now, today we launched a new introduction video.

I suspect it would make a pretty awesome skunkworks, hidden away from the glitz of the new main campus.