Word: hydrogen
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: during 1990-1999
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
Behind its barred windows sit 28 atomic clocks, four of them holding atoms of hydrogen and the rest cesium. When excited by lasers or irradiated with microwaves, the atoms begin to dance with an utterly regular vibration that's monitored by computer. Once each second, the results are fed into America's Master Clock; the measurements from this and similar clocks around the world are sent to the International Bureau of Weights and Measures outside Paris--the ultimate timekeeping authority. It is there, next Friday, that the pulsing of billions of atoms will officially signal that civilization's odometer...
ANDREI SAKHAROV For me this scientist, thinker and humanist is the Person of the Century. He was not a professional politician, but heads of state and the world's leading politicians paid attention to his words. Sakharov was an instrumental member of the team that created the [Soviet] hydrogen bomb, but he was also one of the first people to realize the danger posed to humanity by nuclear weapons. Moved by his conscience and his ethical convictions, academician Sakharov dared to publicly challenge the all-powerful machine of the totalitarian state. In the hardest years of the Soviet system...
...story "Will We Run Out Of Gas?" [SPECIAL REPORT, Nov. 8], Mark Hertsgaard presented an encouraging future for our prospects of driving more environmentally friendly automobiles. Hybrid gasoline-electric cars with impressive fuel efficiency are already on our doorstep, and his prediction that hydrogen-powered fuel-cell cars will be in showrooms by 2004 is even more exciting. It is true that their only exhaust is water vapor. However, Hertsgaard seems reluctant to spoil the party by telling us where the hydrogen comes from. It is certainly not out there floating around in large amounts free for the asking. Fuel...
...work in our houses or apartments [1], telecommuting with our computers. Others will make a short hop to a nearby office park [2]. Those who have to go downtown will prefer swift mass transit [3]. Cars and trucks [4] will still be used, but they will run on clean, hydrogen-powered fuel cells. To keep ourselves in shape and save money, we'll spend more time on bicycles...
...power will come from sources cleaner than fossil fuels. Some energy will flow from modern-day windmills [9], but much of it will be generated in our own homes. Rooftop solar panels [10] will supply electricity to our appliances and to a basement fuel cell [11], which will produce hydrogen. When the sun is not shining, the cell will operate in reverse, using the hydrogen to make electricity...