Lifeboat Foundation

Automating repetitive tasks with loops and functions.

Many R users get into R programming from a statistics background rather than a programming/software engineering background, having previously used software such as SPSS, Excel etc. As such they may not have an understanding of some of the programming techniques that can be leveraged to improve code. This can include making the code more modular which in turn makes it easier to find and resolve bugs, but also can be used to automate repetitive tasks, such as producing tables and plots etc.

This short post in c ludes some of the basic programming techniques that can be used to improve the quality and maintainability of R scripts. This will also save you a whole lot of time if you are carrying out repetitive tasks that are only marginally different. We assume that you have a basic understanding of writing simple scripts in R.

Continue reading “Harnessing programming techniques to improve R scripts” »

Every part of the James Webb Space Telescope’s (JWST’s) deployment is nerve-wracking, but some of the most nail-biting moments will happen on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

We’re on Day 5 of the Webb Telescope’s 30 Days of Terror, and so far, the observatory’s engineering team has successfully checked off all the boxes on its to-do list (get your own check-off list here.)

Continue reading “Still Nervous about JWST? Friday and Saturday’s Sunshield Deployments will be Nail-biters” »

Unfortunately, some of the data is lost forever. 🧐

#engineering

A routine backup procedure meant to safeguard data of researchers at Kyoto University in Japan went awry and deleted 77 terabytes of data, Gizmodo reported. The incident occurred between December 14 and 16, first came to light on the 16th, and affected as many as 14 research groups at the university.

Continue reading “Kyoto University Loses 77 Terabytes of Research Data After Supercomputer Backup Error” »

Defense company Raytheon has clinched a US Navy contract to provide engineering and technical services for the Evolved Seasparrow Missile and NATO Seasparrow Missile programs, the Pentagon has said.

A press release by the Department of Defense on December 30 stated, “Raytheon Company [of] Tucson, Arizona, is awarded a $55,121,826 modification to a previously awarded contract for engineering and technical services in support of the Evolved Seasparrow Missile and NATO Seasparrow Missile Systems programs.”

The contract combines purchases for the US government (99%); and those of Japan and the United Arab Emirates (1%) under the Foreign Military Sales program.

Thyme and oregano possess an anti-cancer compound that suppresses tumor development, but adding more to your tomato sauce isn’t enough to gain significant benefit. The key to unlocking the power of these plants is in amplifying the amount of the compound created or synthesizing the compound for drug development.

Researchers at Purdue University achieved the first step toward using the compound in pharmaceuticals by mapping its biosynthetic pathway, a sort of molecular recipe of the ingredients and steps needed.

“These plants contain important compounds, but the amount is very low and extraction won’t be enough,” said Natalia Dudareva, a Distinguished Professor of Biochemistry in Purdue’s College of Agriculture, who co-led the project. “By understanding how these compounds are formed, we open a path to engineering plants with higher levels of them or to synthesizing the compounds in microorganisms for medical use.

James Webb Tracker! #NASA #WEBB
#JWST #NASA #JamesWebbLaunch.
LIMITED EDITION Launch Commemorative Shirt — www.etsy.com/shop/TheLaunchPadShop.

James Webb Space Telescope launched on Saturday, Dec 25 at 12:20 UTC from Guiana Space Centre. Webb Telescope liftoff aboard Ariane 5 rocket.

Continue reading “SUNSHIELD OPENING DAY! — James Webb Tracker! #NASA #WEBB” »

Imagine windows that can easily transform into mirrors, or super high-speed computers that run not on electrons but light. These are just some of the potential applications that could emerge from optical engineering, the practice of using lasers to rapidly and temporarily change the properties of materials.

“These tools could let you transform the electronic properties of materials at the flick of a light switch,” says Caltech Professor of Physics David Hsieh. “But the technologies have been limited by the problem of the lasers creating too much heat in the materials.”

In a new study in Nature, Hsieh and his team, including lead author and graduate student Junyi Shan, report success at using lasers to dramatically sculpt the properties of materials without the production of any excess damaging heat.

Converting to electric is inevitable says the R&D Chief. 🚗

#engineering

The shift to electric transportation is imminent. Hyundai just shut down the engine division that was its pride for almost four decades.

Continue reading “Hyundai Motors Will Reportedly No Longer Develop Internal Combustion Engines” »

While rotating at up to 10 degrees per second!

The technological competition between the United States and China is growing at breakneck speeds.

Continue reading “A Chinese Satellite Can Allegedly Take High-Res Images of US Cities In Seconds” »