James is a published author with multiple pop-history and science books to his name. He specializes in history, space, strange science, and anything out of the ordinary.View full profile James is a ...

Conservation of energy isn’t just a good idea: It is the law. In particular, it is the first law of thermodynamics. But, apparently, a lot of people don’t really get that because history is replete ...

On Sept. 20, 1913, rumors were running rampant around North Dakota that J. W. Kennedy, of Mandan, North Dakota, had invented just such a machine. A news clipping about J.W. Kennedy and his perpetual ...

Perhaps the most persistent nonsense in physics: the perpetual motion machine. Bad ideas come and go in physics. But there’s one bit of nonsense that is perhaps more persistent than all others: the ...

My favorite shelf in the home library is where Raymond Roussel, the Comte de Lautréamont, E.T. A. Hoffmann, Leonora Carrington and other writers form a brilliant phalanx of eccentricity and marvel. I ...

The idea of building a machine from isolated parts, each with its own setup and software, no longer fits how modern automation works.

Integrated motion control allows all kinds of robots to tackle a range of tasks with precision, in contrast with conventional machinery.

Customization of rotary and linear motion systems improves performance, reduces costs and simplifies complex applications in manufacturing and medical devices. Advances in smart, compact and ...

There are many technical and commercial factors that original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) must evaluate when designing motion control solutions for industrial machinery. Many types of industrial ...

Over-engineered automation systems create hidden costs and delays. Right-sizing, openness and resilience offer a smarter path to faster development and better performance. 80% of applications use only ...