GM made the hydrogen-powered intruder truck for the US Army

One of American renowned automobile manufacturer, General Motors introducing and demonstrating a truck with camouflage features for military purposes, on the sidelines of the Association of the U.S. Army conference in Washington DC.

Chevrolet Colorado ZH2, is an electric truck is equipped with hydrogen-fueled engines that drove silent and has cooler engine temperatures (between 60-80 degrees Celsius) compared to the conventional cars.

Chevrolet Colorado ZH2 concept unveiled at the Association of the U.S. Army conference in Washington DC. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1eiWYS)

This truck was even serves as a base of military operations with the capability of producing 25 kilowatts of electricity in a sustainable manner, even up to 50 kilowatts at peak output point, as well as two gallons of water per hour.

This vehicle was built using the base of a Chevy Colorado that have been modified in such a way so has offroad capability by using larger tires, better suspension, longer wheelbase, and so forth.

The e-truck was developed as a result of cooperation of GM with the Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center of the US Army (TARDEC) to ensure the ZH2 meet the needs of the military since the contract was signed a year ago.

Front three quarter of Chevrolet Colorado ZH2 concept. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1eiWCT)

Since a year of the cooperation until the prototype  model for the demonstration finished was a fast time, but the relationship of GM and TARDEC has lasted no less than four years since they work together to research the fuel cells in both research laboratories each of which have a distance within only 20 minutes.

Frontseat view of Chevrolet Colorado ZH2 concept. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1eiWYS)

"They provide some of their testing facility to our and integrate it into our labs," said Director of TARDEC Paul Rogers, as reported by the Defense One.

In January 2017 later, the car will be taken over by the US Army and tested by their personel in off-road terrain at Fort Bragg, Fort Benning and Quantico as well as a number of technical tests in Michigan.

Drivetrain of Chevrolet Colorado ZH2 concept. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1eiWYS)

Rogers also said that the Command of US Special Operation Forces (SOF) will also intervene to test these vehicles, especially camouflage features are extremely appropriate for SOF missions.

Rear side view of Chevrolet Colorado ZH2 concept. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1eiWYS)

"The ability to put yourself on the battlefield without being detected by enemy, of course that's the SOF affairs. There are also other functions, including reconnaissance, surveillance and targets acquisition," Rogers said in the demonstration event the vehicle is on Sunday evening, October 2, 2016 local time.

Meanwhile GM's Senior Project Engineer Christopher Colquitt, who led the project insist the ZH2 not a combat vehicle, given that it was unarmed and would probably cannot withstand an improvised explosive device (IED).

"The things that must be considered for the combat ready vehicles," he said further.

GM and the US Army is optimistic that hydrogen fuel cell systems will be used more than once demonstration period, although everyone who remembers the Hindenburg tragedy will probably think twice to run with hydrogen fuel vehicles, including cars.

"Hydrogen is the fuel. Does it have a flammable particles under certain conditions? Yes. However, pure hydrogen is not burn easily. You have to mix it with the air and have a source of lighters," said Colquitt referring to his remarks on the Hindenburg.

The truck is equipped with three compressed hydrogen tube at the rear of the vehicle, which is made from carbon fiber an inch thick in order to maintain the hydrogen from fire and air.

Rogers also did not too worried with the problem of hydrogen, by called it as "an additional realm that we want to explore again to ensure there are no secondary effects to the type of threat that we face." *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | DEFENCE ONE]

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Scientists announce the discovery of the largest dinosaur in Brazil

Brazilian scientists announced the discovery of a dinosaur with a length of 25 meters, the largest ever found in the country.

The dinosaur named Austroposeidon magnificus it entered the group of titanosaurs, herbivorous dinosaur whose body is well developed with a long neck and tail, as well as the skull is relatively small, according to scientists at the Earth Sciences Museum in Rio de Janeiro.

(Image for pictorial representation). Some of the largest dinosaurs lived in Brazil! (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1eiS1g)

These dinosaurs are believed to have lived in the Cretaceous period (145-66 million years ago) in what is now part of South America, Africa, Antarctica and Oceania.

Photo taken on Oct. 5, 2016 shows fossils of a dinosaur named "Austroposeidon Magnificus" in the Museum of Earth Sciences in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1eiSBf)

The fossil of vertebrate dinosaur was discovered in 1950 by Brazilian paleontologist Llewellyn Ivor Price, who died in 1980 with no recognition of his discovery.

Vertebrae of the ‘Austroposeidon magnificus’ dinosaur are displayed at the Earth Sciences Museum, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1eiS1g)

Since then, the fossil has been analyzed and studied until the recent discovery announced on Wednesday, October 5, 2016 according to News China, Thursday, October 6, 2016.. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | XINHUA.NET | THE GUARDIAN]

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A Tiger transformed into Five Dragons

In the Kustomfest 2016, one of the famous annual automotive modification contests in Indonesia, we can find hundreds of unique motorcycles and cars coming from various regions in Indonesia. One is a modified motorcycle called 'Naga Lima,' or Five Dragons.

The builder M. Yusuf Adib Mustofa ride along with the 2002 Honda Tiger 'Naga Lima.' (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1ejvQ3)

The unique motorcycle was the work of PsychoEngine, a Purwokerto (Purbalingga)-based workshop got a lot of attention from visitors and the competition juror. Many people wondered if this bike is really able to function properly.

At glance, this bike is performing so unique and its modification style reflects the builder thinking is out of the box. How not, on this motorcycle pinned five cylinders radial engine at a time. Interestingly, the motorcycle was functioning well. 

2002 Honda Tiger 'Naga Lima' by PsychoEngine as Best of the Best Kustomfest 2016. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1ejqFP)

The motorbike built by took the base of 2002 Honda Tiger with multi wet transmission system. According to M. Jusuf Adib Mustofa workshop owner, he working on the motorcycle engine took a fairly long time, ie two years. Once done with the machine, then he continued with the motorcycle frames, which took almost two months.

Five cylinder engine pinned on the 2002 Honda Tiger 'Naga Lima' by PsychoEngine. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1ejvvS)

The changes in engine capacity, thus making the motorcycle's sound becomes very fierce. Take a look the video below:
As a result, the appearance of a muscular motorcycle figure with the exhaust pipes look stretched along the body. Aesthetically also appealing, the engine is mated to the rigid frame and springer front suspension. While the unfinish color combination on the frame, some parts chromated and dark colors adopted on the fuel tank made it appear attractive. Well, the hard work of the builder paid off after the juror stated that Naga Lima was crowned as Best of the Best Kustomfest 2016. 

Right side view of 2002 Honda Tiger 'Naga Lima' by PsychoEngine. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1ejpgx)

If you want to know more about the PsychoEngine workshop, just make a simple click here!

Kept spur your adrenaline on the power of two-wheeled monster and stay alive with the true safety riding. May God will forgive Your sins.... ••• [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | PSYCHOENGINE INDONESIA | NAIK MOTOR | PIKIRAN RAKYAT]

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A beautiful LaFerrari-based hypercar concept of Maserati

Apparently, the automotive world today has been lively with the presence of a wide variety of new hypercar from many renowned automotive manufacturers. Will become increasingly more lively again, if the renowned Italian manufacturers such as Maserati enliven the automotive world by making a hypercar. But in reality these manufacturers until now had not made a hypercar. This may inspire the automotive designers to try to make a hypercar design of the Maserati.

Maserati MC-63 hypercar concept by Andrea Ortile. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1eeWb6)

Well, an automotive designer from Turin, named Andrea Ortile was making a future hypercar design named Maserati MC-63. As reported by Motor1, Ortile designed it based on the Ferrari LaFerrari and take inspiration from the old car ever run on the Le Mans racing arena, the Tipo 63 Birdcage.

"The design is inspired by famous racing cars in 1961, ie the Maserati Tipo 63 Birdcage. The elegance and sporty impression on the Italian car blend nicely into one advantage of the car (Maserati MC-63)," says the designer.

Left side view of Maserati MC-63 hypercar concept by Andrea Ortile. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1eeWb6)

Armed with his expertise, Ortile began working to create a hypercar like the Tipo 63 Birdcage. Its slender figure and then coupled with aggressive lines showed a similarity to LaFerrari.

The front part, exactly in the middle of the grille attached the emblem of Maserati. The lights are thin and curved grille has similarities with the Maserati Alfieri concept car that has not been recently introduced.

Rear side view of Maserati MC-63 hypercar concept by Andrea Ortile. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1eeWb6)

At the rear, Ortile illustrates a different form, meaning not taking the example of LaFerrari and Tipo 63 Birdcage. In here we can see the twin exhaust covered by the diffuser and very "narrow" rear lights.

Ortile dreaming, his creation hypercar able to produce a maximum power of 949 hp that coming from the hybrid engines as owned by the Ferrari LaFerrari.

Do Maserati interested to realize these hypercar to the real world? What do you think? *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | MOTOR1]

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A new mysterious ancient shark of Megalodon relatives found

Recently, the researchers have revealed the existence of an ancient predator who used to swim in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans some 20 million years ago. The existence of the ancient predators which are the relatives of Megalodon (ancestor of the great white shark) is revealed through the discovery of fossilized teeth.

Megalodon, the relatives of a newly discovered ancient sharks species named Megalolamna paradoxodon. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1eeSUO)

The newly discovered species was named 'Megalolamna paradoxodon.' And the name of "paradoxodon" refers to the fact that the car-sized shark appeared so suddenly in the geological record after appearing separately by the nearest relative, Otodus, about 45 million years ago.

"When I first saw, the teeth of Megalolamna paradoxodon like a giant tooth of the genus Lamna," said Kenshu Shimada of DePaul University of Chicago who discovered it, as quoted of Science Alert on Tuesday, October 4, 2016.

"Even so these fossilized teeth were too strong for the Lamna. So we decided this is a new species that is not related to Lamna. In fact, the teeth features reminiscent of the genus Otodus," he added.

Distribution map of Megalolamna paradoxodon. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1eeSUO)

So far, only five teeth with a length of 5 cm have been found in several areas such as California, North Carolina, Japan and Peru. This research has been published in the journal Historical Biology.

Based on the fossil findings, researchers estimate that this new type of shark grows to about 3.7 meters, more smaller than its sibling Megalodon which can grow to 18 meters. However, the species is still large enough to prey on medium-sized fish. Their teeth are also strong enough to grip and slicing prey.

"These facts were interesting, the sharks are spread geographically unknown until today, shows how little we know about the knowledge of ancient marine ecosystems," said Shimada.

Another interesting thing, these close relative of Megalodon shark has a bite is more powerful than T-rex and has been swimming across most of the globe around 20 million years ago. Even more mysteriously, until now the scientists did not know the causes of extinction of these sharks. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | SCIENCE ALERT]

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Meet special edition of F3 Rocketer

Brass Balls Cycles F3 Rocketer is the limited edition motorcycle products based on exactly the same with its prototype that won the AMD World Championship of Custom Bike Building (of production class), which produced as many as 15 units, and one of them has been delivered to its customers who living in the United States.

Brass Balls Cycles F3 Rocketer. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1eWxaB)

Brass Balls Cycles F3 Rocketeer motorcycles are rare in the officially accredited NHTSA so much easier to be registered and insured. Brass Balls Cycle itself has been doing the business for 10 years and their products are the most well-known until now was the Brawler GT that was co-designed by Tim Allen of Home Improvement and Last Man Standing fame.

F3 Rocketeer is a combination of the models of American minimalist bobber with a few extra touches such additional modern part of motorcycle brake performance as well as driving comfort improvement. The highlights of this bike is the front brake system using Beringer hydraulic brake hub that is typically used on small airplanes. This gives the dimensions are more dense than standard twin disc brakes, and of course the brakes must have very good braking power.

Right side view of Brass Balls Cycles F3 Rocketer. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1eWxaB)

Tank and fenders are made of aluminum plate that is milled with CNC machines, where the motorcycle tank is made of four plates which are then welded prior to pressure testing, after then finished like a mirror.

Left side view of Brass Balls Cycles F3 Rocketer. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1eWxaB)

These bike uses a classic V-Twin S&S SH93H engine with a capacity of 93 cubic inches (1,520 cc), and a compression ratio of 9:1:1, also using a forged piston, S&S Super stock dual-plug cylinder head, S&S Hydraulic valve train, roller rocker arm and S&S Super stock single fire ignition system combined with S&S Super Carburettor.

Those engine power is supplied to the belt through a Primo 6-speed transmission, other than that the bike is also equipped with a chain final drive. So there will be no two the same motorcycle, which the owner can choose the finishing according to their taste, although fundamentally the bike's spec can not be changed.

Kept spur your adrenaline on the power of two-wheeled monster and stay alive with the true safety riding. May God will forgive Your sins.... ••• [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | BRASS BALLS CYCLES | SILODROME]

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