Japanese team discovers ‘super disc’ material

A Japanese research team has found a material that could be used to make a low-price super disc with data storage capacity thousands of times greater than a DVD, the lead scientist said Monday.

The material transforms from a black-colour metal state that conducts electricity into a brown semiconductor when hit by light, according to Shin-ichi Ohkoshi, chemistry professor at the University of Tokyo.

The material, a new crystal form of titanium oxide, can switch back and forth between the metal and semiconductor states at room temperature when exposed to light, creating an effective on-off function for data storage.

It is “promising as a material for a next-generation optical storage device,” Ohkoshi told AFP by telephone.

A material that changes colour with light can be used in storage devices as colours reflect light differently to contain different information.

His team has succeeded in creating the material in particles measuring five-to-20 nanometres a five-billionth to 20-billionth of a metre in diameter.

If the smallest particle is used, the new disc could hold more than 1,000 times as much information as a Blu-ray disc, provided that matching data-writing and reading equipment are developed.

via Japanese team discovers ‘super disc’ material.

‘An Ill Wind’ Paperback now available for order

The Paperback version of An Ill Wind by David Donachie is now available for pre-order. It is due to be published in the UK on 1 November 2010 and in the US on 15 February 2011

via ‘An Ill Wind’ Paperback now available for order.

Skull and Bones (HC)

Author John Drake has a new novel which is now available, Skull and Bones. It is in Hardcover in the UK and on Kindle in the US.

The third in the rip-roaring adventure series of ‘Treasure Island’ prequels for fans of ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ and Flashman

When infamous ‘gentleman of fortune’ Captain Flint is captured by the Royal Navy and condemned to hang for mutiny and piracy, it seems that the secret location of his buried treasure will die with him. But Flint has an audacious plan to gain command of ship and crew before they reach London and escape the hangman’s noose.

Read More Skull and Bones (HC).

Seahorse (PB)

Author Michael Aye’s latest novel Seahorse is now available for purchase or order in paperback worldwide.

A needful nation calls. Admiral Lord Anthony has just returned from Gabe’s wedding and is finally able to relax with Lady Deborah and their new daughter. Then the admiralty’s messenger arrives. Lord Anthony has been given command of His Majesties ships in the West Indies.

He and Gabe set sail with a new squadron only to face old enemies, personal tragedies, daring privateers and the French who have signed a alliance with the determined American colonies.

Read more Seahorse (PB).

True Colours by Alaric Bond (PB)

Author Alaric Bond’s latest novel True Colours is now available for purchase or order in paperback worldwide.

1797. The Royal Navy is immobilised by mutiny and the only thing that’s standing in the way of an invasion is a commander who is communicating with a fleet that isn’t there.

While Great Britain’s major home fleets are immobilised by a vicious mutiny, Adam Duncan, commander of the North Sea Squadron, has to maintain a constant watch over the Dutch coast, where a powerful invasion force is ready to take advantage of Britannia’s weakest moment.

Read More Astrodene’s Historic Naval Fiction.

Astrodene Review: Floating Gold by Margaret Muir

When you have read as many naval fiction novels as I have the first challenge a new author and book has to meet is do the story and characters seem fresh. This is a challenge Floating Gold achieves from cover to cover in a pacy narrative which held my attention.

The book follows the exploits of Captain Oliver Quintrell and his crew aboard HM frigate Elusive as they sail out into the Atlantic with sealed orders after the signing of the Peace of Amiens. As well as the officers the book follows some of the crew and one of the refreshing things was that the crew was represented by some of the junior warrant officers, the carpenter and cooper, who usually only get a walk on part.

Read More Astrodene Review: Floating Gold by Margaret Muir.

Nasa shuttle Atlantis and space station seen passing in front of Sun | Mail Online

Against the awesome backdrop of the sun, they are at first little more than specks. Look a little closer, however, and you can make out the outline of solar panels, and next to it a dart-shaped silhouette.

This extraordinary image shows the Space Shuttle Atlantis docking with the International Space Station in front of the sun. It was taken by astro-photographer Thierry Legault who, had he blinked at the crucial moment, would have missed it.

For despite detailed planning and even travelling from France to Spain to take the image, the actual event was visible for just 0.54 of a second because of the speed of the two spacecraft.

The 48-year-old Frenchman travelled to Madrid so he would be in the ideal location to watch the transit of the two spacecraft. This placed him in the centre of a five-mile wide visibility band that stretched across Spain, southern France and Northern Italy.

Read More Nasa shuttle Atlantis and space station seen passing in front of Sun | Mail Online.

Barnes & Noble to Launch PubIt, an E-Book Self-Publishing Service for Nook – DailyFinance

Barnes & Noble (BKS) unveiled its new self-publishing service PubIt on Wednesday, following in the footsteps of its competitors to take advantage of explosive growth in digital publishing.

“Barnes & Noble sees an opportunity to grow its traditional customer base with customers who think they have something worth publishing,” says Kelly Gallagher, Bowker’s vice president of publishing services. “It’s one way to stay connected to their customer base.”

Barnes & Noble, which expects to launch PubIt this summer, is the latest company to enter into the self-publishing market. Five years ago, its online rival Amazon.com (AMZN) purchased CreateSpace, moving the e-commerce giant beyond books, and with its later release of the Kindle e-reading device, the bookseller completed its expansion into the full life-cycle of e-publishing. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Apple (AAPL) or other tablet makers follow suit, given that by adding self-publishing to to their menus, they too could further leverage their portable reading devices, much like Barnes & Noble will be able to do with its Nook and Amazon has with its Kindle. Apple currently is relying on Lulu.com to offer self-publishing services for its iPad.

Read More Barnes & Noble to Launch PubIt, an E-Book Self-Publishing Service for Nook – DailyFinance.

Richard Spilman Review: True Colours by Alaric Bond

Originally published on the The Old Salt Blog

Alaric Bond’s new novel, True Colours, the third in his Fighting Sail series, is a fascinating and exciting look at a most perilous moment in British history. The novel begins in 1797. Britain is at war with the French and her Dutch allies. A French invasion force, supported by the formidable Dutch Navy is massing across the channel when the unthinkable occurs. The British fleet at Spithead mutinies. Not long after, the fleet at the Nore follows their example. The frigate Pandora returns from convoy duty after an attempted mutiny onboard, and only narrowly escapes being drawn into the Nore mutiny, as well.

Read More Richard Spilman Review: True Colours by Alaric Bond.

Naval Evolutions: A Memoir (PB)

Those of you who read Fortune’s Favorite: Sir Charles Douglas and the Breaking of the Line by Christopher J. Valin which was released last year will be interested to know that the original book by Maj.-Gen. Sir Howard Douglas Naval Evolutions: A Memoir last published in 1832 has now been reprinted and is available with an introduction by Valin.

One of the most revolutionary tactics in naval warfare was developed in the 18th Century, and was called “Breaking the Line.” The Royal Navy used it to win fleet engagements ranging from the Battle of the Saints, to Trafalgar. But, who developed it? Years of controversy led to a war of words between supporters of John Clerk of Eldin, Admiral Lord Rodney, and Rodney’s captain-of-the fleet, Sir Charles Douglas. In 1832, the latter’s son, Sir Howard Douglas, set forth the arguments on behalf of his father in his book Naval Evolutions: A Memoir.

via Naval Evolutions: A Memoir (PB).