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Imagine a world where they ban batteries on airplanes
by Marshall Brain | October 27, 2009
Think about how many lithium ion batteries there are on a typical airline flight today. Just about every passenger has a cell phone – that’s a given. At least half the passengers have a laptop or netbook of some sort. Many have iPods or other music players. Then there are all the DVD players, handheld [...]
What’s that smell? Why, it’s the stench of morality!
by Josh Clark | October 27, 2009
Science doesn’t really have a good grasp on how a lot of things work. Like antidepressants. Neurologists can’t rightly say how they work, but psychiatrists know they do, so antidepressants get prescribed. I would imagine that if you’re suffering from crippling depression, you don’t really care how a pill can make everything seem sunnier, just as long as it does.
Much the same goes for our sense of smell. There are a number of competing theories out there on how we perceive the world through that sense, including one that covers quantum physics. Under this hypothesis, odorants unlock their designated receptors through the superposition of the quantum material that comprises them.
Once again, Chris and I are wading into the thick of technology news and rumors to bring the brightest gems of the week to lay at your feet. Of course, I’m talking about another exciting episode of TechStuff Live. We bring the show to you every Tuesday at 1:00 p.m. Eastern time and you can watch it right here.
This is stupid and silly, yes… So it is funny in its own right. But the other funny thing about it is that I don’t think I’ve ever seen a human being do this before. Maybe because “soap tastes bad” we tend to not put soap on our mouths. A human bubble machine is something [...]
Now, be honest: Who among us hasn’t had about eight or nine beers, climbed into a lawnmower engine-powered, nitrous oxide-boosted La-Z-Boy chair and smashed into a parked car on the way home from the bar? What? You haven’t? Well, neither have I. But if I find this chair on eBay before you do, I just may have that “opportunity.”
World record #108 – the darkest places on the planet
by Marshall Brain | October 27, 2009
The darkest place on the planet would be somewhere way out in the middle of the Atlantic or Pacific ocean, a thousand miles away from the nearest city and its lights. But it is hard to locate a telescope on a boat. So astronomers look for the darkest place on land. The following article talks [...]
I recently StumbledUpon-ed a 2003 Telegraph column written by Richard Wiseman, experimental psychologist and author of “The Luck Factor.” Since 1994, Wiseman has studied the differences between people who consider themselves lucky and unlucky to understand the types of behaviors and attitudes that set the two groups apart. After tracking 400 or so participants for years, Wiseman concluded that unlucky people aren’t merely dealt a poor hand by fate. Instead, he posits that bad luck is largely a product of negative thoughts and actions.
Invention – The Boston Dynamics Petman bipedal robot
by Marshall Brain | October 27, 2009
You may have heard of the Bigdog robot. It is a 4-legged robot that has a sense of balance that is amazing to see in a robot. Note in particular what happens when it gets kicked from the side, and its ability to jump over an obstacle: Now Boston Dynamics is demonstrating the Petman robot [...]
If everything goes as planned, the Ares 1-X test flight should happen this morning. There is a 4-hour launch window starting at 8AM eastern, although the weather may not cooperate. The NASA Ares 1-X rocket is set for launch, but watch those clouds The NASA launch blog is being updated regularly this morning: Ares I-X [...]
Motorcycles aren’t just a symbol of flexibility and freedom — they’re also brilliant feats of engineering. Tune in as Scott and Ben examine the basics of motorbikes, from their steam-powered history to their modern design.
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