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White House confirms NASA plan to ‘lasso’ and bring asteroid near Earth

"President Barack Obama’s administration will seek $100 million in funding for a mission to tow an asteroid closer to Earth for the purpose of helping future expeditions to Mars. NASA’s mission proposal, adapted from a scenario (PDF) designed by the Keck Institute for Space Studies, calls for a robotic probe to grab an asteroid measuring approximately 500 tons and 25 to 35 feet in width in 2019 and bringing it into orbit near the moon, which would shorten future asteroid expeditions by months, on top of providing access to the asteroid’s natural resources." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingWhite House confirms NASA plan to ‘lasso’ and bring asteroid near Earth

Sonic ‘lasso’ catches cells and moves them around

"Academics have demonstrated for the first time that a 'sonic lasso' can be used to grip microscopic objects, such as cells, and move them about. The researchers have shown experimentally how tiny particles, such as cells, or any small objects can be trapped by a spinning ultrasonic, or sonic, vortex. The vortex acts as a lasso that can be controlled and moved, catching the microscopic particles and enabling their careful positioning. This new technology makes possible applications such as assembly human tissue from a collection of cells and assembling nano materials." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSonic ‘lasso’ catches cells and moves them around

PC Shipments Post the Steepest Decline Ever in a Single Quarter

"Worldwide PC shipments totaled 76.3 million units in the first quarter of 2013 (1Q13), down -13.9% compared to the same quarter in 2012 and worse than the forecast decline of -7.7%, according to the International Data Corporation. The extent of the year-on-year contraction marked the worst quarter since IDC began tracking the PC market quarterly in 1994. The results also marked the fourth consecutive quarter of year-on-year shipment declines. Despite some mild improvement in the economic environment and some new PC models offering Windows 8, PC shipments were down significantly across all regions compared to a year ago." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingPC Shipments Post the Steepest Decline Ever in a Single Quarter

Scientists use iPhones to diagnose intestinal worms

"Scientists used an iPhone and a camera lens to diagnose intestinal worms in rural Tanzania, a breakthrough that could help doctors treat patients infected with the parasites, a study said on Tuesday. Research published by the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene showed that it is possible to fashion a low-cost field microscope using an iPhone, double-sided tape, a flashlight, ordinary laboratory slides and an $8 cameral lens. The researchers used their cobbled-together microscope to successfully determine the presence of eggs from hookworm and other parasites in the stool of infected children." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingScientists use iPhones to diagnose intestinal worms

New technology allows the paralyzed to paint with their brainpower

"A computer programme enabling paralysed patients to create artwork using just the power of their brains drew big crowds on Wednesday at the CeBIT, the world’s top IT fair. Under a system pioneered by Austrian firm g-tec, the user wears a cap that measures brain activity. By focusing hard on a flashing icon on a screen, the cap can recognise the specific brain activity connected to that item, allowing the user to “choose” what he or she wants the computer to do. The artist can select various shapes and colours via brainpower and build up a basic picture on the screen, explained g-tec sales director Markus Bruckner. The user can also draw straight lines." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingNew technology allows the paralyzed to paint with their brainpower

Shocking the Gate-Rapists

"Three engineers in India have come up with something that ought to wallop the TSA's deviants into better behavior: they've 'invented a set of electrified underwear to help prevent rape.' No doubt they meant the unofficial sort, but heck, this should work on federal gate-rapists, too. 'The underwear, called Society Harnessing Equipment (SHE), deploys a 3,800kV charge to anyone touching the outside of the underwear while protecting the wearer with a polymer lining. A person trying to molest a girl will get the shock of his life the moment pressure sensors get activated...,'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingShocking the Gate-Rapists

For Price Of Iraq War, US Could Power Half Country With Renewables

"Today, wind analyst Paul Gipe asks, how much renewable energy could we have gotten from what we spent on the Iraq War? The total cost of the Iraq War, including future costs to care for veterans, is $2.2 trillion. If we include the interest we have to pay on the debt we used to finance the war, that figure rises to $3.9 trillion by 2053." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingFor Price Of Iraq War, US Could Power Half Country With Renewables

Google announces experimental superfast Internet service to be installed in Austin, Texas

"Google announced Tuesday that its experimental superfast Internet service will spread to Austin, the Texas home of a South By Southwest festival beloved by technology trendsetters. Google Fiber should start connecting its so-called gigabit Internet to homes in Austin, the Texas state capital and a hotbed for Internet entrepreneurs, by the middle of next year, said vice president of access services Milo Medin. Google Fiber debuted in Kansas City and in November began providing users there with Internet service that moves data at a blazing gigabyte per second, about 100 times faster than the speed provided by typical broadband connections." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingGoogle announces experimental superfast Internet service to be installed in Austin, Texas