The Tungurahua volcano in Ecuador has some of the most amazing, terrifying eruptions in the world. This one, from 2006, shows molten lava streaming down the sides of the mountain while ash spews into the night sky. More info <a href="http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap120402.html">here</a>.
The Tungurahua volcano in Ecuador has some of the most amazing, terrifying eruptions in the world. This one, from 2006, shows molten lava streaming down the sides of the mountain while ash spews into the night sky. More info here. Patrick Taschler
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From the amazing Tungurahua volcano spewing molten rock and ash to a stunning concept motorcycle to a cargo ship smashing into the rocky beach of Wales, this week’s roundup of the most amazing science and tech images is an excellent one (though we couldn’t find any science-and-Passover imagery, to our surprise). And the weekend itself is shaping up to be excellent! So go enjoy it! Wait, no, look through this gallery first. Then enjoy it!

Click to launch the gallery.

This is not a joke, probably. I mean, it was posted on March 31st, not April 1st, and it's from Richard Branson, who has a tendency to announce or do things that seem like jokes but are not jokes. Anyway this probably-not-joke finds Richard Branson and Tom Hanks journeying to the core of an active volcano because...they can? Or because nobody ever has. More details <a href="http://www.virgin.com/travel/news/richard-branson-launches-journeys-to-the-centre-of-the-earth-through-virgin-volcanic">here</a>.

Virgin Volcanic

This is not a joke, probably. I mean, it was posted on March 31st, not April 1st, and it’s from Richard Branson, who has a tendency to announce or do things that seem like jokes but are not jokes. Anyway this probably-not-joke finds Richard Branson and Tom Hanks journeying to the core of an active volcano because…they can? Or because nobody ever has. More details here.
This robotic hand is actually operated with extremely strong polymer strings, attached to actuators. Given how much our own muscles are like strings, it's surprising that we haven't seen anything quite like this before. Read more <a href="http://www.science20.com/news_articles/robotic_hands_get_delicate-88628">here</a>.

Robotic String Hand

This robotic hand is actually operated with extremely strong polymer strings, attached to actuators. Given how much our own muscles are like strings, it’s surprising that we haven’t seen anything quite like this before. Read more here.
This room, the "anechoic chamber" at Orfield Laboratories, is 99.99 percent sound absorbent, and holds the Guinness World Record for quietest room on the planet. Apparently it's so quiet it drives you insane--the only sounds you hear emanate from your own body, fluids gurgling and heart pumping and joints cracking--and nobody has ever been able to stand it for more than 45 minutes. Read more <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2124581/The-worlds-quietest-place-chamber-Orfield-Laboratories.html">here</a>.

The Quietest Room on Earth

This room, the “anechoic chamber” at Orfield Laboratories, is 99.99 percent sound absorbent, and holds the Guinness World Record for quietest room on the planet. Apparently it’s so quiet it drives you insane–the only sounds you hear emanate from your own body, fluids gurgling and heart pumping and joints cracking–and nobody has ever been able to stand it for more than 45 minutes. Read more here.
Earlier this week, the cargo ship MV Carrier crashed into rocks near a jetty in Llanddulas, Wales.

Wales Smash

Earlier this week, the cargo ship MV Carrier crashed into rocks near a jetty in Llanddulas, Wales.
The Tungurahua volcano in Ecuador has some of the most amazing, terrifying eruptions in the world. This one, from 2006, shows molten lava streaming down the sides of the mountain while ash spews into the night sky. More info <a href="http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap120402.html">here</a>.

Tungurahua

The Tungurahua volcano in Ecuador has some of the most amazing, terrifying eruptions in the world. This one, from 2006, shows molten lava streaming down the sides of the mountain while ash spews into the night sky. More info here.
Technosensual is an exhibit at quartier21, in Vienna--a chance for designers to show off high-tech fashions, equipped with LED lights, smoke machines, transforming fabrics, and more. Read more <a href="http://www.fastcodesign.com/1669421/exhibit-explores-the-sexier-side-of-high-tech-fashion">here</a>.

Technosensual

Technosensual is an exhibit at quartier21, in Vienna–a chance for designers to show off high-tech fashions, equipped with LED lights, smoke machines, transforming fabrics, and more. Read more here.
Why is Vienna so cool all of a sudden? Here's another from the Big V (that is not a nickname): a new world record for the fastest 3-D printed nano-objects has been set by the Vienna University of Technology. Researchers there printed a 0.285mm model of a Formula 1 racing car in just over four minutes. Read more <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-17357374">here</a>.

Speedy Nanoprinting

Why is Vienna so cool all of a sudden? Here’s another from the Big V (that is not a nickname): a new world record for the fastest 3-D printed nano-objects has been set by the Vienna University of Technology. Researchers there printed a 0.285mm model of a Formula 1 racing car in just over four minutes. Read more here.
We just saw a concept video of Google's crazy augmented-reality glasses in action <a href="https://www.popsci.com/gadgets/article/2012-04/video-googles-straight-out-sci-fi-augmented-reality-glasses/">this week</a>. Here's what they look like on a human! For more examples of what they'd look like on Joe Biden, Kreayshawn, or a very fat cat, check out <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/jwherrman/what-youll-look-like-in-googles-glasses/">Buzzfeed FWD</a>.

Google Glasses

We just saw a concept video of Google’s crazy augmented-reality glasses in action this week. Here’s what they look like on a human! For more examples of what they’d look like on Joe Biden, Kreayshawn, or a very fat cat, check out Buzzfeed FWD.
On April Fool's Day in 1940, my hometown science museum, the venerable and excellent Franklin Institute, declared the world was ending. It was a promo for their planetarium's show about stars exploding. Still, while the Franklin Institute claimed they thought everyone would understand it was a joke, the citizens of Philadelphia sort of...didn't get it. Read more <a href="http://io9.com/5899294/in-1940-the-franklin-institute-announced-armageddon-as-an-aprils-fools-joke">here</a>.

1940 Apocalypse

On April Fool’s Day in 1940, my hometown science museum, the venerable and excellent Franklin Institute, declared the world was ending. It was a promo for their planetarium’s show about stars exploding. Still, while the Franklin Institute claimed they thought everyone would understand it was a joke, the citizens of Philadelphia sort of…didn’t get it. Read more here.
Frog, a company that designed not only the original Frog FZ Rana, which was so influential it's currently shown in the SFMOMA, but also the cases for Macintosh computers in the early '80s, has a new motorcycle concept. We'll admit to not understanding quite how it would, like, work--not sure what the benefit is to the big hole in the middle of the body, nor are we sure where the actual power to turn the wheels comes from. But it sure looks pretty! Read more at <a href="http://www.fastcodesign.com/1669457/frogs-ultra-cool-vision-for-what-electric-motorcycles-can-be">FastCoDesign</a>.

Concept Bike

Frog, a company that designed not only the original Frog FZ Rana, which was so influential it’s currently shown in the SFMOMA, but also the cases for Macintosh computers in the early ’80s, has a new motorcycle concept. We’ll admit to not understanding quite how it would, like, work–not sure what the benefit is to the big hole in the middle of the body, nor are we sure where the actual power to turn the wheels comes from. But it sure looks pretty! Read more at FastCoDesign.