• Science

    Cannibal Bacteria Kills Siblings

    By Brooke Borel Posted on 2.5.2009 3 Comments

    Bacterial infections are the number one killer in hospitals, and while most can be treated with antibiotics, there are many strains that have developed resistance to the drugs. New research from Tel Aviv University and Texas University suggests that bacteria can be outsmarted by turning their natural defense mechanisms against them, which can completely wipe them out without using antibiotics.

    2.5.2009 at 11:30am - Comment by Microsnake

    Those are beautiful bacteria! http://popsci.com/

  • Science

    Largest Snake on Earth Uncovered

    By Jeremy Hsu Posted on 2.5.2009 4 Comments

    Any character in a B-list film would yelp "Snake? Snaaaake!" upon spotting a specimen stretching longer than a school bus – and now scientists have uncovered the remains of such a beast. A research team found the vertebrae of the 43-foot long snake down the Cerrejon Coal Mine in northern Colombia. Their report appears in Nature this week, and gives a conservative estimate that the snake weighed 2,500 pounds when it lived 60 million years ago.

    2.5.2009 at 11:23am - Comment by Microsnake

    Aw, that snake ain't so special.

  • Entertainment & Gaming

    The Fastest Punch on the Planet

    By Brett Zarda Posted on 4.2.2009 1 Comments

    Roy Jones Jr. just might be the next to boxer endorse the Counter-Punch technology as a training tool. Leading up to his fight with Jones, Joe Calzaghe remained tight lipped about his training techniques. But as fight night drew near, Calzaghe discussed for the first time his use of a novel punching bag capable of quantifying the speed, power and sequence of punches. All factors with which Jones became familiar while losing to the still undefeated, and recently retired, Calzaghe.

    11.19.2008 at 04:21pm - Comment by Microsnake

    Actually I thought the mantis shrimp had the fastest punch on the planet. "The force of the strike of a large Californian species approaches that of a 22 caliber bullet, and is capable of breaking double layered safety glass." Moreover, "each of the strikes produced small flashes of light upon impact. They are emitted because the shrimp's club moves so quickly that it lowers the pressure of the water in front of it, causing it to boil." from http://www.blueboard.com/mantis/

  • Science

    Fun With Lasers

    By Posted on 11.11.2008 3 Comments

    Bad Breath

    Lasers are the key to a new "breathalyzer" for cancer and diabetes, say University of Colorado scientists. Exhale into the device, and molecules in your breath that could indicate disease absorb rays of laser light. A computer diagnoses you by matching the absorption patterns to a library of chemical "fingerprints." The next step is to expand the library, with hopes of selling the device in 10 years.

    11.11.2008 at 03:13pm - Comment by Microsnake

    Jim is my favorite Beam.

  • Gadgets

    Origami Optics

    By Annemarie Conte and Esther Haynes Posted on 9.8.2008 7 Comments

    In 2003, a program funded by the Pentagon’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa) known as MONTAGE asked universities to find ways to squeeze unprecedented levels of magnification and resolution from small, super-thin lenses­—technology that could be used in future imaging devices for finding, tracking, and identifying military targets. With some advice from his adviser Joseph Ford, UCSD graduate student Eric Tremblay decided to use an old idea—“folding” light, or reflecting it over and over—to solve the problem.

    9.18.2008 at 06:04pm - Comment by Microsnake

    Terpow: "People who drive with scopes" -- what does that mean exactly? I have never heard of it.

  • The Environment

    Farming in the Sky

    By Cliff Kuang Posted on 10.16.2008 33 Comments

    9.5.2008 at 02:54pm - Comment by Microsnake

    SKYSCRAPERS FILLED WITH LAB-GROWN MEAT

  • Science

    Playing Games With Science: Magic Pen

    By Adam Weiner Posted on 9.2.2008 8 Comments


    [Via Diggy Games] Welcome to Magic Pen. This fascinating little game displays a delightful plethora of physics principles in action. The object of Magic Pen -- as in some similar games, like Crayon Physics Deluxe -- is to roll a ball into a goal. The catch is that you can't touch the ball directly: you can only interact with it by drawing shapes with the mouse. These shapes then interact with the ball, obeying basic principles of physics. For example, draw a rock. The rock then falls due to gravity, collides with the ball, and pushes it towards the goal, which is marked by a flag.

    9.2.2008 at 03:16pm - Comment by Microsnake

    Anyone get past 13th level? I can't figure out how to get the momentum. This game is dangerously addictive.

  • Science

    Readers Ask: Where Are Our Mechs?

    By Posted on 8.29.2008 19 Comments

    Reader Nathan asks: "Do you think we'll ever be able to build robot mecha like the Gundams from the Japanese anime series Gundam or the Valkyries from the Japanese anime series Macross?" The comment box is open. Practical? Plausible? What are the obstacles? Submit your science and technology questions to fyi@popsci.com.

    8.29.2008 at 12:22pm - Comment by Microsnake

    Aren't we already testing robot weapons in iraq? And augmented body armor, like the XOS? From there it is not far to full mecha, I think. www.popsci.com/scitech/article/2008-04/building-real-iron-man Hey, Zephyranthes up there is rocking some sexy red pumps.

  • Science

    Could Robot Aliens Exist?

    By Posted on 8.19.2008 12 Comments

    The existence of a race of sentient alien robots might be not just possible, but inevitable. In fact, we might be living in a "postbiological universe" right now, in which intelligent extraterrestrials somewhere have exchanged organic brains for artificial ones. The driving factor is a pragmatic desire to improve mental capacity. Alien beings may have already reached a point in their evolution where, having exhausted the potential of their biological brains, they have taken the next logical step and opted for robotic brains equipped with artificial intelligence.

    8.19.2008 at 02:06pm - Comment by Microsnake

    so cool

  • Science

    Could Robot Aliens Exist?

    By Posted on 8.19.2008 12 Comments

    The existence of a race of sentient alien robots might be not just possible, but inevitable. In fact, we might be living in a "postbiological universe" right now, in which intelligent extraterrestrials somewhere have exchanged organic brains for artificial ones. The driving factor is a pragmatic desire to improve mental capacity. Alien beings may have already reached a point in their evolution where, having exhausted the potential of their biological brains, they have taken the next logical step and opted for robotic brains equipped with artificial intelligence.

    8.19.2008 at 02:04pm - Comment by Microsnake

    Could robot aliens possibly not exist?



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