This Week in the Future, April 23-27, 2012

Did you know that pigeons soared with such grace, determination and (literal) magnetism? We were pleased to find the hidden nobility in the much-maligned avian. Other airborne news this week included sky-high wind turbines, drones, and free-falling humans.

Want to win this airborne Baarbarian illustration on a T-shirt? It’s easy! The rules: Follow us on Twitter (we’re @PopSci) and retweet our This Week in the Future tweet. One of those lucky retweeters will be chosen to receive a custom T-shirt with this week’s Baarbarian illustration on it, thus making the winner the envy of their friends, coworkers and everyone else with eyes. (Those who would rather not leave things to chance and just pony up some cash for the t-shirt can do that here.) The stories pictured herein:

• Who is Flying Drones in the U.S. and Where Are They Flying?
• Neurons in Bird Brains Encode Earth’s Magnetic Field, Giving Pigeons Reliable Internal GPS
• “Fragile Earth” App Slides Time to Show the Ravages of Climate Change and Development
• The Suit That Will Help Felix Baumgartner Withstand A 120,000-Foot Free Fall
• Video: An Inflatable, Flying Turbine Goes Higher to Find Stronger Winds

And don’t forget to check out our other favorite stories of the week:

• The Most Amazing Science Images of the Week, April 23-27, 2012
• Video: ‘Anti-Piracy Curtain’ Makes Boarding Ships a Wet, Dangerous Mess for Pirates
• Espro Press Review: French Press Flavor, Hold the Mud
• After Decades of Mystery, Has the G-Spot Been Found?
• 2012 Military Wishlist Features Smart Wound-Diagnosing Uniforms and Dogfighting Drones
• Why Mining an Asteroid for Water and Precious Metals Isn’t as Crazy as it Sounds
• Technological Challenges Aside, Is Asteroid Mining Legal?
• Will You Use Google Drive?
• A Mystery 140 Years in the Making
• Video: Flying Thing Propels Itself By Flipping Inside Out
• The Human Element