The skeleton of the robotic bat uses shape-memory metal alloy that is super-elastic for the joints, and smart materials that respond to electric current for the muscular system.
Tiny flying machines can be used for everything from indoor surveillance to exploring collapsed buildings, but simply making smaller versions of planes and helicopters doesn’t work very well. [...]

This is a comparison of genetically modified plants and non-GM plants grown in saline conditions
An international team of scientists has developed salt-tolerant plants using a new type of genetic modification (GM), bringing salt-tolerant cereal crops a step closer to reality.

The Amazon River originated as a transcontinental river around 11 million years ago and took its present shape approximately 2.4 million years ago.
The Amazon River originated as a transcontinental river around 11 million years ago and took its present shape approximately 2.4 million years ago. These are the most significant results of a study [...]

bats use their nose to create a highly focused sonar beam.
A research paper co-written by a Virginia Tech faculty member explains a 60-year mystery behind a rare bat’s nose that is unusually large for its species.

A new monkey — dubbed Mura’s saddleback tamarin — has been discovered in a remote region of the Amazon in Brazil.
The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) announced on July 7 the discovery of a new monkey in a remote region of the Amazon in Brazil.

A collection of unusual and creative giant objects from all over the world. (Pics)
 

A prototype of a Stirling engine that’s powered by a solar water heater.
Cool Energy, a startup based in Boulder, CO, is developing a system that produces heat and electricity from the sun. It could help make solar energy competitive with conventional sources of energy in relatively dark and cold climates, such as the northern half [...]

Night with a Futurist: Future of the Smart Grid
Monday’s Night with a Futurist saw Phil Watts discussing the Future of the Smart Grid, and more generally the future of power generation, use, and storage. Watts noted how little the power grid has changed relative to other technology in the 100+ years since its initial creation. [...]

Sperm created in a lab
Human sperm have been created using embryonic stem cells for the first time in a scientific development which will lead researchers to a better understanding of the causes of infertility.
 

Now your computer can REALLY stink?

Japanese telecommunications company NTT Com is currently seeking volunteers to test a pungent bit of kit which produces different smells at the request of programs downloaded from the Internet. There will be two separate trials of the i-Aroma conducted from mid-July to the end of August. One course will send [...]

Humans do not travel well in a suitcase

Web Ecoist has a great post featuring 15 spectacular suitcases. While the one above has a distinct political message about human trafficking, not all of them do. Some of the bags are just really artistic or neat looking.

Stopping the dreaded self  hair tear

A simple supplement could help treat people with an impulse disorder that manifests in hair-tearing, say experts.
Trichotillomania suffers are blighted by uncontrollable urges to pluck the hair of the scalp and even eyebrows and lashes, often to the point of baldness.