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Airdrop design pulls water from air to irrigate deserts

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An award winning innovative invention.

The winner of this year’s James Dyson Award is one that focuses on the water crisis in Australia. A continent faced with severe droughts, it is no wonder that Edward Linacre from Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne wanted to come up with a solution that will provide fresh water where there is no source on the ground.

A press release notes, “Edward studied the Namib beetle, an ingenious species which lives in one of the driest places on earth. With half an inch of rain per year, the beetle can only survive by consuming the dew it collects on the hydrophilic skin of its back in the early mornings. Airdrop borrows this concept, working on the principle that even the driest air contains water molecules which can be extracted by lowering the air’s temperature to the point of condensation. It pumps air through a network of underground pipes, to cool it to the point at which the water condenses. Delivering water directly to the roots of plants.”

Continue reading… “Airdrop design pulls water from air to irrigate deserts”

Oregon puts iPad voting on the map

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Voting in Oregon could be as easy as reading the Wall Street Journal.

In an attempt to make voting easier for the elderly and disabled, Oregon is letting citizens in five counties cast their votes on Apple iPads.

Election workers in the counties that make up that state’s 1st Congressional District are hitting parks, nursing homes and community centers to find voters who have trouble filling out traditional mail-in paper ballots, reports the Associated Press. The district is holding a special election to replace the seat left open by ex-Rep. David Wu, who left Congress in July after allegations emerged that he had had a sexual encounter with a young woman. Oregon is the first state to try voting via iPad, according to the report…

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Can “Opt-Out” organ donation law be the solution?

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If you don’t opt out, away they go under new law.

The problem with organ transplantation is, of course, there’s not enough donors to go around (Maybe people think that they’d need that kidney in the afterlife or something).

But could this be the solution: a proposed Welsh law where organ donation is the default and people have to “opt out” if they don’t want their organs be transplanted…

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Mind control: pushing the limits

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There are a variety of brainwave-reading headsets on the market today.

If you want to make things move with your mind, you don’t have to be a Jedi.  Although we may not be able to lift a spaceship out of a swamp like Yoda does in The Empire Strikes Back, but it is possible to steer a model car, drive a wheelchair and control a robotic exoskeleton with just your thoughts. (Pics)

 

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Artificial intelligence difference engine: Luddite legacy

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If the Luddite Fallacy were true, we would all be out of work by now.

There is a tale told about Henry Ford II showing Walter Reuther, the veteran leader of the United Automobile Workers, around a newly automated car plant. “Walter, how are you going to get those robots to pay your union dues,” gibed the boss of Ford Motor Company. Reuther replied, “Henry, how are you going to get them to buy your cars?”

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Wake up and smell the … Internet?

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Meet Olly, a “web connected smell robot.”

Olly will convert tweets, Facebook notifications, RSS feeds – whatever you want – into smells:

Olly has a removable section in the back which you can fill with any smell you like. It could be essential oils, a slice of fruit, your partner’s perfume or even a drop of gin. […] Olly is stackable, so if you have more than one, you can assign each one to a different service with a different smell. Connect one to Twitter and another to your calendar. Before you know it, you’ll have a networked internet smell centre…

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Drinkify your music tonight

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What do these sound like?

I recently stumbled across this site called drinkify. It recommends beverages to compliment your favorite music. Somebody really had a lot of fun with this one! Being a music junkie I plugged in some of my faves, but then gave it a trick question and another. So here’s what I’ve been hearing in my drinks…

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Civilisedmoney: A crowd-funded, ethical alternative to mainstream banks?

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Crowdfunding is a great way to pry control away from big money.

Whether it’s local investing in everybody eats restaurants, the microfinancing of entrepreneurs through Kiva, or citizen-funded clean energy through eco-bonds, we’ve featured plenty of ways to get passed the big banks and put your money to work.

Peer2Peer Finance Goes Mainstream
In the UK there are already a number of peer2peer lending sites, like ZOPA, that are offering rates of return far better than your traditional bank. A new venture called civilisedmoney is aiming to take this model even further, offering a fully transparent, crowd-funded alternative to every service offered by mainstream banks…

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Working model Of Stephenson’s steam engine made Of glass

In 2008, Czech master glassblower Michal Zahradník built a steam engine entirely out of glass! There are no seals here, just snug-fitting glass. This is a replica of an early locomotive steam engine designed by George and/or Robert Stephenson…

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Caffeinated baked goods will give you a much needed Snack in the Face

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Bang! Caffeinated Brownies bang out the buzz.

Coffee’s not the only way to get a caffeine boost. Besides energy drinks, there’s a growing number of foodstuffs designed to perk you up, from caffeinated Stay Puft marshmallows, to these cleverly named ‘Snack in the Face’ baked goods that prove a good pun is hard to ignore…

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Parents turning to Facebook to find chickenpox laced lollipops

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Parents warned chickenpox laced lollipops are illegal.

Some parents are fearful of having their children vaccinated but they are being warned by a federal prosecutor that making a deal with a stranger who promises to mail them lollipops licked by children with chickenpox isn’t just a bad idea, it’s against the law.

 

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Discover the Hidden Patterns of Tomorrow with Futurist Thomas Frey
Unlock Your Potential, Ignite Your Success.

By delving into the futuring techniques of Futurist Thomas Frey, you’ll embark on an enlightening journey.

Learn More about this exciting program.