Category: New Discoveries

Impact Lab > New Discoveries
Analysis, Health & Fitness, Historical Perspectives, New Discoveries

Your posture affects your decision making

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Lean to the left. Lean to the right.

Scientists have found that if you lean to the left, you think Michael Jackson had fewer number one hit singles than if you lean to the right or stand up straight.

If your posture leans to the right, on the other hand, your estimate increases. If you lean left you also think the Eiffel Tower is shorter than if you lean to the right. You think there is less alcohol in whiskey, and you will guess that Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands has fewer grandchildren than if you leaned to the right. This is a real study soon to be published in the scientific journal Psychological Science…

Continue reading… “Your posture affects your decision making”

Breakthrough Thinking, Crazy Stuff, Entertainment, Historical Perspectives, Latest News, New Discoveries, New Inventions

Kinect 2 so accurate it can lip read

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No voice required.

Microsoft plans to release a next-generation Kinect device so accurate it can lip read, sources have told Eurogamer.
Kinect 2 will come bundled with future Xbox consoles, we understand.
The intention is that Kinect 2 will offer improved motion sensing and voice recognition…

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Corporate Manipulation, Education, Health & Fitness, Historical Perspectives, Latest News, New Discoveries

Google drops ‘Renewable Energy Cheaper than Coal’ research project

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Did Google give up on the planet?

Google is quite a big proponent of renewable energy. They have made all kinds of investments in wind, solar, geothermal, etc. Some are to generate clean energy for their own needs, others are more akin to financing deals to help big wind and solar farms get built. In any case, it is very commendable work and if more big corporations had the long-term vision of Google, the world would definitely be in better shape.

But sadly, one of their most promising clean energy projects has just gotten the axe. Renewable Energy Cheaper Than Coal which was launched in 2007 via the Google.org Foundation, aimed to drive down the cost of renewable energy via R&D efforts until it was cheaper than coal, the magic point at which adoption would reach escape velocity…

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Analysis, Big Problems, Corporate Manipulation, Crazy Stuff, Culture, Current Events, Historical Perspectives, Human Behavior, Latest News, Latest Trend, New Discoveries

Malls go Big Brother with holiday shopping cell phone tracking

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Where are you going and where have you been? No need to tell me, I already know.

With mobile phone privacy in the forefront of our minds, it was a bit disconcerting to hear that this holiday season (Black Friday through New Years) certain malls will be tracking shoppers’ phones. Right now, just two US malls have said they will be anonymously tracking visitor’s phones, the Promenade Temecula in Temecula, California and the wonderfully-named Short Pump Town Center in Richmond, Virginia.

A notice was posted at the Promenade stating that anonymous data will be collected using the signals from visitors’ mobile phones. The data will be anonymized and is collected using a number of “monitoring units” placed around the mall. The purpose of the data collection, according to both the mall’s signage and website is to “enhance the shopping experience,” something we’re not quite sure all the visitors will appreciate as much as the malls might hope…

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Analysis, Health & Fitness, New Discoveries, Science & Technology News

Secret of internal alarm clock discovered that allows some to get by on just four hours’ sleep

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People who had two copies of the gene ABCC9 slept significantly less than people with two copies of another version.

Scientists discover a gene that controls how long we sleep has been explaining why some people have their own internal alarm clock.

 

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Analysis, Art, Award Winner, Breakthrough Thinking, Current Events, Education, Entertainment, Latest News, New Discoveries, New Inventions, People Making a Difference

Syneseizure, Isodrag Typeface, and other amazing results from Science Hack Day SF 2011

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Syneseizure, the hack that won the “People’s Choice” award

Earlier this month, Science Hack Day SF brought together 150+ scientists, designers, developers, and makers to collaborate on science-related projects. Along with US hackers, the event included participants from Brazil, Canada, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, and South Africa thanks to a grant from Alfred P. Sloan Foundation toInstitute for the Future. My IFTF colleague Ariel Waldman, the lead on Science Hack Day SF and the grant, posted about the insanely creative and wonderful projects that emerged from the 48 hours of science hacking: a DNA-based cocktail, a globe where the location of the International Space Station is tracked using a laser pointer, the Isodrag Typeface that rescales letters based on their aerodynamic drag, and many others…

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Analysis, Award Winner, Breakthrough Thinking, Business, Ecological Products, Green Friendly, Historical Perspectives, New Discoveries

Print optimization software earns PrintEco Green Start-Up of the Year

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A new way to print…or not.

At the 5th Opportunity Green conference held in Los Angeles November 10-11, new companies presented products and services in one-minute pitches for a chance to win Green Start-Up of the Year.

In a tight race with Kiverdi carbon recyclers, PrintEco Office pulled out in front at the last minute to take the prize with its print optimization software.

Eleven entrepreneurs showcased concepts in super succinct presentations and the approximately 1000 attendees from sustainably-minded businesses voted in real-time texts for the best idea…

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Breakthrough Thinking, Great New Product, New Discoveries, New Inventions

The Desk of The Future

ExoPC has released their video about a amazing product that will tease you in 2012. Its a tabletop computer, maybe you haven’t heard it before. Well, actually its a virtual table with a 40 inches high definition flat space in front of your eyes, Its awesome feature will allow you to manipulate objects by dragging it from one side to the other or by touching it. (It is much more like a tablet). ExoPC has already offered some apps to optimized this its virtual desk…

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Analysis, Animals, Education, Historical Perspectives, Latest News, New Discoveries

Large nest of juvenile dinosaurs found

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What new information will this lead to?

A nest containing the fossilized remains of 15 juvenile Protoceratops andrewsi dinosaurs from Mongolia has been described by a University of Rhode Island paleontologist, revealing new information about postnatal development and parental care. It is the first nest of this genus ever found and the first indication that Protoceratops juveniles remained in the nest for an extended period…

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Analysis, Big Problems, Culture, government, Historical Perspectives, New Discoveries

Bookmarklet lets you know how the companies you buy from lobbied Congress

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Money, money, who got the money.

Nicko from the Sunlight Foundation sez, “Before Americans open their wallets for Black Friday (and Cyber Monday), the Sunlight Foundation encourages consumers to first explore the connection between their spending and politics in Washington. Checking Influence, a secure bookmarklet that analyzes financial statements with one click, exposes the lobbying activities and campaign contributions of companies you frequent. ”

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