The new startup, Planetary Resources will mine asteroids for precious metals.
Peter Diamandis, entrepreneur and X-Prize impresario, earlier in 2012 hinted he was about to unveil something amazing: a startup that will mine asteroids for precious metals.
Continue reading… “Google and tech ecexutives back Planetary Resources to mine asteroids”
If you were ever curious as to how much body parts can fetch on the black market,Medical Transcription created a snazzy infographic to show you. Some parts are shockingly cheap! Like would you want a new shoulder or a new iPad? Both cost 500 bucks.
Other organs are prohibitively expensive, like a kidney. That little sucker costs $262,000 in the US (other countries have it for cheaper)! Here’s the full list of body parts and their cost…
Continue reading… “Here’s how much body parts cost on the Black Market”
Artist’s impression based on a real atomic force microscopy (AFM) image showing conductive supramolecular fibers trapped between two gold electrodes spaced 100 nm apart. Each plastic fiber is composed of several short fibers and is capable of transporting electrical charges with the same efficiency as a metal.
Researchers from CNRS and the Université de Strasbourg, headed by Nicolas Giuseppone (1) and Bernard Doudin (2), have succeeded in making highly conductive plastic fibers that are only several nanometers thick. These nanowires, for which CNRS has filed a patent, “self-assemble” when triggered by a flash of light. Inexpensive and easy to handle, unlike carbon nanotubes (3), they combine the advantages of the two materials currently used to conduct electric current: metals and plastic organic polymers (4). In fact, their remarkable electrical properties are similar to those of metals.
Continue reading… “Self-Assembling Highly Conductive Plastic Nanofibers”
Mythology comes to reality.
Joaquin Baldwin, whose wonderful creative work we’ve featured on Boing Boing before, shares these photos of a lovely 3d-printed sculpture he’s just created. You can purchase your very own, right here. Cat not included.
Joaquin explains…
Continue reading… “Seed of Yggdrasil: nifty 3d-printed sculpture based on Celtic-style knot in Norse mythology”
If you do lots of push-ups, you get stronger – but if you do a lot of mental exercises, do you get smarter?
For most of human history, it’s accepted that you’re either born smart or (sadly) not and that there’s no amount of Sudoku that will make you smarter (sure you can be more knowledgable – say by educating yourself, but not intrinsically more intelligent).
But that common wisdom may be wrong: studies show that you can increase your smarts by improving your memory through certain types of games…
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Ten years ago, offshoring manufacturing jobs to China looked like the perfect way to cut costs. But now companies that manufacture everything from computers to car parts are returning to the United States in growing numbers. The country needs to invest in more vocational and technical training programs so millions of jobless factory workers are equipped with the skills to benefit from this trend, say labor economists.
Consumer tastes of the Facebook generation is changing at a greater rate than ever.
The purchasing habits of the youngest generation present the most dramatic shifts in consumer tastes — a reflection of what they find important, and are changing at a greater rate than ever. 24/7 Wall St. has identified eight popular products that the “Facebook generation” is not buying.
Continue reading… “Top 8 products the Facebook generation will not buy”
The T-Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle from Honeywell.
The FBI and the Air Force have approval to fly drones. But so does Herington, Kansas which has a population of 2,526 according to new documents that shed light on which government agencies are experimenting with the domestic use of unmanned aerial vehicles, also known as drones.
Continue reading… “More drones taking to the skies in the U.S.”
Nephew Mikaia showing Grandpa Norman what he knows
Futurist Thomas Frey: Over the past couple months I’ve become enamored with watching my two-year-old nephew Mikaia learn the letters of the alphabet, colors, and numbers. Even though he doesn’t have them all perfect, he’s scoring in the high 90% when we quiz him verbally.
Next up, the periodic table of elements?
Continue reading… “Teacherless Education and the Competition that will Change Everything”
“In 2050, Amsterdam’s red light district will all be about android prostitutes.”
Researchers in New Zealand predict that in the future brothels will serve-up robot prostitutes offering clean, guilt-free sex.
Continue reading… “Researchers predict brothels will offer robot prostitutes by 2050”
Coral reef
The Florida Keys are a magnet for tourists. But the kaleidoscope of life in the coral reefs under the turquoise waters isn’t just a pretty view. The same chemistry that helps corals and sponges survive is also helping people fight cancer.
Continue reading… “Doctors develop cancer fighting drugs from coral reefs”
X-ray spex in your cell phone?
Researchers at UT Dallas have designed an imager chip that could turn mobile phones into devices that can see through walls, wood, plastics, paper and other objects.
Continue reading… “Future smartphone cameras could see through walls”