The Internet is sick. Here’s how Mozilla is making it healthy again
Recently the Mozilla Foundation brought together thousands of open source activists and engineers at more than 60 events, in locations as far apart as Portland, Toronto, London and New Delhi, for its Global Sprint hackathon event. Their goal? To make the internet a better place. Is that one hack too far?
Touch-free device uses a frickin’ laser to monitor your well-being from afar
Whether it’s heart rate, breathing rate or muscle activity, there are wearable devices capable of measuring just about biometric data point you can think of. But a new device created by Israeli scientists can do the same thing from a distance without touching you -- using a laser beam.
Watch a NASA astronaut get stumped over how to use a GoPro
Earlier in May when a NASA astronaut on the International Space Station went outside to check the spacecraft, he couldn't use the GoPro he brought along to capture video. When he asked Mission Control about the camera, he revealed a surprising lack of understanding of how the popular video camera works.
‘Truck Hotel’ is an amazing double-decker pad for surfers
A truck converted into a hotel? Whatever will they think of next? The Truck Surf Hotel does exactly what it says on the tin, transporting vacationing surfers to new beaches every day while offering all the comforts of a regular hotel. The four-bedroom pad is currently tootling between sites in Portugal and Morocco.
New cryptocurrency is backed by global financial giant Goldman Sachs
Circle, a payment startup that’s backed by multinational investment banking leviathan Goldman Sachs, has just announced the launch of its very own bitcoin rival. Called Circle USD Coin, it’s the first cryptocurrency to be created and released by one of the world’s leading financial giants.
Here’s how to hack an Ikea lamp and transform it into a mixed-reality projector
Do you have access to a lamp, a 3D printer, a few electronics components, and a bit of free time? If so, you could hack together a pretty awesome creation -- a nifty user interface projector that’s bound to enliven your home. Here's what it does -- and why you totally need one.
A drone made out of pizza? This YouTuber shows you just how to dough it
How do you like your drones: Fixed-wing or multirotor? Civilian or military? Thin-crust or Chicago-style? That’s the question you’ll be asking yourself after a new video from a drone-mad YouTuber, who recently built a functioning drone out of pizza. But was he able to eat it afterward?
Is the revolutionary Tesla Semi dead? Some analysts believe so
With Tesla Motors and CEO Elon Musk caught up in a bit of a crazy media and PR whirlwind from launch issues with the Model 3, it seems that such troubles have market analysts and investors convinced that the electric vehicle company’s next biggest prospect, the Tesla Semi, may be dead.
Stellina smart telescope on sale exclusively through Museum of Modern Art
With app connectivity, Stellina makes collecting gorgeous images of the night sky easier than ever before. This new-age telescope makes collecting gorgeous images of the stars easier than ever before. Introduced at CES 2018, the Stellina is now on sale exclusively at The Museum of Modern Art.
Designer of out-of-this-world superyacht MY Roswell welcomes spaceship analogies
Creative artist and superyacht designer George Lucian says his MY Roswell concept is named after the site of a mysterious crash in New Mexico that many were convinced was an alien spacecraft. The super yacht combines stealthy design elements, electric-only propulsion power, and attention-getting stylistic features.
Scientists will use use stem cells to grow ‘mini brains’ using Neanderthal DNA
Researchers from Germany’s Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology are working to create miniature brains containing Neanderthal DNA. The project will use CRISPR gene editing and induced pluripotent stem cells to shed light on fundamental neurological questions.
You won’t even need to dress yourself in the future — thanks to robots like this
Chalk it up to a misspent youth watching The Jetsons if you want, but we’ve always kind of liked the idea of a home robot that can dress you in the morning. Thankfully, researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology are working to make such a tech dream a reality.
Powered by a laser, this insect-sized RoboFly can take off and land wirelessly
Researchers from the University of Washington have developed a fly-sized robot they hope could be used to access places inaccessible to regular-sized drones. The RoboFly, which is only marginally heavier than a toothpick, can take off and land completely wirelessly. Check it out.
Autopsy confirms exploding vape pen caused Florida man’s death
An autopsy has confirmed that a vape pen was to blame in the tragic death of a Florida man. This incident marks the first confirmed case in which an e-cigarette explosion resulted in a fatality. The 38-year-old was killed when his vape pen exploded, which sent projectiles into his head and started a fire.
You’re not hearing things: Viral Laurel vs. Yanny debate is an audio brain teaser
What do you hear -- Laurel, or Yanny? In a debate that's closing in on the iconic blue-gold dress scale, a robotic recording has internet users divided. So is it Laurel or Yanny, and why are people hearing different things from the same audio file? We got the dish on the robotic recording that originated on Reddit.
Kickstarter just rolled out a new feature that makes crowdfunding less sketchy
Pledging your support to a crowdfunding project has always been a somewhat risky endeavor, but Kickstarter has just rolled out a new feature that will hopefully make backing projects less sketchy. At the same time, it will give creators help with the manufacturing process.
Ridy smart camera will alert drivers when they’re drowsy or distracted
Ridy is a forthcoming smart camera that attaches to your car dashboard or windshield. Using impressive machine learning technology, it can watch your face as you drive to notice behavior which suggests that you are tired or distracted. Here's how to get your hands on one.
The best smart backpacks
Whether you're using them to commute to work or take weekend getaways, backpacks these days are packed with smart technology. From options which charge your phone and play music to others that stream video and act as a WiFi hotspot, these are the best smart backpacks.
Doctors in Britain are zeroing in on a universal cure for the common cold
The common cold could get a bit less common if researchers from the U.K.’s Imperial College London have anything to do with it. They have developed and lab-tested a new molecule that could help battle the cold virus by stopping it from hijacking human cells. Here's how it works.
X-ray laser heats water to 180,000 degrees in a fraction of a second
In our busy 24/7 world, no one has time to sit and wait for a kettle to boil, do they? Fortunately, a new experiment suggests we might not have to wait those agonizing 3-4 minutes each day any more -- provided that we can get hold of a super powerful X-ray laser, that is.
With ChroMorphous technology, clothes may soon change color with a tap of a phone
What if you could use your phone to alter what your clothes looked like? Developed by a team of research scientists at the College of Optics and Photonics at The University of Central Florida, ChroMorphous technology allows users to control and switch up the pattern on a fabric using a mobile app.
Stewie the robot offers horseback therapy without the stable fee
A team of undergraduates from Rice University have developed a robotic horse to offer therapies for patients with neurological and movement disorders. The robot, named Stewie, was developed to provide a cost-effective alternative to sessions with a living, breathing creature.
Disposable plastic straws are a huge polluter. This keychain could change that
Every single day, Americans throw away an estimated 500 million single-use plastic straws. A new handy portable implement aims to do something about that, and in a way that’s as stylish as it is eco-friendly. Step forward and take a bow, FinalStraw. Now available on Kickstarter.
Solar-powered devices pull water vapor straight out of thin air in Australia
People across Australia may soon be drinking purified water pulled straight out of thin air. The water will be supplied by an array of solar-powered devices developed by Zero Mass Water, an American company specializing in technology that extracts water from the atmosphere.
Look ma, no wires! Google and Levi’s smart jean jacket is finally here
Two years after first teasing us with its line of connected clothing, Google and Levi's have put us out of our misery with the Commuter.
Curious what you’re missing when you blink? This new wearable records it
Have you ever heard the expression "blink and you'll miss it?" Researchers from Germany’s University of the Arts Bremen have come up with a device to help solve that problem -- and it’s either the best or most useless wearable we’ve heard about in ages. Here is how it works.
Can’t get enough of ‘Doom’? A.I. can generate an infinite number of new levels
Researchers from Italy have developed an artificial neural network that’s capable of generating a theoretically infinite number of new levels of the classic 1993 first-person-shooter 'Doom'. If you've spent the past 25 years wishing 'Doom' would never end, today is your lucky day!
Terms and conditions for Elon Musk’s Not-A-Flamethrower are just ridiculous
With Elon Musk's brainchild set to ship at an undisclosed date in the near future, the Boring Company has sent out the official terms and conditions for the aptly titled Not-a-Flamethrower, which are about as ridiculous as the entire idea of a consumer-oriented flamethrower.
Driverless pods could be used to ferry tourists around a U.K. national park
Driverless pods are already being used to take passengers around one of the world's busiest airports, and now they're being tested at the U.K.'s most popular national park. The Lake District is conducting a feasibility study to see if the electric-powered pods can be used to ease traffic congestion and cut pollution.
NASA will send a tiny drone helicopter to fly through the Martian skies
NASA has revealed that the Mars 2020 mission will include a remote-control "marscopter" along with the rover. The small chopper will deploy on the surface of the red planet for several test flights. If the tests of the tiny dual-rotor helicopter are successful, it will be the first atmospheric flight on another planet.
Boston Dynamics’ SpotMini robot is slated to go on sale in 2019
Boston Dynamics has unveiled another version of its dog-like SpotMini robot, which once again features a rather terrifying appendage. And now, we're a step closer to being able to see the action of this robot up close and personal.The SpotMini is slated to go on sale to the public in 2019.
A German bank is using Bitcoin to handle international loans
A German bank, Bitbond, is using Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies to facilitate international loans. The bank's founder believes that Bitcoin can make for quicker and more affordable loans while lowering the risk of falling victim to cryptocurrency volatility.
Stimulating brains with lasers can create ‘Matrix’-like false experiences
At the University of California at Berkeley, researchers have been busy exploring ways to project holograms directly into the brain -- and that could totally turn out to be a good thing. Think of it like 'Inception' meets next-generation healthcare. Here's how it all works.