Ford C-MAX hybrid undercuts the Toyota Prius

Ford C-MAX hybrid undercuts the Toyota Prius: "Ford has announced the pricing for its 2013 C-MAX hybrid, a crossover that has the look of a small minivan without the sliding doors. The American automaker says the base price of US$25,995 will undercut the Toyota Prius v wagon by $500."

'via Blog this'

Wavegarden takes surfing inland

Wavegarden takes surfing inland: "Imagine you're hundreds of miles from the sea - you climb over a grassy hill and come upon a lake with perfect surf just waiting for you and your board. Spanish engineering firm Instant Sport is setting about making this scenario a reality with its custom-built Wavegarden."

'via Blog this'

Map of Life shows distribution of any species throughout the world

Map of Life shows distribution of any species throughout the world: "Ever wondered if a certain species of animal can be found where you live? The Map of Life website aims to answer this question. Built on a Google Maps platform, it lists virtually all of the vertebrate animals that can be found at any one point in the world."

'via Blog this'

"Inexact" computer chip makes mistakes, but is 15x more efficient

"Inexact" computer chip makes mistakes, but is 15x more efficient: "Last year, a team of U.S. researchers applied the pruning shears to computer chips to trim away rarely used portions of digital circuits. The result was chips that made the occasional mistake, but were twice as fast, used half as much energy, and were half the size of the original. Now, building on the same “less is more” idea, the researchers have built an “inexact” prototype silicon chip they claim is at least 15 times more efficient than current technology in terms of speed, energy consumption and size."

'via Blog this'

Lawless Rocket electric drag bike does quarter mile in 6.94 seconds, breaks 200 mph

Lawless Rocket electric drag bike does quarter mile in 6.94 seconds, breaks 200 mph: "Top motorcycle drag racer Larry "Spiderman" McBride has entered the record books once again by piloting the Lawless Electric Rocket to a National Electric Drag Racing Association record run of 6.94 seconds at 201.37 mph (324 km/h) over a quarter mile (402 meters) from a standing start. While the electric drag bike looks monstrous when posing for the cameras, it's simply jaw-dropping when on the move – as you can see from the video after the jump."

'via Blog this'

Scientists create an air-conditioned bulletproof vest

Scientists create an air-conditioned bulletproof vest: "When most of us realize that we’re overdressed for the weather, we can simply take off that extra jacket or whatnot that’s causing us to overheat. Police officers, however, don’t have the option of taking off their bulletproof vests ... and those vests aren’t exactly known for being lightweight and breathable. Fortunately, a team from Swiss research institution Empa has developed just the thing for those hot cops – an air-conditioned ballistic vest."

'via Blog this'

Porsche's 918 Spyder hybrid on track for 2013 release, now with 770 bhp and 94 mpg

Porsche's 918 Spyder hybrid on track for 2013 release, now with 770 bhp and 94 mpg: "Porsche's hybrid 918 Spyder is a 770 bhp supercar that can top 320 km/h (200 mph), accelerate to 100 km/h (62 mph) from standstill in under three seconds and lap the Nurburgring Nordschleife circuit in seven minutes 22 seconds. The largely-carbon-fiber 918 Spyder will hit showrooms before the end of 2013, with pricing beginning at around US$1 million. It's all standard fare for a supercar except for one small thing - its fuel consumption of 3.0 l/100 km (94 mpg)."

'via Blog this'

National Museum of the U.S. Air Force - Virtual Tour

National Museum of the U.S. Air Force - Virtual Tour:

'via Blog this'

BOLT padlock system cuts down on keys

BOLT padlock system cuts down on keys: "Nobody likes having to carry around a keychain full of keys, or – worse yet – arriving somewhere only to discover that they haven’t brought the key they need. The BOLT system offers an alternative. It allows you to open multiple padlocks, all using your vehicle’s ignition key."

'via Blog this'

2012 World Superyacht Awards showcase the cream of luxury boating

2012 World Superyacht Awards showcase the cream of luxury boating: "We regularly feature the latest superyachts on Gizmag because they offer a mixture of breathtaking design and cutting edge technology in a rarefied arena where price is seemingly no object. The resulting floating marvels often seem more like works of art than mere ocean-going transportation. "

'via Blog this'

Smartsense navigation system works where GPS won't - indoors

Smartsense navigation system works where GPS won't - indoors: "It's not that long ago that GPS capabilities in a mobile phone were considered a standout feature. Today, GPS navigation is standard for smartphones, and as a result, many of us have come to rely on them when it comes to getting from A to B. However, GPS technology isn't without its faults, and if A to B is located under a roof, out of sight of the orbiting GPS satellites, then you can end up falling back on the not always reliable sense of direction."

'via Blog this'

Kindle Touch Review and Giveaway

Kindle Touch Review and Giveaway: "The Amazon Kindle Touch needs little in the way of introduction. This e-ink device is one of the best selling e-readers in the world, and is a refinement of Amazon’s successful line of Kindle devices. Amazon offers the same device in two prices: $99 “with special offers” (meaning, the device shows ads), and $139 “without special offers”."

'via Blog this'

Researchers Prove Tin Foil Hats Boost Receptivity To Government Signals - How-To Geek

Researchers Prove Tin Foil Hats Boost Receptivity To Government Signals - How-To Geek: "You know the old bit about putting tin-foil on your head to keep the government signals out of your brain? It turns out cladding your head in tin-foil has the opposite effect."

'via Blog this'

Northrop Grumman tests new laser weapon

Northrop Grumman tests new laser weapon: "Practical laser weapons came another step closer to reality recently as defense contractor Northrop Grumman tested the latest version of its Firestrike solid-state lasers. On May 1st, the company announced that it had completed trials at its Redondo Beach laboratory of a more powerful and rugged generation of its slab lasers, that combine with improved sensor capacities to create a general laser component that can provide the military with a wide range of greatly enhanced defensive and offensive laser capabilities."

'via Blog this'

NASA’s Dawn spacecraft unlocks secrets of giant asteroid

NASA’s Dawn spacecraft unlocks secrets of giant asteroid: "After becoming the first probe to enter orbit around an object in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter in July 2011, NASA’s Dawn spacecraft has spent the last 10 months orbiting said object - the giant asteroid Vesta. During that period it has captured more than 20,000 images of Vesta and a multitude of data from different wavelengths of radiation. What it reveals is an asteroid that in many ways shares more in common with a small planet or Earth’s moon than it does with another asteroid."

'via Blog this'

Earth from Space: A 121 Megapixel Peek at Our Planet [Video] - How-To Geek

Earth from Space: A 121 Megapixel Peek at Our Planet [Video] - How-To Geek: "This beautiful video was created using 121 megapixel images of the Earth’s surface–to date, the highest resolution images available."

'via Blog this'

60,000 Dominoes Come Crashing Down [Video] - How-To Geek

60,000 Dominoes Come Crashing Down [Video] - How-To Geek: "If you love watching a good Domino construction come crashing down but you just don’t have the time for a long video, you can watch 60,000 come crashing down in seconds here"

'via Blog this'

Keychain alternatives for the fingernail-less

Keychain alternatives for the fingernail-less: "The keyring is a true nemesis for those of us with short nails - such a simple contraption capable of bringing such deep frustration and resentment. Two innovative redesigns improve upon the traditional keyring, making keys easy to organize for all. The Freekey lets you pop it open with a push and the Carabiner Key gets rid of it completely."

'via Blog this'

Nike Pro TurboSpeed is a golf ball-inspired track uniform with dimples

Nike Pro TurboSpeed is a golf ball-inspired track uniform with dimples: "The Nike Pro TurboSpeed is, as the name vividly suggests, a track uniform that is designed to give professional athletes an advantage over their rivals. Through the clever use of aerodynamic techniques more commonly found on golf balls, the company has found a way to shave milliseconds off a sprinter's time. Or at least that's the bold claim Nike is making."

'via Blog this'

NASA Observatory records 20 million-mph winds off stellar-mass black hole

NASA Observatory records 20 million-mph winds off stellar-mass black hole: "NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory has recorded ultra-fast 20 million mph (32 million km/h) winds roaring from a gas disk around the stellar-mass black hole IGR J17091-3624. The wind speeds are a record, a factor of ten greater than any previously recorded, for a black hole of this kind. It is hoped the surprise discovery will shed new light on the behavior of stellar-mass black holes."

'via Blog this'

U.S. Army develops “Kevlar underpants” to protect soldiers' nether regions

U.S. Army develops “Kevlar underpants” to protect soldiers' nether regions: "When it comes to the many "life-changing" injuries that can result from an IED blast, the loss of a limb is probably the first one that springs to mind. But injuries to the pelvic region that leave soldiers with the inability to have children can obviously be just as devastating. That's why the U.S. Army has developed a Pelvic Protection System - dubbed "Kevlar boxers" or "combat underpants" by some soldiers - to protect dismounted soldiers patrolling Afghanistan roads."

'via Blog this'

NHK balloon camera aims to make bird's-eye shots easy

NHK balloon camera aims to make bird's-eye shots easy: "For those who dream of one day shooting aerial footage without the bulky cranes and cables to hold everything aloft, Japan's NHK may have just the thing: a tethered, balloon-mounted, four-axis gyro-stabilized camera rig that weighs in at about 2 kg (4.4 lb), can soar up to 300 m (984 ft) and takes its commands from the re-purposed remote control for a toy helicopter."

'via Blog this'

Japanese company plans to have space elevator "up" and running by 2050

Japanese company plans to have space elevator "up" and running by 2050: "A Japanese company is looking to take elevators to new heights. The Daily Yomiuri reports that Tokyo-based construction company Obayashi Corp. hopes to have a space elevator operational by 2050, carrying passengers and cargo in a vehicle that travels along a ribbon made of carbon nanotubes extending a quarter of the way to the moon."

'via Blog this'