Solar-powered airplane completes trans-America flight

Solar-powered airplane completes trans-America flight: "Solar Impulse – the solar-powered airplane of Swiss pioneers Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg – has successfully landed at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport. In so doing, it begins a new era in the history of aviation: for the first time, a plane capable of flying day and night powered exclusively by solar energy has crossed the USA from the west to the east coasts, without using a single drop of fuel."

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NASA asks: Could 3-D-printed food fuel a mission to Mars? - The Washington Post

NASA asks: Could 3-D-printed food fuel a mission to Mars? - The Washington Post: "NASA can send robots to Mars, no problem. But if it’s ever going to put humans on the Red Planet, it has to figure out how to feed them over the course of a years-long mission.

So the space agency has funded research for what could be the ultimate nerd solution: a 3-D printer that creates entrees or desserts at the touch of a button."

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Spectacular Moleskine Doodles Explode with Energy - StumbleUpon

Spectacular Moleskine Doodles Explode with Energy - StumbleUpon:

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The Cowgirl's Foodie Blog - Holm Family Cookbook

The Cowgirl's Foodie Blog - Holm Family Cookbook: "Here in California we already have fresh sweet corn showing up in grocery stores. It hasn't hit the farmer's markets yet, so it must be coming up from Southern California. We've already had it a few times for dinner."

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Here's what you need ... a Laser Gatling Gun

Here's what you need ... a Laser Gatling Gun: "Patrick Priebe, the German laser weapons hobbyist who previously brought us such creations as the Iron Man Gauntlet and the Plasma Cutter, has gone and made something else. This time around, he’s built a proof-of-concept Laser Gatling Gun."

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Scientists developing a seawater-desalination chip

Scientists developing a seawater-desalination chip: "Although various alternative technologies are being developed, the large-scale desalination of seawater typically involves forcing it through a membrane that allows the water to pass through, but that traps the salt. "

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DFP kayak features retractable pontoons

DFP kayak features retractable pontoons: "Compared to human-powered watercraft such as canoes or rowboats, kayaks are certainly fast, plus they’re easy to paddle. Should you try to stand up and fish or scuba dive from one, however, it’s quite likely to capsize. With that in mind, California-based TrueRec has designed the DFP (Dive-Fish-Paddle) sit-on-top kayak. It features spring-loaded pontoons that fold out to the sides and lock in place for added stability when stopped, but that otherwise stay tucked in and out of the way."

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Test drive: Audi R8 V10 plus

Test drive: Audi R8 V10 plus: "The last time I drove Audi’s R8 was in 2008. It had the same 309kW 4.2-litre V8 Audi was using in some of its RS models, married to a six-speed manual transmission. While it proved predictably quick and agile in its element, just as important was that it passed the test so many supercars have stumbled over through history: navigating the bumper-to-bumper of crowded city streets. No all-or-nothing in heavy traffic, no thigh workout on the clutch pedal. The R8 proved as easy to live with as an A4. At least until you arrived at Ikea or a potted-palm store."

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Passively-cooled Caterpillar House built from shipping containers

Passively-cooled Caterpillar House built from shipping containers: "The use of shipping containers in residential builds is quite popular nowadays, and with good reason: there are untold numbers of the waterproof and durable metal boxes available, so why not put a few to good use? With this in mind, the latest such dwelling to grab our attention is the Caterpillar House by Chilean architect Sebastián Irarrázaval, which also features passive cooling."

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TurtleCell iPhone case packs a set of retractable earbuds

TurtleCell iPhone case packs a set of retractable earbuds: "Most people never forget their smartphone when they leave the house, but an accompanying set of earbuds can be a different story. Unfortunately, even when people do remember to bring them along, the cords tend to end up a twisted bundle at the bottom of their pocket or bag. A pair of designers may have a simple solution with the TurtleCell iPhone case, which features retractable earbuds so you always have a tangle-free set of headphones handy."

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Defiant electric fat bike tackles sand and snow

Defiant electric fat bike tackles sand and snow: "Two big trends that have stormed the bicycle industry over the past few years are pedal-assisted electric drivetrains and fat tires. These two trends converge in Defiant Bicycles' Big Easy. Unlike other electric bikes that stop at the edge of the street, the Big Easy keeps rolling over some of the toughest, most sluggish terrain on Earth – everything from hot sand to cold, mushy snow."

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FYI: What Would Happen If You Shot Off Fireworks In Space? | Popular Science

FYI: What Would Happen If You Shot Off Fireworks In Space? | Popular Science: "Good news: they'll explode! Bad news: they might not be the prettiest fireworks ever."

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