Interesting facts about humans

Interesting facts about humans: "There are many things you do in life that you rarely think about because you do them often, so often that you don't even realize how often you do them. The average number of times you do certain things, and use certain things in a lifetime is amazing. Some of the things are weird, some of them are unbelievable, some of them are bizarre, all of them are interesting"



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Interview with a madman: Francois Gissy hits 333 km/h on rocket-powered bicycle

Interview with a madman: Francois Gissy hits 333 km/h on rocket-powered bicycle: "Last November, Frenchman Francois Gissy hit 285 km/h (177 mph) on a rocket-powered bicycle. Now, at the Circuit Paul Ricard in the South of France, he's knocked his own world record out of the park. Dialing in a massive 4.5 kN of thrust, which generates roughly the equivalent of 560 horsepower, Gissy took his rickety-looking rocket bike up to a monstrous 333 km/h (207 mph), hitting top speed in just 4.8 seconds and generating about 1.96 Gs worth of acceleration."



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Give your old smartphone a smart home overhaul - CNET

Give your old smartphone a smart home overhaul - CNET: "The smart home market is expanding. The Dropcam-Nest contingent, SmartThings, Wink and others have captured much of the early attention, but some plucky startups are taking a decidedly more DIY route."



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Finally, you can own a 'Star Trek' communicator for just $99 - CNET

Finally, you can own a 'Star Trek' communicator for just $99 - CNET: "Just weeks after we got to ride a real-world hoverboard for the first time, another bit of iconic Hollywood gadgetry has crossed over from science fiction to science fact, and it's great news for Trekkers.

Startup OnBeep's debut product is Onyx, a Bluetooth-powered team communication tool that offers real-time voice messaging via a cross-platform mobile app that works anywhere your device has a mobile or Wi-Fi data connection. In other words, it's like creating a private communication channel that piggybacks over an Internet connection"



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The top 20 catchiest songs of all time, according to science - CNET

The top 20 catchiest songs of all time, according to science - CNET: "The catchiest song of all time has been revealed, and it ought to surprise absolutely no one. When it comes to recognisability, Spice Girls' "Wannabe" is number one, with users taking, on average, just 2.29 seconds to pick the song."



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New Battery Technology Recharges in Two Minutes, Lasts Twenty Years

New Battery Technology Recharges in Two Minutes, Lasts Twenty Years: "There’s a new battery technology on the horizon, and there’s a good chance it’s going to change the way you use your devices — soon.  By replacing the graphite anode in lithium-ion batteries with titanium dioxide nanotubes, researchers at Nanyang Technical University of Singapore have been able to dramatically improve the charge time and durability of lithium-ion battery cells."



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Sweat-analyzing skin patch could replace blood sampling

Sweat-analyzing skin patch could replace blood sampling: "Nobody likes having blood samples drawn. What's more, such samples typically have to be analyzed in a lab before they're able to tell us anything. But now scientists at the University of Cincinnati and the US Air Force Research Laboratory are developing a system in which a Band-Aid-like skin patch is able to gather and transmit medical data in almost real time, by analyzing the patient's sweat ... and you just need a smartphone to read it, no poking or prodding required."



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Top secret X-37B spaceplane breaks orbital endurance record

Top secret X-37B spaceplane breaks orbital endurance record: "A secret mission came to a public end this morning as the US Air Force’s top secret X-37B spaceplane landed at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The unmanned reusable spacecraft touched down on the runway like a conventional aircraft this morning at 9:24 am EDT after a record-breaking 674 days in orbit. According to the Air Force, the automatic landing was monitored by the 30th Space Wing and occurred without incident."



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Oxygen absorbing material may allow us to breathe underwater

Oxygen absorbing material may allow us to breathe underwater: "Using specially synthesized crystalline materials, scientists from the University of Southern Denmark have created a substance that is able to absorb and store oxygen in such high concentrations that just one bucketful is enough to remove all of the oxygen in a room. The substance is also able to release the stored oxygen in a controlled manner when it is needed, so just a few grains could replace the need for divers to carry bulky scuba tanks."



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VIDEO: This Police Officer Gives a New Meaning to ‘Protect and Serve’ and It’s Awesome

VIDEO: This Police Officer Gives a New Meaning to ‘Protect and Serve’ and It’s Awesome: "Ever since the Michael Brown shooting in Ferguson, Missouri, there has been an attempt by the typical leaders of the racial grievance industry, Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, Eric Holder, and Barack Obama, to portray all police officers as bad. In fact, they have attempted to portray white police officers as blood thirsty, cold-hearted killers of black people. It is an insult to those men and women in blue who put on a uniform every day and risk their lives ‘to protect and serve.’"



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Turret flight tests to pave the way for laser weapons on military aircraft

Turret flight tests to pave the way for laser weapons on military aircraft: "High energy laser (HEL) systems have been the subject of military research for decades, but it is only in recent years that the technology has advanced to the point where it is feasible for such systems to be mounted on military ground vehicles and sea vessels. Initial flight tests have now been conducted on a new aircraft laser turret that will help pave the way for HEL systems to be integrated into military aircraft"



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Q&A: The First-Ever Expedition to Turkmenistan's "Door to Hell"

Q&A: The First-Ever Expedition to Turkmenistan's "Door to Hell": "More than four decades ago, a gaping, fiery crater opened up in the desert of northern Turkmenistan (map), likely the result of a drilling mishap."



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