New plastic bleeds and heals like human skin

New plastic bleeds and heals like human skin: "Gizmag regulars will be well-used to the idea of self-healing materials, and even materials that repair themselves when exposed to light; but a new plastic demonstrated to the American Chemical Society on Monday purports to be the first self-healing material to incorporate a damage-reporting mechanism, almost akin to the bleeding of human skin."

'via Blog this'

LANL pulsed magnet smashes the 100 Tesla magnetic pulse barrier

LANL pulsed magnet smashes the 100 Tesla magnetic pulse barrier: "Round performance numbers aren't necessarily important milestones, but they do exude an undeniable aura of accomplishment. This was the case when researchers at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) used their largest pulsed magnet to crack the 100 Tesla mark (roughly 2 million times larger than the Earth's magnetic field) by generating a 100.75 Tesla magnetic pulse without damaging the magnet."

'via Blog this'

Super-buoyant material inspired by water striders

Super-buoyant material inspired by water striders: "Aerogels are among the lightest solid materials in existence, and are created by replacing the liquid component of a gel with a gas – this results in their extremely low density, and has earned them the nickname of “frozen smoke.” Now, scientists have created a new type of aerogel that is inspired by the feet of the water strider. The material is reportedly so buoyant, that a boat made from one pound (454 grams) of it could carry about 1,000 pounds (454 kg) of cargo."

'via Blog this'

Liquid-like compound could lead to better thermoelectric devices

Liquid-like compound could lead to better thermoelectric devices: "Thermoelectric materials work by converting differences in temperature into electric voltage. If two parts of such a material experience significantly different temperatures, electrons within it will flow from the warmer part to the cooler, creating an electrical current in the process."

'via Blog this'

Israeli Army's hands-free "Human Backpack" for rescue operations

Israeli Army's hands-free "Human Backpack" for rescue operations: "We were almost afraid to click on the link for a "human backpack" that we recently came across. Turns out, though, it's not a horror movie prop, but a backpack designed to carry humans. It's a military/survival accessory created to carry your buddy out of the field on your back."

'via Blog this'

Pulp and paper mill waste could be used in cheaper batteries

Pulp and paper mill waste could be used in cheaper batteries: "Scientists have discovered that lignin, a plentiful byproduct of the pulp and paper industry, can be used to store an electrical charge. They've used the material to create a prototype lignin-based rechargeable battery, and suggest that it could one day be used as a less expensive, safer alternative to the precious metals currently utilized in battery cathodes."

'via Blog this'

Ant behavior inspires more efficient warehouse robots

Ant behavior inspires more efficient warehouse robots: "When it comes to groups that work together to get a job done, ants have pretty much got the process perfected. That’s why computer scientist Marco Dorigo studied the creatures’ behavior, and created his Ant Colony Optimization model – an algorithmic technique that can be applied to human endeavors, when efficiency is the order of the day"

'via Blog this'

Carrozzeria's modern reinterpretation of the 1952 Alfa Romeo Disco Volante

Carrozzeria's modern reinterpretation of the 1952 Alfa Romeo Disco Volante: "Hollywood isn’t the only industry fascinated with remakes, reimagining and sequels these days. The motor world has its share of revivals and updates too. Case in point, Italian car maker Alfa Romeo and the Milan-based coachbuilding firm Carrozzeria Touring have teamed to unveil their latest collaboration: the Alfa Romeo Disco Volante 2012."

'via Blog this'

Planet Venus slowing down

Planet Venus slowing down: "The rotation of the planet Venus is slowing down, according to recent data gathered by the European Space Agency's Venus Express satellite. Peering through the planet's dense atmosphere with infrared imaging, the orbiter saw surface features up to 20 km (12.4 miles) from their expected location. The discrepancy could be explained if the Venusian day has lengthened by six and a half minutes since the planet's speed of rotation was established 16 years ago."

'via Blog this'

Spray-on antennas could replace traditional towers

Spray-on antennas could replace traditional towers: "Soon, you may be able to correct your cell phone's signal problems by spraying on an antenna. Researchers at the military technology firm Chamtech have developed a special aerosol spray that can essentially add an antenna to whatever it's sprayed on and improve the network coverage in the area."

'via Blog this'

GM introduces new IntelliLink smartphone connectivity

GM introduces new IntelliLink smartphone connectivity: "This week, GM rolled out the IntelliLink system. The system connects wirelessy to your smartphone and provides voice-activated access to phone and audio functions. It's the latest example of the growing number of in-vehicle smartphone connectivity systems."

'via Blog this'

App removes wandering people from photos

App removes wandering people from photos: "It's kind of a funny thing, when you think about it ... even though it's normal to see other people milling about in public places, when we take photos of those places, we often don't want any of those people in our pictures."

'via Blog this'