Photo credit: josef.stuefer / Creative Commons To discover a new species, most people believe, scientists must brave dense jungles and dry deserts, pushing deeper into the least-explored regions of the world. Once there, these unknown plants and animals, the romantic tale continues, jump out, revealing themselves as if by magic . The reality, of course, is much different. Though new specimens are, undoubtedly, collected i… Read the full story on TreeHugger
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Image: CNN Video screen grab Fair Criticism? Or Not CNN has a video segment about Washington D.C.’s Capital Bikeshare , a bike sharing program with over 1,000 bicycles and 100 stations. The whole thing is pretty positive: They interview people who feel like bike-commuting in such a convenient way has made their lives better and is also helping the environment. But in the piece there’s a small piece of criticism that is buried, and I want to highlight it to show how hypocritical it is. But first, check out the video below…. Read the full story on TreeHugger
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Designer Candy Chang complains that New Orleans is full of vacant storefronts; she notes that her neighbourhood is still without a grocery store. She wishes things were different, and made “fill-in-the-blank stickers to provide an easy tool to voice what we want, where we want it.” It is a good idea that could work in a lot more places than just New Orleans; I could think of few things to wish for where I Iive…. Read the full story on TreeHugger
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A new video released by the Taliban shows Spc. Bowe Bergdahl, the only known US serviceman held captive in Afghanistan, with bags under his eyes and what appears to be an abrasion on his left cheek. (Dec. 8)
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When it comes to social networking, there’s a lot to keep track of online. But two new browsers aim to streamline those tasks for you. The AP’s Eric Carvin puts Flock and Rockmelt to the test. (Dec. 12)
Continue reading …SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft successfully launches, returns from orbit (video)
December 8, 2010 No Comment
It may have hit a few snags earlier this week, but SpaceX’s slightly-delayed launch of its Dragon spacecraft looks to have gone off as well as anyone could have possibly hoped for. The craft blasted off from Cape Canaveral atop a Falcon 9 rocket earlier today, entered a “100 percent successful” low-earth orbit, and returned to Earth to make an on-target soft landing in the Pacific Ocean just a short while ago. Head on past the break for the launch video, and look for NASA to hold a complete post-flight press conference at 3:30pm EST at the link below (and on NASA TV). Continue reading SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft successfully launches, returns from orbit (video) SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft successfully launches, returns from orbit (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Dec 2010 14:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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And he should know. Bangladesh is one of the nation that stands to be most devastated by the impacts of climate change — and it’s already being hit. The low-lying nation is extremely vulnerable to flooding, and the rising sea levels, increasing rainfall, and inland desertification are making global warming something of a perpetual perfect storm for the nation. Climate… Read the full story on TreeHugger
Continue reading …Quadrocopters enter the Flying Machine Arena, must bounce a ping-pong ball to survive (video)
December 8, 2010 No Comment
We don’t need another hero. We don’t need to know the way home. All we want is life beyond the Flying Machine Arena, a test ground at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology ( ETH ) where quadrocopters can learn new abilities and stretch their fan blades without injuring too many scientists. One such new ability is juggling balls — well, one ball, anyway. This particular quadrocopter has learned to identify a ping-pong ball and is quite adept at keeping it in the air while the robot itself stays flying. Interestingly the last project we heard about from ETH also involved table tennis , so hopefully the next one involves a full-scale humanoid player that won’t stop hunting until it has crushed every opponent. Continue reading Quadrocopters enter the Flying Machine Arena, must bounce a ping-pong ball to survive (video) Quadrocopters enter the Flying Machine Arena, must bounce a ping-pong ball to survive (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Dec 2010 14:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Though Twitter has become a greater professional tool than we’d imagine anyone ever intended it’s still hard to take the service too seriously. We like silly twitterers, whether they be offering pretend writing advice , charting the reclusive tendencies of Hollywood’s leading men, or just threatening to force choke any troll who gets in their way. Wouldn’t it be fun if your pooch could get in on those antics? No, as it turns out, it isn’t all that fun at all. Gallery: Mattel Puppy Tweets Continue reading Mattel Puppy Tweets review Mattel Puppy Tweets review originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Dec 2010 12:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …AR.Drone gets Urbi open source robot interface drivers, tracks a red rubber ball like nobody’s business (video)
December 8, 2010 No Comment
Just when we thought that Parrot’s iPhone-controlled airship couldn’t be any more of a blast, a gentleman named Psykokwak (yes, really) has been hard at work on an implementation of the URBI (Universal Robot Body Interface) for the AR.Drone . And what’s more, he’s gone and written a twenty-five line script that lets the thing to pick out — and shadow — a red rubber ball. Pretty awesome, right? You’ll need an AR.Drone of course, as well as a computer (clients are available for PC, Linux, and Mac), the interface of your choice (joystick, keyboard, whatever) and of course — for the current demonstration — a red rubber ball. For the technical nitty gritty, check out the links below. But before you do make sure you peep the demonstration video after the break. Continue reading AR.Drone gets Urbi open source robot interface drivers, tracks a red rubber ball like nobody’s business (video) AR.Drone gets Urbi open source robot interface drivers, tracks a red rubber ball like nobody’s business (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Dec 2010 10:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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