TECH & INNOVATION

A Robotic Bird Gets a Leg-Up from a Robotic Roach

How do you enable a robotic bird to fly? You launch it off the back of a fast little roach. How do you enable a robotic bird to fly? You launch it off the back of a fast little roach.

A New Contender in Trial And Error—The Robot That Learns Like You and I

Robots that can learn? Yes they can, at least with these new algorithms. A UC Berkeley research team has created algorithms that allow robots to use trial and error to learn motor tasks. This is a process that is much closer to the ways that humans think and learn, making it a major artificial intelligence milestone.

The Reality Behind the Lawsuit That's Facing Oculus Rift

Oculus VR Inc. founder Palmer Luckey and his company are once again being sued. For this go-round Hawaiian company Total Recall Technologies is accusing Luckey of taking confidential information from TRT in violation of a confidentiality agreement that he signed when he left the company. The complaint also accuses him of passing off that information as his own.

Celebrate International Day of Biological Diversity with The Great Nature Project

May 22nd is the UN's International Day of Biological Diversity. This year's theme: Biodiversity for Sustainable Development. But instead of making little Pinterest planet Earth cupcakes or watching a movie about wildlife, why not get involved with National Geographic's Great Nature Project and have a real impact contributing to the scientific record?

How A Social Network Can Help Dish Out a Diagnosis to Save a Life

Most of us have turned to professional and personal networks using social media to get ideas, solve problems, and better understand the things that are on our minds; crowdsourcing is part of our world now. Doctors can do the same thing, and three weeks ago medical crowdsourcing saved a 14 year old boy's life.

Are Spy Agencies Planning to Hack Into Your Mobile Apps?

Five of the world's major nations have exploited weaknesses in UC Browser in their plan to hack into smartphones via links to Samsung and Google app stores according to a document obtained by CBS News shows. Electronic intelligence gathering agencies in Australia, Britain, Canada, New Zealand, and the National Security Agency (NSA) in the US have been planning their hacks for some time, based on an alleged need for intelligence in the war on terror. The countries also hoped to place spyware on certain smartphones during the project, called "Irritant Horn."

Re-engineering Antibiotics to Tackle Resistance

At the forefront of the fight against antibiotic resistance, a team of scientists led by St. Jude Children's Research Hospital researchers have developed a new weapon. The second-generation antibiotic shows early effectiveness against common bacterial infections that have the potential to develop antibiotic resistance and pose a serious health threat to children and adults.

Liquid Metal Antennae and the Future of the Internet of Things

A team of North Carolina State University (NCSU) researchers have created a reconfigurable liquid metal antenna controlled only by voltage. Liquid metal electronics have held the interest of the scientific community for years, but previous to this discovery these devices were not readily integrated into electronic systems because they required external pumps. This discovery advances the technology past this significant drawback.

Transmitting Information At The Speed Of Light, Almost

University of Utah engineers have taken a big step toward computing at the speed of light. Their research will help create the next generation of computers and mobile devices-devices that will be capable of speeds millions of times faster than machines are now.

Hacker’s Claims of Commandeering a Commercial Flight Dismissed by Industry Experts

In the ongoing investigation concerning the possible hacking of a commercial aircraft's flight system, the latest news reveals no evidence of flight tampering. In fact, it appears the entire story was conflated by out-of-context quotes, a poorly worded tweet, and perhaps a mild case of braggadocio on the part of the hacker.

Are You a Whiz At Cad? NASA Offers $2.25 Million Prize for Best Space Habitat Design

NASA and the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute, known as America Makes, are hoping that additive construction innovators will design a deep space exploration habitat and then fabricate it in a new competition worth US $1.1 million for each of two winners. Phase One registration opened at the Bay Area Maker Faire on Saturday, and the second stage begins September 27.

The Future of Home-Brewed Medicines and How Researchers Are Pushing Past Original Elixirs

Humans have always sought ways to alter their consciousness. Throughout our history as a species we have created and improved techniques for growing, brewing, processing, and, now, synthesizing mind-altering substances. Now, researchers from Concordia University in Quebec and University of California, Berkeley have detailed the steps needed to morphine from scratch from a simple yeast fungus.

How the ISS Plans on Getting Rid of Space Debris—Plans to Vaporize Comets in Space

Fans of shoot-em-up sci fi everywhere will be thrilled with the latest proposal for freeing the International Space Station (ISS) from the need to repeatedly alter its trajectory to avoid crashing into space junk. Researchers from the Riken Computational Astrophysics Laboratory of Japan want to use a laser system to zap dangerous space debris on a collision course with the ISS.
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