Researchers are developing a new propulsion technology that could reduce the travel time to Mars from eight or nine months to less than three. The secret? Nuclear fusion , of course. Read more…
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Designing a "Simple" Nuclear-Fusion Rocket for Quick Trips to Mars
Aviation Week’s Guy Norris has an exclusive article on the successor for the Lockheed Martin SR-71 Blackbird, the mythical spy plane that may be the favorite of every airplane nerd in the world. The hypersonic SR-72 is the first aircraft that can fit perfectly in Star Wars or Galactica, a true space age ship. Read more…
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This is the amazing Lockheed Martin SR-72—the space Blackbird
It may sound like a Halloween prank, but the Balkan News Agency claims that a team of scientists in a Transylvanian university has created artificial blood. The researchers say that they have successfully tried it on mice. If human tests work, this could be one of the biggest breakthroughs in modern medicine. Read more…
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Transylvanian university scientists create working artificial blood
After years of will they or won’t they , the US Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has finally given permission for airlines to allow passenger to use personal electronics for the entirety of their flights. Translation: You don’t have to shut down your phone anymore. FINALLY. Read more…
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Victory! The FAA Approves Personal Electronics for All Phases of Flight
Taco Cowboy writes “‘NASA is calling off attempts to find its Deep Impact comet probe after a suspected software glitch shut down radio communications in August, officials said on Friday.’ Last month, engineers lost contact with Deep Impact and unsuccessfully tried to regain communications. The cause of the failure was unknown, but NASA suspects the spacecraft lost control, causing its antenna and solar panels to be pointed in the wrong direction. NASA had hoped Deep Impact would play a key role in observations of the approaching Comet ISON, a suspected first-time visitor to the inner solar system that was discovered in September 2012 by two Russian astronomers. The comet is heading toward a close encounter with the sun in November, a brush that it may not survive.” Deep Impact has had a pretty good run, though: from its original mission to launch a copper slug at a comet (hence the name), to looking for Earth-sized planets. Read more of this story at Slashdot.
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Software Glitch Means Loss of NASA’s Deep Impact Comet Probe
TSA Pre-Check —a paid registration system that allows airplane passengers to skip security checks—is now available to everyone instead of just frequent fliers from some airlines. You just have to pay them $85 to recuperate your dignity. Read more…
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TSA: ‘Pay $85 to skip our security checks and get your dignity back’
symbolset writes “Discovery News is covering a project by two engineers from the University of Michigan to pair cubesats with tiny ion engines for inexpensive interplanetary exploration. The tiny plasma drive called the CubeSat Ambipolar Thruster (CAT) will ionize water and use it as propellant with power provided by solar cells. In addition to scaling down the size of ion engines they hope to bring down the whole cost of development and launch to under $200, 000.” Read more of this story at Slashdot.
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Tiny Ion Engine Runs On Water
adeelarshad82 writes “Oculus VR Rift is a one of the seventeen kickstarter projects to raise more than a million dollars in 2012 and a recently published hands-on shows exactly why it was so successful. Using Oculus VR Rift with the upcoming Infinity Blade and a modified version of Unreal Tournament 3, the analyst found that the 3D effect and head tracking provided a great sense of immersion. At one point while playing Infinity Blade, the analyst describes walking around the guards and watching their swords shift as he stepped, seeming like they were inches from cutting him. While he felt that the demo was impressive, he found that the software limitations made the whole experience a bit unrealistic. Needless to say that Oculus Rift is a long way from hitting stores but Oculus VR is getting ready to ship developer kits.” Read more of this story at Slashdot.
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Hands On With Virtual Reality’s Greatest Hope
What began as a bill designed to protect the privacy of your digital life has been mangled at the behest of law enforcement agencies. CNET reports that if the revised Senate bill isn’t stopped before it goes to vote next week, 22 federal agencies will have warrantless access to troves of your private information. Let’s stop them. Updated below More »
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The Senate Is About to Let More Than 22 Agencies Spy on Your Email and Documents Without a Warrant (Update: Not Any More)
by Adam Dachis Not sure if your phone is carrier-unlocked? Handy web site IMEI.info can tell you if you simply provide your IMEI number. What is an IMEI number? IMEI stands for International Mobile Equipment Identity and is unique to your phone. You can find out what it is by dialing *#06# on any mobile. Alternatively, if you’ve got an iPhone, you can go into the Settings app and choose General —> About to find it. Once you’ve got the number, just enter it into the IMEI.info web site and you’ll find out if you’re unlocked or not. IMEI.info | via iDownloadBlog via Addictive Tips
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IMEI.info Checks If Your Phone Is Carrier Unlocked (or Not)