On February 15th, just over a year after it arrived at the International Space Station, Robonaut 2 (R2) the world's first humanoid robot made history, by firmly shaking the hand of Station Commander, Dan Burbank.
Read news articleOn February 15th, just over a year after it arrived at the International Space Station, Robonaut 2 (R2) the world's first humanoid robot made history, by firmly shaking the hand of Station Commander, Dan Burbank.
Read news articleLast week, a team of German scientists announced the discovery of four new species of miniature reptiles. Found on the island of Madagascar, the lizards, which varied in length from 29 millimeters to just over an inch, are the tiniest ones found yet. Prior to this the honor belonged to dwarf gecko Sphaerodactylus ariasae which, at a total length of 1.3 inches now appears to be almost gigantic in comparison.
Read news articleScientists have been intrigued with the concept of making objects and even events disappear ever since J.K. Rowling planted the seed with Harry Potter's invisibility cloak. They have had limited success in both so far, by manipulating lightwaves - bending them to make objects invisible, and making events disappear by changing their speed. Now, some mathematicians are proposing the same principle to protect buildings from earthquake damage.
Read news articleNews about glacier melting is largely dire. However, a new scientific report released on Thursday February 9th, finally has a glimmer of something positive. It states that while the glaciers on the Himalayan mountains are melting, they are doing so, at a much slower pace than had been previously believed.
Read news articleWhen 10-year old Clara Lazan was assigned a classroom science project, neither she nor her teacher Kenneth Boehr, would have guessed that her random creation would be hailed as a scientific discovery, worthy enough to be published in a scientific journal.
Read news articleA few weeks ago, we asked you to quiz your parents with some rather easy-peasy science-related questions. While some of you were able to stump them, others were not so lucky. Here, are a few more. Hopefully, this time around you will be able to say - Gotcha!
Read news articleMany avid gardeners believe that 'talking' to their plants helps them thrive -Turns out they may not be cuckoo after all. If scientists from the University of Exeter are to believed, plants may be constantly communicating with each other, via a secret 'invisible' language.
Read news articleEven as we humans keep polluting the world, nature somehow keeps finding a way to help rectify our mistakes. First, there is the molecule that helps reduce global warming. Now, a team of Yale undergraduates may have stumbled something equally amazing - Plastic eating fungi.
Read news articleIt seems that we may have a new ally in our quest to reduce global warming - A molecule that goes by the name of Criegee biradica or Criegee Intermediate. If experts are to be believed, this newly discovered oxidizer that is present in our atmosphere has the potential to cool down the Earth and help offset global warming.
Read news articleThough parents always appear to be on top of things and have an answer for every question you may have, turns out that this is often times a facade. A recent survey of 2,000 parents in Britain revealed that they often dread science related questions posed to them by their curious children only because, they have no clue what the answer is.
Read news articleOn Jan 12th, Intel announced the semi-finalists of its 2012 Annual Science Talent Search. Among the 300 high school seniors was Samantha Garvey, a bright 17-year old, who currently also happens to be, homeless.
Read news articleGot caught taking that last cookie from the jar or glancing at a neighbor's paper during a mid-term? How often have you wished you could simply make that moment vanish? Believe it or not, scientists have now figured out a way to make that wish a reality.
Read news articleImagine if 'doing' laundry meant wearing your dirty clothes and lounging in the sun. If researchers from China's Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Hubei University of Nationalities have their way, that may actually be a reality, in the not so distant future.
Read news articleHoneybee hive hierarchy is well documented - The queen bee gives birth to every bee in the hive, drones mate with the queen and immediately die or get kicked out, while worker bees ensure that the hive functions like clockwork. Now it seems, that South American honeybees have added an additional role - that of a soldier bee.
Read news articleMost of us have at some point or another become impatient with a 'slow, bumbling' elderly adult or a grandparent 'moaning' about aches and pains. Would we be as dismissive, if we knew what they were going through?
Read news articleRecreating spider silk, the flexible yet tough as steel strands of protein, spun by the arachnids, has been the holy grail of material scientists for many years now. However, making it in bulk has been a little elusive, thanks to the fact that spiders are very territorial and devour each other if placed in very close quarters
Read news articleDepending on the hemisphere you live in late today or early tomorrow - December 22nd, will be the first day of Winter or Summer. Also known as Winter (Summer) Solstice it is the shortest day of the year for those living in the Northern Hemisphere and the longest for the lucky folks in the Southern Hemisphere.
Read news articleThe Coke Zero and Mentos experiment has come a long way since its humble beginning. However, while people have tried various variations of the experiment, very few have taken it to the level that Fritze Grobe and Steve Voltz have, the founders of Eeepy.com have.
Read news articleWhen biologists from all over the world gathered in Denver, Colorado on December 3rd to attend the 2011 American Society For Cell Biology Conference, the air was tingling with excitement. However, it was not because of a radical scientific breakthrough but, the anticipation of an historical event - The announcement of the results of the world's first ever human cell race!
Read news articleA young Australian is $15,000 USD richer and the proud winner of this year's prestigious James Dyson award, thanks to an invention that was inspired by the small Namib beetle, that resides in one of the world's most arid regions - The Namib Desert.
Read news articleResearchers from the University of Irvine and The California Institute of Technology have created what they believe is the world's lightest material - One that can sit atop a Dandelion Fluff, without destroying its seeds.
Read news articleA fleet of flying robots are about to try out a brand-new profession - Construction. Their first project will not be a giant skyscraper, but an exhibition tower that measures 11.4ft. wide and 19.7 ft. high - Built entirely from pre-fabricated polystyrene foam modules.
Read news articleWhile the banana peel has a reputation of just being a slippery hazard, it is actually useful for many things - Ranging from use as a fertilizer to curing warts and even, polishing shoes and silver. Now it turns out, that it can even help remove heavy metals from water.
Read news articleOperating on the eye, especially for things like retina repairs is one of the riskiest surgeries doctors perform - One where even a slight tremble of the hand could cost the patient his/her eyesight. Even experienced ophthalmologists who perform the surgery do it for only a limited number of years stopping, when they start to age. Now, a researcher has come up with a smart solution - A robotic assistant that does all the delicate work without ever flinching!
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