Popular Science

The charred remains of a multi-million dollar mansion crumbled under Randall Griffin’s work boots. “The entire neighbourhood was burned to ashes,” he says. “There was literally one home left.” Now, less than two years after Griffin surveyed the aftermath of the wildfires that destroyed more than 3,000 homes in Southern California, USA, his group at the Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate is testing a tent that could shield homes from the most ferocious fires.

Researchers have uncovered the remains of three new dinosaur species that Australians can call their own. The remains of three individual dinosaur skeletons were found during joint Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum and Queensland Museum digs in two different sites in the Winton Formation in Queensland. They represent three new genera and species of dinosaur: two giant herbivorous sauropods and a carnivorous theropod.

If you upload videos to YouTube and feel restricted by the 1GB limit, YouTube now offers 2GB of wiggle room as well as the ability to directly link to and embed high definition video.

Researchers at the University of South Florida and James A. Haley Hospital have found that a human growth factor that stimulates blood stem cells to proliferate in the bone marrow reverses memory impairment in mice genetically altered to develop Alzheimer's disease. The researchers hope to use their findings to find a way to reverse the memory-crippling disease in humans.

Batteries have always been bulky, heavy and an environmental nightmare, making them a particularly evil necessity over the years. The bad rap that the traditional energy cell cops could be about to change however, with the invention of printable batteries that can be produced cost-effectively on a large scale. It was developed by a research team led by Prof. Dr. Reinhard Baumann of the Fraunhofer Research Institution for Electronic Nano Systems ENAS in Chemnitz. "Our goal is to be able to mass produce the batteries at a price of single digit cent range each," states Dr.

Car designer Harsha Vardhan has a different vision of tomorrow. While his vehicle calls for an electric engine, just like we see in cars now like the Prius or Volt, that engine drives magnetic fields, not wheels.

(The magnetic fields, of course, do eventually drive the wheels forward when the energy is transferred from over superconducting fluid that touches the rims.)

The result is, theoretically, a very smooth and quiet ride with a low environmental impact. We just like the design for its neat, rear-entry cockpit and all of the potential we see in jousting of the future.

Want to wow your neighbors this Saturday with some bright and cheery Fourth of July trvia? Tell them about the dangers of perchlorate, the molecule that helps fireworks burn longer. According to experts at DMD Systems who study explosive materials, the molecules are not only harmful to the environment, but to humans as well–-and repeated exposure poses health risks.

The good news is that scientists are developing new “green” fireworks--as in environmentally sound, not the color--that burn nitrogen-based fuels. They also use less smoke and contain fewer toxins.

Because solar intensity increases as you get closer to the equator, the same solar cell normally can't be equally effective in any given location. The UK firm Quantasol has devised a way of allowing solar cells to be fine-tuned according to their positional latitude, providing a substantial bump in efficiency.

Solar Impulse: The Solar Impulse is the prototype of a fuel-free aircraft that is designed to circle the globe on sunlight alone.   Solar Impulse/Stephane Gros

As environmental concerns increasingly shape the direction of technology, the future of aviation is no exception: scientists have been looking to replace fuel-guzzling aircraft with solar-powered variants, an innovation that, in addition to passing the green test, would also enable planes to linger in the sky for longer.

Would you believe it if someone told you this was a heavily modifed Chevy Aveo (what we here in Australia like to call a Holden Barina)? Well you should, because the Extra-Terrestrial Vehicle takes the core of the GM vehicle and adds its own futuristic-looking shell on top, which also bumps the fuel efficiency up to 40 mpg.

A few years from now, bird-watchers may be in for a double take: that flapping creature in the distance? Nope, not a bird. Mutant dragon fly? Nope--it's Darpa's latest unmanned aerial robo-sentinel, inspired by the flight mechanics of birds.

Speech technology is advancing quickly; even smartphones offer apps that let you speak commands and perform voice-activated searches. Now, a new app for iPhone and Blackberry can convert spoken Arabic into spoken English (and vice versa).

That Universal Serial Bus port in your computer is about to get an upgrade. You know, the one where you plug in all your external hard drives, digital cameras, MP3 players, thumb drives, and USB heated-slippers? If you bought your computer any time after the year 2000, it probably came equipped with a USB 2.0 port. However, later this year computers will start shipping that include USB 3.0 ports, which can transmit data up to ten times as fast. Here's what to expect.

Delta Airlines has become the only US carrier to fly to six continents today when it’s first flight to Sydney from Los Angeles took off at 3.35pm AEST. The Boeing 777-200 was sent off at Los Angeles International Airport by a small party that included a live kangaroo. It’s scheduled to touch down at Kingsford-Smith Airport ion Sydney around 7am tomorrow morning.

Delta Airlines, the largest airline in the world, joins Qantas, V Australia and United airlines offering direct services from Australia to mainland USA.