25.05.11

Fold-out laptop concept aids those with bigger digits

As computer technology gets faster and smaller the ever-popular laptop reaps many of the advantages of these leaps and bounds. But one of the main problems with reducing the physical size of notebooks is the synonymous reduction in keyboard size. For those with larger digits, the reduced keyboard
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The humble T-shirt, now with email

The results of technological advances into lifestyle gadgetry are everywhere nowadays. We don’t have mobile phones anymore, we have smartphones. We don’t need cumbersome laptops anymore because we’ve got netbooks and even computers that can slip into our bags or pockets. The current technological
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South Africa Unveils Test Array in Bid for World's Most Powerful Radio Telescope

Like nations pitching the International Olympic Committee for a chance to host the games, South Africa and Australia are in a heated contest to lure the internationally funded Square Kilometer Array (SKA) to their own respective stomping grounds. And while Australia already has its
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Touchdown Soyuz

ISS Expedition 22 astronauts Jeff Williams and Maxim Suraev returned from the station via Soyuz capsule earlier this month, and NASA photographer Bill Ingalls captured the decisive moment. Great shot (be sure to jump through to the Flickr link for a better quality version
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Yard-Long Undersea Bug Terrorises Robo-Sub, Internet

This monstrosity surfaced on the Web this week, after first surfacing attached to a remotely operated undersea survey sub. While this 2.5-foot specimen is indeed more monstrous than most of its species, it's really just a harmless, friendly giant isopod, a sea scavenger
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A Magnetic Field Applied to the Brain Can Alter People's Sense of Morality

Moral judgments often have less to do with outcome and more to do with intention. Take murder, for instance: The U.S. legal system makes distinctions between a crime committed in the heat of the moment and one that is planned ahead of time. But moral judgments may not be as sacrosanct
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A Kebab-Cooking Robot Automates Germany's Favorite Fast Food

Today, at Germany's first-ever trade fair dedicated to the wonders of doner kebab, new technology was unveiled that
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In a Bit of a Comedown, NASA Scientists To Study Cars' Brakes

Responding to concerns about Toyota's recall of 8 million cars, President Obama has asked the National Academy of Science (NAS) and NASA to
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US District Court Says No To Patenting Human Genes

In a move that could significantly alter the future of genetic medicine and the industry around it, a US District Court judge invalidated seven patents for human genes linked to breast
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LHC Finally Smashes Protons, at Highest Energies Ever Recorded

It took 16 years and $10 billion dollars, but on the day the Large Hadron Collider was supposed to begin trying to cross its high energy proton beams it didn't take very long at all for researchers to create the
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All About the A380

Everyone is talking about the A380 today. Find out why here I live in the upper North Shore
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DIY Helicam Takes Awesome Aerial Videos

A couple of weeks ago, we wrote about the BeetleCam, a remote-controlled roving camera that lets photographers take pictures of wild animals up close. While clawed critters present one sort of obstacle to a great photo, the perfect shot is often blocked by something
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Science Confirms the Obvious: Men Look At Porn

Also: The Sky is Blue, Water is Wet? An overseas study into the differences between the
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Atomtronics, Or Atoms Spun By Laser Beams, Could Replace Electronics

A new type of circuit involving a whirling donut of supercold gas could lead to the world's first "atomtronic" devices, potentially more powerful
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Grandad's Wild Ride!

Meanwhile a motorcycle enthusiast with a passion for the unusual has smashed one of the world's weirdest speed records. Colin Furze of Britain has claimed the new top speed record for a personal mobility scooter, usually driven by the elderly. The rules are
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Hubble 3D IMAX Trailer Released, Looks Amazing

Just refrain from trying to touch the screen NASA launched one of its boldest space missions in 2009 to repair and save the aging Hubble Space Telescope. Now everyone can get a glimpse of astronaut derring-do in a preview trailer for the upcoming Hubble 3D IMAX film
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A huge week in photography

In the days leading up to the industry-stopping Photokina event, the major players have lifted the lid on all-new and exciting camera bodies that are sure to command the attention of conference attendees when it finally kicks off.
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Video: Military's New Water Guns Can Rip Through Steel, Disabling IEDs

Need to disarm an IED? Make sure you've got your Super Soaker handy. Sorry, make that your "Fluid Blade Disablement Tool." The Stingray, the military's newest bomb-fighting tech, is a small water gun developed
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Build a life-size paper clone of yourself for under $40

A young German guy has a detailed Instructable online this week that explains how you can exercise your inner narcissist and make a 3D paper clone of yourself. It's worth checking out
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Three Zero-Emissions Vehicles End Their Round-The-World Tour in Geneva

After 188 days (80 of which were spent driving), four continents, and one defeated team, the Zero Emissions Race--world tour of renewably-powered electric cars--is finally over, with the three remaining teams having pulled into Geneva this morning. The race took
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Attack of the clones

I was recently reinformed that the word ‘science’ is derived from the Latin word ‘scientia’ which translates simply to ‘knowledge’. This is a rather apt name for science as it is, at its core, concerned with the gathering of knowledge. We can attribute this gathering of knowledge
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Astronauts have it easy

When we’re knee-high to a grasshopper, our dream jobs are often more impractical than we understand at the time. Doubtlessly, many of us can relate to playing the “When I grow up I wanna be…” game, with common responses often along the lines of “Hollywood movie star”, “Prime Minister”,
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Technological advancements aren’t as exciting as they used to be

It was only last week that I was looking for suggestions for science-fiction technologies that could help to advance science actual. But upon reading
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Humans are antiquated technology that should be replaced

Regardless of whether you’re a football (read: soccer) fan, you’ll doubtlessly have some awareness that the World Cup is scheduled to kick off this year. And even though the thought of the 2014 World Cup is far from most minds, it hasn’t stopped news cropping up about a World Cup that
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What’s the deal with the iPad?

You’ve got to hand it to Apple and their cunning marketeers; put simply, they’ve got the formula right. Once upon a time the humble Mac used to be a niche computer when compared to the dominance of the PC, but now it’s difficult to walk into a university or office without seeing a plethora
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LEGO is still the coolest toy for kids (and kids at heart)

For years now I’ve been trying to come to terms with the fact that I find it hard to resist the urge to walk through the so-called ‘kids’ section of your average K-Mart, Target or Big W to check out the toys. Toys have always been of interest to me and even though I’m no longer an adolescent,
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Technology + lifestyle efficiencies = all work and no play

At one point or another in our lives, most of us would have had the hypothetical conversation surround which era of time we’d like to visit or have been born in. For some, living at the time of knights and fair maidens has chivalrous appeal. For others, living at a time when technology was
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Technological advancements continue to encourage ‘irrational’ fears

You know you’re destined to spread your opinions on a larger scale than your average Joe when you find yourself capable of coming up with a darker/weirder/funnier real-life story when partaking in story swapping. I’m sure that most people can relate to having that one friend who seems to
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New approach to treating human disease wins top international computational science prize

Dr Peer Bork, a bioinformatician from
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Welcome to the new PopSci website!

Welcome to the new popsci.com.au – bigger and better than ever! Apologies for any issues you may have encountered during the last few days while we have been testing the site. Hopefully we have now resolved all the glitches and you will enjoy our new look and many great new features. Make
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