05.06.11

Seasons in review: winter bites

As I’m sure many of you are more than well aware, parts of Australia are currently suffering through some of the coldest days we’ve had in years (coldest day since 1949 here in Sydney town). While this can certainly prove difficult to motivate oneself to do much of anything during the day
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Volvo S60 crash test: Behind the scenes.

When the new Volvo S60 sedan smashed into the back of a semi-trailer at a media demonstration in Sweden in May, the gathered throng of about 100 journalists and camera crews couldn’t believe their eyes. Nor could the Volvo PR guy who, as the You Tube video shows, was left almost speechless.
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Electric car confirmed for Oz.

The Mitsubishi iMiev, the world’s first mass produced electric car, will be in Australian showrooms within two months. A pair of iMiev electric hatchbacks have been touring Australia for VIP test drives and to round up some government support. But soon, anyone will be able to get behind the
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New battle: Commodore v Hilux.

Australia’s 30-year-old Commodore versus Falcon rivalry has been replaced by a new battle. The Holden Commodore is now duking it out in the new-car sales race with … the Toyota Hilux utility. While the Commodore is still on track to become Australia’s biggest selling car for the 15th
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You built what?! A real Iron Man suit

Anthony Le, 25, has been a fan of Iron Man since he was a kid, but when he heard that the comic-book superhero was hitting the big screen in 2008, he was inspired to build his own Iron Man suit. That version was more of a costume, but his new one, finished just in time for
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WIN more driving skills here!

For your chance to win a defensive driving course, email us at [email protected] with the subject line 'The Buzz July Comp' and in 25 words or less tell us about which car you think deserves the title of Australia’s Best Value For Money Car
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German airports using "biodetective" honeybees to monitor air quality

Environmental monitoring has come a long way since the proverbial canary in the coal mine. Now we use bees. Airports in Germany are using honeybees as "biodetectives," regularly testing their honey for a suite of pollutants, the
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3D map-making TanDEM-X satellite returns first images, showing fine detail of Earth's surface

The super-accurate Earth-mapping satellite TanDEM-X has beamed back its first images, and they're detailed enough
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Researchers create "smart sheets" that can self-assemble into airplanes, boats

Scientists at MIT and Harvard in the US have invented self-folding smart fiberglass sheets that can crease themselves into origami airplanes and boats. It's
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Quantum entanglement may hold DNA together, new study says

A new research paper brings new meaning to the joke that all science is just physics. A team of scientists at the National University of Singapore suggests that it is quantum entanglement that holds our DNA together. It's hard to prove, but it would be a potentially
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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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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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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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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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