A team of German researchers studying the causes of depression have developed a foolproof way to totally bum out fruit flies. When placed on an uncomfortably hot surface, the flies would quicken their pace to avoid it and try to escape to a more temperate area, which is a pretty sensible response to the situation and sounds about exactly like what happens every time I go to the beach.

Once the flies learned that … Read More → "Fruit flies taught to be helpless and depressed for science"

… Read More → "Even wringing a wet cloth is magical in space (video)"

An international team of researchers have sequenced the genome of the a living fossil and one of the coolest, oldest fish to roam the seas — the noble coelacanth.Beyond triggering our excitement over pretty much any living fossil-related news, better understanding the DNA of this ancient fish could offer researchers a glimpse into how the earliest land animals made their way out of the primeval seas — an impressive feat, even if it was only onto the … Read More → "Newly sequenced Coelacanth genome could provide hints to evolution of first land animals"

… Read More → "Elastic touchscreen prototype lets you pinch and zoom in ‘2.5D’ (video)"

Splitterwerk Architects and engineering firm Arup have unveiled what is thought to be the world’s first building to be powered partly by algae. Officially “unveiled” at the International Building Exhibition hosted in Hamburg, the design, dubbed the BIQ, has a “bio-adaptive” facade that is claimed to be a first for using algae within its glass-paneled facades in order to generate energy, and provide shade, to a working building.
via Read More → "“Algae-powered” building opens in Germany"

You like to go fast, right? Unfortunately, speed usually comes at a price. If you can’t afford the price tag of, say the latest 911 GT-3, don’t fret, we have you covered. Presenting our selection of 9 autos that will get your adrenaline pumping without breaking the bank. The criteria? Simple. Must go 0-60 in less than 7 seconds, quarter mile in less than 15 seconds and, most importantly, be price under $35,000.
via < … Read More → "The 9 fastest cars under $35,000"

Somewhere in a plastic bin tucked in the corner of our attic is our set of Hot Wheels. They haven’t seen the light of day since we were slamming juice boxes and Fruit Roll-Ups and, frankly, we might as well sell them at a garage sale. Of course, we’d use the money we make off them to buy these. The new Hot Wheels Retro Entertainment Series is like taking a trip … Read More → "Hot Wheels Retro Entertainment Series"

SpaceShipTwo left a trail across the sky for the first time on Friday after test pilots checked the rocket’s engine oxidizer flows during the latest glide flight. The test is the second flight this month and hints from Virgin Galactic founder Richard Branson indicate the first powered flight might be just around the corner.

“Congratulations to Stucky and Alsbury and the rest of the crew on a brilliant … Read More → "Richard Branson hints at SpaceShipTwo’s first powered flight"

The punched cards used in the 402, with some mangled cards from a recently cleared jam in the card reader.
The cards sit on the IBM 029 key-punch machine. (Photo Courtesy Ed Thelen / IBM 1401 Group)

It’s easy to wax nostalgic about old technology–to remember fondly our first Apple IIe or marvel at the old mainframes that ran on punched … Read More → "If It ain’t broke, don’t fix it: ancient computers in use today"

We’ve seen treatments with lasers, and treatments with tiny gold nanoparticles, but this is a new one on us: Secondary tumors that form in the lungs of cancer patients can now safely be killed using tiny ice crystals. Unlike other treatments, the process known ascryoablation has seen phenomenal success in a small-scale study, allowing patients to return home as soon as the day after their treatment. It is by no means a … Read More → "Ice beats cancer: New technique freezes lung tumors"