If you’re waiting for desktop additive-manufacturing technology to move closer to professional-level results, be prepared to wait for a very long time.

The past year was a breakout for desktop 3-D printing. MakerBot released two new models, Formlabs debuted the first prosumer 3-D printer to use high-accuracy stereolithography, and a slew of innovative, printed projects lifted awareness and desirability of additive manufacturing for the general public.

But the year ended with a legal hiccup. Formlabs will be dealing with a patent infringement lawsuit brought against them by 3D … Read More → "How big business is stymying makers’ high-res, colorful innovations"

Located one mile out to sea off the coast from Portsmouth Harbor in Hampshire, U.K., the 134 year old Spitbank Fort was originally used to defend the coast of Britain against ships and light aircraft. Now, after a £3 million (US$4.85 million) makeover, it has been transformed into an exclusive island retreat.

The Fort was once home to nine 12.5 inch muzzle loading guns, which were later replaced in 1884 with more & … Read More → "134-year-old British fortress becomes a luxury island escape"

The meteorite that struck central Russia last week, which injured around 1,000 people as it broke apart over a section of the Ural Mountains and sent shockwaves across the ground below, was but one of thousands that have impacted our planet over the past four millennia. Now you can see the location of every recorded meteorite impact on Earth going back to 2,300 BCE all in one heat map created by& … Read More → "Map shows every recorded meteorite strike on Earth since 2,300 B.C."

Gravity isn’t uniform. Denser planets and objects in space — that is, things with more mass to them — experience a stronger pull of gravity. But even if you zoom in to the level of a single planet (or, in this case, our Moon), gravity isn’t uniform all the way around. That’s because the mass of the Moon isn’t uniform, either. It varies, along with the topography. In some places, the Moon’ … Read More → "A gravity map of the Moon"

Forget those pesky 3D printers that require software and the knowledge of 3D modeling and behold the 3Doodler, the world’s first pen that draws in three dimensions in real time. Imagine holding a pen and waving it through the air, only the line your pen creates stays frozen, suspended and permanent in 3D space. Sound like magic?
via Read More → "A 3D printing pen that lets you draw sculptures in real time"

Researchers from the Vienna University of Technology, together with colleagues from the U.S. and Germany, have used computer simulations to show how the unique electrical properties of a new class of materials known as layered oxide heterostructures can potentially be used to create a new type of efficient, ultra-thin solar cell.

The new materials are created by combining single atomic-scale layers of different oxides. When combined, or stacked, these heterostructures display significantly different … Read More → "Computer modeling points to new class of efficient, ultra-thin solar cells"

The Oculus Rift, an upcoming virtual reality headset founded and designed by technology enthusiast Palmer Luckey, will allow gamers to fully immerse themselves into video game environments. Once the headset is strapped onto the user and they begin a game, the movements of their head from the left to right, up and down will change the perspective while hunting down bad guys.
via Read More → "Oculus Rift, a virtual reality headset for immersive video gaming"

… Read More → "Experts demonstrate the Flyboard Water-Powered Jet Pack"

Big news in the search for dark matter may be coming in about two weeks, the leader of a space-based particle physics experiment said today (Feb. 17) here at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

That’s when the first paper of results from the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer, a particle collector mounted on the outside of the International Space Station, will be submitted to a scientific journal, said … Read More → "Has dark matter finally been found?"

When you’re looking to power a DIY project, you have a ton of different battery choices, and it’s not easy to decide on which solution is best. To help you make the right choice, Adafruit has put together a guide to picking the best battery for your project.

The project goes through each type of battery, from alkaline … Read More → "Pick the best batteries for a DIY project with Adafruit’s battery guide"