If you want to improve your tennis game you could hire a fancy coach, or you could get this electronic smart racquet which will let you analyze your swing in minute detail.

Loaded with electronic sensors, the Play & Connect racquet can determine everything from your service velocity and racquet speed, to exactly where on the racquet you’re making contact with the ball. Most importantly, despite all of the fancy electronics, … Read More → "Electronic racquet shows how crappy your tennis game really is"

Many of us started out at jobs way down at the bottom of the food chain. Getting coffee and stuffing envelopes isn’t exactly a dream job for most people, but if you’re doing it now, take heart in the fact that these people started out as interns as well – and ended up running the joint.
via Mental Floss

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The video [here] shows our interview with George Dyson about his new book, Turing’s Cathedral. 

The book is a fascinating, meticulously researched account of the effort to build the first universal Turing machine, under the leadership of the mercurial John von Neumann, at the Institute for Advanced Study during the second world war. The resulting computer, called the MANIAC, was used to perform thermonuclear calculations that fueled the development of the atomic bomb, and, in spare moments, to … Read More → "George Dyson on the origins of the digital universe"

On Monday, a teen driver rear-ended a bicyclist in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. He then attempted to flee. A quick-thinking bus driver immediately stopped his bus across both lanes of the road. Another driver cut off any escape to the rear, boxing in the assailant’s car.
via Neatorama

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A unique new sculpture was unveiled in London that not only looks good — it sounds good as well. The arch is made of 310 polished steel tubes channeling both light and the breeze to create an ever-changing experience for its audience standing below.

The sculpture is actually a giant Aeolian harp — an instrument played by the wind. In between the giant tubes& … Read More → "This giant, spiky stargate is really a huge musical instrument"

Lunduke has created Linux Tycoon, a $4 sim-game that simulates making your own GNU/Linux distribution. It looks like rather a lot of fun, actually.
via Boing Boing 

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Our moon is not alone: Scores of unseen mini-moons are now in orbit around Earth, new computer models predict.

What’s more, these tiny moons occasionally plummet through our planet’s atmosphere, creating brilliant fireballs, the researchers say.

The findings are based on supercomputer simulations of ten million asteroids known to fly through the Earth-moon system. The models show that objects that circle the sun in … Read More → "Earth has scores of mini-moons, models predict"

DARPA is poised to launch a new Grand Challenge for a humanoid robot, according to robotics insiders — and the result could be a souped-up metal soldier running alongside BigDog, driving an ATV, unlocking doors and clearing a path to safety for its human counterparts. There’s no official agency announcement yet, but robotics companies heard all about it at a recent industry … Read More → "DARPA wants humanoid robots that can drive tractors, open doors and save the day"

Twelve issues of electronic music magazine Synapse, covering fall 1976 to summer 1979, are scanned and ready for your perusal at Cyndustries.
via Boing Boing

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Who said electric bikes had to be slow? The Specialized Turbo Bike ($TBA) is focused squarely on speed, capable of gliding at nearly 28 mph, while charging in a mere two hours. 
via uncrate

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