eBay Bans The Sale Of Spells, Potions and Hexes
As part of eBay's 2012 Fall Seller Update, the company have elected to ban several "metaphysical" categories on the grounds of protecting customers from being lied to by sellers. This means that listings for "spells, curses, hexing, conjuring, magic, prayers, blessing services, magic potions, [and] healing sessions" will be officially discontinued as of August 30th.
US Air Force Announces Another Failed Test For The Mach 6 X-51A
Forgive our overzealousness, because just two days from when we first covered the hypersonic jet X-51A WaveRider – a craft capable, in theory, of reaching speeds of five times the speed of sound – the US Air Force has revealed that its latest test has ended in unceremonious failure.
Some Men Willing To Give Up Sex For An iPhone 5
Anticipation for the iPhone 5 is at fever pitch. The release is rumoured to be just a month away; but what would you give up to get your hands on it? Turns out that one in eleven men would be willing to go celibate for a month if it meant getting the long awaited smartphone before the release date.
Study Shows Teenagers Listen To Music More On Youtube Than Anywhere Else
A report from Nielson shows that most music consumption amongst young people happens on Youtube.
'We Know Your House' Shows How Many People Reveal Their Home Address On Twitter
It's fair to say people have used social media to the point of realising exactly what they should or shouldn't share for the sake of their online safety. But that doesn't seem to have stopped people revealing their home addresses, as the social experiment weknowyourhouse.com demonstrates.
US Military And NASA Test 4,500Mph Hypersonic Aircraft
A hypersonic jet known as the ‘X-15A WaveRider’ and co-funded by the US military and NASA will today undergo its latest test; dropping from around 50,000ft before rocketing to speeds of more than 4,000Mph, climbing to 70,000ft, before falling into the Pacific Ocean to break up.
Amazing 360-Degree Panorama Of Mars From Curiosity
Curiosity landed safely, if in a dramatic fashion, and has been sending photos back to Earth ever since. Photographer Andrew Bodrov has stitched a selection of these together to create a full panoramic image, pretty much like Google's Street View on the red planet.
'Xbox 720' Sells On Ebay For $20,000
The long-rumoured next generation Xbox is seemingly well on its way, with strong indications Microsoft has been shipping out ‘Xbox 720’ devkits to next-gen developers for some time. Now, what appears to be an authentic 720 devkit has sold on eBay for a sum topping $20,000.
Mars Rover Curiosity Gets A Software Update
The Curiosity Rover has spent the weekend on Mars having its software updated, or what NASA more elegantly describes as a "brain transplant."
Scientists Create Microchips That Imitate Human Organs
Harvard scientists have created a microchips that can mimic the function of a human lung well enough to test new experimental, life-saving drugs. This has the potential of removing the harrowing risk of drug trials on humans and animals.
SDSS Release The Largest 3D Map Of The Universe
Giant 3D Printer Can Construct Entire Homes In Less Than 24 Hours
Having raved about 3D printing technologies and marvelled at the practical uses of using the technology in everyday life, we’ve done our best to cover the most interesting and fascinating applications of three-dimensional printing. We’ve seen everything from the strange (3D printed models of foetus’s), to the inspiring (the story of Emma and her “magic arms”). But what if 3D printing could be used for something more? What if the technology could be applied to build entire homes?
Disney Creates Touch Sensing Plants 'Botanicus Interacticus'
Disney Research has expanded their vision of turning everything into a touch surface, placing a focus on items of the garden variety. The result of this is a project called "Botanicus Interacticus," and it turns any plant into a capacitive touch controller.
Wikipedia Redefined: Lithuanian Creative Agency Redesigns The Online Encyclopedia
Wikipedia is a fantastic source of information and one of the world's most popular websites; but let's be honest, it's design hasn't really kept up with the times. The interface is an inconvenience at the best of times, and its just downright ugly. This is something that Lithuanian creative agency New! has attempted to fix, with a complete design overhaul titled "Wikipedia Redefined."
Fasotech Begins Taking Orders To 3D Print Your Unborn Baby
As far as wacky baby mementos go, this one from Fasotec and Hiroo Ladies Clinic takes the biscuit. They’ve come up with a service that gives newbie parents the opportunity to own a 3D model of their baby in the earliest stages of development: as a miniature 3D-printed replica of the fetus.
Samsung Report Shows How Much iPhone Influenced Galaxy S Design
Apple has successfully admitted an internal Samsung report into evidence, which compares all design facets of the company's own Galaxy S to the iPhone.
The Abbreviation "OMG" Is Much Older Than You Think
Turns out that the abbreviation "OMG" has some rather distinguished roots within the 1917 Royal Navy, instead of every teenage girl's immediate reaction to any sort of situation.
The Untraceable Dealer: $2 Million Exchanged On Underground Drug Site Every Month
A comprehensive analysis of underground trade website Silk Road has uncovered it is accounting for nearly $2 million worth of drug sales every month of operation. Nicknamed the 'anonymous marketplace', Silk Road is the place for suppliers of illegal drugs and other black-market goods. In operation largely under the radar of your average peruser of the Internet, its a digital black market common to all kinds of illegal trade.
Wearable Computing Taken To The Next Level With T-Shirt OS
With technology such as Google Glass on the horizon, it's fair to say that wearable computing is on the verge of becoming the next trend in gadgets. But where could the possibilities go beyond there? This is what fashion company CuteCircuit and Scotch whisky distiller Ballantine's (of all the companies) explored with what they're calling 'tshirtOS:' the world's first wearable, sharable, programmable t-shirt.
UK PEGI Rating System Becomes Law
For the first time in a while I've seen a story in the main stream media that's about video games and doesn't make me rather angry at the sheer ignorance of aforementioned media. The PEGI (Pan-European Game Information) system will now be legally enforceable in the UK, meaning retailers can now be prosecuted for selling titles to those under age.