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Latest by Luke Dormehl

memory sleep training 36198375 l

Scientists discover a way to extend a mouse’s memory while it sleeps

Researchers in Korea have discovered that the triggering of specific brain waves during sleep can almost double long-term memory.
Kite Power Systems provide renewable energy.

Smart startup has a new idea for renewable energy, and it involves giant kites

A U.K. startup has developed technology for obtaining renewable energy from the wind through the use of custom-built giant kites.
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Two-player do-it-yourself pinball machines doubles up the fun

Pinball is making a comeback, but how do you make it twice as fun? Make it two player, of course. And you can build one for yourself.
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Third Thumb is the 3D-printed prosthesis you didn’t know you needed until now

UK-based designer Dani Clode has developed a 3D-printed functioning prosthetic Third Thumb. Here's how it works.
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Crazy-efficient temperature sensor uses less than 1-billionth of a watt

Electrical engineers at UC San Diego have developed a temperature sensor that runs on just 113 picowatts of power.
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Georgia Tech’s 3D-printed heart valve models could be a genuine lifesaver

Researchers at Georgia Tech have created 3D-printed heart valves designed for use in the planning of lifesaving surgeries.
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Harnessing the sun's gravity could give us interstellar video streaming

It turns out that trying to beam HD video across deepest space is hard work. An independent astrophysicist thinks he has a solution.
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I, Alexa: Should we give artificial intelligence human rights?

Just a few decades ago, the idea AI personhood, or rights for AI, would have been pure science fiction fantasy. Not any longer!
potent rope

Want to 3D print your own marijuana edibles? Check out Potent Rope

Ever wanted to 3D print your own marijuana-based edible? Potent Rope is a new cannabis filament for use in home 3D printers.
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Ever wanted to grow your own lamp out of mushrooms? Now you can

Want a fungi lamp for your apartment? New York startup Ecovative Design has developed mushroom-based materials for use by creative makers.
Obsidian $99 3D printer

Obsidian is the latest $99 3D printer on the block — but can it succeed where others have failed?

A company called Kodama wants to succeed where others have failed by delivering a $99 3D printer via Kickstarter.
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It turns out science hasn’t discovered the human body’s maximum age cutoff after all

Contrary to previous research, scientists claim that may be no detectible maximum lifespan for humans after all. Roll on our 200th birthday!
the perfect smile

More or less teeth? Computer modeling helps work out the recipe for a perfect smile

Researchers from the University of Minnesota have set out to uncover the components inherent in a good smile. Here's why.
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Pain-free patch uses dissolving microneedles to deliver your yearly flu shot

Engineers have developed an experimental flu patch that could one day replace your annual flu shot with dissolving microneedles.
broomx 360 degree projector vr

Transform your room into a real-life Holodeck with this 360 VR projector

Fancy a Star Trek-style Holodeck in your own home? This 360-degree projector transforms your room into a VR observatory.
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Oxford scientists think the next big weapon in the fight against heart disease is… tick spit?

A new study suggests that tick spit could be an invaluable weapon for helping fight inflammation-based pathologies like heart disease.
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Bright idea? Aumi nightlight sends notifications when your phone is asleep

This smart Aumi nightlight uses its IFTTT integration to send you notifications. That could be a good thing, or a very, very bad thing.
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Meet Salto, the most hyperactive one-legged jumping robot you’ll ever see

University of California, Berkeley’s impressive Salto robot leaps around in a way that puts NBA ballplayers to shame.
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Magnetic implants in the eye socket could help cure 'dancing eyes'

Researchers have developed a a new approach to dealing with so-called “dancing eyes” syndrome, using magnetic implants in the eyes.
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Space junk is no match for NASA’s new gecko-inspired space janitor

To clean up hazardous space junk, engineers at NASA and Stanford have built a robot gripper, inspired by the gecko lizard.
cotton candy circuit board dissolves screen shot 2017 06 29 at 21 51 40

Scientists create a circuit board that self-destructs when cooled

Researchers at Vanderbilt University have come up with a way of building a circuit board that comes apart when you stop heating it.
CloseX Medical

Ingenious bandage seals up wounds without stitches, promotes scar-free healing

Move over, Steri-Strips! ClozeX is a needleless, adhesive-based wound closure device so cool we almost want a horrible arm wound to heal.
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Train like an astronaut in world’s first private facility

Want to be an astronaut, but don’t work for NASA? Then book a ticket to the world's first private astronaut training venue, opening 2019.
Can cell phones cause brain cancer? We asked the experts

Frighteningly accurate ‘mind reading’ AI reads brain scans to guess what you’re thinking

Researchers have developed a deep learning neural network that's able to read complex thoughts based on brain scans.
printer lasers ultrasonic sound laser soldering

Mind-blowing ultrasonic 'printer' uses lasers and high-frequency sound to assemble electronics

Neurotechnology, a Lithuanian software development company, wants to rethink 3D printing using ultrasonic particle manipulation tech.
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Underwater telecommunication is hard, but engineers just made a huge breakthrough

Researchers have found a way of massively increasing the quantity of data that can be transmitted with underwater communication.
carnegie mellon smart projector giant touchscreen desktopographywb

Carnegie Mellon’s smart projector blurs the line between physical and digital desktops

Carnegie Mellon's new smart projector concept transforms your regular work desk into a giant, responsive, interactive touchscreen.
heat-resistant cows

Geneticists are developing heat-resistant 'cows of the future' to deal with Earth’s rising climate

Researchers from University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences are trying to breed heat-resistant cows of the future.
sweat-powered wearable

Next-gen wearable devices might sip your sweat, use it to generate electricity

UC San Diego researchers have invented a sweat-powered wearable that could enable future devices to be charged using body sweat.
face generating artificial intelligence google

Faces generated with neural networks are the trippiest thing you’ll see all day

A project created in the free time of a Google engineer uses artificial intelligence to generate realistic images of human faces.
Diocles laser

Scientists just powered on a laser that's 1 billion times brighter than the sun

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln has just fired up the Diocles laser, which is brighter than anything seen in the history of planet Earth.
SyncThink

Virtual reality headset claims to diagnose concussions in just one minute

SyncThink created smart virtual reality technology that uses eye-tracking tech to diagnose possible concussions in just one minute.
origami algorithm

MIT algorithm tells you how to fold any shape imaginable with origami

This smart algorithm not only manages to fold any 3D shape out of a piece of paper -- but does so with the minimal amount of seams.
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Using satellites and solar power, education portal brings teachers to refugee camps

A new charity initiative is using solar-powered computer hardware and satellites to deliver lessons to refugee kids via an education portal.