Porsche’s New $18K Carbon Fiber Wheels
In the world of automotive design, carbon fiber has played a major role in reducing vehicle weight. Wheels using carbon fiber in their construction have been around for a while, but until now these wheels…
Engineering
DIY Enthusiasts are Building Versions of Tesla’s Powerwall From Laptop Batteries
Tesla’s wall-mounted battery system, known as Powerwall, is a smart residential energy storage appliance that offers homeowners the ability to store electricity and use it when the power goes out. But a $5,500 price tag…
These Ultra-Thin and Flexible Solar Panels Can Stick to Any Surface Like Wallpaper
Traditional solar panels are bulky and fragile. They are made from materials like glass, silicon wafers and aluminum that are expensive and difficult to install. But just imagine an ultra-thin, flexible, and affordable solar panel that…
Plastic Fibers Found in Water Supplies Worldwide
A study published by Orb Media reveals that microscopic plastic fibers have been found in 83 percent of the world’s tap water. And, surprisingly–or perhaps not so surprisingly–94 percent of samples of tap water taken…
From Clear to Opaque, Smart Window Will Change Transparency at the Click of a Button
In the future, you will not need curtains or blinds for your windows! Researchers at Stanford University have developed a type of “smart window” that will transform from transparent to opaque with just a touch…
Terrifying Killer Robot Army a Reality?
Is a killer robot army on the verge of destroying humanity? Elon Musk, the man behind companies like Tesla, SolarCity, SpaceX, and well-known British astrophysicist Stephen Hawking are regularly warning of the dangers of artificial…
Farewell Cassini: Grand Finale
On Sept. 15, Cassini, the space probe that has been orbiting Saturn since 2004, will plunge into the icy atmosphere of the ringed planet in a dramatic ending to its mechanical lifespan. In a phase…
Look! A Self-Driving Car! Wait a Minute …
Recently, a van was seen rolling around Arlington, Va., without a driver behind the wheel. Virginia residents took it to be an autonomous vehicle since the state had approved the testing of self-driving cars just…
Machine Learning: Caltech Algorithm Watches Soccer, Learns the Game
Engineers at the California Institute of Technology, along with colleagues from Disney Research and STATS (a major supplier of sports data), have developed a machine learning algorithm that watches soccer matches and learns the game…
This Ingenious Mechanism Kills Thousands of Mosquitoes Every Night
Did you know that one of the deadliest animals in the world is the mosquito? According to the World Health Organization, mosquito bites result in the deaths of millions of people annually. There are around…
