<![CDATA[Gizmodo: beetle]]> http://tags.gizmodo.com/assets/base/img/thumbs140x140/gizmodo.com.png <![CDATA[Gizmodo: beetle]]> http://gizmodo.com/tag/beetle http://gizmodo.com/tag/beetle <![CDATA[Researchers Invent Nanotech Waterproofing for Planes]]> The Air Force's Office of Scientific Research has funded a study that's found a novel waterproofing technique that could prevent ice formation and corrosion from damaging parts of an aircraft, like optical sensors. The transparent coating has a nanoporous surface that is superhydrophobic, which makes water droplets form and roll or bounce-off the aircraft's skin rather than collecting, which is how ice formations happen. Better still it can becrafted to send the droplets in particular pathways across the coating, meaning it may also work as a cheap and simple water-collection system for desert environments: this was inspired by the way the Namib Desert beetle gathers moisture. We wonder though... is it as good as Golden Shellback? [AirForceLink]

]]> http://gizmodo.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5037404&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[World's Wackiest Vehicles According to Uber-Review]]> Uber-Review is promoting a neat feature it held way back in 2006, which shows ten of the craziest racers they could find on the old tubes. The list is a compilation of some of the vehicles we have seen before, but it is great to have them all in one place. Some of the speeding goodies include the Pac Man Car, Surface Orbiter, Rocket Bike and a bevy of others. The Hemi Trike is pictured above, which we think you will agree is completely ridiculous, but then again, it's not quite as ludicrous as the Jet Powered Beetle. Oh yes, there's a jet that spins up to 26,000 rpm when activated—crazy. Jump to check it out.

jet%20powered%20beetle%20GI.jpgBe sure to hit up the link to see the rest of the insane inventions in all their retro glory. [Uber-Review]

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