Dna
”Over the Counter DNA Paternity Tests Seem Like a Great Idea
After home pregnancy kits revolutionized stick peeing from an office to a home affair, the door was opened to the general public performing previously lab-only work on their own toilets. Identigene and Rite Aid have taken it one step further, allowing you to tell whether or not that kid is yours with a simple $29.99 kit (plus $119 lab fee) that includes three mouth-rubbing swabs. Results are obtained in the longest three to five business days you've ever experienced, but if you want a result that's actually "court admissible", you'll have to pay an another additional fee. And honestly, who would get one of these just out of curiosity and not have it be in preparation for some sort of custody battle? [DNA Testing via Gearlog]Modular DNA PC Concept Lets You Build it Like LEGO
This modular DNA PC concept looks quite similar to the Bookshelf Microsoft ISDA design concept from a few years ago, but it's slightly different in that it's almost entirely made out of cubes. The core idea is the same: you've got a base "PC" that you add features and peripherals onto by attaching them together. Keyboard, storage, RAM, and other components are all interchangeable, which gives the final PC construction a bit of a kindergarden/LEGO look. Interesting, yes, but a bit too far-fetched to be really usable.
NEC Creates Mobile DNA Lab, Baby Daddies Run in Horror
Maybe we've been watching too many CSI reruns, but NEC's mobile DNA lab looks awesome. Not only does it bring portability to DNA analysis, but it even improves upon the typical versions. To complete its barrage of tests takes about 25-minutes &mdash and, by comparison, a typical DNA lab would take an entire day. NEC achieved this by significantly decreasing the time it takes to heat and cool the DNA sample during PCR amplification. And just think, if this thing takes off, the old "Lets send this back to the boys at the lab" line could finally be laid to rest. [Pink Tentacle]
gadgets
Titanic DNA Watch Made From Actual Titanic Parts
Romain Jerome's Titanic DNA Watch doesn't just name itself after the movie—which we still refuse to see—it's made out of actual steel from the ship. Along with that, the watch face is painted black out of coal recovered from the wreck, and parts of it are made from platinum and other metals they could salvage. More »
gadgets
Automatic Blood-Toxin Detection
A pair of scientists from the University of California at Santa Barbara and two high school students have developed a sensor that can detect cocaine in the bloodstream along with other biotoxins. The sensor can be built into portable devices and can perform the entire detection process real-time in just a few minutes. It works by creating an artificial DNA molecule that will react when a blood sample is applied. More »
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