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Biotech visionary and entrepreneur Craig Venter, famous for inventing a technique to sequence his own genome back in the 1990s, has embarked on a new venture. For $25,000, his startup Human Longevity will give you every possible futuristic medical test, potentially revealing your risk for Alzheimer’s. Over at STAT, Carl Zimmer has a fascinating profile…
As new technology appears, news agencies have constantly been reinventing themselves. That’s why the New York Times is rolling out a new smartphone app today that lets you dive into their stories–literally–using virtual reality. The Times has always been a tech-forward outlet–it’s even got a smart furniture-filled R&D Lab that makes prototypes that predict the…
Never stand behind a jet engine because you don’t want to turn into this Tickle Me Elmo doll. Its skin gets ripped off from the sheer force and power of the engine and then once its guts are exposed, the torch does its duty in burning the rest. Poor little Elmo doll, that’s what you…
Canada’s new Liberal government was sworn in yesterday, and if its first moves were of any indication, science—woefully neglected under the previous Conservative government—will become a serious priority. The new cabinet features not one but two science ministers, and a renamed environment office with the words “climate change” right in the title. For nearly a…
Stop me if you’ve heard this before: a secretive startup is promising to solve every problem you’ve ever had with wifi, from poor connections to ugly hardware or impossible software. This one might be worth a listen, though. Luma is a secretive and well-funded startup that’s been working on a ‘mesh’ wifi solution for the…
Every year the National Toy Hall of Fame throws open its doors to allow a handful of classic toys to be honored as inductees. Out of more than 500 nominations this year, which were whittled down to 12 finalists, three were given the nod: puppets, Twister, and the Super Soaker. Puppets seems like one of…
Awesome. Just awesome. The craziest human, Jetman Yves Rossy, and his protege, Jetman Vince Reffet, did one of the coolest stunts imaginable: they flew in jet packs right next to an Airbus A380 on top of the Dubai skyline. Imagine looking out the airplane window and seeing a guy flying by. Here’s how they planned…
Before the Apple Watch, before Android Wear, even decades before MSN Direct and SPOT watches were even a twinkle in Microsoft’s eye, Hewlett Packard released the HP-01. It was a technological quantum leap for wearables, and arguably the first smartwatch the world had ever seen. Over on Hodinkee they break down why the HP-01—which is…
Yeah, Apple has prophets, but considering that Apple Stores are basically modern-day temples, it kind of goes with the territory. This particular tech soothsayer, Ming-Chi Kuo, accurately predicted 9 months in advance that Apple was creating a stylus, and he’s been called the “Best Apple analyst on the planet,” so listen up: a 4-inch iPhone…
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard soldiers arrested dual Iranian-US citizen Siamak Namazi in Tehran last month, confiscating his computer. Shortly thereafter, the Revolutionary Guard began a spree of cyberattacks on US targets. Targets from the attacks include academics, journalists, and Obama Administration members from the State Department Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs and the Office of Iranian…
We’ve known for a while that testosterone is associated with aggressive behavior. But a fascinating new experiment reveals that these hormones are a two-way street: Simply acting aggressive can also raise levels of testosterone, in both women and men. You may know testosterone as the “male hormone,” because it produces facial hair and deeper voices…
You’ll have a newfound appreciation for the vast selection of Star Wars toys on store shelves these days after spending the next 15 minutes watching every last commercial for the original collection that was available back in 1977 for A New Hope. Not only has YouTuber Eric Stran collected and edited all of the ads…
A little over a year ago, NASA’s Orbital ATK Antares rocket, with a Cygnus spacecraft onboard, suffered a “catastrophic anomaly” just moments after launch. NASA has now released a stunning new set of previously unseen photos chronicling the disaster. The uncrewed rocket was scheduled to make a cargo run to the International Space Station, but…
These are the apps you’re looking for. And a side note: This might be the most varied roundup I’ve written so far. This week’s apps take on a range of tasks and issues, like backing up photos during the moment you really need more space on your phone, making plans with your friends (efficiently) and…
“Remember, remember the fifth of November….” It’s that time of year again, when eager Brits celebrate Guy Fawkes Night with extravagant fireworks displays and bonfires to burn the traitorous Fawkes in effigy. But a new study says that all that extra smoke and debris in the air wreak havoc with visibility. The idea for the…
Rio Paraná and Rio Paraguay are like spoiled kids refusing to shake and make up in this photo from the International Space Station, one clear blue and the other dark with orange sediments. The sediment-laden Rio Paraná runs 4,880 kilometres (3,030 miles) through Brazil, Paraguay,and Argentina as the second-longest river in South America. The meandering…
Lytro’s had a rough go since introducing the world to its very cool light field capture technology just over four years ago in 2011. Following a few consumer camera flops, the company’s rolling on to the pros. Immerge is perhaps the most sophisticated virtual reality camera yet. In short, Immerge is a big ass 360-degree…
After the all important tuxedo, martini and gun, if there’s one thing James Bond never travels without, it’s a good gadget. This super-cut show every gizmo that Bond has ever used. There are, of course a wide range of Bond gadgets, from simple rotating number plates and hidden knives, to improbable high-power lasers and, of…
Well, this is insane. In this video, Jetman pilots Yves Rossy and his protegeVince Reffet fly wing-to-wing with an Airbus A380, the world’s largest airliner. It’s incredible. The flight takes place at around 4,000 feet above Dubai—airspace that Rossy and Reffet are well familiar with. But this time round they have to share the air…
As the nights draw in, your plans for adventure are probably headed in the direction of a new show on Netflix rather than a hike through the wild. But if you want to see something rugged, Google has now added a series of amazing New Zealand trails to Street view. If there’s one thing New…
