Quote:
"Two of Picasso's paintings are stolen — more than 400 of his works are now listed as missing."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070228...e_picasso_theft
-R

Quote:
"Turner Broadcasting System has announced GameTap Indies, a new marketing and distribution program designed to introduce independent games to subscribers of its GameTap 'all you can eat' PC gaming service.

GameTap officials explain that the Indies program will take effect immediately, and serve as an added distribution channel for independent game developers. By enlisting in the program, GameTap assumes non-exclusive responsibility for the digital distribution of each selected game. In addition to being promoted alongside GameTap titles, GameTap Indies will be showcased in a special Independent Games content area within the service.
"

http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/ne...php?story=12919-R

Quote:
"A passenger-carrying suborbital spaceliner and the airplane that will serve as its first stage are starting to take shape on the factory floors at Scaled Composites of Mojave, Calif.



Work on the SpaceShipTwo prototype is moving forward, as is the fabrication of the White Knight 2 mothership, and at this point spaceline operator Virgin Galactic is eyeing late 2009 as the beginning of commercial flights with paying customers."

http://<br /> http://www.space.com...0226.html<br />

Quote:
"Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in Nottinghamshire has teamed up with BT to use a Star Trek-style communications system that will make it easier for doctors and nurses to communicate and enhance patient care.
"

"Using the new system, some 1,200 hospital workers, ranging from doctors to receptionists and porters, can speak to each other instantly regardless of where they're based in the hospital using a voice-controlled, wearable badge that weighs less than two ounces."

http://www.itpro.co.uk/information-...save-lives.html

Quote:
They’re not quite Transformers, but new robots created by researchers at the University of Southern California are definitely more than meets the eye.


Called “superbots,” they are made up of identical modular units that plug into each other to create robots that can walk on four legs like an animal [image] or two like a human [image], crawl like a centipede, climb like a spider, wiggle like a snake and even roll like a wheel [image].


“Superbot consists of Lego-like but autonomous robotic modules that can reconfigure into different systems for different tasks,” explained Wei-Min Shen, a researcher involved in the robot’s development. “This design allows flexible bending, docking and continous rotation. A single module can move forward, back, left, right, flip-over and rotate as a wheel.”
http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience...ThyW5ZC85vMWM0F

QUOTE:
"Researchers report witnessing a chimpanzee skewering a tree creature for supper with a spearlike tool, a rare observation of a long-studied primate in the wild.
"
http://<br /> http://news.yahoo.co...v0IlkamLUDMWM0F

Quote:
"Take a handful of international graffiti artists, an abandoned building in Rotterdam, a smattering of hot tech (a super-high-intensity 60-milliwatt green laser pointer, a 5,000-lumen DLP projector and a sensitive security camera) all crammed into an old RV; add a sprinkle of the DIY spirit, and what do you get? The coolest thing we saw on the Internet today, that's what.

Basically, the folks at Graffiti Research Lab ("Dedicated to outfitting graffiti artists with open source technologies for urban communication." Hmm, sound familiar?) cooked up the world's largest Etch-a-Sketch. Only instead of twisting those little knobs, you write on an 18-story building with a laser pointer that's capable of popping balloons and igniting match heads on contact. Their whole setup is fully documented (along with the source code to the software they wrote). "

http://popsci.typepad.com/popsci/20...dful_.html#more

Quote:
"NASA is studying the potential of future cooperation with the suborbital tourism firm Virgin Galactic on a variety of fronts, agency officials announced Wednesday. "
http://<br /> http://news.yahoo.co...x5MXC0Y0ZXMWM0F

Wow, I mean WOW

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_9GnP-lhaY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtfMIiinJso
http://www.dinosaurlive.com/index.htm
-R

Quote:
"Lopez-Alegria has already spent more than 61 hours spacewalking during his astronaut career. This spacewalk, his 10th, should add about six more hours to his total – making him the US astronaut with the most spacewalks performed and the most total time spent walking in space. Only Russian cosmonaut Anatoly Solovyov has spent more time outside the hatch, racking up 82 hours of spacewalking time. "

http://space.newscientist.com/artic...sref=space-walk

QUOTE:
"Playing video games appears to help surgeons with skills that truly count: how well they operate using a precise technique, a study said on Monday.

There was a strong correlation between video game skills and a surgeon's capabilities performing laparoscopic surgery in the study published in the February issue of Archives of Surgery.

Laparoscopy and related surgeries involve manipulating instruments through a small incision or body opening where the surgeon's movements are guided by watching a television screen.

Video game skills translated into higher scores on a day-and-half-long surgical skills test, and the correlation was much higher than the surgeon's length of training or prior experience in laparoscopic surgery, the study said."


http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N2J303978.htm

Quote:
"We have for sale the ORIGINAL Pink Panther car as used in the opening and end credits of the famous cartoon show. Relisted due to error in previous description. I will no doubt receive lots of questions regarding this very famous car. Please e mail me as per e bay regulations and I will do my very best to answer all questions as honest as I can. This is the only Pink Panther car that was ever built and was done so by respected Hollywood car builder Jay Ohrberg. The donor car was an Oldsmobile Toronada. The engine is 7 litre / automatic gearbox. The bodywork is in pretty good condition. I have had a number of questions regarding the authenticity of this car. IT IS THE ORIGINAL, and there is even reference to this fact if you wish to go to www.coys.co.uk and check out the description on the batmobile which is for sale on the 27th Feb. It acknowledges Jay with a number of famous cars, including this one. Used mainly as a static display, this PINK PANTHER 'LIMO' attracts a lot of attention and can in fact be used as a source of income if marketed properly on the motor show, shopping centre, corporate and private hire circuit. The vehicle does not currently drive, but needs little engine attention and master cylinder on brakes. Looks fantastic as a static display where it is very popular with people wishing to have their photographs taken with it.This item is advertised elsewhere. Genuine bidders only please. Good Luck!!!!
http://cgi.ebay.com/The-ORIGINAL-FU...1QQcmdZViewItem

Quote:
"Researchers aim within five years to restore natural arm and leg movements to people who are completely paralysed, using the power of neurotechnology, the American Association for the Advancement of Science annual meeting in San Francisco heard on Friday.

John Donoghue of Brown University and Hunter Peckham of Case Western Reserve University, neurotechnology pioneers, are to collaborate on the project with funding from the US National Institutes of Health.

The goal is to give quadriplegic patients an electronic brain implant, linked to an electrical system of muscle stimulation, enabling them to move their limbs by thought alone – just like healthy people. “This system will represent a quantum leap in rehabilitation technology,” said Prof Donoghue, “and it will fundamentally alter the lives of people with spinal cord injury.” "

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/658c05d6-bd...00779e2340.html

Quote:
"This VentureOne is a three-wheeled vehicle that comes in both hybrid and all-electric flavors. The hybrid version gets 100 miles per gallon, which sure beats your Escalade, and the fact that it can go from 0 to 60 in less than 6 seconds is impressive as well. The price is pretty reasonable, too — $18,000 for the hybrid model up to $23,000 for the all-electric version. Sure, there might not be room for many groceries or people, but this looks like a fun and contentious way to get around. Look for them to hit California roads next July. "
http://<br /> http://blog.scifi.co...d_trykes_t.html

This is from 2006 but it Is still very cool:
Published: December 12, 2006
Quote:
"Microsoft on Wednesday took the wraps off its first commercial operating system for robots, with hopes of paving the way for a broader robotics industry and taking a central role in its development. "
http://<br /> http://news.com.com/..._3-6143242.html

Quote:
"An orbiting spacecraft has sent back new evidence for the presence of water on Mars. Scientists long have debated whether water flowed on the red planet, with evidence increasing in recent years. The presence of water would raise the possibility of at least primitive life forms existing there"
http://<br /> http://news.yahoo.co...mrKqGTqN6fMWM0F

Quote:
"Asteroids are big hunks of space dust and rock that will eventually smack into Earth and end life as we know it. Or they represent the new frontier of space exploration.

Or both. It depends on how you look at it. "


http://news.yahoo.com/s/usatoday/20...tkLeNyc.abMWM0F

Quote:
"It has been more than 100 years since the Wright brothers first took flight. Since then, humans have invented jet engines, shattered the sound barrier and created an airline system so safe that accidents have nearly been eliminated.

But as scientists attempt to improve planes of the future, they are finding that super computers and aerodynamic theory are often no match for nature. The breeding ground of natural selection has improved flying creatures over millions of years, creating a virtual test bed of clever solutions to aerodynamic problems, according to some of the top experts in aviation.
"

[url]http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/discoveries/2007-02-13-aviation-birds_x.htm?csp=34[/utl]

Quote:
" Batteries Not Included gave you ten classic toy commercials and from the response everyone enjoyed their trip down memory lane. Here now are ten more classic commercials spanning the last 30 years. Enjoy them and just like last time, if you don’t like what you see below, sound off and say what’s the classic toy commercial that you still can’t get out of your head!"

http://www.mania.com/53594.html

Quote:
"I'm sending this cool news to both of you just to make sure one of you actually gets it and reads it.

There is a new video technology being developed and it's simply amazing. Actually, that word can't really even describe this technoloies potential. According to this artical and video, James Cameron is all over this new technology.

You can read the article and find links to the video examples which will blow your mind at the following website.
http://www.aintitcool.com/node/31562
"

Roberto note:
And btw these are NOT regular lenticular posters. Those posters can only hold one second of animation and they are very thick.

Quote:
"A team of world-leading neuroscientists has developed a powerful technique that allows them to look deep inside a person's brain and read their intentions before they act."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/frontpage...2009229,00.html

Quote:
"Days later, the engineer started working on a prototype of Quantum Satellite Technology, a line of $325 to $350 adult sneakers that hit shelves next month. It promises to locate the wearer anywhere in the world with the press of a button. A children's line will be out this summer."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070209..._te/gps_sneaker

Quote:"
From 007’s jetpack in Thunderball to his iconic laser-equipped Omega watch, the James Bond movie franchise has always had its finger on the pulse of its audience’s gadget lust. We at PopSci were a bit disappointed at the dearth of gizmos in this year’s Casino Royale (which for some reason—cha-ching—were mostly made by Sony), but our discussion about the current film sparked a debate in the office about spy gear from Bond films past. Which was the sexiest weapon? (The venom boots in From Russia With Love.) The best vehicle? (Depends whether you want your car to swim or fly.) The deadliest accessory? (Gotta be that briefcase.) In the end, we compiled a list of our 15 favorite Bond gadgets of all time. Peruse them in the photo gallery, here. "

http://popsci.typepad.com/popsci/20...5_best_bon.html

Fast and furious computer gaming may help train a player's visual system, researchers say

http://www.newscientisttech.com/art...n-eyesight.html

check it out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5dDmaq1heM&eurl=

Quote:
"Archaeologists in Italy have discovered a couple buried 5,000 to 6,000 years ago, hugging each other.

"It's an extraordinary case," said Elena Menotti, who led the team on their dig near the northern city of Mantova.

"There has not been a double burial found in the Neolithic period, much less two people hugging -- and they really are hugging."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070206...aly_embrace_dc"

Quote:
"First off, the "secret sauce" of the solution is called a "DigiTarget". The DigiTarget gives everything in your photo a frame of reference; it's a single sheet of paper with a 7.5 x 7.5-inch square on it. A 15-inch square version is also available for outdoor measurements. Simply print off a free DigiTarget, affix it to something in your photo scene and snap a pic. The iPhotoMEASURE software uses the DigiTarget to compute the measurements of items in your photo and the company claims that any distance in the picture can be measured with up to 99.5% accuracy. Conceptually, it makes sense since the software has that 7.5- or 15-inch frame of reference"

http://jkontherun.blogs.com/jkonthe...o_measure_.html.

Quote:
"City councilman Jim Kenney recently toured Chicago to see environmentally-friendly city projects there. He came back with a number of ideas on which he plans to hold hearings.

One is using rubber for sidewalks.

No, don't expect to see people bouncing down the street. Kenney says the rubber is very solid — probably harder than a running track."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070205...ubber_sidewalks

Quote:
"How would you design an aircraft if your main aim were to keep its roar from waking up the entire neighborhood during takeoffs and landings? A group of 40 engineers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and England’s University of Cambridge took on that challenge and, three years later, has unveiled designs for the SAX-40. Thanks to a host of noise-silencing innovations, the 215-seat airplane should be virtually inaudible outside the airport. Designers estimate that the aircraft will emit just 63 decibels at takeoff, about as loud as an average conversation. (Today’s airliners hit up to150 decibels.) "
http://<br /> http://www.popsci.co...ecbccdrcrd.html

Quote:
" Talking in the conference call following the Electronic Arts financial results announced earlier today, company execs revealed EA's plans going forward, with Larry Probst, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer commenting, "Our priorities are clear regarding next-gen leadership, including the Nintendo platforms.”

Looking toward EA's increased support for Nintendo's hardware, the executive added: “On the Nintendo platforms, we think that we can be a very strong number two. Clearly Nintendo will always be number one on the Wii and Nintendo DS, but we think we have a realistic goal "

http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/ne...php?story=12628

Space.com has made a great multimedia presentation about the new space race.

http://www.space.com/php/multimedia/newspacerace/

A pair of smart hackers at industrial robot firm USMechatronics decided to do just this, and spent a weekend writing software to let a "WiiMote" operate a KR16 robot arm.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qEotHQgUsg&eurl=

Quote:
"When the Georges Pompidou Center opened in 1977, critics complained that the museum's futuristic exoskeleton of brightly painted pipes was a blight on Paris.

Thirty years later, the cultural center is one of the city's most recognizable monuments. It houses Europe's largest collection of modern and contemporary art, and it is even working on plans to open an outpost in China."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dy...7013102171.html

-R

Quote:
" SOUNDS almost too good to be true: a cheap and simple drug that kills almost all cancers by switching off their "immortality". The drug, dichloroacetate (DCA), has already been used for years to treat rare metabolic disorders and so is known to be relatively safe. It also has no patent, meaning it could be manufactured for a fraction of the cost of newly developed drugs.

Evangelos Michelakis of the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada, and his colleagues tested DCA on human cells cultured outside the body and found that it killed lung, breast and brain cancer cells, but not healthy cells. Tumours in rats deliberately infected with human cancer also shrank drastically when they were fed DCA-laced water for several weeks.

"

http://www.newscientist.com/channel...st-cancers.html

Quote:
"Just when you thought you'd heard it all, a New York company unveiled a new technology Wednesday that has to be seen to be believed: video ringtones.
You record your video greeting (with a webcam) at the Vringo.com website, send it to your phone, and tell your friends to sign up for it. When you call their cellphones, they'll see your video. The free service will open to the public by late March.

"
http://news.yahoo.com/s/usatoday/20...2MwBHNlYwM3Mzg-

Quote:
"The budding personal space travel industry anticipates progress on a number of fronts in 2007, including favorable U.S. regulatory decisions, the availability of affordable insurance, new spaceport developments and increased testing of new spaceship designs.


While noting the progress 2007 is expected to bring, the head of the newly formed Personal Spaceflight Federation (PSF) says the industry is still at the starting gate."

http://www.space.com/news/070201_venture_space.html