There it is, right on cue Microsoft's Surface has gone spherical over at Microsoft Research. Rumored since March, the prototype relies upon an infrared system to detect hands, fingers, and objects as well as an internal (not external like Surface) projection system developed by Global Imagination (and customized by Microsoft) to deliver its multi-touch UI. At the moment, Microsoft is demonstrating photo manipulation, a spinning globe, 360-degree video, and a simple Pong-like game, the latter giving us a taste of future gaming possibilities.

[link]http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/29/microsoft-sphere-surfaces-in-redmond/[/link]

On July 29th, 1958 President Dwight Eisenhower signed the National Aeronautics and Space Act into law and NASA was born.
http://trekmovie.com/2008/07/29/nas...oday/#more-2225

Meet the Emotibots – a pair of machines currently on display at London’s Science Museum.

Heart Robot has a beating heart, a breathing belly, and sensors that respond to movement, noise and touch.
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepag...icle1485372.ece

British tycoon Richard Branson on Monday unveiled a futuristic aircraft that will ferry tourists to the edge of heaven as part of Virgin Galactic's much-anticipated space program.
The aircraft -- WhiteKnightTwo -- was rolled out for invited guests and media at an early morning ceremony in the Mojave desert, north of Los Angeles, at the headquarters of aerospace firm Scaled Composites.

The high-altitude aircraft, also named "Eve" in honor of Branson's mother, will act as the mothership for the spacecraft Spaceship Two, which in turn will launch in midair and send two crew and six passengers hurtling into space.

http://www.breitbart.com/article.ph...&show_article=1

ROB NOTE:
I usually dont post articles like this...But the source is credible


Well, the conspiracy had to crack sometime.

Edgar Mitchell, an astronaut on Apollo 14 and the sixth man to walk on the moon, told Kerrang! Radio this week that we're not alone in the universe and the government knows all about it.

"I happen to have been privileged enough to be in on the fact that we've been visited on this planet and the UFO phenomena is real," he said.

Mitchell is more than just a famous astronaut and a scientist. He grew up in Roswell, N.M., site of a famous alleged UFO landing. And, he said, "I've been in military circles and intelligence circles that know beneath the surface of what has been public knowledge that yes, we have been visited. ...I have been deeply involved in certain committes and certain research programs with very credible scientists and intelligence people that do know the real inside story."

"There's been quite a bit of contact going on," Mitchell added. "The Roswell crash was real and [the fact that] a number of other contacts have been real and ongoing is pretty well known to those of us who have been briefed and have been close to the subject matter."

So who exactly are the visitors? "Some of them are these little people that look strange to us," Mitchell said. "As far as I know from my contacts that have had contact, that was the reaction."

NASA politely suggests Mitchell doesn't know what he's talking about. "NASA is not involved in any sort of cover up about alien life on this planet or anywhere in the universe," the agency told the radio station. "Dr. Mitchell is a great American, but we do not share his opinion on this issue."

http://blogs.govexec.com/fedblog/20..._are_real_1.php

The first head-to-head race of two rocket-powered planes is planned for next week, but only one plane may take to the air.

The Rocket Racing League – a company founded by X-Prize Foundation chairman Peter Diamandis and winning Indy 500 car race team owner Granger Whitelaw – aims to pit two planes against each other at the AA AirVenture air show in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, as early as 29 July.


http://space.newscientist.com/artic...s2_head_dn14383

Ever since Victorian astronomers pointed their telescopes towards Mars and wrongly believed they had discovered canals, mankind has been obsessed by the red planet.

Now these astonishing new images - captured by a European spacecraft in orbit around Mars - are helping to fuel that fascination.

They show in astonishing detail a network of giant valleys, vast plains and towering waterfalls carved into the surface of our neighbouring planet, millions of miles away.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencet...arts-Earth.html

Telescope mirrors made from lunar dust could help realize dreams of stargazing from the far side of the moon.

Creating gigantic lunar telescopes would normally carry an astronomical price tag, but NASA researchers used a mix of epoxy, simulated lunar dust and carbon nanotubes to demonstrate how to use materials already found on the moon.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/space/20080...9cDWs0NUE<br />

Water has been found conclusively for the first time inside ancient moon samples brought back by Apollo astronauts. The discovery may force scientists to rethink the lunar past and future, although uncertainty remains about how much water exists and whether future explorers could extract it.

http://www.livescience.com/space/080709-moon-water.html

July 4, 08Construction Begins of the 200 mph, Solar Powered Turtle Airship
A new way to fly! Turtle Airships company announces the beginning of construction iof a demonstration model of a new form for lighter-than-air airships. The airships are not blimps. They are solar powered and will reach speeds of 200 mph.
http://<br /> http://nextenergynew....08b.html<br />

Channel 4 has assembled look-a-likes of The Shining's cast and crew members
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/200...hannel4.kubrick

But now a visionary architect has found a solution which will see people in the affected cities making a new home for themselves on the futuristic-looking Lilypad.

The Lilypad has been designed by award-winning Belgian architect Vincent Callebaut who says the 'ecopolis' offers a long term solution to the looming problem of rising sea levels.

As land-based cities flood, the Lilypad will be able to float around the world like a giant ship.


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencet...e-refugees.html

A Japanese firm on Tuesday began accepting reservations for couples who really want to make the big leap -- by blasting into space to exchange their wedding vows.
Each happy couple will spend 240 million yen (2.3 million dollars) for the ceremony in a small space vessel, which will shoot up 100 kilometres (60 miles) into the sky.

http://www.breitbart.com/article.ph...&show_article=1