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SpaceX hovering Grasshopper rocket reaches new heights

SpaceX hovering Grasshopper rocket reaches new heights

Last month at SXSW, SpaceX founder Elon Musk showed off a video of the SpaceX Grasshopper rocket rising 24 stories into the air and returning safely back to the ground. For a vehicle that is 10 stories high, that's pretty good, but not enough to make your jaw drop.

This creation is called the Grasshopper Vertical Takeoff Vertical Landing (VTVL) vehicle. It's so named because of its nifty parlor trick of being able to blast off vertically and then land upright. Now, the company has tripled the distance of the previous attempt and released a new video showing off the rocket's capabilities. … Read more

Shapeways, the Etsy of 3D printing, raises $30M

Shapeways, the Etsy of 3D printing, raises $30M

The 3D printing movement is well under way -- albeit with some hype built in -- and Shapeways, a marketplace where people can design, create, and sell their own products, is leading the charge.

Shapeways, sometimes known as the Etsy for 3D printing, now has 10,000 "shop owners" -- people who have designed products, from iPhone cases to jewelry and shoes, that they print out and sell via Shapeways. The New York-based company is building out its recently opened 3D printing factory in the Queens borough of New York City, where its printers are cranking out roughly … Read more

In New York, 3D printing finally gets its day in the sun

In New York, 3D printing finally gets its day in the sun

NEW YORK--Guitars. Skulls. Bracelets. Colorful heads. And so much more.

That was what was on display at the Inside 3D Printing event here today, a celebration of all things 3D printing, and one of the first-ever professional events dedicated solely to the decades-old technology that has been taking the world by storm over the last few years.

Just about ever leading company in the field was on hand, from 3D Systems to MakerBot to Stratasys, and many others. And hundreds of people packed the event hall, eager to see the latest machines, and hear from some of the leaders in … Read more

Advances in prosthetics aside, Boston amputees face challenges

Advances in prosthetics aside, Boston amputees face challenges

The victims of the Boston Marathon bombing may have to live with the physical and emotional scars from the April 15 attack for the rest of their lives. For some of the injured, that includes learning how to live without one or more limbs.

More than 180 people were injured in the attack last week, with at least 13 people losing a limb or part of one. Right now, doctors are focused on recovery and making sure the victims are medically stable. But once the wounds heal, many of the patients will begin the process of being fit with a prosthetic device.

"This is not just about learning how to walk," Steve Fletcher, CPO, director of clinical resources at the American Board for Certification in Orthotics, Prosthetics and Pedorthics, told CBSNews.com. "It's a significant emotional, psychological, and physical recovery."

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NASA to Webcast Lyrid meteor shower Monday night

NASA to Webcast Lyrid meteor shower Monday night

The Lyrid meteor shower is peaking right now, and NASA wants to make sure you don't miss this once-a-year space fireworks show.

Mindful that some stargazers may not have optimum viewing conditions because of local weather conditions or the moon's glow, NASA has set up a camera at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., to broadcast live images of the meteor shower.

"If you'd like to catch a last look at 2013 Lyrid meteror shower, this is your chance!" NASA said in a statement. "Although a bright moon may interfere with viewing, … Read more

Coolest Earth Day ride: The Sora electric superbike

Coolest Earth Day ride: The Sora electric superbike

If you wanted to impress on Earth Day, you could do worse than this all-electric motorcycle from Canada.

The Sora superbike from Quebec-based Lito Green Motion is finally hitting the streets after years of development and promos. The Canadian Ministry of Transport recently certified the firm as a motorcycle manufacturer, and the $41,000 bike is getting lots of attention.

The Sora, which means "sky" in Japanese, has a 12 kWh lithium polymer battery and a range of 185 miles on a single charge, which takes 8 hours, or 90 minutes with a quick charger. It can be recharged anywhere using a conventional plug. … Read more

Thermostat whiz Nest wants to reset your peak power use

Thermostat whiz Nest wants to reset your peak power use

After succeeding at the once inconceivable task of making thermostats sexy, Nest is now out to change peoples' relationships with their utility companies, and make the energy industry more efficient in the process.

Today, Nest, the company founded by Tony Fadell -- the "godfather" of the iPod and fellow former top Apple employee Matt Rogers -- rolled out its next big effort.

While many had speculated that the company's follow-up to its Learning Thermostat would be another smart home appliance, the company instead unveiled Nest Energy Services, a broad initiative aimed at attacking the problems of general … Read more

Solar Electric Scooter takes a shine to green transport

Solar Electric Scooter takes a shine to green transport

Electric scooters are being positioned as eco-friendly alternatives to traveling everywhere in your car. What could make an electric scooter even more green? How about a built-in solar panel? The Solar Electric Scooter does just what its name suggests: gives you a lift with an assist from the sun.

We've seen sleeker scooters (like the MUV-e) and weirder scooters (like the ZeitEco). The Solar Electric Scooter's claim to fame is right underfoot where the solar panel is built into the vehicle.… Read more

Why eye doctors may soon prescribe Tetris

Why eye doctors may soon prescribe Tetris

For the roughly three percent of the population that suffers from amblyopia, or "lazy eye," the best current treatment option -- covering the stronger eye to force the weaker one into better behavior -- works only some of the time in kids and has been totally ineffective in adults.

Now researchers out of McGill University in Montreal say that playing Tetris may ultimately treat the disorder in adults because the puzzle video game trains the eyes to work together as information is distributed across them in a complementary fashion.

"The key to improving vision for adults, who … Read more

New Madagascar dinosaur species had tiny arms

New Madagascar dinosaur species had tiny arms

Don't cry for Tyrannosaurus rex and its teensy-weensy arms. It was in good company in the dinosaur kingdom with a recently discovered new species found in Madagascar. After a nearly 10-year dino drought on the island, two researchers uncovered the Dahalokely tokana, a creature with big back legs and itsy-bitsy front arms.

The critter was about as tall as a human male, but had a length of 9 to 14 feet. What helped the researchers peg it as a new species were some unique characteristics of the vertebrae, including the shape of cavities on the side. For dinosaur species, that's a lot like finding a fingerprint.

Besides being a new species, Dahalokely is also helping to fill in some puzzling gaps in the fossil record for Madagascar. "We had always suspected that abelisauroids were in Madagascar 90 million years ago, because they were also found in younger rocks on the island. Dahalokely nicely confirms this hypothesis," said project leader Andrew Farke, curator of paleontology at the Alf Museum.… Read more

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