Science

The art of Willard Wigan has been known for some time, but we're embarrassed to say that we learned of it only today with this post on Snopes. His talent is so amazing that we still wanted to write about it, even at the risk of "old news" flames.

Wigan specializes in microscopic art that can literally fit on the head of a pin, and often does. His art can't be fully appreciated without the aid of a microscope, but you can view some remarkable close-up photos on his site.

The International Astronomical Union is a catty bunch. First they stripped Pluto of its planetary status, and then they reconsidered, and then demoted it again to the level of "dwarf planet"--for real this time. It's still controversial.

Now the IAU has made another potentially controversial move: it renamed "Xena."

On Wednesday, a release from the IAU addressed the problem of naming another "dwarf planet," the larger-than-Pluto object which thus far was formally named 2003 UB313. The release officially named the object Eris after the Greek goddess of discord. Unfortunately, this could turn … Read more

A robotic leg developed by Toyota has taken a big step forward--or, in this case, up.

Special joints built into the toe and knee of the 3.3-foot leg reportedly allow it to jump as high as 1.6 inches. That may not sound like much, but the mobility could eventually lead to robots that can climb and descend stairs in ways that resemble human movement much more than current models.

With this ability, maybe villainous bots like the ED-209 will finally have a fighting chance next time if another "RoboCop" sequel is ever made.

This project would be impressive under any circumstances, but it's particularly timely given today's concerns about the atmosphere and global warming.

Breathing Earth is a Flash-based project that "displays the carbon dioxide emission levels of every country in the world, as well as their birth and death rates--all in real time."

With so much attention focused on alternative energy these days, non-fossil fuel proposals for cars have run a wide gamut. Even the once-verboten subject of a nuclear-powered automobile has arisen with increasing frequency.

Usually absent from these discussions, however, is the history of designs for such vehicles that came off drawing boards in Detroit throughout the 1950s at the height of the Atomic Age. This post on Damn Interesting, for example, reminds us that such models as the Ford Nucleon were once seriously considered as the automobiles of the future.

In retrospect, perhaps Ford's ideas weren't so far-fetched … Read more

Regardless of our personal convictions about UFOs, activity appears to have picked up again at the legendary Area 51. But as always, the question remains: What is it?

An article in Popular Science speculates what may be going on in the storied parcel of desert in southern Nevada, ideas that include the construction of specific models of futuristic warplanes. Perhaps the most interesting part of the post is the gallery of artist renderings depicting possible flying machines, based on various forms of evidence ranging from patent filings to reported sightings.

Some scientists are obsessed with reading our minds--or, at least, watching them in action.

A couple of weeks ago, MIT's Technology Review posted an article about a new technique to visualize chemical activity in the brain. Yesterday, the same publication reported that researchers at the University of New Mexico have refined neuro-imaging techniques "to the point where they can reliably detect a single thought forming in an individual's brain."

Can the secrets of mental telepathy be that far off?

The inaugural launch of a system to map wildfire movement in real time has been postponed...again.

The joint mission between NASA and U.S. Forest Service has been rescheduled (for the second time) until Sept. 12 due in part to a lack of approval from the Federal Aviation Administration, according to Vincent Ambrosia, the principal investigator of the Western States Unmanned Aerial System Fire Mission at NASA's Ames Research Center. FAA approval is required because the system includes the use of the unmanned Altair aircraft.

"Due to some 'open issues' on mission profiling and delays in receiving … Read more

We often hear of innovations that promise to drastically change how we use light, but this one truly hits home: a one-watt lightbulb.

EcoGeek reports that Mule Lighting has developed a line of LED lamps with roughly 10 times the life of its incandescent counterparts. But the environmental blog points out that pricing probably precludes wide use at this time, noting, "Unfortunately, they're not yet being mass produced and are probably pretty expensive (since they wouldn't tell us how much they cost)."