weapons

Nearly 70 computers missing from Los Alamos nuclear lab

U.S. officials are investigating the disappearance of 67 computers from the Los Alamos nuclear weapons lab in New Mexico, according to a nonprofit group that exposes government misconduct.

Of the missing computers, 13 were lost or stolen in the past year, including 3 taken from a scientist's home last month. A BlackBerry belonging to another worker was lost in a "sensitive foreign country," according to an internal Los Alamos Lab e-mail posted online by the Project On Government Oversight.

The group also posted a letter from the Energy Department's National Nuclear Security Administration rebuking the … Read more

New accessories for better battles on your Wii

I'm no Wii gamer, but I've watched people play on the console many times. It's pretty easy to see how silly it looks when you try to "shoot" or "slice" your opponents with the mundane-looking Wii controller during an action game.

For this reason, I think it's good news that Thrustmaster showed off on Thursday its newest Wii fighting game accessories, including the Glow Saber Duo Pack NW and the Dual Trigger Gun NW.

The Glow Saber Duo Pack NW is designed to house the Wii's controller for existing and upcoming … Read more

Guns-for-cameras program aimed at Toronto shooters

Toronto police launched an innovative gun amnesty program on Wednesday. It's dubbed Pixels for Pistols, and through it, police are offering to give out a Nikon digital camera to anyone turning in a firearm.

A handgun or assault rifle is worth a $400 Nikon Coolpix S52 and a shotgun nets a $250 Nikon Coolpix P60. The deal includes free photography lessons.

The amnesty program will run for four weeks, according to Henry's camera store, which is providing the cameras.

This might be a good idea for U.S. cities with a lot of street crime. Other amnesty programs … Read more

Pen masquerades as balisong

Even if they are banned in your country, you've probably seen a balisong (butterfly knife) brandished in some movie or other. Such scenes usually show a villain deftly waving such a knife centimeters away from someone's face in threatening manner. If you want to learn how to do that and not get arrested by your local police, the BaliYo from Spyderco could be for you.

This product is essentially a pen shaped like a balisong. Where you'd usually expect a blade is a Fisher Space pen, the writing instrument famously used in space since the 1960s and … Read more

Laser weapons: A distant target

Laser technology may yet yield the weapons of the not-so-distant future, but the future is certainly not now.

For the moment, it's all R&D business as usual. Earlier this week, both Boeing and Northrop Grumman put out statements about their ongoing work on U.S. Army's High Energy Laser Technology Demonstrator, or HEL TD. And for Boeing, it was also a chance to crow about a contract win: $36 million to continue its work on a HEL TD design.

With that money, Boeing says it will first finish its design work, and then move on to … Read more

Preparing for an urban WMD attack

SAN FRANCISCO--"Weapons of mass destruction multi-agency exercise."

If I've ever covered an event with a more stark title, I can't think of it.

But there I was Saturday morning, along with several hundred firefighters, police officers, Army National Guard personnel, and members of other local, state, and federal agencies for a large-scale exercise designed to help train all these emergency responders how to deal with a major terrorist attack involving suspected chemical weapons or other bio-hazards.

As a bulletin announcing the exercise put it, the goal was for the agencies' personnel to "identify the … Read more

Far out technology for the geek in all of us

Like many of you, I'm a geek, and it extends well beyond my interest in technology. I still read an occasional science fiction novel and look forward to the release of superhero and James Bond movies.

Lately, I've been wondering how close we are to achieving some of the scientific "miracles" that had previously belonged solely to the realm of science fiction. Advances in nanotechnology, biotechnology, and other fields are certainly making lots of exciting things possible in the laboratory, but that's just the beginning.

What I'm interested in is early academic, defense, medical, or even hobbyist applications. Remember, that's where computing and communications started, and look where we are now.

Here are six off the top of my head. And yes, some of them are out there, but my goal was to leapfrog all the usual stuff, like virtual reality, robotics, and the like, which I've written about previously. Some of it may surprise you.… Read more

Survive assassination attempts in style

Bulletproof vests are so 1990s. Sure the vests save lives, but sometimes police, diplomats, and general targets of gunfire and knife fights need something a little more fashion forward. That's why Miguel Caballero's bullet-resistant clothing line exists at the crossroads of style and security.

The Colombia-based designer boasts actor Steven Seagal and the president of Colombia as wearers of his designs, which started selling in London's upscale Harrods department store this month. His products include polo shirts, blazers, raincoats, and suede jackets for women and men. Unlike bulky vests, Caballero says the attire is light, flexible, and … Read more

Hard-core Wasp knife makes its point

Looking at the 5 1/4-inch blade on the Wasp Injector Knife, it quickly becomes apparent that despite its name, this tool is not made for stabbing pesky insects. No, it's for much, much peskier creatures.

The $379.95 weapon--which would most logically be used for diving, hunting, or self defense--instantly injects a freezing-cold ball of compressed gas, approximately the size of a basketball, into the unlucky recipient.

The injection freezes all tissues and organs surrounding the point of entry and will drop many of the world's largest land predators, according to Wasp Injection Systems, creator of the … Read more