scientists

'Part-Time Scientists' aim to develop autonomous rover

Some people try to make the most of their spare time by exercising, volunteering, or simply recharging their batteries. Others like to use that time to build robots that can be blasted to the moon and then set free to roam the lunar landscape. A group of engineers and researchers calling themselves Team Part-Time Scientists have chosen the latter, and are building a moon rover named Asimov they hope will win the coveted Google Lunar X Prize by early 2014.

As the name implies, at least half of Part-Time Scientists' 100 members are holding down full-time jobs at industrial firms … Read more

Microsoft snags Yahoo scientists for new research lab

Microsoft has launched a new research lab staffed largely with scientists hired away from Yahoo.

To staff the new research facility in New York, the software giant snatched 14 scientists from the foundering Internet pioneer, which last month laid off about 2,000 employees across the board, including its research staff.

The new lab, which will be tasked with studying how people interact and share information online, will include Duncan Watts, David Pennock, and John Langford -- all former Yahoo scientists, according to a blog post by Jennifer Chayes, the managing director of Microsoft Research New England and the new … Read more

Doomsday Clock moves 1 minute closer to catastrophe

Tick, tock. The infamous Doomsday Clock, which represents how close mankind supposedly is to its annihilation, has been moved one minute closer to midnight.

The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists (BAS), which created and maintains the symbolic clock, announced its decision yesterday.

"It is five minutes to midnight. Two years ago, it appeared that world leaders might address the truly global threats that we face. In many cases, that trend has not continued or been reversed. For that reason, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists is moving the clock hand one minute closer to midnight, back to its time in … Read more

Chief scientist, two board members exit Twitter

Defections at Twitter are mounting. Not only is Chief Scientist Abdur Chowdhury the latest ranking technologist to resign from the San Francisco-based company, but two key board members are also stepping down.

Fred Wilson and Bijan Sabet, two of Twitter's earliest investors, will be leaving at the end of the month. Twitter confirmed this to Peter Kafka at AllThingsD. In early August, Twitter announced that it closed an $800 million venture deal--the largest in history--led by Yuri Milner's Russian venture capital firm DST Global. This brings Twitter's valuation to $8.4 billion. DST also invests in Facebook, … Read more

Paraswift robot flings itself off buildings

The dramatic music in the video below would have you believe something magical is about to happen, like a superhero is set to swoop in and rescue a damsel in distress or an mysterious entity of some sort is about to be revealed.

Instead, a base-jumping robot merely throws itself off a building. It looks kind of shaky, but it's actually pretty cool.

You see, there's something magnificent about the Paraswift, a collaboration between Disney Research and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich.

Although it was built for entertainment purposes, the compact robot can climb, fly, and be instrumental in gathering aerial footage for 3D modeling systems (like Google Street View), NewScientist says. … Read more

Report raps 'hollow hybrids' for weak efficiency

Led by the Toyota Prius, hybrid cars have an image as the most fuel-efficient vehicles on the road. But a rating of hybrids shows that the technology is often being used to boost power rather than efficiency.

The Union of Concerned Scientists last week released a hybrid scorecard that found a mixed bag on the environmental improvements from hybrids now available. The guide's author also said "forced features" such as high-end sound systems are raising the cost of hybrid vehicles.

The rating shows that mileage for hybrids varies greatly, depending on how hybrid power trains, which combine battery-powered motors with a gas engine, are used. The Prius has the best mileage, with a combined 50 miles per gallon, but there are a number of non-luxury models that get 21 miles per gallon.

Nine of the 10 top-selling hybrids get more than 30 miles per gallon, but only 13 of the 34 hybrids in the list reduced pollution by more than 25 percent, compared to their conventional gasoline-only counterparts. The Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid SUV, for example, emits 10 percent less pollution, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists.

"Automakers are still producing hybrids that fail to deliver on the technology's potential to dramatically improve fuel economy," scorecard author Don Anair said in a statement. "Their focus on maximizing power over consumer value risks the future of hybrid technology."

Hybrids made their mark by maximizing fuel economy but, as the Union of Concerned Scientist study shows, the technology can be used in all manner of vehicles, including SUVs or sporty cars, such as the Honda CR-Z. With rising fuel efficiency mandates coming online in the U.S. and other countries, more hybrid models are expected to come to market. But fuel-conscious consumers would do well to look less at the technology and more at the actual mileage rating. … Read more

Buzz Out Loud 1483: Apple's iCloud is really iSync (Podcast)

On today's show, an exhausted Molly and Brian Cooley wrap up the longest Apple keynote in years, and try to make sense of the things you can and can't accomplish with iCloud. Plus, the latest from Microsoft at E3, a little bit of cursory science news, and finally time for pizza. Phew.

Report reveals U.S. nuclear plant safety issues

As Japan grapples with a nuclear reactor crisis in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake and tsunami, many in the U.S. have been wondering about the safety of nuclear power plants closer to home.

In a well-timed report issued yesterday, the Union of Concerned Scientists examines a number of incidents and "near-misses" at plants in the United States in 2010 and gives the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission mixed reviews on its role as the nation's nuclear safety inspector.

The timing of the report is also significant as it coincided with President Obama's announcement yesterday … Read more

Apple job posts suggest voice is key to iOS success

Apple has posted job listings for engineers specializing in voice technologies such as speech recognition, iOS software development for speech applications, and speech research.

Apple recently filed for patents related to greater integration of voice commands throughout iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch apps, including a customizable API that developers could use to include voice control in their software.

The recent job postings on Apple's Web site suggest that this patent, along with other voice control technologies (such as the purchase of Siri earlier this year), are being taken seriously. Each of the four open positions relate specifically to sectors … Read more

For calculating types

Scientific calculators are essential laptop utilities for engineers, scientists, researchers, builders, teachers, and students. College Scientific Calculator 27 from Tvalx is a fine choice to fill the bill. It offers precise calculations to 63 digits; hyperbolic, trigonometric, and inverse functions; memory for frequently used figures; and the capability to store and reuse calculations and formulas, print them, or save them as text files.

College Scientific Calculator 27's interface is different from most desktop calculator applications, which usually try to mimic the look and feel of a handheld calculator as closely as possible. This program's interface more closely resembles … Read more