http://discovermagazine.com/rss/topic-feeds/technologyComputers, Gadgets, Nanotech, Robots, Weapons & Security, and more.http://backend.userland.com/rssSat, 18 May 2013 00:00:00 GMThttp://discovermagazine.com/2013/june/08-meet-the-worlds-most-advanced-brain-scannerThe super-MRI used in the Human Connectome Project is the ultimate brain hacking machine.Sat, 18 May 2013 00:00:00 GMThttp://discovermagazine.com/2013/june/08-meet-the-worlds-most-advanced-brain-scannerhttp://discovermagazine.com/~/media/E3B6C62750934F96B449548D7DE69FBF.jpg?mw=500http://discovermagazine.com/~/media/E3B6C62750934F96B449548D7DE69FBF.jpg?mw=500http://discovermagazine.com/2013/june/05-software-links-shoe-prints-to-crime-suspectsDetective work can be done faster with software that matches shoe prints to a database.Tue, 14 May 2013 00:00:00 GMThttp://discovermagazine.com/2013/june/05-software-links-shoe-prints-to-crime-suspectshttp://discovermagazine.com/~/media/C45E5984BA7F48B7A8DC32B4750FE24E.jpg?mw=500http://discovermagazine.com/~/media/C45E5984BA7F48B7A8DC32B4750FE24E.jpg?mw=500http://discovermagazine.com/2013/june/04-new-laser-producing-device-is-as-small-as-a-virusTechnology could lead to ultrafast light-based data processing and storage. Fri, 10 May 2013 21:00:00 GMThttp://discovermagazine.com/2013/june/04-new-laser-producing-device-is-as-small-as-a-virushttp://discovermagazine.com/~/media/9EEB005D5FB04666A21B3D67D490D743.jpg?mw=500http://discovermagazine.com/~/media/9EEB005D5FB04666A21B3D67D490D743.jpg?mw=500http://discovermagazine.com/2013/june/03-on-the-internet-nobody-knows-youre-a-ratNew virtual reality experiment lets people and rodents control interacting avatars.Wed, 08 May 2013 21:00:00 GMThttp://discovermagazine.com/2013/june/03-on-the-internet-nobody-knows-youre-a-rathttp://discovermagazine.com/~/media/62479FF8DB1A41C591B4536266E33C02.jpg?mw=500http://discovermagazine.com/~/media/62479FF8DB1A41C591B4536266E33C02.jpg?mw=500http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/d-brief/?p=1058 The much-anticipated private solar-powered plane Solar Impulse took off from California this morning on a flight across America that is expected to last approximately two months. From Mountain View the plane will fly to New York without using a drop of fuel, making stops along the way in Phoenix, Dallas, St. Louis, AND Washington, D.C. The plane sports 12,000 solar cells built into the wings and smaller tail fins. The cells charge four lithium batteries, attached to the bottom of the wingFri, 03 May 2013 17:08:36 GMThttp://blogs.discovermagazine.com/d-brief/?p=1058http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/d-brief/files/2013/05/solar_impulse_pres.jpghttp://blogs.discovermagazine.com/d-brief/files/2013/05/solar_impulse_pres.jpghttp://blogs.discovermagazine.com/d-brief/?p=1038Scientists have a pretty good idea about when people are happiest. Just check out the spikes that occur every Christmas on this happiness graph. But in a recent study, researchers sought to find out where people are happiest. And they used Twitter to do it. The researchers compiled data from 37 million random, geolocated tweets written by 180,000 different people in the United States during the year 2011. They analyzed the tweets to find out three things about their senders: average movement, lThu, 02 May 2013 17:47:39 GMThttp://blogs.discovermagazine.com/d-brief/?p=1038http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/d-brief/files/2013/05/tweeting-phone-sunset.jpghttp://blogs.discovermagazine.com/d-brief/files/2013/05/tweeting-phone-sunset.jpghttp://blogs.discovermagazine.com/d-brief/?p=1024 This movie by IBM, called "A Boy and His Atom," plays out in frames smaller than the tip of a needle, using actors constructed of single molecules. It's whimsical, sure, but the underlying technology is one that researchers across the globe are actively investigating for its use in creating smaller computer chips. The surface of the animation is a copper plate, and the individual dots are carbon monoxide molecules. (Carbon monoxide has one carbon atom and one oxygen atom, stacked on topWed, 01 May 2013 19:37:41 GMThttp://blogs.discovermagazine.com/d-brief/?p=1024http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/d-brief/files/2013/05/boy-and-atom.jpghttp://blogs.discovermagazine.com/d-brief/files/2013/05/boy-and-atom.jpghttp://blogs.discovermagazine.com/science-sushi/?p=2807Anyone who reads this blog regularly knows I have a big bone to pick with the organic movement, particularly with their constant attack on genetic engineering. I applauded when Prop 37 failed in California, and have put out post after post explaining why GMOs aren't the root of all evil. That's not to say I'm pro Monsanto, or think every GMO is science's gift to humanity. But the universal fear and demonization of all genetic technology is, simply put, damaging and unfounded. Now, the topWed, 01 May 2013 18:00:15 GMThttp://blogs.discovermagazine.com/science-sushi/?p=2807http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/science-sushi/files/2013/04/Screen-Shot-2013-04-30-at-2.06.54-PM-228x300.pnghttp://blogs.discovermagazine.com/science-sushi/files/2013/04/Screen-Shot-2013-04-30-at-2.06.54-PM-228x300.pnghttp://blogs.discovermagazine.com/science-sushi/?p=2808Facebook gleefully reported earlier this week that their privacy practices are "A-Ok", in response to the growing federal concerns that the company leaks too much personal information. While it's all well and good that they are legally in bounds, users still worry about just how much is shared via the popular social networking site. After all, just what does your Facebook activity say about who you are? A lot, actually. Michael Kosinski and his colleagues from UC Berkley recently investigaTue, 30 Apr 2013 13:00:42 GMThttp://blogs.discovermagazine.com/science-sushi/?p=2808http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/science-sushi/files/2013/04/images-300x144.jpeghttp://blogs.discovermagazine.com/science-sushi/files/2013/04/images-300x144.jpeghttp://discovermagazine.com/2013/may/15-new-materials-use-insects-for-inspirationPests or potential problem-solvers? Fleas, spiders and other insects are the new muses of engineering.Sat, 27 Apr 2013 00:30:00 GMThttp://discovermagazine.com/2013/may/15-new-materials-use-insects-for-inspirationhttp://discovermagazine.com/~/media/57541DB341694E338AB50B2A5688B839.jpg?mw=500http://discovermagazine.com/~/media/57541DB341694E338AB50B2A5688B839.jpg?mw=500http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/d-brief/?p=859With names like Incher, Jitter and Wings, you know these aren't your run-of-the-mill robots. Through computer-simulated evolution these flexible robots have developed unique gaits. The result is a new source of ideas for how robots could move---and a bizarre but irresistible visual. Researchers at Cornell University and the University of Wyoming wanted to see evolution in action, so they designed a soft robot simulator. They provided the computer program with four materials and one rule. The Wed, 24 Apr 2013 16:08:10 GMThttp://blogs.discovermagazine.com/d-brief/?p=859http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/d-brief/files/2013/04/squishy-robot-300x223.pnghttp://blogs.discovermagazine.com/d-brief/files/2013/04/squishy-robot-300x223.pnghttp://discovermagazine.com/2013/may/03-building-a-better-jumping-robotPhysicists find the secret to more efficient hopping.Tue, 09 Apr 2013 01:00:00 GMThttp://discovermagazine.com/2013/may/03-building-a-better-jumping-robothttp://discovermagazine.com/~/media/50F18797510B45B8B9B2F1D85AE7F23F.jpg?mw=500http://discovermagazine.com/~/media/50F18797510B45B8B9B2F1D85AE7F23F.jpg?mw=500http://discovermagazine.com/2013/may/14-bug-inspired-robots-designed-to-do-our-dirty-workThey creep. They crawl. They fly. Now insects are inspiring innovation, from robots to display screens.Fri, 05 Apr 2013 10:00:00 GMThttp://discovermagazine.com/2013/may/14-bug-inspired-robots-designed-to-do-our-dirty-workhttp://discovermagazine.com/~/media/95C0B46114EE4E46BBD09296397D5340.jpg?mw=500http://discovermagazine.com/~/media/95C0B46114EE4E46BBD09296397D5340.jpg?mw=500http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/d-brief/?p=328 They won’t be on shelves in time for Christmas, but we’re a step closer to functional, flexible cloaks of invisibility. Researchers have developed an ultrathin “metascreen” that hides three-dimensional objects from microwaves in their natural environment, in all directions, according to a study published Monday in the New Journal of Physics. Neat-o. The new cloaking material is composed of strips of 66-micrometer-thick copper tape attached to a 100-micrometer-thick flexible polycarbTue, 26 Mar 2013 15:43:44 GMThttp://blogs.discovermagazine.com/d-brief/?p=328http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/d-brief/files/2013/03/farFieldSetup.jpghttp://blogs.discovermagazine.com/d-brief/files/2013/03/farFieldSetup.jpghttp://blogs.discovermagazine.com/gnxp/?p=20596Today I was missing my daughter, so I decided to Skype with her on my phone. The phone has a camera which can record video, so I can talk to her, and if she gets bored I'll show her something besides my face. I take this for granted, but it is interesting to reflect that my "video phone" is actually just a regular phone on which I installed a third party application to enable two way video calls. It's a banal and marginal use for the device. Information technology is far more ubiquitous than theSat, 23 Mar 2013 08:32:18 GMThttp://blogs.discovermagazine.com/gnxp/?p=20596http://discovermagazine.com/2013/april/15-better-nature-technologiesAt Harvard, researchers absorb the lessons of the natural world, from the human immune system to an insect-trapping plant, then tweak them to create bold, new technologies for health.Fri, 22 Mar 2013 10:00:00 GMThttp://discovermagazine.com/2013/april/15-better-nature-technologieshttp://discovermagazine.com/~/media/89D06842507D448CB43A9F2A8852634D.jpg?mw=500http://discovermagazine.com/~/media/89D06842507D448CB43A9F2A8852634D.jpg?mw=500http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/d-brief/?p=282 Roboticists have successfully colonized air, water and land with their mechanical critters. There are aerial research drones, underwater robotic gliders, robots that can roll and climb stairs.  But one consistent challenge for existing robots is walking on shifting surfaces such as sand.  A robot design published today is a good contender for solving that problem. As is often the case in modern robotics, the scientists' inspiration came from nature. Many small animals navigate sand, gravel,Thu, 21 Mar 2013 18:32:37 GMThttp://blogs.discovermagazine.com/d-brief/?p=282http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/d-brief/files/2013/03/robotlizard-1024x340.jpghttp://blogs.discovermagazine.com/d-brief/files/2013/03/robotlizard-1024x340.jpghttp://discovermagazine.com/2013/april/10-hot-scienceSwing through the stars with the Hubble telescope, taste the science at a new eatery in Portland, and get your windows robo-washed.Wed, 20 Mar 2013 10:00:00 GMThttp://discovermagazine.com/2013/april/10-hot-sciencehttp://discovermagazine.com/~/media/4A9E404F7B9847F69A0069FD76F65AC3.jpg?mw=500http://discovermagazine.com/~/media/4A9E404F7B9847F69A0069FD76F65AC3.jpg?mw=500http://discovermagazine.com/2013/april/8-powered-by-the-inner-earElectrochemical activity in the cochlea can charge tiny transmitters.Tue, 19 Mar 2013 21:30:00 GMThttp://discovermagazine.com/2013/april/8-powered-by-the-inner-earhttp://discovermagazine.com/~/media/FCBEB226694C4123B8D612E19A017BC5.jpg?mw=500http://discovermagazine.com/~/media/FCBEB226694C4123B8D612E19A017BC5.jpg?mw=500http://discovermagazine.com/2013/april/5-computing-on-the-kitchen-counterBy translating shapes into computerized images, this system can turn any surface into a touch-screen.Mon, 18 Mar 2013 10:00:00 GMThttp://discovermagazine.com/2013/april/5-computing-on-the-kitchen-counterhttp://discovermagazine.com/~/media/87865F3A36314052AF3701F729529386.jpg?mw=500http://discovermagazine.com/~/media/87865F3A36314052AF3701F729529386.jpg?mw=500