If you thought 5G wireless was fast at one Gbit/s, how does 40 Gbit/s sound? That's the new wireless data transmission record set by a team of engineers in Germany using integrated solid state mm-wave transceivers. This data transmission rate was demonstrated over a distance of one kilometer (0.6 miles) and it is hoped that such links could be used to close gaps between optical networks in rural areas at a fraction of the cost of installing optical fiber. Read More
Recently the media has been saturated with overly-hyped reports that NASA's Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) may have detected dark matter. These claims may have some justification if the word "may" is shouted, but they rest on a number of really major assumptions and guesses, some of which are on weak and shifting soil. So just what was seen in the experiment, and what are the possible explanations? Read More
Combining a quick-release plate made from aerospace grade aluminum and a sturdy flip-up accessory loop, the Fusion Plate is designed to allow photographers to quickly and easily switch between a shoulder strap and tripod. Read More
A naked flame may be dangerous in the wrong hands but it can also be beautiful and calming, a giver of heat and light, and the perfect mood setter for a quiet evening in. Candles offer an easy and relatively safe way of experiencing a continuous naked flame, it's just a shame you have to light them and extinguish them, and that they cannot be dimmed as you would an electric light bulb. Or perhaps they can. Read More
Before there was a Porsche Panamera plug-in, there was the 918 Spyder plug-in hybrid. And while the Panamera S E-Hybrid might make it to market first, the 918 is on the way, too. This week, Porsche revealed new details about the race-inspired track rocket, which serves as its most advanced, expensive sports car ever. Read More
NASA’s first asteroid sample return mission took a step closer to reality on Wednesday, as the OSIRIS-REx project was cleared for development and testing. Scheduled to launch in 2016, the mission passed a series of detailed project assessments and now goes on to the development phase. The Origins-Spectral Interpretation Resource Identification Security REgolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) is intended to rendezvous with the asteroid Bennu (1999 RQ36) in 2018, carry out an extensive survey, and return a 2-ounce (60 gm) sample of its surface to Earth in 2023. Read More
Because moths need to use every little bit of light available in order to see in the dark, their eyes are highly non-reflective. This quality has been copied in a film that can be applied to solar cells, which helps keep sunlight from being reflecting off of them before it can be utilized. Now, a new moth eye-inspired film may further help solar cells become more efficient. Read More
GoPro HERO actioncams are proving to be pretty popular with mountain bikers, although not everyone wants to wear one of the cameras on their helmet or chest. Riders can always mount it on their handlebars, although now Paul Components is offering an alternative – a GoPro mount that replaces the handlebar stem cap. Read More
There are already a wide variety of renewable energy systems that harness the power of the wind, along with some that generate power via the flow of ocean currents. According to Japanese engineering firm MODEC (Mitsui Ocean Development & Engineering Co.), however, its soon-to-be-tested SKWID system will be the first one to do both. Read More
Photographers using the Nikon 1 system will soon have another option when it comes to shooting portraits with a shallow depth-of-field, after Nikon announced the release of the 1 NIKKOR 32mm f/1.2 lens. The new lens also boasts a string of enthusiast-friendly firsts for the 1 NIKKOR line-up, including Nano Crystal Coat, Silent Wave Motor and a manual focus ring. Read More
