Gravity
October 1, 2005 The 2005 Xtreme Gravity Racing Series has been run and won, with yet another quantum leap forward in corporate support, automotive company participation and global recognition for the sport attempting to bring soapbox racing into the 21st century. Nissan proved to be the ultimate winner of the series from the gravity racers of Volvo and Chrysler and it was also clocked at the fastest speed - 52.38 mph – in the second and final race of the 2005 series at Irvine, california. The two vastly different courses saw five different teams on the podium with Nissan Design America (NDA)winning overall courtesy of the best aggregate time at Jack’s Peak and Irvine where it placed second and third respectively. Chrysler won the day at Jack’s Peak and Audi won outright at Irvine. Most impressive of all was the opportunity to see the exquisite design work of the contenders – see the extensive photo gallery of the racing with close-ups of the Xtreme Gravity Machines inside. Read More
Nissan Wins Best in Design at Extreme Gravity Racer Series
August 20, 2005--Nissan Design America (NDA), known for designing cutting-edge vehicles, has used its automotive design expertise to win the Best in Design Category at the 5th Annual 2005 Extreme Gravity Racing Series held yesterday atop Jack's Peak Drive. Dubbed the Nissan Flying Torpedo, this sleek race machine competed with ten other automotive manufacturers for charity. Read More
January 30, 2005 Experiments on moss grown aboard two Space Shuttle missions showed the plants didn't behave as scientists expected them to in the near-absence of gravity. The common roof moss (Ceratodon purpureus) grew in striking, clockwise spirals, according to Fred Sack. He is the study's lead investigator and professor of plant cellular and molecular biology at Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio. Read More
The concept of sustained flight without the use of fuel seems far reaching even by today's advanced aviation standards. Even more so when you consider that aircrafts should ideally be able to carry heavy loads of passengers and cargo. However one innovator's astounding new designs could transform the air transport industry of the 21st Century if they turn out to be valid Read More
The origins of the soapbox derby or billykart race are not well documented, or so we thought. Volvo's press release on its Extreme Gravity car dates the first organised soapbox derby in 1933 at Dayton Ohio, USA. Regardless of the accuracy of that claim, the Volvo Extreme Gravity Racer is far removed from those original vehicles. Comprised of water-jet-cut high-strength aluminum, carbon fiber composite and fiberglass, the machine is a feast for the eyes of anyone who has ever built such a gravity machine. Read More
