Ice
Neutrino observatory under Antarctic ice nearing completion
After two decades of planning, the world’s first kilometer-scale neutrino observatory should finally be completed by this December. Named IceCube, it will consist of an array of 5,160 optical sensors embedded within one cubic kilometer of the Antarctic ice shelf – to put the accomplishment in perspective, one of the next-largest such observatories is just 40 cubic meters in size. Its main purpose will be to try to establish, once and for all, the source of cosmic rays. Read More
Ice cubes are so passé. We’ve already seen them challenged in their drink cooling duties by Sippin’ Rocks and now there's a new threat looming. The Ice Ball Mold transforms an irregular shaped chunk of ice into an icy sphere, which its proponents say are more desirable than cubes because they melt more slowly due to their smaller surface area - thereby keeping your drink cooler and less diluted for longer. Read More
Like most things, ice can be a blessing or a burden depending on the circumstances. It’s perfect crushed in a drink on a hot summer’s day, but can wreak havoc when it collects on roads, power lines and aircraft in freezing temperatures. A University of Pittsburgh-led team has found a way to reduce these dangers by developing a nanoparticle-based coating that can be easily applied to impede the buildup of ice on solid surfaces. Read More
Generally, ice chests are easy to move … until you fill them with drinks and ice. Then they weigh a ton and are more likely to put your back out than help you kick back and enjoy the great outdoors. Hence, Kevin Beal created the Cruzin' Cooler for those of us who take our ice chests seriously (and want to race them!). The Cruzin' Cooler is a motorized ice chest that can carry around 200lbs of cargo (including the rider), tow a cooler trailer (or three) and carry just about everything from drinks to dogs. Read More
