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They say life imitates art, but any scientist knows that the best designs imitate life. Researchers from the MIT Institute for Soldier Nanotechnologies (ISN) are drawing new biomimicry inspiration for body armor design from a hardy ocean snail that boasts a shell structure unlike anything else seen in nature... or in material research labs. Read More

China's consumer electronics manufacturer Dexim has announced the release of a multi-functional power case to complement the new iPod Nano 5G. Coming with a powerful flashlight to help shoot video in low light conditions, a built-in speaker for desktop listening and an antenna for improved FM radio reception, the DVA004 will also gives extended play courtesy of its lithium battery pack. Read More

We need a name to describe that sensation you often get, in an office or out in public, that someone’s looking at your computer screen from behind you. Screen-dropping? Shoulder-surfing? Whatever it’s called, it’s annoying – and a potential security threat. Baltimore company Oculis, has developed a program that tracks an authorized reader's eyes to show only them the correct text. Anyone else looking at the screen will see only gobbledygook Read More

Is it a bird, a plane, a UFO, or a piece of space junk hurtling towards Earth minutes away from catastrophe? Hopefully, before too long we won’t have to guess. The U.S. Air Force has awarded USD$30 million contracts to defense technology specialists Raytheon, Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin to help create the prototype of a new situational awareness network dubbed "Space Fence". The Space Fence system will enable the Air Force to better detect, report and track very small objects in low Earth orbit. Read More

They are now the most powerful lobbying force in the land. You can see the results of their campaigns on park benches, on street corners, on station platforms – and now their hectoring signage is sprouting on desolate beaches and once unspoiled stretches of moorland. They are more energetic than the RSPCA. They are more effective than the birdwatchers, the child‑protectors and the petrolheads put together. Indeed, for manic dedication they are only rivaled by Fathers4Justice. Ladies and gentlemen, let's have a big hand for this year's winner of the prize for the Most Successful Special Interest Group. I give you – the Royal Society for the Extremely Stupid. Read More

Responsible IT departments have well established data backup procedures and disaster recovery plans to cope with the unexpected. But some threats to IT infrastructure - like the dust created by building works in the vicinity of sensitive and valuable hardware - are known about in advance. To cater for such scenarios, Carcoon, the UK manufacturer of inflatable covers for cars and motorcycles, has developed the Server Shield. Read More

June 4, 2007 We've spoken previously about the amazing heatproofing properties of Zircotec's ceramic thermal coating. Extremely heat resistant, the coating has been put to use by several Formula One teams to move heat out of the engine bays of their race cars. Now it seems this highly effective spray-on coating could have a part to play in emissions reduction and assisting engine manufacturers in meeting the strict Euro 5 emissions standards while contributing to power increases. Read More