Just Plain WEIRD #2
James Bruton’s omnidirectional, self-balancing “Screw Bike”. James Bruton – By Loz Blain 2024 Apr 22 – One of the most bizarre vehicles we’ve ever seen in motion. This jaw-dropping electric contraption rolls on four custom-made omnidirectional wheels, mounted sideways so it can self-balance like …
The algae Braarudosphaera bigelowii has been found to have absorbed a cyanobacteria called UCYN-A, which may be a huge step forward for evolution. Tyler Coale – By Michael Irving 2024 Apr 18 Last time this happened, Earth got plants. Scientists have caught a once-in-a-billion-years …
The VASA-1 AI model can generate realistic talking head video footage from a single reference photo, which is lip-synced to an audio track. Microsoft Research Asia – By Paul Ridden 2024 Apr 19 – Microsoft Research Asia has revealed an AI model that can …
Octopus suckers are made of very soft, malleable tissue – but they also secrete mucus. University of Bristol. – By Ben Coxworth 2024 Apr18 – A new octopus-sucker-inspired suction cup could make it much easier and more energy-efficient for robots to lift and release …
The FBI director, Christopher Wray, speaks during a House hearing in Washington DC on 2024 Apr 11. Photograph: Bonnie Cash/UPI/Rex/Shutterstock – Volt Typhoon hacking campaign is waiting ‘for just the right moment to deal a devastating blow’, says Christopher Wray – Reuters Last …
Beaverlab says that the Excope DT1 “pairs cutting-edge optics with advanced digital technology, transforming any smartphone into a high-performance ultra-telephoto camera” Beaverlab Tech. – By Paul Ridden 2024 Apr 18 – Tech company Beaverlab has launched a Kickstarter to raise funds for a smart …
A woman brought her seemingly dead uncle to a bank in Brazil for a loan. Photograph: @realengotv via X – Shock in Brazil after woman is arrested and charged with violating a corpse and attempted theft through fraud – Tom Phillips in Rio …
Junk food eating during adolescence can have a long-term negative effect on memory. Depositphotos – By Paul McClure 2024 Apr 16 – Eating a fatty, sugary Western diet (read: junk food) during the crucial years of brain development impairs memory long-term, new research has …
Serpent Lake wetlands in New Mexico, in an undated photo. Photograph: Jim O’Donnell/Courtesy American Rivers – America’s dirty divide – Rivers – Supreme court ruling left more than 90% of state’s surface waters with no pollution protections, since they don’t run continuously. – …
Artist’s concept of the Moon camper van. JAXA – By David Szondy 2024 Apr 14 – When NASA returns to the Moon, its astronauts will enjoy tooling around in a pressurized camper van courtesy of JAXA and Toyota. The two-person vehicle is part …
