Posts By Popular Science

Science

New Genetic Model Accurately Predicts Who’s Likely To Live To 100

3:20AM July 3, 2010 | Popular Science

In 1997, Jeanne Louise Calment of France died at the age of 122, making her the oldest documented human to have ever lived. But is there something genetically unique about centenarians that enables them to age gracefully and relatively disease-free? More »


South Africa’s Soundproof Stadium For The World Cup

3:00PM June 2, 2010 | Popular Science

When the World Cup kicks off in South Africa, 69,070 soccer fans inside Cape Town Stadium will scream at the top of their lungs. But thanks to some clever engineering, the people living nearby will hear hardly a peep. More »


Science

Fastest Integrated Circuit Getting Close To One Terahertz

6:00AM May 29, 2010 | Popular Science

Following up on a 2007 world record for the fastest transistor speed, Northrop Grumman announced today that it has shattered the world record for integrated circuit performance, nearing one terahertz. More »


Science

NASA’s Earth Day Gift Runs On A 56,832-Core Supercomputer

3:40AM April 23, 2010 | Popular Science

Earth Week is upon us, and NASA has prepared a very special gift for the blue planet: a planetary data-crunching tool that uses a 56,832-core, 128-screen supercomputer for helping scientists work together toward better climate change research. More »


Science

When Life Flashes Before Your Eyes: A 15-Storey Drop To Study The Brain’s Internal Timewarp

3:20AM April 14, 2010 | Popular Science

Understanding how the brain perceives the passage of time could lead to treatments for mental illnesses. Why does time seem to slow down during a life-threatening situation? Our reporter falls 15 storeys to find out. More »


Science

Scientists Successfully Embed Silicon Chips Inside Human Cells

8:03AM March 18, 2010 | Popular Science

Scientists have already created mini-cyborgs out of living cells and semiconductor materials, but now biological cells can also contain tiny silicon chips, which could become sensors that monitor microscopic activities, deliver drugs to target cells or even repair cell structures. More »


Science

Scientists Transmit Broadband Signals Through Human Arm

8:59AM March 16, 2010 | Popular Science

Human skin is apparently a very energy-efficient conduit for transmitting data. A recent experiment achieved a rate of 10Mbps, which may put my internet connection to shame. The experiment used small, flexible electrodes and took place at Korea University. More »


Science

Heat-Channelling Carbon Nanotubes Produce 100x More Energy Than Li-ion Batteries

6:40AM March 10, 2010 | Popular Science

Johnny Cash can’t have known about carbon nanotubes when he sang about rings of fire, but MIT scientists have shown how they can create electrical current – about 100 times as much energy per unit of weight as lithium-ion batteries. More »


Software

Inside The Excruciatingly Slow Death Of Internet Explorer 6

10:41AM March 2, 2010 | Popular Science

It’s the bane of web designers everywhere, and it makes most modern websites look broken and horrible. So why are 20 per cent of web surfers still using it? More »


Science

Next For NASA: Inflatable Space Stations, Space UAVs And More

4:40AM February 25, 2010 | Popular Science

As we’ve been hearing for months, 2010 is going to be a year of belt-tightening for NASA. But it still has some cool technologies on the way: inflatable space stations, research into mid-orbit refuelling, and new autonomous space vehicles. More »