The idea is that travelling by way of these gravitational currents would save drastically on fuel, as it would only be needed to correct course or move between currents. Sadly, it’s not exactly a fast way to travel and “attempting to get a free tube ride from Earth to Mars would take thousands of years”. Ah, well. At least it proves that some sci-fi writers weren’t complete nutters. [Telegraph]

Apparently, the job pays as much as $US160 a day—which means I could earn an extra $US5,000 per month writing for Giz while lying down and peeing into a bedpan. Sounds like a dream come true, but I will not be signing up. You see, these “pillownauts” experience nasty side effects like sore feet, muscle weakness, headaches, toothaches and runny noses/eyes. Plus, I would think that lying on your back for weeks on end like that would drive you to madness.

Still, this is what our astronauts will have to contend with should we make extended trips to the Moon and, eventually, Mars—so it is a necessary evil. But the question remains: could you handle this for a month in the name of science? [PopSci]

We already knew that the Concord C1 QuantumGravity could counteract the forces of gravity thanks to 18th century technology that involves the escapement and balance wheel being mounted inside a rotating cage—but it appears that the mechanism also includes a “liquid featuring green phosphorescent nanoparticles” encased inside a vertical tube. Apparently, this fluid is used to indicate the power levels remaining in the 3-day reserve. To be perfectly honest, the press release describing the watch and its mechanisms is is pretty damn convoluted (unless you are a master watchmaker), but it will undoubtedly prove popular when it is unveiled at the Baselworld 2009 show next week. [WatchLuxus and C1 Quantumgravity]

Li Wei was born in Hunan province and moved to Beijing in the early 90s. He has had his work exhibited all over the world-most recently in the Mogadishni Cph gallery in Denmark. Check out more of his crazy stuff here. [56minus1]

Tourbillion watches, like this one, are able to tell time with extreme accuracy because its escapement and balance wheel is mounted inside a rotating cage—allowing it to counteract the forces of gravity. So, by claiming that it can defy the laws of gravity, they are basically hyping a technology that has been around since the late 18th century. Nonetheless, the inner workings of this watch look pretty damn awesome, although I haven’t the faintest idea how you will tell time with it when the final product is released in March. [Watchluxus via DVICE via OhGizmo]

Poor Matt found out the hard way. After plunking down $US3,500 for a ticket on a Zero G vomit comet plane ride, he tried to film his low gravity jig no less than 15 times before giving up. The brand new camera just would not record.

Why? Well, it had nothing to do with the cameraman and everything to do with zero gravity (actually, microgravity). Because an object in microgravity is actually falling towards the Earth, the camera’s hard drive drop-protection kept kicking in, rendering the expensive device useless.

The solution was to buy another ticket and another HD camera, this time with a flash drive. The result is below at around the 3:50 mark (alternatively, you can head to YouTube and watch the entire video again in HD—it’s better that way).

Now, obviously, NASA astronauts and probes have HD cameras that work just fine in orbit around the Earth and elsewhere in the solar system, so this little anecdote is meant more for the uber rich space tourists. Leave your non-flash camera rigs at home. [Pogue]

Sorry, Chris. Hate to break it to you but the Russians have you beat. Their capsule pulled 10 g’s reentering Earth’s atmosphere the other day and they weren’t even trying. Literally. [Pyroelectro via Neatorama]

That’s because a group of physicists claim to have figured out how to reverse what’s known as the Casimir force, causing objects to repel from each other rather than be attracted. What’s that mean? Hoverboards, bro. So what is this wacky Casimir force?

The force is due to neither electrical charge or gravity, for example, but the fluctuations in all-pervasive energy fields in the intervening empty space between the objects and is one reason atoms stick together, also explaining a “dry glue” effect that enables a gecko to walk across a ceiling.

I… see. Whatever, all that matters is that this could allow for levitation, which is absolutely bananas. [Telegraph]

CATEGORIES: Gadgets, hoverboards, Jaws 19 coming soon, Science

AU: I have to shout out to an old friend who did this joke as a voice over back in my university revue days. Circa 1997? Onya Geoff. Anyway, an oldie, but if you haven’t heard it before, it’s a great geek gag! -SB

Once the cat and toast have been properly joined together with the butter side facing away from the fur step back and enjoy, because there is no way for this paired object to reach the ground according to our newly proven scientific laws. Think about it, if the toast were about to land buttered side down that would void the kitten from landing on its feet. However, if the kitten was to land on its paws then the buttered side of the toast wouldn’t be face down on the floor. There is no conceivable way for them both to land.

There you have it, the first ever kitten n’ toast anti-gravity device. Now we must work on securing them to snowboards only then will we be on to something truely great.

Cats Anti-Gravity Device [Funnymos]