Not far from a kick arse gadget that Batman would own, the Solar Com-Bat Spy Plane is a surveillance device which is powered by solar, wind and vibrations, making it seem like the perfect device to use in the heat of battle. Although this bat-like spycam is only 6 inches long, it will be a huge help in gathering real-time data for soldiers, which includes tracking down sound detection, and detecting nuclear radiation and poisonous gasses. The only thing that could make this gadget cooler is if its parents—a stapler and a coffee machine—were shot by a mugger in front of its eyes, giving it a more brooding personality. [Inhabitat]

Read More »

The IBEX launch, which we previewed here at Gizmodo last Monday, went off without a hitch today. The ottoman-sized probe was strapped to a rocket that was strapped to the belly of an aeroplane, which carried it to 40,000 feet. From there, the rocket fired up and took IBEX to an orbit about 320,000km up. Fun! But it gets worse. Much worse. I hope everyone has their lead-lined fallout suits at the ready, because things could get a bit freaky in a few decades.

Read More »

What with the financial crisis and recent nuclear (dis)agreements and the possibility of having an insane (but like-able! Teehee!) person becoming the country's VP, we could be headed for a The Road by Cormac McCarthy-esque situation in the near future. And when that day comes, I'll be the person on the block with a DIY Geiger counter. Hack-n-Mod has compiled a list of the three best Geiger counter tutorials on the net. Use this one to learn everything about schematics, PCB and shielding; this one for a nifty USB interface, and--if you're feeling particularly technical--this one for a much more detailed build. Remember: in the apocalyptic future, friends don't let friends eat friends without testing them for radiation first. [Hack-n-Mod]

Read More »

If you were going to sell radioactive mobile phones loaded with tritium--from Hiroshima, Japan, no less--you should probably check to make sure that they're not twenty-six times the amount legally allowed. You know, just so you're not arrested by the cops for not having special permission from the Ministry of Science and Technology to even handle the substance. On the other hand, if you're making a living selling lanyards for between US$47 and US$61 each, we wouldn't blame you for being Johnny No-Law. [Yomiuri via CrunchGear]

Read More »

If Radiation Shield Technologies' Demron fabric pans out, maybe our dystopian, radiation-soaked future won't be so bad after all. At the very least, we'll be toasty--and fashionable too! RST says the fabric (available in full body suits, blankets, gloves and boots) protects against particle ionising/nuclear radiation, and shields against X-ray and low-energy Gamma emissions. The crazy thing is it does it all without any lead inserts, which next to a few inches of solid concrete are currently most effective defence against radiation poisoning. Instead, the material uses a proprietary nanotechnology to block a host of biological, chemical and radioactive sources. The material is damn heavy too; a 90 x 75cm blanket weighs approximately 27kg. [RST via Danger Room]

Read More »

You've probably seen the video above where people put mobile phones around popcorn kernels and pop them by making a call. Turns out that it's a slightly disingenuous video by Cardo, a Blutooth headset manufacturer, in order to scare people into thinking that mobile phones have that much radiation and they really need a headset. The viral video sure did raise awareness for the brand, but there are better ways of selling your products than to try and scare your customers into thinking they need it. [Cardo]

Read More »

This anti-terrorism concept from researchers at Purdue University puts together miniature radiation counters built right into mobile phones across the US. Each solid-state sensor would be able to sniff out radioactive sources from up to 15 feet, and then would send in the location to Homeland Security, the FBI and Jack Bauer, resulting in huge dirty-bomb surveillance system. Sounds like 24 meets Big Brother in 1984, but it is a pretty clever system and apparently it works right now.

Read More »

Extensive studies conducted by universities in the US and Sweden show that a certain dose of radio frequency before bedtime causes insomnia. While there is plenty of number crunching yet to come to determine the exact relationships between exposure to 884MHz RF and loss of sleep, the key message from one of the scientists was this: "If you feel you have trouble sleeping, you should think about not talking on a mobile phone right before you go to bed."

Read More »

Those of you who fear they've got on the wrong side of Vladimir Putin just might find the Polonium Pen a must-have. Basically a hand-made ion chamber with LED read-out, the Polonium Pen will sniff out excessive doses of the radioactive element in your cocktail, dim sum, or caviar when held over the suspect glass or dish.

Read More »

The MummyWrap is a stretchy shirt designed for pregnant moms to protect their unborn babies from electromagnetic radiation (EMR). It works by utilizing a special fabric called Swiss Shield that blocks out the EMR or "electro-smog," as they call it. Now all of the gadgety moms out there can keep on using their cellphones and Wi-Fi without fear. Of course the MummyWrap will also greatly reduce the chances that their kid will retain any kind of radiation-based superhero abilities as well. [Textually.org]