A new technology presented in the New Journal of Physics may lead to completely soundproof homes, cars, or any other space using a meta-material called sonic crystals. One of the developers, who is not Reed Richards but Dr José Sánchez-Dehesa of the Polytechnic University of Valencia, Spain, says that this “acoustic cloaking will deviate sound waves around the object that has to be cloaked.”
Doctor Who fans can now get their hands on the Master’s laser screwdriver. Darth Vader to the Time Lord’s Luke (father-son relationship aside), the Master’s laser screwdriver is more powerful than Doctor Who’s—well, that’s what you’d think, wouldn’t you? Although you can get a simultaneous blast from all three laser barrels, not to mention the Pew Pew Pew, it’s not multi-talented like the Doctor’s version. Can you write a list for the weekly shop with this version? No you can’t. Those eight-and-a-half inches of pleasure (when extended) will set you back US$18.99. [ThinkGeek]
Squirrels. They’re rats with fluffier tails, and the little bastards used to steal the peaches off of my grandma’s trees while our brilliant but useless dog watched. Sonic repellents are nothing new (for animals or people), but the Mega Sonic Scatter-Cat adds a mega-dose of cheap toy cheesiness, making noise assaults on furry pests mildly more entertaining. Plus, laser sight! And it’s only like US$20. I’d pay an extra 10 bucks for a youngster setting. [Maplin via Crave]
And so, the true ruler of the Dark Side was subtly revealed; Dr Robotnik, how we underestimated you. [Boing Boing]
