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Bacteria That Eat Pollution And Also Generate Electricity!
Posted by Kristin Wenzel Categories: Misc. Tech,
Scientists have been experimenting with bacteria in many forms for a long time, for many applications. Some can transform toxic waste into harmless byproducts. Others have been employed to produce electricity. And now, it looks like science hit the bonus round in discovering bacteria that produce electricity while devouring toxic waste.
“The bacteria are capable of continuously generating electricity at levels that could be used to operate small electronic devices,” says Charles Milliken of the Medical University of South Carolina, who conducted the research with colleague Harold May. “As long as the bacteria are fed fuel they are able to produce electricity 24 hours a day.”
The overachieving bacteria are called Desulfitobacteria, and they aren’t picky eaters - this type of bacteria is already well known for it’s ability to detoxify some of the worst man made toxins including many chemical solvents and PCBs. Only recently, though, did research indicate their energetic capability. Could these tiny spores provide a way to clean up some of man’s worst messes, and help prevent new ones from forming?
Read More 
| LiveScience.com
Finding a good alarm clock is a tough job if you want it to be non wearable. That being said, the iH5 looks pretty neat. This alarm clock radio is brought to us by the iHome division of SDI Technologies. The iH5 allows you to wake up to radio, buzzer, or tunes in your iPod. The best part is that while your iPod is docked and waiting to wake you up in the morning, it is also being charged. The iH5 also has the feature of gradually raising or lowering the sound level when waking and sleeping and has support for 3G/4G iPod, iPod Mini, and iPod Photo. Other non-dockable iPods and audio players may be attached using the line in port. The iH5 is expected to be available in August at a price of $99.
Read More | iPod Lounge
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I think we can all agree that the overly bland corporate environment can use any type of excitement boost that it can get, right? Right. Enter these gold plated staples. Has there ever been a smarter way to breathe new life into a product that so many take for granted? Impress your boss by turning in your next report decked out in gold. He will feel you.
Read More | Oooms via Cool Hunting
Latest Gear Live Videos
Mariko Mori’s Wave UFO combines real-time computer graphics and brainwave sensory technology to produce and audio/visual show like no other. Three viewers enter the contraption and are fitted with electrodes to monitor their brain waves. The data gathered is used to produce a one of a kind show:
This information is transformed into visual imagery and projected onto the screen: six undulating bio-amorphous cells represent the left and right lobes of each of the participants’ brains, and a waving line moves in correspondence with blinks and other facial movements. The forms change shape and color in response to three types of brainwaves. Alpha (blue) waves indicate wakeful relaxation, Beta (pink) waves indicate alertness or agitation, and Theta (yellow) waves indicate a dreamlike state. Two cells coming together demonstrate “coherence” between the two lobes of the brain. Mental functions such as thinking in other languages or doing math problems immediately transform the characteristics of the graphics.
Read More | Venice Art Biennale via WMMNA
Linksys WRTP54G VOIP Wireless Router
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Hot Deals, Misc. Tech, Wireless / WiFi,
Linksys (Cisco) and Vonage have announced a deal that allows those who currently own a router of any type to get a new WRTP54G combo 802.11g router/switch/hub/TA if they sign up for a new Vonage VOIP account. The router drops the black and blue Linksys look in exchange for the more modern silver style seen in the WRT54GX Pre-N MIMO router. While it looks good on paper, there are a couple of things you should know. First, this only works on Vonage for now - so if you get this router, you shouldn’t expect the ability to switch VOIP providers and maintain its usability. The other thing is that it can take up to three mail in rebates before the router is actually considered free.
Read More | Linksys Trade In
When you have a bunch of mustard yellow LEGO bricks and a bunch of time on your hands, what do you get? Apparently, life-size statues of two of America’s pop culture favorites - Bart Simpson and Milhouse Van Houten. The artist says that the statues weigh about 30 pounds - that’s a lot of LEGO. Milhouse even got a change of clothes since “Milhouse Blue” was unavailable. These things are so cool that they refuse to even look at the camera.
Read More | Bart and Milhouse LEGO Statues
Scientists have developed a microscopic toothbrush that is so small that it can clean the inside of a cappilary. The brush is made of carbon nanotubes, and can even paint the internals of a cappilary. Most paintbrushes are made of thin metal or animal hair, but carbon nanotubes provide the best of both worlds:
Carbon nanotubes, on the other hand, are 30 times stronger than steel, yet five times less dense. They are highly elastic, resistant to heat, have large surface areas and even conduct electricity. The latter property makes them highly suitable for the contact brushes used in electric motors, says Ajayan.
Read More | New Scientist
Electronic boards in the classrooms are becoming more popular now. Using fingers as a stylus, teachers and students are able to share assignments, surf the web, and view video all where chalkboards used to rule. Most classrooms today use a whiteboard and a projection screen for any of the fun computer stuff. Are these new boards really a great thing? In my experience, many professors prefer to ditch the projector in favor of the whiteboard since it allows them to write and draw their thoughts faster.
Read More | Wired News
No, it won’t give you gills, but a new breakthrough in SCUBA (Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus) technology could allow divers to ditch heavy compressed air tanks and bulky breathing apparatus in favor of a lightweight, less-obtrusive setup inspired by Mother Nature.
Fish “breathe” by using the dissolved oxygen in water, and until recently the best approximation that us land-lubbers could come up with was separating oxygen from water using electrolysis, which is extremely energy consumptive and not usable by all but the largest nuclear submarines and the International Space Station. However, an Israeli inventor’s vision and application of “Henry’s Law” which governs the behaviors of dissolved gases in liquid, has captured the attention of major diving companies and the Israeli military.
[Henry’s law] states that the amount of gas that can be dissolved in a liquid body is proportional to the pressure on the liquid body. The law works in both directions – lowering the pressure will release more gas out of the liquid. This is done by a centrifuge which rotates rapidly thus creating under pressure inside a small sealed chamber containing sea water. The system will be powered by rechargeable batteries. Calculations showed that a one kilo Lithium battery can provide a diver with about one hour of diving time.
This could be promising new technology to keep an eye on, for diving enthusiasts and science/technology enthusiasts alike.
Read More | IsraCast Tech News
For those of you living on the equivalent of a Gear Live editors budget, there is hope for keeping cool in the summer. Home Trends has come up with the brilliant idea of combining a standard fan with those cold packs used to keep sandwiches cool during the workday. The Frosty Fun Pack runs for about $15 USD - a lot cheaper than the more expensive alternative of actual air conditioning.
(Thanks Phil!)
Read More | Home Trends