Nevada likes eggplant. Oklahoma’s into ghosts. And Vermont is all about the poop. That’s the somewhat unscientific conclusions of SwiftKey, which decided to publicise its app by looking at the pattern of emoji use among its customers in different states. Contrary to some reports, the map above is not a depiction of the most popular […]
Most kids come up with the idea of a space elevator, but one firm has been granted a patent on a way to make it work. Thoth Technology of Ontario says its 20 kilometer tower would primarily be a way to get people into space using 30 percent less fuel than launching from the ground. […]
When is a one-in-25 billion shot not a one-in-25 billion shot? Let us eggsplain. Alan Millar got a particularly bountiful treat when he ordered ham, egg and chips (aka fries) in a British pub: staff who cracked the two eggs to fry for the meal found one with a double yolk and one with a triple […]
200 university academics have criticized a report linking video games to violent behavior. They say the study from the American Psychological Association failed to properly assess the credibility of its source material. The APA recently released an initial report of a task force made up of seven scientists. They did not carry out a study […]
A portable, handheld console that plays games from STEAM? I. Must. Have. One. Smach Zero, the third-party handheld console for Steam games, will open for pre-order on November 10 at an early bird price of US$299. (IGN)
Apple has finally brought in the “obvious” solution to the problem of phones latching on to Wi-Fi even when the connection sucks. The latest beta of iOS 9 includes a feature called Wi-Fi Assist. It’s designed to deal with the way iPhones currently default to connecting to a Wi-Fi network (and stick with that connection) […]
The organization behind Blu-ray has agreed a 4K movie disc standard. The first players and discs should be on sale before Christmas. The discs will formally be known as Ultra-HD Blu-ray format. They’ll support resolution up to 3840 x 2160, along with 60fps frame rate and a wider color range than is currently used on […]
Airbus has received a patent for a plane that could cross the Atlantic in an hour. It won’t be flying any time soon, though, and it would be far from luxurious. The proposed plane has been described as hypersonic, though at 4.5 times the speed of sound that’s slightly below the most common interpretation of […]
A 3D printed pill has become the first such drug to get Food and Drug Administration approval. The benefits include the ability to precisely control dosage. The drug from Aprecia has the brand name SPRITAM and is a form of levetiracetam. It’s primarily designed as a way to control seizures in people with epilepsy. While […]
NASA is now working with the Department of Energy on possible ways of dealing with a short-notice asteroid strike. In a move reminiscent of Hollywood, the agencies may consider some genuinely nuclear options. The partnership is between NASA and the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), a Department of Energy Agency that works both to maintain the […]