Six Ways Mushrooms Can Save the World

In this highly interesting video presentation, Mycologist Paul Stamets shows us 6 ways how mushrooms could possibly help save our lives, restore our ecosystems, and even transform other worlds.

An Animated Aurora Borealis, As Seen From Orbit

In the following video, you’ll see an animated photo montage by NASA Astronaut Don Pettit, who while in orbit, took a series of shots of an Aurora Borealis in Earth’s atmosphere, to later assemble them to recreate the impressive phenomenon.

The Levitating Water Machine

Isn’t amazing how something as mundane and insignificant as a strobe light can create such a cool effect? Set this up in your company’s lobby area to wow visitors and potential business partners. Who knows? This may actually help you close that important deal that was so crucial to the survival of your company!

[Via [H]]

The Geek Guide to Holiday Gift-Giving

By Casey Lynn
Contributing Writer, [GAS]

It’s that time of year again! It’s “Black Friday,” when the masses crowd the malls, every man for himself (hey, that sounds like a plot from a zombie movie). Shopping for your favorite geek can be tough, so we at [GAS] are here to help. A lot of guides like this are focused on the hottest gadgets for the holidays… but we figure you already know about those. This list is a little more off the beaten path–gifts for your geek, or even gifts from a geek, if you’re looking for your own stamp of individuality in your gift-giving. And of course, there’s the added bonus that even if you buy these items today, you can do so while sitting in your underwear at your computer.

ISS Astronauts to Drink Recycled Pee

After five days of work, astronauts aboard the Endeavour shuttle have succeeded in the ultimate feat of recycling—turning urine into water. This is thanks to a new machine that should help more people live aboard the International space station at one time.

The urine recycler will be part of a more widely used water recycling system, now valued at $154 million. Since the ISS crew will grow from three to six people in 2009, the use of this new machine is crucial for the station to have a sufficient drinking-water supply. But before putting the new pee-cleaning device online, samples of the liquid will be taken back to Earth for further analysis.

This makes me think of the desert suits worn by the people of Arrakis in Dunes (The book or movie), where all moisture, including urine, is processed and filtered to be fed back to the wearer.

Somehow, this just doesn’t sound right, but hey, drinking a neighbor’s processed pee is always better than dying of dehydration, isn’t it?

Seagate’s New Viral Nercore Rap Ad is… Actually Good?

Ok, don’t get me wrong, I don’t really like that kind of music… but you have to admit that some efforts were actually put into this video, and the result is surprisingly good (When compared to this at least!). Called “Stack the Memory”, the song is performed by the Sniper Twins, two white rappers who sing about how they need to upgrade their beloved Mac.

Tilt-Shift Time-Lapse Demolition Derby Video

Photograph extraordinaire Keith Loutit amazes us again with a new tilt-shift time-lapse video produced during a demolition derby event. Seeing all those scrap cars, monster trucks, and even a humongous Godzilla, going around an arena like harmless toys in a sandbox is both awesome and hilarious.

Ready to see more? Be sure to check out these other amazing tilt-shift time-lapse videos as well.

Sixense Truemotion 3D System Makes Nintendo’s Wiimote Look Like Junk

Even if the Wiimote was revolutionary when it initially came out, it really can’t compare to the motion-sensing capabilities of Sixense’s new Truemotion 3D system. Check out the video — it’ll blow you away.

Rather than using an accelerometer like the Wiimote, the Truemotion system uses a magnetic field to track both of your hands at the same time in real, 3D space, with a very fast, 10-millisecond refresh rate and accuracy of up to a millimeter. Let’s just hope that this kind of system will one day be cheap enough to be implemented in our favorite gaming consoles.

[Sixense via Gizmodo]