6 January, 2009

Tricked by optical illusions

Llilac chaser

Click on the image and stare at the center cross for at least 30 seconds to experience the three phenomena of the illusion. Lilac chaser is a visual illusion, also known as the Pac-Man illusion. It consists of 12 lilac (or pink, rose or magenta), blurred disks arranged in a circle (like the numbers on […]

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Humans, Neuroscience
16 December, 2008

Why a Speeding Shark is Like a Golf Ball

Shortfin Mako Shark

Shortfin mako sharks can shoot through the ocean at up to 50 miles per hour (80 kilometres an hour). This is possible by a trick the sharks apply: they can raise their scales to create tiny wells across the surface of their skin, reducing drag like the dimples on a golf ball. The minute scales […]

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Humans, Nature, Robotics
7 December, 2008

Amazing close-up

Amazing close-up

A female Anopheles mosquito acts as a deadly hypodermic, injecting the malaria parasite when she feeds on human blood. Nearly half a billion people get malaria each year. More than a million die. After decades of neglect, the world is renewing its fight against the disease. Color-synthesizing scanning electron microscope image by David Scharf. Copyrighted […]

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Nature, Photo's
15 November, 2008

Smart self navigating pill finds its way

Smart self navigating pill finds its way

The research department of Philips has developed a pill, the iPill, which navigates individually in the intestines to locate the right destination to release the medicines. The trick is that the pill is equipped with sensors that measure the acidity and temperature, therefore the location of the gastrointestinal tract. The sensors are controlled by a […]

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Drugs, Humans
17 October, 2008

Robotic plant saving the planet

Robotic plant saving the planet

The robot research laboratory at Chonnam National University has developed a robotic plant that humidifies, oxygenates, emits aroma and moves. All characteristics were copied from normally grown for ornamental plants. Being 130 cm tall and 40 cm in diameter and consists of a pot, a stem, and five buds of a flower reminiscent of a […]

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Humans, Nature, Robotics