The BLOG: 1/1/12

Saturday, January 07, 2012

Two guys from MIT had a cool idea. One of the coolest devices with the greatest amount of potential I've seen in quite a while was the result.

Two guys from MIT had a cool idea. One of the coolest devices with the greatest amount of potential I've seen in quite a while was the result.:

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Apollo 10 Earthrise Footage [Video]

Apollo 10 Earthrise Footage [Video]:

Captured by the Apollo X mission back in 1969, this footage of our planet rising over the moon is the perfect way to start the day!

[Via]

Friday, January 06, 2012

What Appliances Are Worth Upgrading? [Ask Lifehacker]

What Appliances Are Worth Upgrading? [Ask Lifehacker]:

Click here to read What Appliances Are Worth Upgrading?

Dear Lifehacker, More »

Thursday, January 05, 2012

ShapeLock -- Shape-then-lock Design Plastic

Build your invention now without machine tools. Create super-strong custom parts, prototypes, molds, servo brackets, robot housings, sculptures, science projects, and more. It's rapid prototyping using only your hands!

Space-age plastic melts in a microwave or hot water at 160oF, then remains safely moldable by hand until it cools and locks rigidly at room temperature. Simply reheat to re-shape as often as you like.

This easy-to-use, exciting material is non-toxic, lightweight, machine-able, and paint-able, plus it can be even be colored with hobby-shop pigments. Full instructions are included.

Tuesday, January 03, 2012

Mathemagician Vi Hart Explains Spirals and Fibonacci Numbers in Doodles and Vegetables

Mathemagician Vi Hart Explains Spirals and Fibonacci Numbers in Doodles and Vegetables:

What snuggled-up slug cats have to do with the math of cosmic wonder and simple beginnings.

You may recall mathemagician Vi Hart from her delightful stop-motion explanation of the Victorian novella Flatland on a Möbius strip and her ingenious illustrated unpacking of the science of sound, frequency, and pitch. Her latest doodletastic gem explores the mathematics of spirals and Fibonacci numbers through pine cones, cauliflower, pineapples, artichokes, and daisies.

It seems pretty cosmic and wondrous, but the cool thing about the Fibonacci series and spiral is not that it’s this big, complicated, mystical, magical supermath thing beyond the comprehension of our puny human minds that shows up mysteriously everywhere. We’ll find that these numbers aren’t weird at all — in fact, it would be weird if they weren’t there. The cool thing about it is that these incredibly intricate patterns can result from utterly simple beginnings.”

This is the first installment in Hart’s trilogy on the subject — keep an eye out for the two forthcoming parts.

For more on Fibonacci numbers, meet the man after whom they were named, a young Medieval mathematician who changed the very fabric of our lives — from our calendar to our business to the evolution of technology — when he wrote Liber Abbaci, Latin for Book of Calculation, in 1202. His story is one of the best science books of 2011 — riveting, important, and unmissable.

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The Best Time to Buy Anything in 2012 [Best Time To Buy]

The Best Time to Buy Anything in 2012 [Best Time To Buy]:

Click here to read The Best Time to Buy Anything in 2012

A bit of planning can save you a ton of money when it comes to buying... well, just about anything. Here's your comprehensive guide on the best times to buy everything in 2012. More »