gizmag

SPACE
NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope sheds light on "alien megastructure" star
	​A new study centering around analysis of data collected by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope suggests that the mysterious objects occulting the star KIC 8462852 are not an alien megastructure, but in fact a family of comets.  read more
AROUND THE HOME
Review: bObi Pet robotic vacuum is designed to handle pet hair
	Canadian company bObsweep unveiled the bObi Pet – its latest robot vacuum cleaner, which we put it against a two-bedroom flat that hadn't been vacuumed in 10 days and is home to a pair of dogs who shed like they're filling backorders..  read more
SPACE
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope gets its first mirror
	Construction is well under way on NASA's James Webb Space Telescope – the space agency's next generation installation, scheduled to launch in 2018. The instrument is really starting to take shape, with engineers successfully installing the first of 18 mirrors. read more
MOBILE TECHNOLOGY
iPad Pro review: More like iPad Business Casual
	The iPad Pro is a strange device. Like other Apple products, it has a premium, polished design and is (in some ways) delightful to use. But it also shows Apple playing the unfamiliar role of follower – and (in some ways) not doing a particularly good job of it.  read more
ARCHITECTURE
Design chosen for car-free crossing of London's River Thames
	A winner has been selected in London's Nine Elms to Pimlico Bridge competition. The jury chose Bystrup Architecture Design and Engineering's Nine Elms Bridge unanimously from a shortlist of four, which itself was whittled down from 74 entries. It is a graceful, elegant and functional design.  read more
ARCHITECTURE
Penthouse residents in Florida to get a pool with a view
	If you like the finer things in life, then you could do worse than moving into the Ritz-Carlton Residences in US city of Sunny Isles Beach, Florida. The development's "unprecedented luxury" will stretch to terraces with private pools, Smart home technology and dog-walking services.  read more
ARCHITECTURE
Flint House declared RIBA's 2015 House of the Year
	The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has announced the winner of its prestigious House of the Year award. The award shines a light on the best of British housing design.  read more
AUTOMOTIVE
US Specialty Vehicles gives the Jeep Wrangler a mean new look
	The Jeep Wrangler remains one of the most off-road-capable 4x4s on the planet. Aftermarket builder US Specialty Vehicles sees some room for improvement in the way it expresses its intentions, though. It's created the Rhino XT, the all-terrain SUV reinvented.  read more
ARCHITECTURE
Pedestrian and cycle bridge proposed for the Thames
	reForm Architects has revealed plans for a bascule bridge for Central London. The Rotherhithe Bridge would offer cyclists and pedestrians a direct route between Canary Wharf and Rotherhithe.   read more
ELECTRONICS
Self-healing gel to repair and connect electronic circuits
	A new polymer hydrogel reassembles itself when broken, and could lead to self-healing electronic circuits (which in turn could result in sturdier, more reliable flexible electronics) as well as longer-lasting rechargeable batteries. The gel also has potential applications in soft robotics.  read more
ELECTRONICS
"Covert contacts" enable more efficient solar cell design
	Researchers at Stanford University have developed a way to make the reflective metal contacts that form grid lines on solar panels almost invisible to incoming light, thereby increasing solar panel efficiency.  read more
AUTOMOTIVE
In photos: Classics, customs and quirky creations from LA
	Beyond the brand new cars the 2015 LA Auto Show, there are plenty of other notable rides on show. In fact, some of the most interesting cars in LA are decades old – or built to look like it. Take a tour of this side of the show in our full gallery feature.  read more
ELECTRONICS
Smart chip offers a warning ahead of battery failure
	Looking to safeguard against lithium-ion battery failure, a team of scientists has developed a smart chip that can be embedded inside these batteries to monitor their health, offering a warning when they're at risk of catching fire or exploding. ​  read more
SCIENCE
Discovery of corrosion-resistant "stainless magnesium" to enable lightweight vehicles
	Australian researchers have discovered an ultra-low density and corrosion-resistant magnesium-lithium alloy that could greatly reduce the weight of cars and planes, in what they describe as the first step toward mass production of stainless magnesium. ​​  read more
MOBILE TECHNOLOGY
2015 Smartphone Comparison Guide
	If you're shopping for a smartphone, this is the best time of year to do it. Let Gizmag help with your decision, as we compare the best smartphones of 2015.  read more
OUTDOORS
Zombait brings new "life" to dead bait fish
	​When it comes to angling for big predatory fish, live bait is almost always the best way to go. Those bait fish must be kept in a special "live well" aboard the boat, however. That's why Magurobotics created the Zombait – it makes dead bait fish move as if they're still alive.​  read more
SPACE
Novel theory explains carbon levels in the modern Martian atmosphere
	Mars is thought to have once had a thicker atmosphere, but detected levels of carbon don't play nice with atmospheric loss theories. Now, a team of researchers believes it may have solved the problem, with a new theory that explains the issue by means of two simultaneous mechanisms.​​  read more
DIGITAL CAMERAS
2015 Mid-Range and Enthusiast DSLR Comparison Guide
	Are you looking to upgrade from an entry-level DSLR to something a bit more powerful? We try to make the decision a bit easier by putting some of the best mid-range and enthusiast DSLRs side-by-side and comparing their key specs and features.  read more
SPACE
New study reveals mechanism behind extreme mass loss in hypergiant dying stars
	Through observations of a red hypergiant known as VY Canis Majoris, astronomers have unraveled the mystery as to how stars shed vast quantities of mass before going supernova.   read more
SCIENCE
Tiny sea creatures could provide inspiration for armor with built-in optical systems
	MIT researchers have looked at the unique shells of chitons, using X-rays to discover their secrets. The results reveal a no-compromise setup that provides the tiny sea creatures with both protection and optical visibility. The findings could one day inspire man-made armor with similar abilities.  read more
ELECTRONICS
Poco serves as actioncam, multimedia player, gaming machine and more
	The Poco pocket-sized "supercomputer" is built around a Raspberry Pi compute module, and can be a bike-mounted actioncam, hi-res music player, handheld gaming console or portable web browser.  read more
TINY HOUSES
Thoreau's Cabin is at one with nature
	Thoreau's Cabin is an off-grid shelter in Utrecht, Netherlands. It features large sliding doors that open it up to the outside and a wood-burning stove used for heating and cooking.   read more
ROBOTICS
Pine cones inspire microbots powered by changes in humidity
	As strange as it sounds, the future of skin care could involve tiny robots powered by changes in humidity. This week, a group of researchers shared their research into creating such devices, inspired by the slow motions of plants.  read more
ARCHITECTURE
The Bride vertical city will marry ambition and innovation
	Basra, Iraq, is known as "the bride of the gulf," after its life-supporting fertile lands. Building vertically instead of outwards is one way to protect those lands and the new Bride vertical city does just that. It has its own own neighborhoods, schools, clinics and transport system. read more
COMPUTERS
Slice of Pi gets even cheaper
	It's now over three years since the first cheap-as-chips Raspberry Pi project boards started shipping. There have been numerous attempts to steal Pi's thunder of late, and the Raspberry Pi Foundation has responded with a new addition called the Pi Zero, which comes with a US$5 price tag.  read more
DIGITAL CAMERAS
Bonhams auctions rare spy camera
	A piece of Cold War memorabilia is going on sale in Hong Kong as Bonhams auctions a rare spy camera disguised as a packet of Lucky Strike cigarettes. The high precision 16 mm stills camera was made in 1949 or 1950 for the US Signal Corps and is believed to be one of only two in existence.  read more
AUTOMOTIVE
Alpina B5 Bi-turbo ups the power of BMW's M5
	In the world of tuning, there's no such thing as too much power. BMW's 560-hp (418-kW) M5 is already an absolute powerhouse, but the engineers at Alpina have decided that there's a market for a more powerful, more luxurious 5 Series in the form of the B5 Biturbo.   read more
AUTOMOTIVE
Volkswagen rolls out 3D smartglasses to factory workers
	Volkswagen is presenting 3D smart glasses to workers at its plant in Wolfsburg, Germany. The Google Glass Explorer Edition glasses will be used by plant logistics operators to help with order-picking for parts such as windshields and driveshafts.  read more
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