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ENVIRONMENT Hottest half-year on record sinks Arctic ice to new lows As Earth sweated through its hottest six-month period on record, analysis of the same timeframe has revealed record-breaking shrinking of Arctic sea ice, with total coverage at the height of the melting season now 40 percent less than in the late 1970s. ​​Read more SPACE Fortieth anniversary of Viking invasion of Mars On July 20, 1976, the unmanned Viking 1 lander became the first spacecraft to successfully land and operate on the surface of Mars. More than just a technological achievement, this feat completely altered our views of the Red Planet and paved the way for an ambitious new generation of Mars missions.Read more HEALTH & WELLBEING Review: Space-age thermometer makes you want to take your temperature too much Gizmag gots its hands (and forehead) on the new Thermo temporal artery thermometer from Withings and we've found it hard to do much else but take our temperature with it all day long.Read more WEARABLES Signia Pure primax hearing aid: "Audio radar" that zeroes in on what you want to hear Hearing aids aren't an easy product type to review, but we have some long-term impressions of our time using the new Signia primax hearing aids, with automatic "audio radar."Read more VR Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080: This ferocious graphics card pulled us even further into VR Nvidia's new GTX 1080 is the new high-end benchmark not just for PC gaming, but specifically for VR. To what degree does it improve the VR experience over the minimum-specced GPU? Read on for our review.Read more DIGITAL CAMERAS Wolffepack swings back into town with a trapeze backpack for photographers Wolffepack has created a photography-focused version of its trapeze-style backpack. As with previous models, the Wolffepack Capture can quickly be released from a wearer’s back and swung to their front thanks to the firm’s quirky access system, but now also features custom camera protection.Read more OUTDOORS Wearable walkie-talkie keeps groups connected during adrenaline sports Reaching into your pocket to answer the phone just isn't an option when you're charging down a snow-covered mountain or white-knuckling a set of mountain bike grips. So the all-new Bonx rides on your ear and streamlines communications in the field. Read more BIOLOGY Scientists "outsmart Mother Nature" to combat deadly virus Scientists have developed a method to combat coxsackievirus B. Described as a "genetic poison pill," the technique, which restricts the ability of the virus to replicate and can even cause it to self-destruct, could lead to a vaccince against it and similar viruses.Read more MUSIC Ropes in-ear headphones cut the cord – sort of Beats headphones have had a huge impact on the audio world since the first set of Studios sold in 2008. They’ve spawned countless products trying to recreate their style and sound, but none have quite the same potential to replicate the magic as Ropes. Read more DRONES Walkera’s new superzoom camera drone can spot you a mile away Walkera's new flagship camera drone packs a 16x optical zoom lens capable of a 1500mm focal length. Plus, with both the drone and the controller connected to 4G wireless internet, there’s no limit on control range - you could literally fly this thing from the other side of the world.​Read more SCIENCE Same object, different sound thanks to acoustic voxels ​3D-printed earmuffs that suppress wind noise while amplifying car horns, and objects encoded with unique audio barcodes, are just a couple of the devices that could be on the way, thanks to a new system that allows specific acoustic properties to be implanted into 3D-printed objects.Read more AUTOMOTIVE Bentley accessorizes the Bentayga into a fly fisherman's utility vehicle Bentley is showing one particular set of outdoorsmen how Mulliner can customize a Bentayga SUV around their needs. The Bentayga Fly Fishing by Mulliner is the ultimate ultra-premium fly fisherman's carriage.Read more ENERGY High capacity, low-cost flow battery powers up with the help of vitamins Using modified B2 vitamin molecules, researchers at Harvard University have created a rechargeable flow battery that could help revolutionize large-scale electricity storage from intermittent energy sources, such as solar and wind, with its low-cost, high-capacity capabilitiesRead more DRONES Mine-hunting drone could make the world a safer place The Mine Kafon Drone is designed to seek and destroy buried landmines. Its creator, Massoud Hassani, hopes to rid the world of such mines within 10 years.Read more SCIENCE Activating natural "fire alarm" in plants could help crops beat drought Plants can tell when they are facing the threat of a drought, thanks to an enzyme that senses drought conditions. A new study identified the enzyme and hopes it will lead to the development of a chemical or method that can protect crops during droughts.Read more MARINE Modular inflatable electric surfboard jets to 29 mph Lampuga, the maker of one of the world's fastest electric surfboards, now makes it easier to get out onto the water and motor your way to fast-paced thrills. Its Air board is an inflatable jet-drive surfboard designed to pack small and ride fast.Read more ENVIRONMENT Port of LA to open world’s first off-grid terminal The Port of Los Angeles is breaking ground on what will be the world’s first marine terminal able to generate all of its energy needs from renewable sources, using zero and near-zero emission technologies. The onsite, 1.03-megawatt solar micro-grid will power zero-emissions cargo moving vehicles. Read more SPACE Kepler takes in a haul of over 100 exoplanets An international team of astronomers has confirmed the existence of over a hundred previously unknown exoplanets, including two potentially habitable worlds.Read more ROBOTICS UK power station demolished by an international team — of robots ​A power station in the UK county of Oxfordshire was demolished on July 17. Following the tragic death of four workers on the site, the location was deemed too dangerous for the project to continue as normal, leading the team to turn to a series of robotic workers to get the job done.Read more DIGITAL CAMERAS Big plans for "world’s smallest" 360-degree camera The Nico360 is the latest camera to throw its hat into the growing ring of 360-degree-shooters. Currently on Indiegogo, the 360 camera is billed as the “world’s smallest” but still manages to squeeze in live streaming, built-in stitching, and water resistance.Read more MOTORCYCLES Piaggio gives mid-size Vespas more power In an effort to continue to improve upon the Vespa line, Piaggio recently replaced its Vespa LX and S models with the upgraded Primavera and Sprint, both of which now get the company's i-Get engine introduced in the Piaggio Medley in 2015.​Read more ARCHITECTURE Solar shelter shines a light on refugee integration One of the problems that can arise when providing housing for asylum seekers is that communities can see a burden, but not necessarily a benefit. The SolarCabin refugee shelter is designed to tackle this, with a large solar array used to produce electricity that can help power the local area.Read more MUSIC Audio cassettes get new lease of life in analog synth Scott Campbell has found a new use for the rarely used audio cassette tape. Onde Magnétique's OM-1 analog synth manipulates the pitch and volume of a sound recorded on a standard cassette.Read more CHILDREN Kinsa calls on Elmo for its kid-friendly smart ear thermometer Kinsa has launched an Elmo-branded version of its smart ear thermometer which it hopes will make taking the temperature of ill kids easier. An app for the new thermometer will feature the voice of the Sesame Street character delivering temperature readings and telling kids to feel better soon.Read more 3D PRINTING 3D-printed orthotic boot lets injured penguin waddle with the best of 'em 3D printing technology has plenty to offer the animal kingdom, as a disabled African penguin came to learn after slipping into a custom-made 3D-printed orthotic boot and regaining the ability to walk unimpeded.Read more ROBOTICS BratWurst Bot serves up brats in Berlin Earlier this month, a cybernetic, one-armed sausage chef called BratWurst Bot served up steady stream of German bangers for a celebrity crowd as a technology demonstrationRead more AUTOMOTIVE Mitsubishi's dual-screen experience provides a virtual test drive Mitsubishi has launched Mirage G4 Night Drive, a dual-screen interactive test drive for its new 2017 Mirage G4. The experience meshes a smartphone and a desktop or notebook computer to highlight the car's features in a virtual test drive you can do from home.Read more SPECIAL PROMOTION FOR GIZMAG READERS Land Your Next Big Job with the Project Management Training Bundle, Now Just $69 Part of the process of earning a top-paying project management job is earning the certifications that recruiters are looking for in candidates. This in-depth bundle will offer you training for many of the most popular exams available, including the gold standard: PMP. Not only will you learn broad concepts for effectively running projects and managing team members, but you'll prep for the exams that will prove your knowledge in the eyes of the companies doing the hiring.Read more