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| SPACE |
| Closest potentially habitable planet found just 14 light years away |
 | A team of astronomers at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) have announced the discovery of what could be the closest habitable planet beyond the Solar System. Orbiting the red dwarf star Wolf 1061 in the constellation of Ophiuchus, the planet is only 14 light years from Earth. read more |
| HOME ENTERTAINMENT |
| Review: Sugr Cube is a music streaming box of tricks |
 | The Sugr Cube is a portable, Wi-Fi-enabled speaker block that plays tunes from multiple sources and packs a powerful audio punch for such a small unit. We tested the Kickstarter-funded speaker to see how it measures up against comparable speakers offered by the likes of Sonos. read more |
| SPACE |
| James Webb Space Telescope set to be lifted into orbit atop an Ariane 5 launch vehicle |
 | ​ESA has announced the finalization of a contract with Arianespace that will see its next generation James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) lift off into Earth orbit atop an Ariane 5 launch vehicle. The ascent will take place from the agency's spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana in Oct. 2018. read more |
| AUTOMOTIVE |
| California drafts road rules for autonomous cars, upsets Google |
 | To many, the concept of self-driving cars will still seem absurd. In California, however, they are very real. Not only has testing been allowed on its public roads since last year, but the California Department of Motor Vehicles has now drafted regulations for the public use of autonomous cars. read more |
| GOOD THINKING |
| SkySaver offers escape from a burning high-rise |
 | Being trapped on an upper floor of a burning high-rise is the stuff of nightmares, but SkySaver could offer a means of escape. It's worn on the back like a backpack and allows the user to abseil out of a window and reach the ground in one piece. read more |
| MUSIC |
| Dry Switch EQ debuts with RevStar guitars |
 | Yamaha has launched a new series of solid body electric guitars inspired by café racer style motorbikes of the 1960s. Seven of the RevStar range include Yamaha's Dry Switch tone technology that essentially replaces coil split wiring found in some guitars with passive filtering circuitry. read more |
| SCIENCE |
| New glass coating could lead to omnidirectional solar panels |
 | Researchers have developed a special glass coating they claim could enable panels to soak up sunlight from multiple angles, significantly boosting cell efficiency and energy yields in the process. read more |
| DRONES |
| 2015's most stunning drone shots raise the bar for aerial photography |
 | Social network Dronestagram has built an engaged photo-sharing community based on the emerging art of drone photography, and it has just handpicked its 12 favorite uploads from the past 12 months. Let's take a look at the year's aerial imagery that rose to the top. read more |
| AUTOMOTIVE |
| Rinspeed turns BMW's i8 into the self-driving, drone-docking Σtos concept |
 | This year Swiss automotive think tank abandons its longstanding convention of debuting a creative concept at the Geneva Motor Show, instead using the Consumer Electronics Show for its debut. The Etos concept adds a little consumer electronic tech to Rinspeed's way-beyond-the-box thinking. read more |
| URBAN TRANSPORT |
| SpaceX selects 124 engineering teams to do battle in Hyperloop pod design competition |
 | SpaceX has invited over 120 engineering teams to show off design concepts for a Hyperloop pod to a panel of judges in January. The more promising will then put their human-scale prototypes through their paces at SpaceX HQ the following US summer.​ read more |
| AUTOMOTIVE |
| Mercedes Benz upgrades SLK to C-Class |
 | Twenty years after first introducing the SLK, Mercedes Benz has made significant upgrades to its signature roadster and is now calling it the SLC. read more |
| ROBOTICS |
| LaserPipe snake robot makes an inside job of pipe welding |
 | Welding pipes in cramped, potentially dangerous areas is an expensive and time-consuming exercise. OC Robotics and TWI Ltd​ have been working on a potential solution in the form of an articulated robotic snake​ that navigates and welds pipes from the inside​ using high-powered industrial lasers​. read more |
| GOOD THINKING |
| Hornet system aims to sting noisy drivers |
 | ​We already have photo radar systems that automatically snap photos of cars that are speeding, but what if a vehicle is being too noisy? Well, if Hornet Industries has its way, its Hornet Advanced Noise Control System will soon be taking care of those, too.​ read more |
| AUTOMOTIVE |
| Ford GT gets hybrid Gorilla Glass windshield |
 | Ford and Corning have integrated a lightweight hybrid windshield technology to improve performance and handling without compromising safety. The three-piece safety glass incorporates Corning's existing Gorilla Glass, and will be featured in the Ford GT supercar. read more |
| SCIENCE |
| New material is super water-resistant, cheap and safe |
 | Scientists at Rice University, the University of Swansea, the University of Bristol and the University of Nice - Sophia Antipolis have developed a new class of hydrocarbon-based material that they say could be "greener" substitute for fluorocarbon-based materials currently used to repel water. read more |
| SPACE |
| Scientists are using data from a fallen satellite to improve orbital decay predictions |
 | Scientists have analyzed data recorded during the lengthy decent of the US Air Force's C/NOFS satellite into Earth's atmosphere. The observations will be extremely useful for future operations, significantly improving predictive models for satellite trajectory and re-entry. read more |
| AUTOMOTIVE |
| Jaguar joins FIA Formula E Championship |
 | Jaguar recently announced that it is returning to racing, with its entry into the FIA Formula E Championship starting in Fall 2016. Formula E is the world's first global single-seater championship for electric-powered cars, and will be in its third season when Jaguar joins the series. read more |
| SPACE |
| ALMA spots huge planets forming around young stars |
 | A team of astronomers has made use of the ALMA telescope to observe four stasr, finding the best evidence yet of massive planets forming in the surrounding disk of dust and gas. read more |
| DIGITAL CAMERAS |
| Sigma’s new filters use clear glass ceramic to protect your prized lenses |
 | Sigma has announced a line of filters which use a newly-developed Clear Glass Ceramic material to offer increased protection to your lenses. The new glass, which is produced using a special heat treatment, makes the WR Ceramic Protector filters thinner and lighter, while also being stronger. read more |
| TINY HOUSES |
| Alpod mobile home shows its metal |
 | House-sharing, micro-apartments and shape-shifting flats have all been mooted as potential future housing solutions. The Alpod mobile home can now be added to that list. Its aluminum structure is strong and light, making it easy to transport and allowing it to be stacked in a modular fashion. read more |
| SPACE |
| ESA launches website dedicated to sharing newly-snapped Rosetta images |
 | The team of scientists responsible for operating the OSIRIS instrument aboard ESA's Rosetta spacecraft has launched a dedicated website in order to grant the public unprecedented access to images snapped of the comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko (67P). read more |
| SPECIAL PROMOTION FOR GIZMAG READERS |
| Dragon 5 for Mac Offers Remarkably Accurate Speech Recognition — 25% off |
 | Are you looking for dictation software with maximum versatility and functionality? Look no further than the all-new addition of Dragon 5 for Mac. Dramatically boost your productivity with the full-spectrum toolkit of this advanced software, from sending emails to creating spreadsheets. Simply read your text aloud and watch the magic appear right on your computer screen with this digital copy of Dragon 5 for Mac. read more |
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