gizmag

SCIENCE Detailed seafloor gravity map brings the Earth's surface into sharp focus Not so long ago the ocean floor was as unknown as the far side of the Moon. Now, an international team of scientists is using satellite data to chart the deep ocean by measuring the Earth's gravitational field.   read more MOBILE TECHNOLOGY Review: Soaking up sunlight with the Solartab solar charger Solar panels come in a variety of guises designed to appeal to consumers looking for ways to fuel electronics on the go. Prominent among these is Solartab, a portable solar charger and back-up-battery. So how does it perform?  read more MUSIC Project R2R building new reel-to-reel tape machine Analog music formats like vinyl are on the rise, with US sales in 2015 up 30 percent on the previous year. Austria's Horch House says that when it comes to analog, you can't beat reel-to-reel tape and has announced its intention to develop a new consumer reel-to-reel player.  read more HOLIDAY DESTINATIONS Blue Forest hatches nest-shaped treehouse development  British treehouse expert Blue Forest recently unveiled its plan to construct a low-impact vacation home development in the UK. Dubbed Nesting, it features treehouses based on the shape of the Weaver bird's nest.  read more MARINE WaveWrecker turns you into an Oompa Loompa-like surfboard Perhaps the most interesting style of wearable tech is the category of wearables that turns you into a piece of action sports equipment. The WaveWrecker joins the category as a wearable surf suit that turns the bodysurfer into his own board.  read more ROBOTICS NASA crowdsources design ideas for its new ISS-bound robot As NASA prepares to launch a new free-flying robot called Astrobee to the ISS, it is crowdsourcing design concepts for one of machine's more noteworthy features, a robotic arm to be used for perching and interacting with objects.   read more AUTOMOTIVE Tracing automotive bloodlines: Gizmag goes exploring at Dutton Garage The cream of today's technologically advanced automotive crop would not exist without the supercars of the past – cars that took risks with crazy styling, innovative technology and a desire to go faster than anyone else had gone before.  read more SPORTS Adidas promises better ball control with its first laceless soccer boot  Adidas has done away with a staple of most covered footwear and launched a laceless football boot that's to be worn in-game by some of the world's top players this weekend.  read more HEALTH AND WELLBEING Painless electrical zaps may replace dental anesthesia needles  ​As much as some people fear getting dental fillings or root canals, what many of them are really afraid of is the needle that delivers the anesthetic into the mouth tissue. Before long, however, a shot of electricity could make those needles unnecessary.​  read more GOOD THINKING Pneumatic tech could bring affordable full-page braille tablets to reality ​Suppose you had a tablet that only displayed one line of text at a time. It would be pretty frustrating, but it's a limitation that blind users of braille-displaying devices are faced with constantly. Thanks to new technolog, however, full-page braille tablets could soon be on their way.​  read more SCIENCE Researchers can now image the flow of energy in nuclear fusion ignition attempts An international team of researchers has inched the dream of controlled nuclear fusion one step closer to reality, creating a method by which energy dispersal can be observed during ignition attempts, paving the way for improved energy delivery during the process.  read more MEDICAL Doctors can now use an app to better predict preterm birth risk Despite huge improvements in prenatal care, premature births are still a big problem across the globe. Researchers have worked on a new predictive tool for doctors, bringing together different data sets and building an app that can be used to assess risk of preterm birth on a case-by-case basis.  read more AUTOMOTIVE Peugeot Citroen says third-party tests confirm BlueHDi SCR tech for diesel emissions Initial results of Peugeot 208 and 508 model testing by the French Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Energy comply with new regulations thanks to new technology. The results, says Peugeot Citroen, confirm the effectiveness of the BlueHDi after-treatment system for diesel exhaust.  read more BICYCLES Mini Bar/Barstow system shoves a chain tool up your handlebar ​In order to remain compact, most of today's cycling multitools lack a chain-repair tool. Mineral Design has addressed that limitation, with its Mini Bar and Barstow system. It consists of a multi-bit wrench, paired up with a chain tool that sits inside the handlebar.​  read more SPECIAL PROMOTION FOR GIZMAG READERS Save Hours Every Week with EasilyDo Intelligent Virtual Assistant — 90% off Lifetime Access This app is more than just a virtual assistant: EasilyDo is a life-hack that saves you hours and hours of time over the span of your lifetime subscription. Instead of wading through emails and logging onto your favorite e-comm site to get your tracking info, EasilyDo presents it for you. Any changes to your travel itinerary? EasilyDo will send you a notification without you having to check in. read more