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The Future of Things - Your source for future science and technology

NASA'S Telescope Unveils a Dozen New PulsarsYesterday

NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope has discovered 12 new gamma-ray-only pulsars and has detected gamma-ray pulses from 18 others. The finds are transforming our understanding of how these stellar cinders work. "We know of 1,800 pulsars, but until Fermi we saw only little wisps of energy from all but a handful of them," says Roger Romani of Stanford University, Calif. A pulsar is a rapidly spinning and highly magnetized neutron star, the crushed core left behind when a massive sun explodes.

Olympus Puts 10X Optical Zoom In Pocket CamYesterday

It's no 26x optical zoom behemoth like its just-announced SP-590 UZ, but Olympus put yet another feather in its zoom cap with the Olympus Stylus-9000. The company announced the slim 10X -optical-zoom digital camera in a press release as part of its 2009 offerings at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.The 12-megapixel pocket camera offers a 10X optical zoom in a slick, ultracompact frame. The zoom ranges from 28mm on the wide-angle end to 280mm on the telephoto end.

A Robot Inspects Wind Energy ConvertersYesterday

The material of wind energy converters must withstand intense forces. Are rotor blades damaged? A new robot inspects wind energy converters more precisely than a human ever could. It detects the minutest damage - even below the surface. It appears reliably and appears alone. Nimbly and quickly, it pulls itself up a rope meter for meter until it reaches a wind energy converter's giant rotor blades. Then it goes to work. It thoroughly inspects every centimeter of the rotor blades' surface.

Model Predicts How to Build a Better StentYesterday

Researchers have been puzzled in recent years by observations that drug-releasing stents (mesh-like tubes implanted to hold patients' coronary arteries open) can increase the likelihood of blood clots and heart attacks. Now, a mathematical model developed by MIT engineers can predict whether particular types of stents are likely to cause life-threatening side effects. The model helps explain why some stents are better than others, and could predict which stents are predisposed to cause clotting.

Xtenex ShoelaceYesterday

The French company Xtenex has developed an innovative new shoelace which redefines the act of lacing. The new lace offers a faster and easier way to wear shoes, and it can perfectly match its wearer's feet, thanks to the unique elastic material used. Professional athletes as well as amateur runners could benefit from the Xtenex features.