Scientists at Sheffield University have developed synthetic blood that could be used to save lives in emergencies. The artificial substance is easier to transport than the real thing, and it keeps for longer as it does not need to be stored in a cool place. Just like haemoglobin, the fake blood is made up of plastic molecules that have an iron atom at their core, that can carry oxygen through the body. Dr Lance Twyman claims that the plastic blood, which comes in a water-soluble paste and has a honey-like consistency, is cheap to produce.
The team is looking for funding to develop a final prototype for biological testing. (Any volunteers? Thought not.) "We are very excited about the potential for this product and about the fact that this could save lives," he said. "Many people die from superficial wounds when they are trapped in an accident or are injured on the battlefield and can't get blood before they get to hospital. This product can be stored a lot more easily than blood, meaning large quantities could be carried easily by ambulances and the armed forces." – Ad Dugdale
How Plastic Blood Could Move From Test Tube to Battlefield [Guardian Unlimited]
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Those crazy cats at Tokyo's University of Science have come up with a muscle suit. No, I'm not quite sure what it's for either. Is it to wear under a suit to give you the illusion of being buff and studly? Or is it to develop your muscles? Nope, apparently it's to help you lift things (although if the only objects you're going to lift while wearing it is a set of dumbells, then you might as well ditch the suit and concentrate on the weights, dumbass). The suit only weighs 3 kilos, but you'll need to carry around an air compressor and regulator with you. – Ad Dugdale
Muscle Suits [Danny Choo via Ubergizmo]
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Those industrious Indians are so smart. To hell with that one laptop per child (OLPC, pictured above) project whose notebook price started at $100 and now costs upwards of $175 and climbing—Indian researchers say they can bring one in for a fraction of that cost, a mere $10 for a fully-functioning laptop PC. The idea is floating around the halls of Indian government agencies, and supporting the project is state-sponsored integrated circuit design and manufacturer Semiconductor Complex.
There are a couple of design proposals on the table from engineering hopefuls, but it's just a whole lot of talk thus far, much of which is predicated on upbeat predictions of manufacturing and distribution techniques bringing costs down to that rock-bottom $10 level. Sure, the laptop will be loaded with free open-source Linux software, but unless that semiconductor manufacturer tosses in all the hardware for free, too, this $10 laptop goes directly into the "insert miracle here" file. – Charlie White
A $10 Laptop? [Coolest Gadgets]
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B&W is pushing the audiophile boundaries again with its limited edition Signature Diamond series of floor-standing speakers.
We’re not referring to crappy ‘blinged’ up products here where diamonds are used for garish decoration, but the use of synthetic diamonds to create a purer sound. Celebrating 40 years in the business, the diamond series is a two-way speaker with a Kevlar midrange bass driver housed in its cylindrical cabinet. Perched on top is the ‘crowning glory, a marble tube-loaded tweeter, whose dome is made from synthetic diamond. B&W claims that it delivers high frequencies with “jaw-dropping precision and clarity”. The company explained:
“No other material gets closer to the perfect behaviour of a hypothetical tweeter dome, one of infinite stiffness and zero mass. Created by crystallising a ‘carbon frost’ into the shape of the dome at temperatures approaching those of the sun’s surface, the diamond dome makes the sweetest-sounding tweeter you’ve ever heard.”
The series was designed by Kenneth Grange and, even if you don’t know who he is, you are likely to have used a Parker Pen, Intercity train, Kenwood food-mixer or Wilkinson Sword razor designed by him.
There will be only 1,000 pairs of these for sale from June and they’ll come with an equally jaw-dropping £11,000 price tag.-Martin Lynch
[B&W]
audio music speakers luxury
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True, deep blacks is what most flat TV manufacturers aim to achieve and Pioneer has certainly taken steps in the right direction with its 2007 line-up of 1080p plasma models.
The stylish new arrivals not only support full HD but boast contrast ratios of 20000:1 – four times higher than its current plasma panels. They also support playback at 24 frames per second, which is exactly the same speed movies are recorded at and results in more natural picture and sound.
The TVs comes in 42in and 50in sizes, with a 60in version for those with deeper pockets. All of them sport three HDMI inputs and some have an ‘optimum’ performance mode, where the TV alters the settings to best suit the environment and the type of material it’s showing.
There are a number of 720p sets on the way too, also with a staggering contrast ratio of 16000:1 The TVs land in June and prices are expected to start at around £1,700.-Martin Lynch
TV HDTV plasma pioneer
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A massive replacement for the ageing Hubble telescope has been unveiled by NASA, which claims this one will allow it to see back to the birth of the universe.
The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) mightn’t have the snappy name that Hubble does but it is three times bigger, measuring 24m x 12m and fixed with a massive 6.5m mirror that will capture six times as much light. The scope will also sit much further away from Earth at 1.5 million kilometers – Hubble is just 570km away.
It sports a large sunshield to keep it cold. NASA says it will have 10 new technologies onboard, including an infrared camera and a spectrometer kept at very low temperature for the best performance. This £2.28bn eye in the sky will be able to see back to the Big Bang, scientists claim. The 17-year old Hubble, which has had some recent problems, is restricted to seeing roughly one billion years after Big Bang. JWST is also expected to provide the first high resolution images of black holes and dark matter.
“Clearly we need a much bigger telescope to go back much further in time to see the very birth of the universe,” said Edward Weiler, director of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Centre in Maryland.
The JWST will be folded inside a European Ariane V rocket for launch in 2013, unfurling – hopefully – at 1.5 million kilometres from Earth.-Martin Lynch
space camera NASA science
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Looks like our favorite Web browser is about to go mobile. Mozilla head honcho, Mitchell Baker, told the folks at APC magazine that Mozilla is working on a Firefox to go for your cellphone. It's a long-term project (meaning it's not coming out any time soon), but the goal is to allow it to work with all the add-ons and plug-ins that the full version works with. As long as it works on my smartphone, sign me up. – Louis Ramirez
Firefox Will Move to Mobile Phones: Mozilla CEO [APC via Gadgetell]
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This fan uses LEDs to display the temperature on its whirring blades. That way you can look over at it and realize just how hot it is and that you should have bought air conditioning instead of a gimmicky fan. Nice work, idiot. –Adam Frucci
Product Page [via Book of Joe]
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Editor and Contributor | Martin Lynch
Contributor | Tamlin Magee
