October 18th 1985 was a pretty ordinary autumn day in New York City but the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) was about to start something big – 200 unassuming grey boxes placed alongside cartridges of plumbing adventures on shelves. Four decades later, that simple launch remains the foundation of what we consider entertainment today.
NGC 7496, a spiral galaxy in the constellation Grus located about 24 million light years away, has recently been imaged in high detail by the Hubble Space Telescope. This latest image reveals what it looks like to view a galaxy that is a true hub of activity, with blazing groupings of stars and nebulae cradling the entire star birth and death process.
Aamir Khollam stepped out of his weather-beaten SUV into the blinding snowy vastness of Svalbard, where the biting wind lashed through his parka like a fresh shave. He yanked open the trunk and pulled out a black duffel bag, a bit bigger than the one he’d toss into the back of the car for a quick weekend getaway. With a few yanks of the zipper, the bag came apart… and out spilled Janus-I, a folding helicopter that had already conquered the Himalayas.
Jake Carlini literally wore an electric bike on his body for this latest stunt. Yes, he built a wearable machine that’s cool to watch and terrifying to ride by using his own frame as the backbone of a disassembled e-bike.
Evan Monsma’s studio in Indianapolis is where broken gadgets are reborn into something incredible, rather than tossed out into the trash. His latest project – turning a smashed iPhone into a seriously capable cinema-grade camera by slapping on some old C-mount lenses – is pure proof that imagination really can meet DIY skills head on.
The 8Bitdo Ultimate 3-Mode Controller looks pretty familiar because it’s officially licensed for Xbox. Not to mention its price has dropped to a much more reasonable $37.09 from the original $69.99. It’s 6.3 inches long, comes with a charging dock, a USB-C cable, and two spares for when you break a joystick cover (because let’s face it, that’s bound to happen at some point).
Photo credit: XB Hu/Penn State
Every city block is speckled with streetlights leaving Penn State researchers to come up with a new idea: turn these everyday fixtures into electric vehicle chargers. It’s a pretty straightforward solution to a problem that has really stumped urban planners and EV drivers – getting charging to be accessible to everyone, especially those who don’t have a garage or driveway and can’t afford to install a charger at home. This technology got tested out in Kansas City, Missouri and has the potential to revolutionize how cities help the transition to electric vehicles.
At the RAI Institute, a team of engineers have given Boston Dynamics’ Spot a whole lot more to offer than just its nimble walking abilities. They’ve managed to turn it into something that can not only pick up heavy objects but actually manhandle them with the same level of coordination you’d see from a pro working in a warehouse. The magic happens by combining two smart control methods : one that figures things out through trial and error, the other that simultaneously tries out dozens of possible paths.
Ferrari’s F40 is a sacred automobile in automotive history, as it was born in 1987 to commemorate the company’s 40th anniversary, and was the final project approved off by Enzo Ferrari himself. Its twin-turbo V8, carbon-Kevlar body, and lack of driving assistance enabled it to become the first road car to reach 200 mph.
