"Imagine a vest or shirt, or even a fancy ball gown made with this technology. The antennas would be inconspicuous, and even attractive. People would want to wear them." That's John Volakis, a professor at Ohio State University, trying to convince fashionistas that radio antennae incorporated into clothing, using plastic film and metallic thread — for cell phone, Internet, and emergency care access, much like soldiers' uniforms already have — is the next wave in fashion. This, of course, gives new meaning to the term wireless bra. Looks That Kill Talk about a cold case: The Egyptian ... Read More
As if Commercials Weren’t Bad Enough Already
September 9, 2011 • By • Leave a Comment
After a two-year experiment, researchers at the University of California, San Diego, in conjunction with Samsung, have written a concept paper in the journal Angewandte Chemie explaining that they think it's possible to "generate potentially thousands of odors, at will, in a compact device small enough to fit on the back of your TV." To which we say: Gross. But here's how Sungho Jin, a world-renowned materials expert at the UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering, described his invention: "For example, if people are eating pizza, the viewer smells pizza coming from a TV or cell phone. ... Read More
The Exploitation of Muggles in Harry Potter’s World
July 8, 2011 • By • Leave a Comment
Every so often, we find a study that makes us question our place in the cosmos. Zakir Husain's paper in the Journal of Creative Communications, "Wizards, Muggles and Economic Exploitation Dependency Relations in the World of Harry Potter," is one such treatise. In it, the Delhi University economist posits that "the Wizarding world remains an epitome of the colonial society prevailing in the pre-World War I era, tightly bound within through blood, lineage and money, and sustained through exploitation of the peripheral non-magical world. Muggle lovers like Mr. Weasley may clash with ... Read More
New Dinosaur Gets a Rather Large Name
April 29, 2011 • By • Leave a Comment
A new dinosaur discovered in Utah has been named Brontomerus mcintoshi. Now, we have no quarrel at all with the species name, mcintoshi, because it was chosen in honor of John "Jack" McIntosh, who is described as "a retired physicist at Wesleyan University, Conn., and lifelong avocational paleontologist." But guess what Brontomerus translates into? You guessed it: "Thunder Thighs." "Brontomerus mcintoshi is a charismatic dinosaur and an exciting discovery for us," said the project's lead author Mike Taylor, a researcher in the department of earth sciences at University College London, in ... Read More
Time for Robin Hood to Make a Comeback
March 11, 2011 • By • Leave a Comment
What do you think of when you think of Nottingham? We know, we know — the shopping, the nightlife district, the ... um ... er ... oh, who are we kidding? We all think of Robin Hood, of course. But try telling that to the city leaders. Researchers from Nottingham University Business School surveyed nearly 400 visitors and locals on the question, "If I say 'Nottingham' to you, what immediately comes to mind?" Nearly one-third of respondents named the legendary archer and bandit; shopping came in second, followed by crime. (Apparently "stealing from the rich" really caught on in Nottingham, ... Read More