[URL="http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/new-mathematics-could-neutralize-pathogens-that-resist-antibiotics/"]New Mathematics Could Neutralize Pathogens That Resist Antibiotics[/URL]

[URL="http://gadgets.ndtv.com/science/news/new-deep-learning-robot-learns-skills-through-trial-and-error-696013"]New 'Deep Learning' Robot Learns Skills Through Trial and Error[/URL]

[URL="http://www.technologyreview.com/news/537791/an-algorithm-that-can-help-robots-walk-off-injuries/"]An Algorithm That Can Help Robots Walk Off Injuries[/URL]

[URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/29/technology/google-intensifies-focus-on-its-cardboard-virtual-reality-device.html?ref=technology&_r=1"]Google Intensifies Focus on Its Cardboard Virtual Reality Device[/URL]

[URL="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/05/150528142815.htm"]Scientists retrieve lost memories using optogenetics[/URL]

[URL="http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/sesame-street-and-its-surprisingly-powerful-effects-on-how-children-learn/2015/06/07/59c73fe4-095c-11e5-9e39-0db921c47b93_story.html"]Study: Kids can learn as much from ‘Sesame Street’ as from preschool[/URL]

[URL="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/06/150603132252.htm"]Researchers find speedometer in the brain[/URL]

[URL="http://www.technologyreview.com/news/537936/the-quest-to-engineer-the-perfect-potato/"]The Quest to Engineer the Perfect Potato[/URL]

[URL="http://exclusive.multibriefs.com/content/college-2.0-a-new-age-of-learning/education"]College 2.0: A new age of learning[/URL]

[URL="http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/jun/02/crawling-breathing-invasive-fish-a-major-disaster-if-it-reaches-australia"]Crawling, breathing, invasive fish a 'major disaster' if it reaches Australia[/URL]

[url]http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2015/06/20/old-tortoise/29049319/[/url]

o [url=advances.sciencemag.org/content/1/5/e1400253]Accelerated modern human–induced species losses: Entering the sixth mass extinction[/url] | Science Advances

Interesting "rate of extinction" unit there, E/MSY, "extinctions per mega-species-year", e.g. average number of species which go extinct per 10000 species per century, averaged over a sufficiently large species sample and timeframe.

o Here is The Guardian's take on the study: [url=www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/jun/19/humans-creating-sixth-great-extinction-of-animal-species-say-scientists]Humans creating sixth great extinction of animal species, say scientists[/url] | Environment | The Guardian
[quote]However, Prof Henrique Miguel Pereira, the chair of the Group on Earth Observations Biodiversity Observation Network, said that the new paper did not add anything revolutionarily new.

“They argue that recent extinction rates are up to 100 times higher than in the past. I think it improves our documentation of the process but it does not yet confirm a sixth mass extinction. I tend to think we have a major biodiversity crisis, but it would take either a fast acceleration of current extinction rates or a couple of centuries at current extinction rates, for the current process to become a sixth mass extinction.”[/quote]
Ah yes, the old "we need to be 100% sure that we are totally screwed before raising the alarm" argument. (Cf. climate change, overpopulation, industrial pollution, Ponzi-financial economics, &c.)

o ...and - not that there is anything funny about the issue, but rather by way of a thorough review of the popular-media coverage of the story - here is The Onion's: [url=www.theonion.com/graphic/timeline-mass-extinction-50749]Timeline Of Mass Extinction[/url]

[URL="http://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/style/2015/06/19/brown-university-unveils-virtual-reality-room/QoTOOp66NpPZeGMF0bapjO/story.html?p1=Article_Facet_Related_Article"]Brown University unveils 3D virtual-reality room[/URL]

[URL="http://www.forbes.com/sites/brucedorminey/2015/06/29/physicists-claim-universe-rings-like-crystal-glass/"]Physicists Claim Universe 'Rings' Like Crystal Glass[/URL]

[URL="http://www.ibtimes.com/googles-support-plant-biologists-build-first-online-database-all-worlds-plant-species-1964872#.VXsoouVmmPc.facebook"]With Google’s Support, Plant Biologists Build First Online Database Of All The World’s Plant Species[/URL]

[URL="http://www.cnet.com/news/born-in-1980-a-mathematical-surprise-awaits-you-in-2025/"]Born in 1980? A mathematical surprise awaits you in 2025[/URL]

[URL="http://www.technologyreview.com/news/538821/computers-are-getting-a-dose-of-common-sense/"]Computers Are Getting a Dose of Common Sense[/URL]

[URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/28/magazine/can-the-bacteria-in-your-gut-explain-your-mood.html?_r=2"]Can the Bacteria in Your Gut Explain Your Mood?[/URL]

[URL="http://www.wsj.com/articles/why-gene-editing-technology-has-scientists-excited-1434985998"]Why Gene-Editing Technology Has Scientists Excited[/URL]

[URL="http://www.wired.com/2015/06/amateur-maps-curiosity-rover-rival-nasas/"]These Amateur Maps of the Curiosity Rover Rival NASA’s[/URL]

[URL="http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/molecules-reach-coldest-temperature-ever/"]Molecules Reach Coldest Temperature Ever[/URL]

[URL="https://www.quantamagazine.org/20150604-quantum-bayesianism-qbism/"]A Private View of Quantum Reality[/URL]

[URL="http://io9.com/what-would-happen-if-all-our-satellites-were-suddenly-d-1709006681"]What Would Happen If All Our Satellites Were Suddenly Destroyed?[/URL]

[URL="http://www.news-medical.net/news/20150611/Discovery-may-help-scientists-attack-the-root-of-deadliest-brain-tumors.aspx"]Discovery may help scientists attack the root of deadliest brain tumors[/URL]

[URL="http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2015-06/04/growing-rat-limbs-in-the-lab"]Rat limb grown from cells in the lab, and primate limbs are next[/URL]

[URL="http://www.theawl.com/2015/06/the-realest-language"]The Realest Language[/URL]

My new desktop background is courtesy of the New Horizons spacecraft:

[QUOTE=ewmayer;405901]My new desktop background is courtesy of the New Horizons spacecraft:[/QUOTE]

big thumbs up, but I think you haven't seen the full rez version:

[QUOTE=chappy;405932]big thumbs up, but I think you haven't seen the full rez version:[/QUOTE]
Tum tum tum tum tumtum tum tumtum :).

[URL="http://www.gizmag.com/quantum-perovskite-light-emitting-crystal/38505/"]Quantum dots and perovskite combined to create new hyper-efficient light-emitting crystal[/URL]

[QUOTE]Two optoelectronic materials getting a lot of press these days are perovskite and quantum dots. Both have been individually utilized by researchers to boost sunlight conversion to electrical current in solar cells, and to increase the efficacy of electrically-generated light. Now engineers at the University of Toronto (U of T) have combined both of these materials to create an ultra-efficient, super-luminescent hybrid crystal that they say will enable new records in power-to-light conversion efficiencies.[/QUOTE]

[url]http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2015/07/us-wins-its-first-international-mathematical-olympiad-in-21-years/[/url]

Recycled plastic roads
 

"[URL="http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/07/22/3682552/plastic-roads-netherlands/"]Netherlands Company Introduces Plastic Roads [/URL]That Are More Durable, Climate Friendly Than Asphalt"

[QUOTE]The Netherlands is already home to the world’s [URL="http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/05/11/3657220/solaroad-producing-energy/"]first solar road[/URL] (or bike lane, technically). Now, the country could soon be the first to use recycled plastic as pavement.


The idea for plastic roads comes from VolkerWessels, a Netherlands-based construction firm. According to the company, [URL="http://en.volkerwessels.com/en/projects/detail/plasticroad"]plastic roads[/URL] would be a “virtually maintenance free product” that’s “unaffected by corrosion and the weather.” The roads could handle temperatures as low as -40°F and as high as 176°F. The company says that this hardiness will make the roads’ lifespans three times as long as typical asphalt roads.


According to the company, [URL="http://en.volkerwessels.com/dynamics/modules/SFIL0200/view.php?fil_Id=353074"]any type of recycled plastic[/URL] can be used. The main goal, the company says, is to keep plastic out of the oceans.
[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=kladner;406360]"[URL="http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/07/22/3682552/plastic-roads-netherlands/"]Netherlands Company Introduces Plastic Roads [/URL]That Are More Durable, Climate Friendly Than Asphalt"[/QUOTE]

Tongue-In-Cheek....

Hasn't Lego already done this....albeit in a smaller scale.....seems like a good business partner.

They have a "pebbled" slip resistant surface, are experts in interconnecting and already have large plants ready to roll....