Gadgetell | Tech News, Reviews, and Interesting Things

How does your bridge feel?

Maybe your mom or dad have an old mood ring laying around.  It’s supposed to let people know how the wearer is feeling.  Soon, bridges may tell you they aren’t feeling too well.

A new polymer is being developed that changes color when stressed.  Instead of projections and calculations of when a bridge is most stressed, there would actually be a visual indicator of what’s going on before it’s too late. 

Even more crazy is the idea that this may actually lead to “self-sensing and self-reinforcing” materials according to Nancy Sottos, head of the research team developing this polymer. 

Other applications include building the polymer into airplane components.  [Source] 

Make a fuel out of scum

Sure, you can make fuel out of corn, but there are hungry people out there.  Don’t use corn to make biofuel.  Use scum. 

Research is being conducted on scum from the Long Island Sound to create a fuel .  What’s actually being used is algae.  The idea is to have a very sustainable source for biofuels.  No, I won’t do any scum from Long Island jokes.  [Source]

See space one way or another

Want to see space?  How about in 3D?  You can do that now thanks to Microsoft and NASA.  Put together NASA’s pictures, Microsoft’s Virtual Earth and Microsoft’s Photosynth and you’ve got 3D space to check out.  Will this get people more interested in space exploration?  [Source] [See it in action]

Maybe you want to see space the old fashioned way.  Go there.  The President has also asked for $18 billion put aside for NASA’s 2010 budget.  What is NASA planning to do with that money?  Checking out climate change and a return trip to the moon.  Maybe they’ll use that color-changing polymer on the spacecrafts, too.  If you want to see space this way, you better get in shape.  [Source]