Superman Comic Saves Family Home From Foreclosure

Posted by samzenpus on Wednesday August 04, @11:53AM
from the more-powerful-than-an-angry-banker dept.

Watch

A couple's home was saved from foreclosure after they found a copy of Action Comics #1 in a box in the basement. From the article: "In a statement released through ComicConnect, the owner of the prized comic book said the family was still 'a little shell shocked' after the unexpected find. 'I was so nervous when I realized what it was worth,' the owner said. 'I know I am very fortunate but I will be greatly relieved when this book finds a new home.'"

Human Tests of Mind-Controlled Artificial Arm To Begin

Posted by kdawson on Tuesday August 03, @11:04PM
from the do-what-i-mean dept.

medicine

science

kkleiner writes"The world's first human testing of a mind-controlled artificial limb is ready to begin. A joint project between the Pentagon and Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, the Modular Prosthetic Limb will be fully controlled by sensors implanted in the brain, and will even restore the sense of touch by sending electrical impulses from the limb back to the sensory cortex. Last week APL announced it had been awarded a $34.5M contract with DARPA, which will allow researchers to test the neural prosthetic in five individuals over the next two years."

New Solar Energy Conversion Process Could Double Solar Efficiency of Solar Cells

ScienceDaily (Aug. 2, 2010) — A new process that simultaneously combines the light and heat of solar radiation to generate electricity could offer more than double the efficiency of existing solar cell technology, say the Stanford engineers who discovered it and proved that it works. The process, called "photon enhanced thermionic emission," or PETE, could reduce the costs of solar energy production enough for it to compete with oil as an energy source.

Read More

Radioactive Boar On the Rise In Germany

Posted by samzenpus on Monday August 02, @12:14PM
from the stay-in-the-car-while-I-check-this-out dept.

earth

Germans who go out in the woods today are sure of a big surprise, radioactive boars. A portion of the wild boar population in Germany was irradiated after the Chernobyl nuclear meltdown, and the boars are thriving. In the last two years government payments to compensate hunters for radioactive boar have quadrupled. From the article: "According to the Environment Ministry in Berlin, almost €425,000 ($555,000) was paid out to hunters in 2009 in compensation for wild boar meat that was too contaminated by radiation to be sold for consumption. That total is more than four times higher than compensation payments made in 2007." I think the Germans are overlooking just how much money there is to be made from regenerating bacon.

Sleep Disorder May Signal Dementia, Parkinson's Disease Up to 50 Years Early

ScienceDaily (July 29, 2010) — A new study shows that a sleep disorder may be a sign of dementia or Parkinson's disease up to 50 years before the disorders are diagnosed.

Read More

Chernobyl Area Survey Finds Lasting Problems For Wildlife

Posted by timothy on Sunday August 01, @07:50PM
from the click-click-clickclickclickclick dept.

earth

science

ninguna writes"The largest wildlife census of its kind conducted in Chernobyl has revealed that mammals are declining in the exclusion zone surrounding the nuclear power plant. Whilesome stories seem to indicate Nature recovering, the actual picture isn't quite so great."