News and other tidbits that Chad Cloman finds interesting enough to share
From the linked article: “3M has developed a see-through film that turns ordinary windows into solar panels. … A square meter of the film can generate roughly enough electricity to charge an iPhone under peak sunlight, but still allows for high visibility.” It’s an easy, do-it-yourself install and will go on sale sometime this year.
Link: http://www.computerworld.com/…
(via Kim Komando)
Cephalopods (squid, octopuses, and cuttlefish) are very, very good at camouflaging themselves—it’s their primary method of protection from predators. But just how good is shown in the linked video, where an octopus is hiding. The word “unbelievable” is appropriate.
Thanks to Josh for this link.
These two cartoon strips by Dan and Tom Heyerman of Pants Are Overrated are spinoffs of the classic Calvin and Hobbes cartoon. They take place when Calvin and Susie are married and have a daughter nicknamed Bacon. Very well done, and they leave me wanting MORE! MORE! MORE!
Link #1: http://www.pantsareoverrated.com/…
Link #2: http://www.pantsareoverrated.com/…
The linked article has a map of the world. It was created by tracing Facebook connections on a blank canvas—no boundaries were actually drawn, but they show up clearly nonetheless.
QR codes are two-dimensional bar codes that are becoming popular here in the United States. They can contain text, web links, calendar events, vCard addresses, and much more. Some people even put them on their gravestones! You scan them with your smartphone to pull up the desired information.
The linked website allows you to create custom QR codes. Josh, a friend of Chad’s News, suggests making one that contains your vCard data and then setting that image as the lock screen for your smartphone. Should you lose your phone, your contact details are right there for anyone who finds it and wants to return it.
Link: http://www.qrstuff.com/
The linked article has pictures of a very good crocheted model of Discworld, including Great A’Tuin and the four elephants. For those Chad’s News readers who aren’t familiar with the Discworld series of novels by Terry Pratchett, I highly recommend it. Start with The Colour of Magic. My introduction to the series, and still my favorite story, was The Last Hero.
Link: http://www.planetjune.com/…
(via Neatorama)
The US Navy is attempting to develop a superlaser for use on its ships, and the latest prototype can burn through 20 feet of steel per second at 14 kilowatts. The power level needs to reach 100 kilowatts to be useful in the field, and the Navy’s ultimate goal is to reach a megawatt and be able to pierce 2000 feet of steel per second. Expect this technology to be deployed sometime in the next 10-20 years.
Link: http://www.wired.com/…
(via Engadget)
Did you know that the Earth’s north magnetic pole isn’t fixed, and it moves about 40 miles per year? In fact, several years ago it left Canada and is now over international waters, heading towards Siberia. And since compasses point “north” towards the magnetic pole (versus the real north pole) this movement can have a tangible effect on compass readings. For example, the Tampa, FL airport recently changed its runway designators to account for the changes to magnetic north. This NOAA article shows the locations of the magnetic pole from 1831 to 2007.
Long-time Chad’s News readers will recall this post, where we learned that a dog’s tongue bends down instead of up when drinking water. If that wasn’t weird enough, the linked article explains how a cat drinks—turns out that its tongue doesn’t even penetrate the surface of the water.
Link: http://arstechnica.com/…
Rhymes With Orange is an offbeat, syndicated comic strip that periodically comes up with some real gems. The December 31st strip gives a peek at how children view books in the age of the Kindle and iPad, and the January 2nd strip spoofs life in the age of Google.
The linked article has an amazing picture of a supercell thunderstorm over Montana. It’s so good that it looks fake.
Link: http://apod.nasa.gov/…
Here’s the perfect gift for the geek who has everything: a toilet paper holder that also serves as an iPod dock. Yes, it’s the “iCarta Stereo Dock for iPod® / iPhone with Bath Tissue Holder”. It’s a pretty fancy gadget, with music controls, various connectors, and embedded speakers.
Thanks to Josh for this topic.
