Earthquake
Warning System
Researchers at the University
of California at Berkeley are closing in on an
early-warning detection method for earthquakes.
The researchers have developed a mathematical model
to estimate an earthquake's strength by analyzing
its first few seconds. The data could feed into
an early warning system that would give people
in populated areas as much as tens of seconds
to prepare, i.e., take cover, shut down bridges, etcetera.
Still, scientists have been working on a system
like this for some time, and experts say that
it will take years before something is in place.
Your Brain Knows More Than You
Do
A new study suggests that
you might be able to see more than you see.
Researchers from Rice University shocked the visual cortex
of volunteers for a few seconds, temporarily blinding them.
The volunteers were told to look at a television screen
while the process took place. While blinded, the volunteers
were shown a simple image of either a green or red dot,
or a green or red line.
Researchers asked the volunteers what they saw. All volunteers
responded saying that they had seen nothing and were completely
blind. When pressed however, and asked to guess the volunteers
gave the correct answer almost 3 out of 4 times.
This suggests that the brain has a way of processing information
received through the eyes in an unconscious way.
Your
Dog Wants a Cell Phone
Next time Fido runs away you might
be able to just call him up on the phone and ask him
to come home.
As of next march, pet owners will have the option of buying
Petcell, a bone-shaped cell phone for dogs.
Developed by PetsMobility, the Petcell picks up automatically
when called, allowing for two-way communication. The Petcell
also includes an Assisted GPS system, allowing the owner
to track their dog’s movements through any computer
hooked up to the internet.
Petcell will also have features such as: a built in temperature
sensor to give readings on how hot or cold the dog is, GeoFence,
an option allowing the owner to be alerted when their dog
leaves a designated area, and a small wireless camera for
seeing what the dog sees.
This rugged, waterproof, cell phone/GPS will retail for
between $350 and $400.
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