In this week's wrap, three dogs from a New Zealand SPCA are learning how to drive, and a Japanese woman has invented an edible iPhone 5 cover made from a mixture of brown rice and salt. Get the details on these stories and more below.
Homeless dogs take the wheel
The Auckland, New Zealand, SPCA is hoping to dispel the idea that abandoned pets are second-rate by teaching three dogs how to drive a Mini Cooper. The chosen pooches - Porter, Monty and Ginny - are learning to drive in modified vehicles with paw-activated accelerators and brakes, and were chosen based on their size, look and attitude. The rescued dogs will be put to the test in front of a national TV audience on 10 December, under the supervision of their trainers, of course.
Via: Mashable
'Pinocchio Effect' revealed during lying study
The story of Pinocchio may not have been that far from reality as researchers from the University of Granada have found that a person's nose could reveal whether or not that person is lying. Unlike Geppetto's wooden puppet, the human nose appears to heat up when telling a fib, the new research claims. The team used thermography to study the temperature of people's faces in experiments and found a jump in the temperature around the nose and in the orbital muscle in the inner corner of the eye when a person was lying.
Via: Huffington Post
China looks to farm vegetables in space
As the Curiosity rover explores Mars, China has announced its intention to grow vegetables on the red planet, according to state media. The technique for growing fresh produce in space was tested on Earth, in Beijing, and will enable astronauts travelling on China's planned space missions to farm on other planets. The research will see the space travellers not only growing vegetables, but also maintaining an "ecological life support system" by producing fresh air and water.
Via: Inhabitat
Wind-powered device detonates landmines
It may look like a giant tumbleweed, but Afghan designer Massoud Hassani says his device can be used to safely detonate deadly landmines. The ball, made of bamboo and biodegradable plastic, offers a low-cost solution for detonating mines in war zones. The device is propelled by the wind, but is heavy enough to detonate the explosives beneath it, according to Hassani. He is hoping to grab the attention of the world's decision-makers and gain funding for his device as signatory countries to the Mine Ban Treaty meet in Geneva this week.
Via: Reuters
Sexed semen to transform farming
Sexed semen technology, which enables farmers to choose the sex of a calf, is set to revolutionise Ireland's multibillion-euro livestock sector. The sexing process involves sorting billions of male calf-producing sperm from female calf-producing sperm. Female sperm contains 3.8% more DNA than the male equivalent in cattle and scientists use an electric charge to divert all the sperm of a particular sex to one side. According to US-based Sexing Technologies, this method is 93% accurate.
Via: Independent
Edible iPhone case sells out
For just $81, iPhone 5 users can become the owners of an edible case for their smartphones. The Survival Senbai Rice Cracker iPhone 5 case is made from brown rice and salt. Part food, part phone case, the cover is described to be "great in an emergency when you are desperate for a snack" and was created by a middle-aged Japanese woman called Mariko. But don't expect to have it for long; according to Mariko's Web site, it has an 81% chance of breaking should your phone be touched by a friend and is about 89% likely to break should you put it in your pocket. The edible cover has already sold out.
Via: TIME Techland
Share