In a recent publication in Nature Communications researchers from Ghent University report on a new technique for optical information processing on chips using techniques inspired by the way our brain works. Although neural networks have been used in the past to solve pattern recognition problems such as speech and image recognition, it was usually in... Continue Reading →

A free browser extension for Chrome, Firefox, and Safari that exposes the role money plays in Congress. Displays on any web page detailed campaign contribution data for every Senator and Representative, including total amount received and breakdown by industry and by size of donation. Puts vital data where it’s most relevant so you can discover... Continue Reading →

California truck drivers at three major transportation companies went on strike Monday morning, demanding an end to purported labor law violations such as misclassification and intimidation. This is the fourth strike initiated by the drivers with the backing of the Teamsters union, but it’s the first without a definitive end date; whereas previous strikes have... Continue Reading →

Researchers have genetically engineered trees that will be easier to break down to produce paper and biofuel, a breakthrough that will mean using fewer chemicals, less energy and creating fewer environmental pollutants. "One of the largest impediments for the pulp and paper industry as well as the emerging biofuel industry is a polymer found in... Continue Reading →

Tens of thousands marched in cities across Australia on Sunday to protest the policies of Prime Minister Tony Abbott following the recent release of his administration's austerity budget. The 2014 federal budget has been slammed for measures that critics charge will devastate Australia's poor, including huge cuts to unemployment and welfare benefits, education, and health... Continue Reading →

Instead of taking a pill a day, what if you could take one pill that lasted 16 years? That's the premise for a new project funded by the Gates Foundation, which looks at innovative ways to deliver drugs into the body. A single smart capsule could release drugs into a patient's body over the span... Continue Reading →

Researchers from the George Washington University have managed to switch consciousness on and off in an epileptic woman by stimulating a single region of the brain with electrical impulses. While this is a single case study, it provides an exciting insight into the neural mechanisms behind consciousness, a subject of great interest that is poorly... Continue Reading →

In 2011, researchers at the MIT Media Lab debuted Place Pulse, a website that served as a kind of "hot or not" for cities. Given two Google Street View images culled from a select few cities including New York City and Boston, the site asked users to click on the one that seemed safer, more... Continue Reading →

The Firefly is an electric bike you attach to a manual wheelchair.It uses 4 self-locking ball-joints for quick and easy attachment.By attaching the Firefly your manual wheelchair becomes an electric wheelchair, thereby allowing for greater range and speed.The Firefly is designed primarily for use outdoors and has a maximum reach of 30 km. It runs... Continue Reading →

Pope Francis has launched a scathing attack on the global economic system, warning it is near collapse because of a 'throwaway culture' of greed and the 'atrocity' of youth unemployment. The Roman Catholic leader openly blasted the 'idolatrous' economy for disregarding the young, which he says has led to shocking levels of youth unemployment and... Continue Reading →