Posts tagged as popular mechanics
Pssst, Wanna Buy A Raptorex Skull?
"Sereno, who has conducted extensive fieldwork in the region, says he has visited villages where the fossil trade is the livelihood for the majority of residents... He recalls entering one tunnel in China, guided by candlelight, that was dug by hand about 900 feet into the side of the mountain. 'There were no wood supports or anything. It was so deep in the side of the mountain, it actually went through an entire valley,' he says. 'There is an untold number of people-probably not thousands, but hundreds-that have been buried alive in the course of trying to find these dinosaurs.'" READ MORE
Imminent Rise of the Robot Helicopter Machines!
"With all due respect to truckers, cargo pilots and other professional haulers, transporting goods across vast distances is looking more and more like a waste of our species' time, opposable thumbs and easily bored brains." Popular Mechanics says unmanned aerial vehicles like the Snowgoose Bravo, made by the Canadian company Mmist, should be deployed right away to carry our stuff for us. (You know the guys in Mmist's AV department were pissed when they couldn't get the rights to "Lunatic Fringe" for that video, right?) But, really, wouldn't we just use our opposable thumbs and easily bored brains to tie the robot helicopters to our penises? Also reported in PM: the fact that the Department of Defense has mandated that a third of all military vehicles be autonomous by 2015 and the opinion that, "That's not soon enough." I say, that's probably far too soon, and definitely terrifying!
A Delightful Article About Something We'd All Rather Not Think About
"With a target in mind, the next consideration is body position. To slow your descent, emulate a sky diver. Spread your arms and legs, present your chest to the ground, and arch your back and head upward. This adds friction and helps you maneuver. But don't relax. This is not your landing pose." READ MORE
Cordless Drills: Better Just To Look At
God bless Popular Mechanics. Here's how they start their latest consumer report, '7 Small Drills Bore It Out: Tool Comparison Test': READ MORE
Robot Navy Helicopter Breaks The Code Of Streets
The Navy is using unmanned robot helicopters to hunt drug smugglers. A Fire Scout helicopter called MQ-8B (apparently, the Navy shops for robots on the Jawa black market), the craft is more advanced than the remote operated drone planes used in Iraq in that it can take off, fly and land without human assistance. "MQ-8B became the first unmanned helo to deploy on a naval anti-narcotics mission when it left port in Florida on Monday aboard the USS McInerney," reports Popular Mechanics, noting that a crew of engineers were on hand "to help the aircraft stay healthy." Hey, MQ-8B. Here's a word to the wise: You know how a nosy robot helicopter can stay healthy? Stop snitching.
