It's right there in the Expanded Universe book series, says Chris Peterson, a research assistant in MIT's Center for Civic Media. It's a form of group communication. What's more, Peterson writes, if you follow the theories of anthropologist and sociologist of science Bruno Latour, the Jedi meld might actually be the most useful tool for Obama to employ. (Thanks Ryan!)
Great moments in pedantry: Actually, there is a Jedi mind meld
How to fly a helicopter on Mars
On Sunday, Ingenuity—the small helicopter delivered to the surface of Mars by the Perseverance rover—will, hopefully, take its first flight. The distance between Earth and Mars means that lagtime precludes real-time remote control. The helicopter flies autonomously, but the helicopter's digital twin had a lot of practice in simulations back on Earth. At IEEE Spectrum,… READ THE REST
Can you slap a chicken until it's cooked?
Turns out, you can — if you can get the slapping machine to stay alive long enough for the 135,000 slaps required to get it to a minimum safe temperature to eat. Science! Image: Screengrab READ THE REST
Concrete gets tougher with graphene
Perhaps someday we will once again achieve Roman levels of concrete artistry. Graphene Exponent: In July 2020, Thomas Swan, a global chemical manufacturing company signed an agreement with Concrene for a graphene-enhanced concrete product. That concrete product is now planned to be available in the US market in April 2021. The products in the lineup… READ THE REST
Save an extra $22 on this handmade Japanese forged kitchen knife set
There are plenty of top-notch quality knives and knife sets crafted all over the world, from Germany, France, and the heart of Europe, to plenty of premium craftsmen in the U.S. But there's definitely something about a finely honed blade made from Japanese steel that still absolutely stops knife shoppers dead in their tracks. For… READ THE REST
HP is unleashing desktops, laptops, Chromebooks, and more at up to 60% off
If you're itching for a computer upgrade, Hewlett Packard is one of the half-dozen brands you can buy sight unseen and know you're getting a quality rig. Of course, where's the fun in buying a computer sight unseen? Right now, HP is giving everybody an eyeful of everything, making loads of renewed and fully restored… READ THE REST
This collapsible cart is built to carry almost 300 pounds to supply all your summer adventures
As a summer of outdoor activities gets closer, all those "go big" plans for 2021 — the year the world reopened — are going to have to get real. But it's not just about where you're going. It's also about how you're getting there. And how you're trudging all those umbrellas and towels out to… READ THE REST