It depends on who you ask. Earlier this week, researchers announced that they'd successfully turned adult skin cells into embryonic stem cells. Headlines were made — including more than one that heralded this as the first step in human cloning. If you believe The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, and Fox News, this research was a big deal. The Boston Globe and The Washington Post, however, had a different take. According to those sources, this is more of a technical advance (but not one that counts as a "breakthrough") and something that's unlikely to have any clinical relevance whatsoever.
Is new stem cell research super important, or kind of a big yawn?
Study demonstrates that anti-radiation phone stickers do nothing
Can stickers—as in adhesive- or magnetic-backed paper—block phone radiation? Not these ones, says the University of Surrey in England. The stickers are sold by a U.K. company, Energydots, to exploit the country's pitch into 5G conspiracy theories and mystic paranoia. The stickers are about $35 each, shipped; Energydots has also falsely claimed to be in… READ THE REST
Floating a foil boat on heavier-than-air gas
Others have done this demo, but this is a great recent example in a large tank full of sulfur hexafluoride. Their demonstration of its voice-lowering properties was not as good as some, though. Image: YouTube / Da Vinci TV READ THE REST
Is the human gaze a physical force?
Is the human gaze a physical force? It sure feels like it sometimes. Princeton University researchers scanned subjects' brains to gain insight into why we subconsciously interpret "other people's visual attention as an invisible, force-carrying beam projecting from the eyes." This isn't about the paranormal investigations into whether you can "feel" when someone is staring… READ THE REST
The AtomXS is the instant emergency power-up charger every smartphone owner needs
When the new flagship phone of the Android universe, the Samsung S21, rolls out on Jan. 29, it'll be the latest smartphone leap forward, yet still part of a curious trend that doesn't make any buyers happy. Just like the iPhone 12 when it debuted last year, the S21 will be hitting store shelves without… READ THE REST
All of these reusable water bottles can help save the planet while they save you up to 40% off
It's just a water bottle, right? Wrong. A decade ago, most of us loved the convenience of bottled water. Now, a plastic water bottle has undergone a public perception metamorphosis. What was once the height of ease and simplicity is now basically viewed as a detriment to the environment. READ THE REST
Want to learn to code? These 12 learning bundles will teach you everything you need to know
If you want to learn to code, but don't know where to begin…welcome to programming. Seriously, there are dozens of different avenues for understanding how to use everything from Java and Python to C++, Ruby on Rails, and more. Each programming discipline or tool also comes with its own set of strengths and weaknesses that… READ THE REST