Smart bricks would enable walls capable of generating electricity, clean water and oxygen

[SCIENCE] [Smart bricks would enable walls capable of generating electricity, clean water and oxygen] On the way to buildings that act like “large-scale living organisms”, scientists at the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol) are developing smart bricks which make use of microbes to recycle wastewater, generate electricity and produce oxygen. [Read more] [GAMES] [Retro-Bit Generations brings arcade classics home] In the next few months, Nintendo and Sega are relaunching modern versions of classic home consoles, but for those whose gaming nostalgia brings up memories of noisy arcades and dingy bars, the Retro-Bit Generations takes 100+ classic games from the arcade era and jams them onto one little machine. [Read more] [ENVIRONMENT] [Teaching koalas a safer way to cross the road] In a first-of-a-kind study, scientists have tracked koala activity in response to newly installed wildlife crossings and found that while dolphins they are not, these fluffy herbivores learnt very quickly to avoid oncoming traffic when presented with a safe alternative path. [Read more] [SCIENCE] [Drug-delivering microrobots swim closer to reality] ​Over the years, scientists have come up with all manner of new ways to deliver medication, from sophisticated dual-sided pills to drug-packed nanoparticles. Now, researchers are working on something even more sophisticated, developing tiny bead-shaped robots controlled by magnetic fields. [Read more] [BIOLOGY] [Weird glowing purple orb surprises marine researchers] Working off the coast of California in the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, the crew​ of the marine exploration vessel Nautilus were surprised to see a mysterious glowing purple orb on their live feed and used a robotic attachment to sample the mysterious creature for study. [Read more] [GOOD THINKING] [Tank-treaded hand truck "Glydes" down stairs] Loading kegs onto hand trucks and thumping them down flights of stairs can lead to injury and damage. In response, an engineering team from MIT developed Glyde, a hand truck that scales stairs easily thanks to tank-like treads and a self-braking system. [Read more] [AUTOMOTIVE] [Genovation GXE breaks own world record for fastest street legal electric car] Even though Tesla's Model S accelerates like a McLaren F1, it's not the fastest street legal EV​ in the world. That honor is reserved for the Genovation GXE, a reimagined Corvette Z06 that has now set a new land speed world record of 205.6 mph (331 km/h). [Read more] [ROBOTICS] [Lockheed Martin's Spider bot skims blimps to plug holes] Lockheed Martin's Hybrid Airship is one beast of a heavy hauler. Naturally, maintaining a vehicle almost as long as a football field takes a lot of man hours, but the technology company has a new little helper on deck. [Read more] [SPACE] [ExoMars uses new navigation technique to tack for the Red Planet] ESA's ExoMars 2016 Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) spacecraft zeroed in on Mars today as it successfully conducted a 53-minute course correction burn of its main engine. ESA says that the probe used a new ultra-precise navigation technique that fixed its position to within a thousand meters. [Read more] [ELECTRONICS] [Transparent screen displays free-floating "holograms" in your home] HoloVit, which recently proved a prototype, is seeking funds on Indiegogo for its personal holography system. HoloVit recording sets and screens are designed to capture and display holograms projected from smartphones, tablets, laptops, or TVs.​ [Read more] [MEDICAL] [Could brain stimulation make us more susceptible to hypnosis?] ​​A team of researchers from the Stanford University School of Medicine has identified key areas of the human brain that, under stimulation, could make a person more susceptible to hypnosis. [Read more] [GAMES] [SymGym: A full-body controller that adds resistance training to video games] Game controllers like the Wii and Kinect have tried to get gamers up and moving, but SymGym takes things a step further by acting simultaneously as a controller and resistance-based strength training system. [Read more] [GOOD THINKING] [Carbon XPrize aims to reimagine CO2] Forty-seven entries from seven countries are set to take part in a competition aimed at finding new ways to convert carbon dioxide into valuable products. The NRG COSIA Carbon XPrize will award US$20 million to the teams that develop the best breakthrough technologies for "reimagining CO2." [Read more] [SPACE] [The Sun's magnetic field may not be generated quite how we thought] Readings from NASA’s Chandra X-Ray Observatory are causing astronomers to question our understanding of exactly how the magnetic fields of stars akin to our own Sun are generated. [Read more] [AUTOMOTIVE] [BMW is using faster robotic optical scanners to ensure its cars measure up] BMW claims to be the first automaker to implement a robotic optical measuring cell that can create a digital model of a full-sized vehicle in half the time of previous efforts. [Read more] [AUTOMOTIVE] [Classic British car marque takes flight again with Bullet speedster] Storied British car marque Bristol has launched a new model to celebrate its 70th anniversary. The Bullet signals the rebirth of the brand after it was saved from insolvency five years ago and recalls its heritage in aviation and luxury car production. [Read more] [AROUND THE HOME] [Zaha Hadid's signature curves come to the bathroom] Few get the opportunity to live in a Zaha Hadid-designed luxury home. However, a new collection produced by Zaha Hadid Design and Spanish high-end ceramics specialist Porcelanosa offers those with deep pockets an opportunity to kit out their bathroom with the late architect's signature style. [Read more] [ARCHITECTURE] [Dubai's skyscraper rainforest will create its own tropical climate] The concept of a skyscraper containing a rainforest sounds almost too absurd to entertain, even for Dubai. It's no longer a concept, though, with work on the Rosemont Hotel and Residences having now started. And the development is even more dripping with flamboyance than first reported last year.​ [Read more] [SPACE] [Microscopic crystals reveal violent aftermath of ancient meteor strike] ​​An international team of researchers has calculated the cataclysmic conditions created when an asteroid struck northern Arizona roughly 49,000 years ago by analyzing the structure of microscopic diamonds known as zircons. [Read more] [OUTDOORS] [Off Grid caravan battles the bush to let you sleep in luxury's lap] Joining the ranks of off-road camping trailers built to navigate through and shelter in the most rugged slices of Earth, the new Lotus Off Grid brings a little more luxury than most. So you can get away from the everyday world ... without giving up the parts you actually like. [Read more] [BIOLOGY] [Synaptic bridges help brain cells communicate] Single-molecule imaging has revealed that synapses – the tiny junctions that allow neurons to communicate with each other – transmit information across precisely-aligned nanocolumns. The discovery could unlock new secrets to how our brains work and it may improve our understanding of brain diseases. [Read more] [ENVIRONMENT] [Is working hard bad for the environment?] In a welcome sacrifice for the good of the planet, a UN International Resource Panel study found that saving the environment may require people work fewer hours in the future. A growing middle class has led to a rapid pace of raw material extraction around the globe. [Read more] [AROUND THE HOME] [Alchema takes the hard work out of homebrewing cider] Homebrewing alcohol can be fun and cheap, but for what it saves in cash it can drain in time and effort. Alchema aims to simplify the process with the help of​ a user-friendly smart cider homebrewer and an app that provides clear instructions, recipes, and tips for creating your own concoctions. [Read more] [ARCHITECTURE] [Shed-like Tinhouse is a triumph of utilitarian design] If you tell someone their house looks like a shed, it isn't usually taken as a compliment, but Rural Design's Tinhouse was designed that way. Located in a rural plot in Scotland's Isle of Skye, the appealing home echoes the modest agricultural buildings that dot the area. [Read more] [AUTOMOTIVE] [VW Crafter is smarter than your average van] Say what you will about its ethics, Volkswagen has made big strides in making everything from the Polo to the Amarok feel more upmarket. The latest vehicle to chase a more luxurious feel is the Crafter, a van with designs on offering tradies a more comfortable, car-like feel. [Read more] [MOBILE TECHNOLOGY] [Gizmag jobs: Mobile Technology Writer] Gizmag is looking for a US-based journalist specializing in mobile tech to join our global team.​ [Read more] [SPECIAL PROMOTION FOR GIZMAG READERS] [Use Your Phone Handsfree with 73% off the Layze Flexible Car Mount] Quick disclaimer: Don't use this universal car mount to play Pokemon Go and drive. Now that's out of the way, do use this universal car mount to easily and safely view your smartphone's GPS or the GPS device of your choosing. This sturdy, flexible car mount attaches firmly to your dashboard or windshield with ease and orients any way that works for you. [Read more] You are receiving this email because you signed up for our daily newsletter at www.gizmag.com. [Update profile] | [Unsubscribe] Copyright Gizmag © 2016