California mussels and a crab are covered in oil at Refugio State Beach, after a pipeline spilled more than 7,700 gallons of oil this May. The important but little-known agency responsible for ensuring the safety of oil pipelines hasn’t had anyone officially sitting in the top spot since October of 2014. … [Read more...]
Israeli Troops Kill Palestinian During West Bank Clash
A young Palestinian man was shot and killed by Israeli troops during an operation in a West Bank town early Wednesday, the Israeli military said. A military spokeswoman said the man, Mohammad Alawna, 20, was shot as Palestinian youths hurled rocks at Israeli forces conducting an arrest raid in Burkin, a farming town. … [Read more...]
Roads Made of Plastic in the Netherlands?
The Netherlands is already home to the world’s first solar road (or bike lane, technically). Now, the country could soon be the first to use recycled plastic as pavement. The idea for plastic roads comes from VolkerWessels, a Netherlands-based construction firm. According to the company, plastic roads would be a “virtually maintenance free product” that’s “unaffected by … [Read more...]
Three Real Weather Events Almost as Crazy as Sharknado 3
To great social media fanfare, "Sharknado 3" premiers July 22, 2015 at 9:00 p.m. ET on the SyFy Channel. While campy disaster films aren't known for their scientific integrity, the Sharknado series makes some interesting inaccuracies. … [Read more...]
Muslim Man Charged by British in Plot Against U.S. Military
A Muslim delivery driver used his rides to scout the largest U.S. air base in Britain, all the while planning to run over an American serviceman, kill him with a knife and detonate a suicide vest, according to UK prosecutor Mark Dawson. … [Read more...]
More Lasers Reported Over New York and New Jersey
Four more planes reportedly spotted lasers several thousand feet in the air over New York and New Tuesday night, bringing the total to 20 similar incidents in the last week. … [Read more...]
Record Quantity of Meth Seized in German Capital
Berlin police say they've made the biggest seizure ever of methamphetamine in the German capital, confiscating 4.5 kilograms (about 10 pounds) of the synthetic drug worth some 675,000 euros ($735,000) and arresting two alleged dealers. … [Read more...]
Lily Rabe and Hamish Linklater: A Midsummer Night’s Couple
Hamish Linklater was singing. Lily Rabe was not listening. As Mr. Linklater warbled, Ms. Rabe lay in bed with her hands pressed firmly over her ears, a pained expression on her face. (This seemed excessive; he was only a little off-key.) … [Read more...]
Live Instagram Thread Screen An Engineering Work of Art
There’s something axiomatic in our need to take what was once analog, make it digital and then make it analog again. It was all I could think as I stared, transfixed, at a giant, analog-screen comprised of 6,400 spools of colored fabric, which were aligning themselves into the simulacrum of an Instagram photo I’d posted moments before. … [Read more...]
Sony’s Phone Arm Is Working on Drones
Sony is teaming up with with a robotics company it's already invested in, and it's looking to get on board with that whole drone thing. ZMP (which aims to make the "robot of everything") develops automated driving technologies -- although they've stuck to solid ground until now. … [Read more...]