The first combat iRobot

The future is closer than you think. It is possible that in the next 10 years to fight for people in developed countries will be robots, which will run no more complicated than a computer game. That will not only kill the computer bots in virtual reality and real-life opponents. IRobot Corporation has already constructed the first combat robot for mass production. The model is called the Warrior 710 Fighting multi-robot weighs about 200 pounds, is equipped with a mechanical "arm" travels on caterpillar chassis and is equipped as standard 40-millimeter grenade launcher multilateral. Exclusive feature combat robot manipulator is the mechanical flexibility, which can be used for a variety of tasks. In this video, Warrior 710 runs mechanical "arm" detonation charge, to clear a minefield:

In the fighting robot fashionable set practically any modern weapons. Military preference for multilateral 40-millimeter grenade launcher to effectively defeat the enemy, but also that the robot can be used to quell civil protests. In this case, it clings to the modern "humane" weapons of mass protests against the Taser X26, which looks pretty futuristic.

NASA Green Flight Challenge Launches Electric Aircraft

Since the early days of aviation, competitions and races have served as a take off point for many innovative designs and been instrumental in accomplishing record flights.  The 2011 NASA Green Flight Challenge is not exception.

Unlike other aircraft races and competitions, however, spectators were not engulfed by the characteristic roaring sound of a 3,000 horsepower V-12 aircraft engine.  Why?  Because all the airplanes in this competition are electric!  From take off to landing, the only sound these planes make is the whir of their electric motors and the wind that streams over the sleekly designed airframes.

Each aircraft follow a 200-mile rectangular course in the sky and, with no perceptible sound, one needs sharp eyes to spot them and keep track of their movement.  The competing teams take under two hours to complete the course.

From the 10 teams that originally entered the competition, only five qualified for the event.  As the day of the competition neared, the number was further reduced to four.  One of the teams, from Embry-Riddle University, was not able to meet all of the requirements but after submitting a petition and with the support of the other three teams, Embry-Riddle University’s hybrid electric aircraft was still allowed to fly the skies with the other three planes but it was ineligible for the prize.

The aircraft designed by the team from Embry-Riddle uses a gas engine for taking off and switches to an electric motor for cruising.  Another gasoline-powered hybrid was the Phoenix designed by a team from Florida.  The other two aircraft were both all electric: Slovenia’s Pipistrel Taurus G4 and Germany’s e-Genius.

The competition lasted two days.  The first day was devoted to an efficiency flight competition which required the aircraft to fly at a minimum average of 100 miles per hour and the corresponding 200 seat miles per gallon while using up the least amount of energy as they follow a set course.  The second day was for the speed flight which required the aircraft to fly the 200-mile course as fast as they can while maintaining the average 200 seat miles per gallon; additionally, they should still have 30 minutes of reserve power left when they land.  Two people were also required to be on board each team’s aircraft.

The state-of-the-art electric aircraft took to the skies at Sonoma County Airport in San Jose, California.  With the $1.65 million in prizes up for grabs, the NASA Green Flight Challenge aims to fuel the development of electric aircraft.  The winner of the Challenge will be announced Monday at Moffett Field near San Jose where the aircraft will also be on public display and performing flybys.

Insanely Detailed Origami Insects

Insanely Detailed Origami Insects - Brian Chan is an origami master – obviously, from the photos of his works of folded paper insects above, you’d be hard-pressed to argue. The young artist has been participating in origami competitions and hosting origami seminars alongside origami “legends” for several years. Chan admires the art of origami because of the intricacy involved, especially when it comes to geometry – Chan’s favourite mathematical sector. We love his work because it is truly beautiful to see the point in which his art starts – as a simple square (and as is the case with most of Chan’s work, a single piece of paper), and the final product that is arguably more intricate than some additive sculptural works.

7 Wonders Of Water

Drinking at least eight glasses of water a day may be an overused advice but it cannot be said often enough how important to our health water is.  It may seem very simple on the outset but many people are still unable to meet their body’s daily water requirements.  Water plays a critical role in our physical, mental, and emotional well-being and every sip counts.

Water as an Anti-Aging Agent.  A well-hydrated skin is a youthful-looking skin.  When your body is dehydrated, it also shows on your skin, and dry skin forms fine lines and wrinkles more quickly than moisturized skin.  Water also helps improve circulation so that your skin is always well-nourished and flushes out impurities so that your skin is always clear.

Water as a Diet Aid. Drink a glass of water before every meal and you will not feel as hungry.  Instead of drinking beverages that are loaded with calories, hydrate with plain water or water flavored with a slice of lemon or a mint leaf.  The more water you drink, the faster your metabolism works.  When you drink icy cold water, your body burns more calories to increase the temperature of the water.

Water as a Workout Aid. Again, adequate hydration is the key to a more productive and injury-free workout, especially if you are strength-training.  Water keeps your energy level up so that you avoid overexertion and prevent muscle cramps and lubricates the joints so that you prevent joint injuries.

Water as a Restorative.  When you feel weak and drained of energy, a drink of water can help revive you.  Water facilitates faster transportation of oxygen and other nutrients throughout the body and, therefore, also helps the heart by reducing its work load.

Water as a Digestion Aid.  Combined with fiber, water promotes healthier digestion, aiding in the effective breakdown and transport of waste particles.  When the body is dehydrated, its natural reaction is to absorb the water that is available, including water that is needed for digestion.

Water as a Kidney Aid. Adequate water is needed to dilute the salts, calcium, and other minerals that end up in the kidneys and are eliminated through the passing of urine.  When there is not enough water, the minerals crystallize and form kidney stones.

Water as a Stress Buster. Not drinking enough water actually causes mental and physical stress.  Because at 70 to 80 percent of the brain is water, dehydration can put a strain on the body’s many functions.  Make sure to take regular sips throughout the day to prevent stressing your body.

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Top 5 the Fastest Cars in the World

1. Bugatti Veyron

This supercar manufactured by Volkswagen Group and Bugatti Automobiles SAS is considered to be the fastest car in accelerating and breaking. It was first produced in 2005 and costs 1,1 million euros. W-16 vehicle producing 987 hp allows gaining speed up to 429 km/h.

2. SSC Ultimate Aero

This sport car designed by Shelby Super Cars was produced in limited amount due to the fact that manufacturing one single car cost $620.000. Maximum speed recorded during the test drive is 413 km/h.

3. Koenigsegg CCX

This sport car is produced by Swedish car manufacturer Koenigsegg.

Engine: 806 hp

Maximum speed 400 km/h

4. Saleen S7 Twin-Turbo

Cooperation of such car manufacturers as Saleen, Hidden Creek Industries, Phil Frank Design and Ray Mallock Ltd gave birth to a sport car, called Saleen S7 Twin-Turbo. S7 is provided with V8 engine producing 750 hp allows gaining speed up to 402 km/h.

5. McLaren F1

McLaren F1 is the fastest street racing supercar McLaren Automotive has ever produced. Formerly it used to be the fastest car in the world. Its maximum speed is 371 km/h.

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Top 5 Best Road Cycle Racers Of All Time

5. Gino Bartali

Gino Bartali was born in Italy on 1914. He has won the Tour de France twice, in 1938 and 1948, both times also winning the mountain competition, and the Giro D’Italia three times in 1936, 1937 and 1946, also here he won the mountain competition all three times. Bartali also won the Tour de Suisse in 1946 and 1947. Bartali was a good climber and a pioneer of derailleur gears. His style was unusual: he rarely danced on the pedals and often stayed in the saddle throughout a 15km climb. When others attacked, he stayed in the saddle but changed up gear, to a sprocket three teeth smaller.

He rode smoothly on mountains but every now and then freewheeled, always with his right foot lowered with his weight on it. Then a second or two later he would start pedaling again.

4. Séan Kelly

Séan Kelly was born in Ireland in 1956, and became one the most successful rider of the 1980s and the best Classics rider of all times. His wins include the Vuelta a España in 1988, 4 point class wins in both the Tour de France and the Giro D’Italia, 7 consecutive win in Paris-Nice form 1982 – 1988, 2 wins in Tour de Suisse, Paris-Roubaix and Liège-Bastogne-Liége.

3. Jacques Anquetil

Jacques Anquetil was born in France in 1934. He has won the Tour de France five time, in 1957 and 1961-1964, the Giro D’Italia twice in 1960 and 1964, the Vuelta a España in 1936 and the Liège-Bastogne-Liège in 1966. Anquetil also holds several records:

- He was the first to the Tour de France five times

- He was the first to win all three big stage races

- He was the first French rider to win the Giro D’Italia

- He was the first French rider to wear the yellow jersey in the Tour de France form the first day to the last.

2. Bernard Hinault

Bernard Hinault was born in France in 1954, and is one of only five riders to have won all three big stage races, and the only to have won each more than once. Hinault is the only rider ever to have finished either first or second in each Tour de France he finished. He won the Tour de France in 1978, 1979, 1981, 1982 and 1985, the Giro D’Italia in 1980, 1982 and 1985 and the Vuelta a España in 1978 and 1983. Among Hinault many other victories are Paris-Roubaix in 1981, Liège-Bastogne-Liège in 1977 and 1980 and the World Road Cycling Championship in 1980.

1. Eddy Merckx

Eddy Merchx was born in Belgium in 1945 and became the best road bicycle racer the world has ever seen. He won the Tour de France 5 times in 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972 and 1974, the Giro D’Italia 5 times in 1968, 1970, 1972, 1973 and 1974 and the Vuelta a España once in 1973. Merckx also won the Tour de Suisse once, Paris-Nice 3 times, Dauphné-Libéré once, Paris-Roubaix 3 times, Liège-Bastogne-Liége 5 times and the World Road Race Championship 3 times. Eddy Merckx is also one of only five riders to win all three big stage races during their career, the four others are: Jacques Anquetil, Felice Gimondi, Bernard Hinault and Alberto Contador.

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Top 5 Human Sideshow Freaks

5. Myrtle Corbin – The Four Legged Lady

Josephine Myrtle Corbin was born in Lincoln County, Tennessee in 1868. She was born a dipygus, meaning that she had two separate pelvises side by side from the waist down. The extra legs were part of a twin that did not split correctly, like Frank Lentini with his third leg. Each of her smaller inner legs was paired with one of her outer legs. She was said to be able to move her inner legs, but they were too weak for walking. She had four daughters and a son.

4. Martin Laurello – The Human Owl

The man who we have come to know as Martin Laurello was born Martin Emmerling in Nuremburg, Germany around 1886. He began to perform his act in Europe when in his 20′s and brought it over to America in 1921. He appeared several times at Coney Island and worked also for Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey’s sideshow. He also worked for Dick Best’s Royal American Shows and as late as 1945 was appearing with Ripley’s shows along with “Popeye Perry” and “Junior Stiles”, 7-year old Lobster Boy.

3. Mme. Clofullia – The Bearded Lady of Geneva

Madame Clofullia was born Josephine Boisdechene in Switzerland. She was born hairy and reputedly had a two-inch beard at the age of eight. At the age of fourteen she began to tour Europe, first accompanied by her father and an agent and then with her father alone. In Paris she met painter Fortune Clofullia and eventually married him. She also gained extra fame when she fashioned her beard in the imitation of that of Napoleon III. In return, the ruler gave her a large diamond.

2. Wang – The Human Unicorn

In 1930, a Chinese farmer from Manchukuo was discovered by an expat Russian banker. The Russian was able to take a picture of the man and he sent the snapshot off to Robert Ripley of ‘Believe It Or Not!’ fame. Known only as Wang, or sometimes referred to as Weng, the farmer was normal in every respect except fot the fact that he possessed a fourteen-inch spire-like horn growing from the back of his head. Ripley offered a huge cash reward to anyone who could produce Wang for an appearance in his Odditorium. However Wang disappeared from the public eye in the early 1930′s and was never heard from again.

1. Lionel – The Lion Faced Boy

Stephan Bibrowsky was born in Poland in 1890 to normal parents. He suffered from hypertrichosis, a rare genetic disease that covers the entire bodies of the subjects with a thick coat of fur. Only about 50 cases of the disorder have been documented since the Middle Ages. In the case of Lionel, six-inch-long hair covered his body. He was discovered by a German man named Meyer when he was four years old and became famous throughout Europe where he gained the nickname of Lionel the Lion-Faced Man. Far from being exhibited as a beast, he wore often the best clothes to show that under his hairs he was a literate and enjoyable person that spoke five languages.

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World's Rarest Animals

1.Arabian Oryx: Bounding Back

In addition to the newly critically endangered species, the new Red List boasts a few bright spots. The future looks bright, for example, for the Arabian oryx, which not long ago nearly vanished forever.

2.Harlequin Toad

Nineteen new frogs, toads, and salamanders were added to the Red List this year, and eight are said to be critically endangered—including  harlequin toad. I suggest you to read great article on harlequin toad on green-buzz.net, where Emma Websdale explained about this frog.

3.Bog Turtle

This tiny, critically endangered bog turtle, Clemmys muhlenbergi, is one of the world’s smallest, squeezing into a 3- to 4.5-inch (7.9- to 11.4-centimeter) shell. But the eastern-U.S. reptile represents a big conservation problem. Wetland development and drainage have drastically reduced suitable habitat for this and many other species around the globe.

4. Dwarf Salamander

The Chuj climbing salamander, a species of dwarf salamander from Guatemala  is another addition to the critically endangered category of the 2011 Red List.

5. Siau Island Tarsier

Threatened by a volcano and bush-meat hunters, the Siau Island tarsier is among animal species newly designated critically endangered in the 2011 update of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)’s Red List of Threatened Species, released last week.