Everyone thinks it would be cool to travel at the speed of light, which is why scientists devote their lives to working out if it would be possible and NASA is trying to develop its own warp drive. But easy, tiger: turns out super-fast space travel would be fatal. More »
OK, so this phone case isn’t going to actively protect you from the radioactive fallout of a nuclear bomb, but it is supposed to protect you from those harmful radiowaves that are constantly emanating from your precious iPhone.
Pong’s Soft Touch iPhone case incorporates tech that will reduce the exposure to wireless radiation by up to 93%. That’s pretty good. This has been done by redirecting cell phone radiation away from your head and body. No more smartphone-induced brain cancers – if you believe that the radiation is actually doing anything bad to you in the first place.
If that’s isn’t enough, the case has been engineered to improve signal strength by 41%. This means less dropped calls for everyone, though for people living in NYC will probably still experience some. Its makers claim that the improved signal quality will boost talk time by about 1.3 hours as well.
The Pong Soft Case sells for $69.99(USD), and is available in black, pink, light blue or white.
[via Gadgetose]
During last year’s nuclear disaster, the deadly radiation inside Fukushima 1 became one with the surrounding environment contaminating everything. Things aren’t getting any better. Record quantities of the deadly radioactive isotope cesium-137 have just been discovered in the fisheries around Fukushima. More »
Get it? It’s a Geiger Counter made to look like it was created by H.R. Giger. I don’t know about you, but Giger’s Aliens creations creep me out. Therefore I could never use this. I would be too afraid that it would eat me from the hand up. Just let the radiation kill me.
If on the other, you hand want to check for signs of radiation on some alien world, then this Giger Geiger counter is for you. The base radioactive sensor electronics were purchased from Adafruit industries and then modded into a xenomorph by Steve D of Mad Art Lab.
It looks pretty amazing, and quite scary. And yes it does actually work as proven in the video. Now you can be safe from radiation and freak people out at the same time.
[via Nerdcore via Obvious Winner]
Scientists in Japan have been studying a specific breed of butterfly called the pale grass blue butterfly. Two months after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster that led to radiation leaking from the nuclear power station, the researchers collected 144 adult versions of that butterfly from 10 locations around Japan. The collection locations included the Fukushima area.
When the nuclear disaster occurred, the adult butterflies collected would have been in the larval stage. The researchers found that mutations on the butterflies collected near Fukushima were significantly more common the mutations on butterflies collected elsewhere. Examination of butterflies determined that radiation had caused the mutations in the Fukushima butterflies. The mutations included those of wings, antenna, and eyes.
The researchers bred the adult butterflies and determined that mutations not seen in the adults were seen in the offspring. Six months after the Fukushima disaster, the scientists collected the butterflies again at all 10 areas including Fukushima and found that the mutation rate of butterflies near Fukushima was more than double the mutation rate in the butterflies two months after the disaster. The scientists attribute the increase mutation rate to the butterflies eating contaminated food.
[via BBC]
Are your curious about your environment? Have you always wanted a tricorder in your pocket? Well, check out Lapka’s iPhone sensors. They will pack a bunch of sensors in a svelte, compact package that you can take everywhere with you.
Lapka Electronics‘ sensors measure everything from your home’s radiation levels to how organic your organic food is. The sensors are plugged into your iPhone via the headphone jack and you can read the measurements directly on the screen using the bundled iOS app. The other included sensors are an electromagnetic field detector and humidity sensor. Lapka plans on adding allergen sensors and fitness trackers once their product is released.
For now, these sensors are still in the prototype stage, but they will be released in December for $220 (USD).
[via Gessato]
Radiation, Nitrates, and Humidity; oh my! The Lapka Personal Environmental Monitor will be hitting store shelves late this year with a $230 price tag. It will measure the amount of radiation and number of EMF fields penetrating your personal space, while tracking the amount of nitrates (residue from industrial fertilizers) covering your salad, as well as the current temperature and humidity of the room. All of this data is then safely stored on your iPhone. More »
The topic of mobile phone radiation is once again on the burner in Washington D.C. Along with Representative Dennis Kucinich’s proposed legislation that would institute labeling requirements and extensive research into the health effects of RF exposure, the US Government Accountability Office has issued a recommendation that the FCC update its current exposure limits and reevaluate current testing methodologies. As is, the FCC’s radiation guidelines are based on research that was concluded in 1996, and while the US GAO concedes that this may lead to the adoption of higher SAR limits (in certain usage scenarios), the organization contends that it’s time to bring current research and international recommendations into consideration.
As potential cause for concern, the US GAO has also identified a failure of current testing methodologies. Put simply, manufacturers are currently required to submit specific absorption rates that reflect usage against both the head and body, however in the case of the body test, this is always done with the assumption of a holster. While a distance of 1.5 to 2.5 centimeters may not seem like much, SAR values increase with proximity, and many who use their mobile phones in their pockets — say, with a Bluetooth headset — are at risk of exposing themselves to RF limits that exceed current guidelines. The actual absorption rates are currently unknown.
For its part, the FCC has responded to the US GAO and asserts that it has independently arrived at many of the same conclusions, and adds that it has initiated the procedural requirements necessary for the reevaluation of RF safety rules. Those who’d like to learn more can scour the complete recommendation, along with Rep. Kucinich’s proposal, at the source links below.
Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless
US Government Accountability Office recommends FCC reassess radiation limits for mobile phones originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Aug 2012 10:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Clearly targeted at the tin foil hat wearing conspiracy theorists, this anti-radiation tablet case promises to keep harmful invisible rays from escaping the device. But while it might keep you protected, it also means nothing can reach your tablet, including wireless internet signals. More »
Since the Fukushima nuclear crisis occurred, there has been widespread speculation about the global impact of the disaster. Fortunately, a team of Stanford researchers has thrown their brains at the problem, and the answers are fairly reassuring. More »
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