Scientists figured out a simple way to discover what’s troubling bees

iStock We’ve seen big declines in wild bee populations. That’s not just bad for the fuzzy little bees; it could drive up prices for almonds, blueberries, and other pollinator-dependent treats. The challenge is knowing what would help them. Do we focus on preserving habitat and flowers? Or should we focus on certain pesticides? Is climate change […]

We Finally Figured Out How To Make Realistic CG Mud

GIF Jurassic Park had just six minutes of computer-generated dinosaurs in it, compared to modern blockbusters which can have thousands of shots requiring complex visual effects. It’s no surprise that animators are eager to embrace any shortcut they can—which is why realistic-looking CG mud could be a game changer. Visual effects studios are not only […]

Nintendo figured 2.3 million NES Classics was enough (it wasn’t)

Enlarge / Both of these miniature NES systems share something in common: they’re no longer being made. Last we heard, the NES Classic Edition had sold 1.5 million units through the end of December, not nearly enough to meet apparently healthy demand during the holiday season and beyond. Now that the company has officially discontinued […]

BOOM! American business just figured out how to play the Trump trade shakedown game

That was fast people, I’m almost impressed. On Thursday, Boeing petitioned the Trump administration to investigate its Canadian competitor, Bombardier, in an anti-dumping trade case. Basically, Boeing is accusing Bombardier of unfairly undercutting it on price in order to win deals. This all goes back to a Delta deal that Boeing lost to Bombardier because […]

The media have finally figured out how to cover Trump’s lies

Getty/Mark Wilson Donald Trump is not on the cover of Time this week, and that must gall him. The president is the subject of the magazine’s cover story, the promise of which apparently persuaded him to grant it an exclusive interview. But instead of Trump’s visage, the cover features a single three-word question in bold red […]

The US Navy may have just figured out a way to save billions on bombs

Joe Stephens/YouTube Screengrab The US Navy may have come across a common sense way to save billions on bombs, according to statements made from US officials at the AFCEA West 2017 conference.  For years now, the Navy has been working on the Naval Integrated Fire Control-Counter Air (NIFC-CA) network to help detect, track, and intercept targets […]

Amazon’s smart home consult figured out how to connect a 50-year-old thermostat

Having set up countless smart-home products, I have the routine pretty much down. Setting them up usually involves downloading the app, connecting the device to the Wi-Fi, and selecting preferences to make the product more automated so I have to use the app as little as possible. That doesn’t mean the process is always seamless, […]

NASA figured out how to make Venus-resistant electronics

There’s a reason why we’re focused on colonizing Mars rather than Venus: the latter is absolutely inhospitable. Its atmosphere is 96 percent carbon dioxide and in terms of pressure, 92 times stronger than Earth’s. That’s not counting the fact that the planet is the hottest in our solar system. Needless to say, getting a computer […]