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Universal Pictures announces “Weird Science” remake

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 21:46:00 +0000

Just days after the announcement that the "Point Break" remake is moving forward, 90s kids nostalgia strikes again, with the announcement of a "Weird Science" remake. Universal Pictures is bringing back Joel Silver, the original producer of the 1985 cult comedy, along with "21 Jump Street" writer Michael Bacall.

Deadline reports:

This film will attempt to carve out its own identity by being redrawn as an edgier R-rated comedy in line with 21 Jump Street and The Hangover. The original starred Michael Anthony Hall and Ilan Mitchell-Smith as brainy nerds who attempt to create the perfect woman to fulfill their heavy-breathing adolescent fantasies, only to find she is something more than a sex object. The original also starred Bill Paxton and Robert Downey Jr, with Kelly LeBrock playing the bombshell creation. It was later turned into a TV series for USA Network

Robot toddler could unlock secrets of human development

Fri, 11 Jan 2013 13:51:00 +0000

Robotics, neuroscience, developmental psychology, and machine learning have converged in a new project led by University of California San Diego researchers. Meet Diego-san, a robotic one-year-old that "learns" to move and interact the same way a real baby does -- by watching you.

Besides bringing us that much closer to the uncanny valley, Diego-san is also providing a deeper understanding of sensory motor and social intelligence in children.

Diego-san stands about 4 feet 3 inches tall and weighs 66 pounds. Its body has a total of 44 pneumatic joints. Its eerily lifelike head contains around 27 moving parts. High definition cameras in his eyes allow him to "see" the world around it -- and the research team is developing algorithms that allow it to “learn” from cues like gestures, facial expressions and other movements. Just like a real baby.

As reported by science website Phys.org:

Cute science: Pandas can help fight superbugs

Tue, 08 Jan 2013 16:51:00 +0000

Fighting drug-resistant microorganisms has never been so adorable!

Researchers at the Life Sciences College of Nanjing Agricultural University in China recently discovered that the endangered giant panda has a potent antimicrobial compound in its bloodstream. Known as cathelicidin-AM, the compound can kill a wide range of bacteria, including those that are resistant to antibiotics.

According to the Daily Telegraph, cathelicidin-AM was able to kill bacteria in less than an hour -- five hours faster than other widely used antibiotics.

The discovery may lead to increased interest in preserving the population of wild pandas. There are about 1,600 left in the wild, and more than 300 pandas live in zoos and breeding centers around the world, mostly in China.

And for those worried that this scientific breakthrough will lead to pandas being killed for their amazing antibiotic blood: fear not. The compound can be manufactured synthetically in the laboratory.

Weirdest 3-D printed objects ever

Fri, 04 Jan 2013 23:58:00 +0000

We already told you that 3-D printed organs are coming -- eventually. What we didn't tell you is there's a whole host of other strange, printable stuff out there, too. From Thomas Jefferson's bust to bikinis for your bust, here is a slideshow of the weirdest 3-D replicas around.

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Dogs can do math

Fri, 12 Oct 2012 18:08:00 +0000

Scientists -- emboldened by recent breakthroughs with the human brain -- are now working to find out what, exactly, your pooch is thinking about all day. The results probably won't surprise you: Dogs think about food. A lot.

According to a recent study published in the journal Animal Cognition, your pup can count how many treats you put in front of her. And if you take one away? Yeah, she can tell -- so maybe don't try it. Findings like these have led scientists to peg an adult dog's cognitive functioning at around the same level as that of a 2-year-old child, which, if you've ever spent any time with a toddler, sounds about right. Most pooches can understand close to 165-250 words, successfully interpret basic social cues and they love to play with iPads.

And as it turns out, the old saying about dogs resembling their owners has some scientific merit. Because dogs are deeply domesticated animals, studying them can reveal a lot about humans, said Gregory Berns, a researcher at Emory University. "The canine mind reflects back to us how we see ourselves through the eyes, ears, and noses of another species."