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NASA Footage Sets Scene for <cite>Quantum Quest</cite> Movie
Footage from seven ongoing NASA space missions provide hyper-realistic scenery for the 3-D animated film, while the voices of multiple Captain Kirks and Darth Vaders play the parts of space explorers.
'Earth-like' Exoplanet Could Have a Comet's Tail
When the super-Earth COROT-7b was discovered in 2009, it was heralded as the rockiest, most truly Earth-like exoplanet yet. But a new study suggests it's more like a comet.
<cite>Duke Nukem Forever</cite> Lives Again at PAX
The presumed-dead videogame makes a splash appearance at Penny Arcade Expo in Seattle.
Hands-On With HDR Photos in the Next iPhone Update
A first look at iOS 4.1 Gold Master, the latest release of Apple's mobile operating system due out next week. A developer sent me a copy and I have it installed on my iPhone 4. Major new features are the HDR photo mode and Game Center.
Very Few Bones to Pick With Samsung's Big, Beautiful Phone
Just say "no" to be being an iClone. Get a device with an open OS, lightning-fast data connectivity and a network that won't drop calls every five minutes.
Smart Gear for the School Year
Don't hit the books without getting the right gear. We've got all the kit you need from taking scrupulous notes, to working off campus, to being the most popular kid in your dorm.
Hot Helping of Rapid Wi-Fi Anywhere You Go? Yes, Please
If you're even thinking of working off-campus without taking this Wi-Fi-spewing wonder card, you'll need to be fitted for a straight jacket.
Glint of Starlight Could Reveal Liquid Oceans on Exoplanets
The sparkle of starlight off water could be the clincher for finding oceans on extrasolar planets. And it could be observable with the tech that will be deployed in the next generation of space telescopes.
Digital Pen Gives Boring Note-Taking a Modern Kick
Don't you wish there was a way to take notes with a pen and upload them to your computer? And don't you wish that pen had an infrared camera, a built-in speaker and mic? There is such a thing, and it's called the Livescribe Echo Smartpen.
Cruising Across Campus? Get This Cozy Commuter
Unless you're majoring in spandex and minoring in too-cool-for-school at Steephill State, you may not need a road, fixed-gear or a mountain bike. Consider REI's Novara Fusion commuter. Sure this hybrid 8-speed won't get you anywhere in a mega-hurry, but you'll likely enjoy getting there.
Behind the Scenes at IndyCar
As we go backstage at the IndyCar Grand Prix of Sonoma, we ponder what's more important to fans -- the drivers' skill, or the cars' technology?
By Losing Weight, Tennis Pro Quickly Gains Ground
By losing 30 pounds in less than a year, tennis pro Mardy Fish has quickly become one of the top Americans to advance at this year?s US Open in New York. Fish opens up on how he pulled it off and revitalized his career.
Steve Jobs: iTunes 10 Icon Does Not 'Suck'
While winding down from Wednesday?s iPod announcements, Apple CEO Steve Jobs appears to have taken some time to respond to an e-mail criticizing the new look of the iTunes icon.
Video: Monster Truck Makes Monster Crash
Joe Sylvester wants to set a new record for longest jump by a monster truck. Clearly he's still got some work to do.
Travelling Around the World in a Gadget-Filled Ford Fiesta
Wired.com contributor Jeremy Hart is driving around the world in a Ford Fiesta. Along the way, he'll be testing gadgets from some of the most extreme — and amazing — locations.
NASA Flies First Drone Over Hurricane
In addition to the usual cadre of satellites, NASA is using a small fleet of unmanned aircraft into, over and around the hurricane as it tracks north from the Caribbean. While flying into a hurricane is nothing new, Earl is the first hurricane that NASA has observed using their unmanned Global Hawk observation aircraft.
EA Simulates 2010 NFL Season, Predicts Super Bowl Champs
EA Sports, publisher of the Madden NFL videogame franchise, has taken its latest game iteration, Madden NFL 11, and run through the upcoming 2010 NFL season, offering at least a simulated insight into who?ll be celebrating in Arlington, Texas, after Super Bowl XLV.
Six Apart Shuts Down Vox
Six Apart is shutting down its Vox blogging service. Users have until Sept. 30 to export their data to another free blog publishing service like Six Apart's TypePad. After that, Vox will be gone.
Gadget Lab Podcast: iPods, Apple TV and Samsung's Galaxy Tab
This week's episode of the Gadget Lab podcast is heavy on fruits. High on vitamin A, Dylan Tweney gushes over the pluot, a plum-apricot hybrid, while Brian X. Chen dishes out this week's announcements of brand new Apple gear. They also share our impressions of Samsung's iPad rival, the 7-inch Galaxy Tab.
Baby Lion Cam Launches
This morning, the Smithsonian National Zoo launched a live webcam of the zoo's four new baby African lion cubs and their mother. The cubs were born during the late evening and early morning between Aug. 30 and 31 and will remain inside until late fall.
How Sheep Determined the Size of Your Gadgets
It's easy to figure out why e-readers and tablets are the size that they are: They're all about the size of paperback books. But why are paperbacks that size? It all has to do with the sheep.
Feds Push 'Active Transportation' to Build Healthier Communities
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is on a mission to promote walking, cycling and mass transit in an effort to build healthier communities.
From Washington to Mexico on 12.4 Gallons of Diesel
Craig Henderson achieved 119.1 mpg in a car he designed in 1984.
Best Exploitation Flicks: 'Machete' and Its Over-the-Top Ancestors
From bad girls and zombies to circus freaks and killer cars, the shock-and-awful recipe for grindhouse movies' tasty cinematic sausage never fails to satisfy. As Robert Rodriguez's timely homage hits screens, we look back at several decades of surprisingly influential B movies.
Sept. 3, 1976: Viking 2 Lands on Mars
Viking 2, the second mission to Mars, lands on the planet and begins transmitting pictures and soil analyses.
Jargon Watch: Synthia, Teabonics, Flash Crash
Learn the nickname for the first synthetic organism and a derisive term for ungrammatical Tea Party signs.
Alt Text: Make a Nasty World Nice With Virtual Rewards
Using Foursquare to stamp out sexually transmitted diseases is just the beginning of a brave new war on bothersome reality. Just think of all the amazing problems we can solve with the proper mix of badges, exclusive offers and unbridled optimism.
'Impossible' Soccer Kick Leads to New Physics Equation
A group of French scientists have come up with a new physics equation to help explain how Brazilian soccer star Roberto Carlos scored his "impossible" kick in 1998.
New Circuit Unveiled for U.S. Grand Prix
With long straights, fast turns and tight chicanes, it looks like an exciting track. Now they've just gotta build it.
One Ring Zero Reboots Holst's <cite>Planets</cite>, Keeps Pluto in Mix
A modern take on ?????Gustav Holst's orchestral suite uses theremins, accordions and other unusual instruments to make a musical statement. Who's listening? For starters, the director of Hayden Planetarium.