Scientists create actual, fully functional invisibility cloak

Apart from meeting Daniel Radcliffe, many fans of J.K. Rowling's popular Harry Potter franchise would be hard pushed to find an experience that is closer to a real-life fantasy of the books and films than using an actual invisibility cloak.

Well, they may be in luck. Scientists have recently managed to create a piece of fabric from gold-etched silk that, officials at Tufts and Boston University say, may have some properties of invisibility.

"Unlike most materials, which derive optical properties like color from their chemical make up, metamaterials derive their properties from the physical structure," Discovery News writes.


The development seen in the study is said to be used for biochemical purposes, although the scientists who have developed the technology say they are also exploring opportunities within defense. 


Popular Science explains how it works. 

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We can rebuild him...we have the technology

The last time we reported on a bionic/robotic...anything, it was the short-lived, yet rather entertaining, coverage we provided of the emergence of the world's first bionic cat. It seems that we can once again delve into the world of robo-medicine; this time with a human.

A New Zealand company (makes you proud, doesn't it?) named Rex Bionics has developed a groundbreaking pair of what the developers have called 'robotic pants' - which, in something of a miraculous moment, allowed the guinea pig, named Hayden (pictured above), to walk for the first time in five years. 

Just a couple of minor issues stop this amazing new device from making it to the masses of wheelchair-bound customers just yet. First off, it's extremely slow - with the robotic legs taking what seems a lifetime to take a single step. Secondly, there's the fact that it lacks any real aesthetic appeal yet. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, it comes with the haunting pricetag of a mere $150,000. 

The upbeat promotional video made by the company, which can be seen above, details the benefits that the product can offer to somebody who is disabled. [Rex Bionics via TVNZ]

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We can rebuild him...we have the technology: The world's first bionic cat

Only in Britain would they even consider giving a cat prosthetic paws. Well, in London, they did just that. Oscar, who lost his two rear paws in what the Boston Globe described as a "nasty encounter with a combine harvester", has been fitted with metallic pegs that mimic the shape and function of a cat's paw.

He's now 'back on his feet', the Globe reports, and hopping over hurdles like tissue paper rolls.

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It sure would suck to be a smoker in New York (unless you're Native American)

The price of smoking is set to become even higher in New York, as new tax law is set to push up the price of a pack of cigarettes to almost US$11.00 (NZ$15.46). The cigarette tax, as reported by Fox News, is set to jump by around $1.60, under a deal made between New York City and various state officials. 

A packet of cigarettes in New York City following the change would be over 5 dollars - making New York the fist city in the world to break the five dollar mark in terms of demerit taxes on cigarettes. 

At least one estimate, Fox News noted, showed that around half of all the tobacco purchased in New York was bought by Native Americans - who pay no tax on tobacco. 

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Feel your teenage boy is eating a lot? There's science behind that.

Ever heard a mother of adolescent boys complain about how their son eats so much, or merely mention it in amazement at the sheer volume of food that can be consumed in one sitting? There happens to be a significant amount of scientific fact in their ramblings, as shown by a groundbreaking US funded study.

The study, which is run by the US National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (wow, try fitting that on a letterhead) has found that the average boy aged 14-17 can consume up to around 2000 calories in a single lunch sitting, if given the option.

According to Reuters:

During two study lunches, the youngsters were told on one day to eat as much as they normally would during lunch and on the other day, to eat as much as they wanted.

Overall, the researchers found, boys ate more than girls.

Prepubescent boys - generally between the ages of 8 and 10 - averaged nearly 1300 lunchtime calories, versus 900 among prepubescent girls.

Girls showed the biggest increase in appetite during early- to mid-puberty, roughly between the ages of 10 and 13. Girls that age averaged almost 1300 lunchtime calories, and that figure was only slightly higher among girls who were in late puberty.

Read the full report from Reuters. 

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Too much sun may give you cancer, but sunblock can too

We have long been told of the importance of putting on sunscreen before spending any prolonged period of time in the harsh sunlight.

However, a new study reveals that some sunblocks can actually accelerate the effects of cancer, and make some people more susceptible.

A New York senator is calling attention to the fact that retinyl palmitate is an ingredient in most sunblocks, and was also proven to accelerate the development of cancerous cells in controlled tests on lab animals.

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