Cambridge scientists use LEGO MINDSTORMS to build bone-making robots

Scientists at Cambridge University have built robots out of LEGO, to assist in their research into creating artificial bone

Despite what TV shows like CSI would have us believe, a lot of lab work tends to be highly monotonous. It’s the type of work that could be assigned to robots, were it not for the fact that many facilities can’t afford the things, or can’t rationalize bringing one in for a single project. When scientists at Cambridge University were recently faced with a very mindless, repetitive task that was part of their research into creating artificial bone, one of them got creative, and built a couple of robots out of LEGO.

WD releases My Book Thunderbolt Duo in 4 TB and 6 TB capacities

The My Book Thunderbolt Duo from WD is now available in 4 TB and 6 TB storage capacities

Western Digital (WD) has begun shipping its first Thunderbolt equipped storage device in the form of the My Book Thunderbolt Duo. The device is a dual-drive unit available in 4 TB (2 x 2 TB) and 6 TB (2 x 3 TB) capacities and features dual Thunderbolt ports (and only dual Thunderbolt ports – there’s no USB to fall back on here) on the rear for daisy-chaining of up to six My Book Thunderbolt Duo drives or other Thunderbolt peripherals.

New production process could cut solar cell prices by half

Twin Creeks Technologies' Hyperion process is claimed to be able to produce crystalline silicon wafers, for use in solar cells, for half the cost of conventional methods

Boosting solar cell efficiency is seen as a key factor in making them more practical, but there is another way of looking at the matter ... if the price of those cells were lowered, we could generate more power simply by using more of them. That’s where Mississippi-based Twin Creeks Technologies comes into the picture. The company has developed a method of making crystalline silicon wafers which it says could reduce the cost of solar cell production by half.

Heart disease drug found to reduce racist attitudes

The beta-blocking medication propanol could also block subconscious racist attitudes.

Although racism is widely believed to be a learned behavior, findings from an Oxford University team suggest that taking a heart disease medication may also help mute subconscious racist attitudes in individuals. Researchers gave the drug propranolol to 18 subjects, and placebos to a control group of the same size. Those that received the drug scored markedly lower on a standard test that measures subconscious racial bias. Does this mean we could one day see a pill to counter racist tendencies?

Snowboard built for survival helps you battle the elements

The Signal crew surfs powder in roped 'Snurfer' fashion Photo: Erin Paul Hines

Part Swiss Army knife, part splitboard and part old school powder surfer, the Signal Snowboard Survivor Split snowboard is a one-of-a-kind, experimental board that equips you with all kinds of tools for the backcountry - it can cut wood, start a fire and shovel snow.

Changing the texture of plastics on demand

The process can dynamically switch the texture of plastics between patterns ranging from dots, segments, lines to circles

Imagine a pair of rubber gloves whose surface texture could be altered on demand to provide more grip for climbing. Or maybe gloves with "fingerprints" that can be changed in the blink of an eye. They are just a couple of the many potential applications envisioned by researchers at Duke University for a process they have developed that allows the texture of plastics to be changed at will.

ArchDaily's 2011 Building of the Year award winners an interesting mix of form and function

Hotels and Restaurants category winner: Tori-Tori Restaurant, Polanco, Mexico City (Photo: Paùl Rivera)

For some, architecture is considered "the will of an epoch translated into space" (Mies van der Rohe), for others, it's "frozen music" (Goethe), but for most of us, the topic remains quite subjective. Now, online architecture review site ArchDaily has finally sifted through over 65,000 votes to come up with the winners of their 2011 Building of the Year awards - a fascinating selection of innovation and creativity that will wow some and challenge others.