High-speed camera tracks light at 100 billion fps

High-speed camera tracks light at 100 billion fps

For most of us, high-speed image capture, say 120 or 240 frames per second, is enough to get a good look at stuff happening in the blink of an eye -- like a water droplet hitting the ground or a Bichon Frisé snagging his favorite ball. For faster subjects, industrial-strength high-speed cameras can grab tens of thousands of frames per second (or more). But when your rapidly moving target is light itself, you're going to need something a bit quicker -- to the tune of 100 billion fps, according to Nature.
Using a technique called "compressed ultrafast photography" (CUP), researchers at Washington University in St. Louis can track light as it travels and interacts with objects. It's a new spin on the streak camera method, where a sensor moves along with the light to record its motion. Previous streak camera setups have been limited to narrow, one-dimensional views, but the CUP technique allows for two-dimensional image capture. One example video shows a laser pulse sauntering by and reflecting off a mirror in a few tens of picoseconds (trillionths of a second).

So far, researchers have used the technique to explore a handful of phenomena, including how light reflects and refracts, as well as how photons behave when transitioning from one medium to another (e.g., from air to a resin). Nature reports the CUP technique could be used in the development of so-called invisibility cloaks that work by bending light around an object. So while it may not be the absolute fastest high-speed camera system currently out there, perhaps someday it'll help us get a bit closer to realizing those Star Trek/Harry Potter dreams.
(Image credit: Nature)
Nature, Washington University in St. Louis

Edgar Alvarez

Engadget

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Justin Bieber Buys Free Sandwiches For Everyone? ! 

Justin Bieber showed how much he cares for his fans by purchasing sandwiches for an entire shop of people in Los Angeles. He was caught buying everyone's lunch in line!

“Just saw Justin Bieber in Hollywood. He ended up buying everyone’s sandwich who ordered," an eyewitness wrote and posted on Instagram

The "Boyfriend" singer has been surrounded by constant drama lately, from allegedly neglecting his pet to reportedly accusing Selena Gomez of using him, so we love that he's still doing nice things for normal people.

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PS4 Gets Dead Island 2 Beta Before Xbox One, PC

Deep Silver confirms PlayStation 4 owners will get first crack at the upcoming beta.

The upcoming beta for open-world zombie game Dead Island 2 will be exclusive to PlayStation 4 for a period of 30 days. After that time is up, it will be made available on Xbox One and PC, according to an FAQ on the game's website spotted by Videogamer.
To get into the Dead Island 2 beta, you needed to have preordered November's cel-shaded spinoff, Escape Dead Island. Publisher Deep Silver has not announced any other ways you can get into the Dead Island 2 beta, though it still has plenty of time to announce further plans.

A start date for the Dead Island 2 beta has not been announced, nor are there any immediate details on what the beta will entail.
Unlike the original Dead Island (2011) and sequel Dead Island Riptide (2013), which were developed by Polish studio Techland, Dead Island 2 is currently in development at Spec Ops: The Line studio Yager.

Dead Island 2 is not the only new Dead Island project in the works. There is also the MOBA Dead Island Epidemic and a Dead Island movie, which was recently resurrected.

Eddie Makuch 

Gamespot

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Bomb blast hits UN convoy in Mogadishu; 3 dead

Bomb blast hits UN convoy in Mogadishu; 3 dead

MOGADISHU, Somalia — A Somali police officer says a suicide bomber rammed his vehicle into a U.N. convoy near Mogadishu's airport, killing three people.
Ahmed Ali said the Wednesday morning attack also wounded seven people. Ali did not immediately say if those killed and wounded were a part of the U.N. convoy or were passers-by.
Yusuf Haji, a resident in the area, said that soldiers fired at pedestrians after the blast.
The militant group al-Shabab frequently carries out suicide blasts and gunfire attacks in Mogadishu. The group has also claimed responsibility for two gruesome and deadly attacks against Kenyan civilians near the Kenya-Somali border over the last two weeks.

Associated Press

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Cable-free elevator moves you in any direction

Cable-free elevator moves you in any direction

Elevators are absolutely vital in tall buildings, but they have their limits -- they can only move so quickly, and they can't usually move sideways to fetch you from the far side of a building. Both of those problems should be solved at once if German design firm ThyssenKrupp has its way. Its new Multi elevators ditch cables in favor of magnetic linear motor technology (also used in maglev trains) to move both horizontally and vertically, letting them service very wide or unusually shaped buildings. They can operate in loops and aren't limited by heights, either, so it's easy to put multiple elevator cars in one shaft. You'll ideally never wait longer than 30 seconds for a lift, and the space-saving design lets building owners offer more (or at least larger) apartments and offices.
Multi isn't the first cable-free, horizontal elevator; MagneMotion already has a system in use onboard an aircraft carrier for delivering weapons. However, this may be the first that you'll actually get to use. ThyssenKrupp plans real-world tests for its elevator in a trial tower around 2016, and the hardware is intended for civilian buildings. If all goes well, you won't have to spend ages waiting to get to your intended floor in the future... even if it's at the very top of a skyscraper.
ThyssenKrupp

Jon Fingas
Engadget 

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Selena Gomez Teases Music in 2015

Selena Gomez Teases Music in 2015

Selena basically took 2014 off. She spent the year focused on herself, her friends and her family and took a break from making the music and movies we’re completely obsessed with (until she surprise-released her latest song, “The Heart Wants What It Wants”). If you went into major Selena withdrawal in 2014, don’t worry: 2015 is going to be her year. Sel posted this pic of her recording music to Instagram with a caption that has us squeeing with excitement:

“What the next 4 months will look like. -Even in my hotel rooms. You guys, I’m beyond excited for what’s next. #2015″

Selena plans to spend the next FOUR MONTHS recording music. That’s the most exciting news we’ve heard in a while. Just think of the new songs. Will they be about her on-again, off-again love for Justin Bieber? Her friendship with Taylor Swift? All of the personal reflection she’s done this year?  

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Taylor Swift’s New Crush Matt Healy?!

Taylor Swift’s New Crush Matt Healy?!

It looks like Taylor might be crushing another British musician! But who could possibly replace the adorable Harry Styles? Drumroll….the lead singer of The 1975, Matt Healy! Tay and Matt were BOTH spotted repping each other’s music.

When Matt was asked about Taylor in a radio interview, he said, “I met Taylor Swift. That was really nice… We exchanged numbers… She’s a sensation. I wouldn’t say no [to going out].”

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Did Ariana Grande Get Dissed by Bette Midler Again Or No?

Did Ariana Grande Get Dissed by Bette Midler Again Or No?

Ariana Grande was recently criticized by Bette Midler, but now the Hocus Pocus star has totally apologized — and says she wishes the "Love Me Harder" singer would forgive her.

Instead of slamming her again, she tweeted that she hopes she can "direct her next video."

Since Ariana responded to the initial diss in such a classy way, we're sure that she'll forgive Bette. She said that she is one of her idols, so a sweet collaboration would definitely be the best way to make things right.

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Google’s newest Glass patent reveals a slimmer, less awkward design

Google’s newest Glass patent reveals a slimmer, less awkward design

Google is working on a new version of Google Glass, and it appears the update might involve a design that is easier on the eyes. A patent awarded to Google today shows a slimmed-down version of the current Google Glass Explorer Edition design that wouldn’t take up as much facial real estate as the current model.
The new design doesn’t have the casing overhanging the left ear that the current Google Glass Explorer edition has, and the casing that hangs in front of the eye appears smaller than in the current design. But it remains to be seen whether Google will be able to incorporate all the functionality of the current model into just the front section of Glass.
This is the latest in a string of design patents that Google has been awarded over the last year, as the company tries to move Glass from the experimental stage into a more consumer-friendly product. High-profile partnerships with the glasses conglomerate Luxottica—the company behind Ray-Ban and Oakley—and fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg have done little to mask the awkward design of the current Glass model.
In the meantime, the Explorer model is still for sale, and you can still try to not act creepy while wearing them.

Mike Murphy

Quartz

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These Are The Best Cheap Smartphones You Can Buy

These Are The Best Cheap Smartphones You Can Buy

You don't have to spend a lot of money to get a decent phone. There are plenty of options out there for people who want to save a little cash but still need a phone that's fast, can connect to the internet, and looks nice, too.
Here's a look at some of the cheapest phones worth buying.

Motorola's Moto G is one of the best budget phones you can buy.

It's hard to find a phone cheaper than the Moto G. Motorola's second-generation model starts at $179, comes with a clean version of Android, and runs pretty smoothly, even though it's powered by components that are older than those in today's more expensive phones, according to reviews from CNET and Engadget.
In short, it's a nice, compact phone with easy-to-use software that won't cost you more than $200. You can also get the 4G model for $219.

If you want something that costs even less, try the Moto E.

The Moto E is even cheaper than the Moto G at $129 without any carrier subsidies. If you can get by with a basic phone and mostly care about using Android apps, the Moto E is a good choice.
In my review, I found its camera and lack of 4G to be the biggest weak points, but it's exactly what you would expect for a phone so cheap. 

Google's Nexus 5 is a sharp, thin, and fast Android phone that's affordable.

The Nexus 5 starts at $349, which is still much cheaper than most popular phones like the Galaxy S5 or iPhone 6, which cost anywhere between $500 and $800 without a carrier contract.
The best benefit from owning a Nexus phone is that you'll always get the most important Android updates before anyone else does. The Nexus 5 is a slim, attractive phone with a soft-touch back, a thin design, and a 1080p screen.
You can only use it on T-Mobile's network, but it's a great choice if you're on a tight budget. 

Amazon's Fire Phone comes with some fun apps and is insanely cheap.

You can now buy Amazon's Fire Phone for just $199.99 without a two-year contract, which is ridiculously cheap for a new phone. If you opt for a two-year contract with AT&T, you'll get the phone for just 99 cents — which is basically a giveaway.
The Fire Phone comes with a sharp screen, a 13-megapixel camera, a fast processor, and Amazon's own apps and services. Firefly, for example, gives you information about object around you by scanning it with the phone's camera. There are tons of cameras on the front of the phone which creates a 3D effect for some images. The phone hasn't been selling well, which is a large part of the reason it's so cheap, but it's an excellent value for the price. 

The OnePlus One is among the best Android phones you can buy, and it's really cheap.

The OnePlus One comes with many of the same components you'd find in most high-end Android phones, but it costs about half the price. The OnePlus One, which features a roomy 5.5-inch 1080p screen, a fast processor, and a comfortable yet attractive build only costs $300 off contract. It's pretty tough to find, but if you can snag an invite from someone you know who has the phone, it's totally worth your time. 

HTC's Desire 816 is a nice-looking phone with a great screen and plenty of power.

The HTC Desire 816 is an attractive phone with a large, crisp screen. It also has boisterous front-facing speakers just like HTC's flagship One phone. You can grab a prepaid version of the phone for as low as $200 on Amazon.

Apple's iPhone 5C is basically free if you sign up for a two-year contract.

If you're OK with keeping Apple's previous generation iPhone for two years, you can get it for free through AT&T and Verizon. Off contract, it still costs about $450, which is about $100 cheaper than newer flagship phones. The iPhone 5C comes in multiple colors and features a 4-inch Retina Display. It's not the greatest phone you can buy, but if you're tight on cash and love Apple's iOS ecosystem, it's a worthwhile choice. 

The iPhone 5S is relatively cheap on a two-year contract, too.

You can get the iPhone 5S for $99.99 on a two-year contract. It's not Apple's newest phone, but it still comes with a gorgeous design, fast processor, excellent camera, and Touch ID fingerprint sensor. If you don't care about having the newest Apple product but want an iPhone, you should consider the iPhone 5S. 

The Lumia 830 is a cheap Windows phone with an impressive camera.

As is the case with most Lumia phones, one of the 830's selling points is its camera. It comes with a 10-megapixel camera with a Carl Zeiss lens, and only costs $99 on a two-year contract. AT&T also bundles a free Fitbit with the phone, which is a great value. Off-contract, the phone costs about $400.

 Business Insider
LISA EADICICCO

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Firefox Could Soon Come To iOS

Firefox Could Soon Come To iOS

Frederic Lardinois

TechCrunch 

For a year now, Mozilla has categorically stated that it wouldn’t release a version of Firefox for iOS because Apple won’t let it use its own web engine on its platform. With a new CEO on board, however, it looks like Mozilla’s position may be changing. At an internal Mozilla event in Portland today, the organization talked about the need to get its browser onto iOS.

“We need to be where our users are,” Firefox release manager Lukas Blakk wrote on Twitter today (quoting Mozilla’s VP for Firefox Jonathan Nightingale, we think). “So we’re going to get Firefox on iOS.”

Apple has been very restrictive with regard to third-party browser engines on its platform. Current third-party iOS browsers like Chrome or Opera can only operate on iOS because they use Apple’s own JavaScript and rendering engines, for example — or, as in the case of Opera, by rendering sites on a server and then sending them to the device.

It’s unclear how Mozilla plans to bring Firefox to iOS, but given that Apple isn’t likely to open up its platform for third-party browser engines, it’ll likely have to work with Apple’s technology. With that, it can still support Firefox accounts, its bookmark-syncing tools and all the other features that Firefox for Android currently offers.

Next year is going to be an important one for Firefox — and one that will hopefully bring a bit of a resurgence for the browser. Users today want to use the same browser on all of their devices. That makes keeping bookmarks and passwords in sync quite a bit easier, after all. For a while, Mozilla offered Firefox Home on iOS for exactly this reason, but then it abandoned that project two years ago.

We have reached out to Mozilla for comment and will update this post once we hear more.

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Worst Cricket Injuries by Bouncers Ever

Worst Cricket Injuries by Bouncers Ever

Cricket injuries because of the deadliest ball called bouncers killed Phil Hughes

Ahmed Shehzad luckily survived

 

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