ThermO the Coffee Friendly Robot

It was a sad time in the kingdom as the Starbucks Empire started it’s decline as 600 cafe outposts closed their doors. But in a far corner of the galaxy a new hero arose to take on the ills of the uncaffeinated masses: His name was ThermO, the ice coffee friendly robot!

The clever and creative scientists behind ThermO are lockwasherdesign.com.

Amelia Earhart Vanished 71 Years Ago Today

“I lay no claim to advancing scientific data other than advancing flying knowledge. I can only say that I do it because I want to.” — Amelia Earhart

Amelia is a real hero to me, I see her as a true pioneer in every sense of the word. We tend to forget today that once upon a time that aviation was once the stuff of cutting edge technology. But back in the 30s aircraft were very futuristic, so much so that in the 1936 film Things to Come H. G. Wells has a band of united airmen saving the world from the next dark age. Amelia Earhart was very much the face of not just aviation but the notion of progress itself. She wasn’t only exploring the frontiers of flight, but of equal rights for women as well. I think today, 71 years after she disappeared that we can still learn a great deal from her.

Read more…

Tim Burton Toxic Boy Toys

I’ve always loved Tim Burton’s design sensibility. So when I found myself exploring one of my favorite toy sites these cute goodies caught my eye:

Tim Burton Toxic Boy PVC Set

“Inspired by “The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy & Other Stories” by Tim Burton. The Toxic Boy PVC Set includes three painted 4 inch PVC figures: Roy, the Toxic Boy, Mummy Boy, and Jimmy, the Hideous Penguin Boy.”

Donkey Kong Decor

ThinkGeek is carrying Nintendo themed wall decals so you can decorate your abode with that special fanboy touch:

Cover Your Walls In Mario

“These awesome vinyl restickable wall-stickers. Featuring Mario and his friends and enemies through his evolution from 15 pixel high sprite to fully 3d-rendered hyperbeing. Do a faithful recreation of your favorite levels, or create your own, using your own space as a template.”

Is Mars Ready for Human Agriculture?

It’s looking more and more like Mars might be ready for some terraforming:

Martian soil could grow turnips, Phoenix finds

“Some Martian dirt has the same basic chemistry as garden soil, a new analysis from the Phoenix lander suggests. The find widens the range of organisms that might be able to live on Mars. Although the analysis is not yet complete, the lander has already found trace levels of nutrients like magnesium, sodium, potassium and chloride. Although these ingredients were known to exist in Martian soil, until now no one was sure whether they would be soluble in water and thus potentially available for life.”