Is string theory right? Is it just fantasy?

Tim Blais and A Capella Science have created Bohemian Gravity, a string theory and quantum physics version of Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody.  

Using destructive lasers to make beautiful art

Artist, Bathsheba Grossman is making some amazing works with 3D printing and laser etching.

Using custom software and high frequency lasers, she creates beautiful crystal paperweights and keyrings displaying data with models of galaxies, molecules and biology, physics and mathematical structures inside.

Globular Cluster

Illuminated DNA Keychain

Her 3D printed metal sculptures and jewelry are fascinating too.

Quintrino

Hypercube Pendant (Gold plate finish)

Discover more in Bathsheba's shop and gallery on her website. She explains the process of making the laser etched crystals and how the 3D printed sculptures are made and even has some downloadable objects you can 3D print yourself.

Support electronics learning with the $9 Arduino compatible starter kit

There are only a few days left to support this Indiegogo project from Borderless Electronics and get a $9 Arduino compatible electronics starter kit.

Borderless Electronics Indiegogo - Final from Borderless Electronics on Vimeo.

Best science museum visit yet: Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie, Paris

In July we spent 10 nights in Paris and visited many of the touristic sites as well as sites that our science loving kids would enjoy. The Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie (City of Science and Industry) was so amazing and so big that we spent two full days there.

Full of interactive exhibits on: Mathematics, Sounds, Space Travel, Communication, Genetics, Light, Images, Energy, Design and Innovation, Transportation, the Universe as well as temporary exhibits: Economics, Futurotextiles, Housing for tomorrow, and Leonaro da Vinci's projects, designs and machines; the Cité des Sciences is the largest science museum in Europe and France's fifth most popular museum.

All of the exhibits were top quality. Almost all were in multiple languages (including Braille). The depth of science was amazing - nothing was dumbed down and with so many exhibits there was something for everyone. I was impressed by the use of four synchronized projectors on a hanging sphere in an Earthwatch: the satellite revolution exhibit that gave a realistic impression of the revolving and changing world while the story of the exhibit was being told.

Our children enjoyed the 5-12 years activity area which featured a TV studio, an ant colony, communication, fun with water and a factory - they produced their own robot cut personalized cardboard boxes.

Outside, we visited the Argonaute submarine that hunted submarines in the 1950s and watched a 3D movie about dragons at the Geode hemispherical cinema.

Futurotextiles was closed and being packed up on our second visit. We didn't have time to see the Multimedia Library or the Planetarium and the Aquarium was under renovation. Perhaps next time!

Cortex: 3D printed exoskeleton to replace plaster and resin casts.

Victoria University (New Zealand) graduate Jake Evill has designed a revolutionary 3D printed injury-localized exoskeleton to help the healing of broken bones. Using x-rays and a hacked together 3D scanner the lightweight but strong cast is custom printed and snaps together to provide support for the fracture.

Images: Jake Evill

The Cortex cast is waterproof and has higher density printing to provide extra support where it is needed.

Jake is seeking partners to continue development of the technology. More info at http://jakevilldesign.dunked.com/cortex.