Subscription Center
Oct 29, 2008 | 5
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is well known for pushing the boundaries of science and technology in search of ways to give the U.S. military an edge—robotic pack animals, self-navigating vehicles and plant-based jet fuel, to name a few. Less well known is the agency's Cold War-era investigation into how paranormal phenomena like extrasensory perception might be used by the U.S. to get a leg up on the former Soviet Union and, perhaps more importantly, by the USSR against the United States.
Aug 25, 2008 | 2
The Pentagon's hope of having a squadron of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) capable of staying in the air and performing surveillance for years rather than hours recently took a small step forward. Working with U.K.-based idea factory QinetiQ Group PLC, researchers from the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA) managed to keep the solar-powered Zephyr high-altitude, long-endurance aircraft in the air over the Arizona desert for 82 hours 37 minutes, beating the 54-hour flight completed last year by an earlier version of the aircraft, the company reports on its Web site.
Launched by hand, the 66-pound (30-kilogram) Zephyr is an ultra-lightweight carbon-fiber aircraft that during the day flies on solar power generated by silicon solar arrays no thicker than sheets of paper that cover the aircraft's wings. At night it's powered by SION Power Inc.'s rechargeable lithium-sulfur batteries (recharged during the day using solar power), according to the company.
See what we're tweeting about
kahoakes Mind = blown RT @Earth_Pics: Have you ever wondered how pineapples grow? http://t.co/cmDEwV2FzB
michaelshermer Islamist terrorist to UK Judge: "I don't wish to stand up, I believe ruling and judging is only for Allah." http://t.co/OyoXoaNQmj
DNLee5 I read that as Look, I's married now (Shug Avery voice) // “@NyashaJunior: Look, I know I'm married... #wte”.
Deadline: Aug 31 2013
Reward: $100,000 USD
The Geoffrey Beene Foundation Alzheimer’s Initiative (GBFAI) is launching the 2013 Geoffrey Beene Global NeuroDiscovery Challenge whose
Deadline: Jun 29 2013
Reward: $7,000 USD
The Seeker for this Challenge desires proposals for chemical methods that could rapidly degrade a dilute aqueous solution
Powered By: 
YES! Send me a free issue of Scientific American with no obligation to continue the subscription. If I like it, I will be billed for the one-year subscription.
