Technology

Is it alive? A peek at the bending and waving robotic stingray

“Imagine a world where butterflies run on batteries.” This is a quote from Terminator 2, when Skynet is just beginning to take over the world. Although it is unlikely that the world will end in complete robotic destruction anytime soon, a new innovation may be putting us one step closer to battery-ran butterflies: a live

A New Therapy for PTSD: Virtual Reality

“The body remembers. Stuffed until an event, a sound, a sight, a touch, a word, or a person awakens them”. The body remembers pain, domestic abuse, and the horrors of war. Unfortunately these memories become a burden on a person's mind and body. This debilitating and stressful illness is commonly known as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder,

The Future of Genomics Research is Here

Let's pretend we're back in the fourth grade. We shuffle into the science classroom toting our keychain laden backpacks, and then suddenly we're filled with excitement! We've spotted the boxy TV monitor and VCR player, and as of July 2016, this dates me as “old.” Yes! It's Video Day which means no quizzes or worksheets,

Life with and without Social Media: a Nick Batora Story

“Your life exists outside of television and likes, and Instagram.  Engage the world.” Jon Stewart snapped these words out in a recent interview that he did with David Axelrod.  His point is one that resonated with me. Not only because he's Jon Stewart and I believe most Americans miss him dearly as of late with

Test tube babies: freaky fiction or possible future?

Imagine a future where procreation happens in a laboratory, and not in the bedroom. Scientists derive embryos from a simple skin sample. Children are screened prenatally for any number of traits that their parents deem desirable. Things as simple as eye color and hair color could be discovered before parents even decide on a name.

Drug Bugs Could Replace Sniffer Dogs in the Detection of Illegal Drugs

While waiting in line at TSA a few weeks ago, I was sniffed by a drug dog and his handler (well, the handler didn't sniff me, but you know what I mean). Resisting the urge to get on the floor and roll around with the absolutely adorable black lab, I stood patiently in line as

The Squeeze on Octopus Tentacles

The long-awaited sequel to Pixar's Finding Nemo, Finding Dory, features a new major character named Hank, an octopus who helps Dory in her journey home. Hank's creation took longer than any other character because octopus tentacle movement and behavior is so difficult to mimic. Animators needed two years to animate just one scene with Hank!

Adaptation through agile software development

The real world is brutal. You've heard it all before. This globalized world is becoming more competitive than ever; it's getting harder and harder to succeed out there, especially when it comes to software development. Who can compete with the likes of Apple, Google, and Microsoft in developing ideas and software? It seems as if

Why Computers Can't Do Everything

In the modern computing world, many tech companies want you to believe that the limitations of computing do not exist. In this idealized world, computers seem to have the ability to do everything, and all your tech giants (Google, Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, etc.) are working tirelessly to reach this reality. They will throw out buzzwords,

The R-Evolution of 3D Printing

Graham talks about the different 3D printing methods and how it is helping scientists and engineers prototype new ideas. 3D printing is even emerging into consumer markets, allowing for 3D models to be made on your desk. Take a listen, and learn about the evolution of 3D printing and how you can get started. [soundcloud

That’s No Moon…

Welcome to Star Wars week here at the Athens Science Observer. To help celebrate May the 4th – Star Wars Day –  we wanted to take a look at the real life science of that galaxy far far away. To start off, we'll dive into one of the most iconic pieces of Star Wars culture:

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