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Test tube embryo transfer may give near-extinct rhinos a second chance
Lab-made embryos are one step closer to saving a virtually extinct species. Scientists have successfully transferred a test tube rhino embryo back into a female for the first time, implanting the creation into a southern white rhino in Poland. The effort supports a theory that scientists can repopulate the near-extinct northern white rhino by fertilizing eggs from the two remaining animals in the species (both females that can't bear children) using frozen sperm from since-deceased males, with southern rhinos serving as surrogate mothers.
Lab-made embryos may save near-extinct rhino species
The northern white rhino faces a grim fate when its last surviving examples are two infertile females. A novel scientific technique might just spare the species from extinction, however. Researchers have successfully created the first lab-made rhino embryos in a bid to give the northern white a second chance. The group collected eggs from southern white rhinos using a new extraction device and fertilized them using the sperm from dead northern whites, crafting viable embryos with the right DNA to continue the species.
Scientists hope to save near-extinct rhinos by transforming cells
The northern white rhinoceros is in far worse straits than most rhinos. There are just three members of the species left, and they can't breed normally -- if nothing happens, extinction is guaranteed. And that's leading researchers to try a dramatic technological solution to keep the northern white rhino around. They're planning to transform both frozen and living rhino cells into stem cells that could grow into eggs and sperm for the in vitro fertilization of a surrogate southern white rhino. This would not only resurrect the species, but create enough diversity that the new population should survive in the wild.
Rhino horn cameras promise to catch poachers in the act
Anti-poaching teams can only do so much to protect rhinos. Their immediate presence can deter rogue hunters, but a lot of the slaughter happens before these teams even know that something's wrong. That's where non-profit group Protect's RAPID (Real-Time Anti-Poaching Intelligence Device) should come in handy. The system uses a blend of heart rate sensors, GPS tags and cameras drilled into one of the rhinos' horns (don't worry, it's painless) to warn conservationists when a rhino is under threat. If a rhino's heart starts racing or suddenly goes still, observers get an alert that lets them turn on the camera to see if something's wrong. Ideally, this will prevent poachers from even firing a shot -- they know that they'll likely be caught within minutes if they chase or kill a tagged animal.
ICYMI: Tech for rhinos, smarter spacecraft design and more
#fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-814839{display:none;} .cke_show_borders #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-814839, #postcontentcontainer #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-814839{width:570px;display:block;} try{document.getElementById("fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-814839").style.display="none";}catch(e){}Today on In Case You Missed It: Small cameras are being implanted in endangered rhino's horns to save them from extinction. An aerospace company designed a new engine which could power a spacecraft via Earth-based microwave emitters. And theme-park goers who love 4D immersive-motion rides may soon be able to put similar tech on their living room sofa.
Scientists turn to crowdfunding to safeguard black rhino DNA
Crowdfunding isn't just useful for getting clever inventions off the ground... it could also save an endangered species from fading into oblivion. Scientists have successfully funded a project that will sequence the genome of the black rhino, only 5,055 of which live in the wild. The public-backed effort will improve our understanding of how these iconic animals work, and should lead to synthetic horns that discourage poachers. It could even lead to resurrecting black rhino subspecies that are already extinct. It'll be a while before you see the results, but they'll be available to the public -- that small amount of backer money could do a world of good. [Image credit: AP Photo/Sayyid Azim]
The best accessories to upgrade your action camera
"Have action cam, will travel." That's probably what was going through your mind as you pecked your credit card details in when buying your first GoPro, Drift, Sony or what have you. We promise, it won't be long before you're looking to kit it out with some accessories. In fact, more than any other gadget, the humble action cam craves to be accessorized and adapted for a seemingly unlimited number of applications. It's lucky then, that there's a truckload to choose from. If you're thinking it's all just poles and helmet mounts, you're in for a surprise (though that's definitely a good place to start). We've rounded up a bunch of the best that should cover everyone from the weekend warrior to pro film crews. This is your action camera, upgraded. (Psst: Check the galleries for more info on each product).
Rhino Slider Evo is a modular camera motion tool
We don't cover a ton of pro-level camera gear here at Engadget (though it's far from unheard of). But, a cool gadget is a cool gadget whatever it's for -- and this new motorized slider system from Rhino is one of them. For the uninitiated, sliders are what allow videographers and photographers to get those smooth, gliding shots. As for Rhino, they came to my attention through their GoPro accessories -- in particular the 360 swivel mount which is about the most fun way to wear your action camera. While camera gear can get pretty expensive (and complex) very quickly, my experience with Rhino's GoPro kit has been that is sits right in the "prosumer" sweet spot, so when I heard the company was making a motorized slider, I was particularly keen to try it out. The Rhino Slider Evo is currently launching on Kickstarter (it's fully funded already), but I managed to get some time with a pre-production unit to test it out.
Amazing Spider-Man DLC lets you play as Stan Lee, Lizard, Rhino, and more today
The Amazing Spider-Man is getting a whole bunch of DLC today, including a few different packs that will have you playing as people other than the titular wall-crawler. The Lizard Rampage pack will open up a level where you play as the Lizard, along with a new Spidey suit to wear. The Oscorp Search & Destroy Pack brings two minigames, with you controlling either a giant snake or a hunter robot. And the Rhino Challenge Pack will put you behind the wheel of the Rhino, allowing you to destroy everything in a timed competition.And finally, the long-awaited Stan Lee Adventure Pack will let you play the legend himself, flying around the virtual streets of New York and spouting one-liners as everyone's favorite former chairman of Marvel Comics. Each of these packs will run you $3-$4, but you can get all four for a discounted price of $10. As Stan himself would say (and we're paraphrasing here), that's enough words spoken.%Gallery-166472%
Play as Stan Lee, Rhino in The Amazing Spider-Man pre-order perks
These two pre-order bonuses for The Amazing Spider-Man couldn't be more different: One has players rampage through Manhattan as Rhino, the hulking, horned villain, and the other has players run around as an old man as he tries to collect some papers he's misplaced, yapping non-stop about "kids these days" and Liza Minelli's golden era.GameStop's pre-order bonus is The Rhino Challenge, a timed destruction event where players suit up as Rhino and break as much stuff as possible. Amazon's bonus is "Play as Stan Lee for the First Time Ever," and has players travel through Manhattan as the Marvel mastermind himself. He uses special abilities borrowed from Spider-Man to collect pages from his latest script, punctuated by "witty banter." A "special surprise" is revealed at the end of the Stan Lee mission, tied into Spider-Man's 50th anniversary this year.
Maide Control iPad app lets you build and view 3D models with your bare, sweaty hands (video)
Looking for a hands-on 3D controller that won't require any five-fingered peripherals? Check out Maide Control -- a new app that allows users to manipulate 3D CAD data from the comfort of their iPad displays. Available for $4.99 on iTunes, this app will wirelessly sync an iPad with any compatible 3D program, thereby enabling modelers to mold and view their designs using an array of multitouch gestures. You can also use Maide Control to showcase models on larger displays (say, at a company presentation), or to connect multiple iPads to the same render, in case you're working on a more collaborative project. For now, the app only supports Google SketchUp and Rhino on Windows only, though the company plans to incorporate other 3D apps and Mac support in the near future. Wiggle past the break to see a pair of demo videos, or hit up the source link below to download the app directly from iTunes.
Patch 3.3.3 PTR: New mounts, models [Updated]
Patch 3.3.3 will be bringing about some welcome changes in the user interface, instances, and those pesky frozen orbs you can never get rid of, but it looks like they aren't the only things getting an overhaul. Fishing around in the PTR files found some new models as well. Two new mounts have been added to the game files, the Blazing Hippogryph and the Wooly White Rhino. Where these mounts are obtained is currently unknown -- we'll update with more information on the new mounts as we learn more. In addition, it looks like Anduin Wrynn finally got his wish -- a new model has been added for the young king-in-training. With more and more models getting overhauls, does this mean players of male humans might finally get rid of that funky overbite? Check out the gallery for pictures of the new mounts and models, and stay tuned for more 3.3.3 PTR info as it develops! Update: MMO-Champion is reporting that the two mounts are TCG rewards. However, with the recent developments between Blizzard and UDE, this information may change. Keep that in mind, and we'll let you know if we hear any word from the blues about it. %Gallery-86065%
2009 Petopia Calendar on sale now
Mania has released the 2009 Petopia calendar, featuring 12 beautiful images of some of the best pets in the game -- pretty much the perfect gift for the Hunter in your life. The pictures were put together by Aaron Perez, and each one was commissioned by Mania herself, so the calendar features all pets picked by her, including many of the new pet types: there's my current pet, a Rhino, in there for December and of course the Spirit Beast makes an appearance as well. It's available right now over on her Cafepress page for $19.99.Which may seem a little expensive, but Mania breaks the price down on her site: of the $20, a full $15 goes right back to Cafepress for printing costs and their profit. And of the $5 she gets, Mania sends it back to the artist for his work, so she doesn't even really expect to break even. Which is too bad -- there's certainly interest in these, I think, and it would be nice if we could set it up so the money goes somewhere besides Cafepress (but of course, then Mania would have to find a different printer and a different way to sell it, and who knows how much that all costs).At any rate, it'll definitely turn out to be a nice calendar, so if you know any pet tamers who need help keeping track of the date, there's your holiday gift.
Scattered Shots: The Future Soon: Hunters in patch 3.1 and beyond
Welcome to Scattered Shots, the weekly Hunter column which is written by a guy who doesn't generally spec for said talent.So. I'm here. I'm not completely wrapped up in Wrath, I promise. In fact, just to show how much I am not wrapped up in the here and now, in the long lines for the queues and prospect of getting a beautiful worm pet and all that good stuff, I'm going to predict the future! Let's look at some of the promises and perils that 3.1 and other future patches will bring for the Hunter.
Scattered Shots: Wrath of the Hunter
Welcome to Scattered Shots, where Daniel Whitcomb is totally making plans to walk with rhythm so that he can attract the worm.So with Wrath less than a week away, we got our work cut out for us, so to speak. Luckily, 3.0's early release has given us time to learn to handle our pets and respec to take advantage of new talents, but now the big push is upon, as 10 levels and a whole slew of new zones opens up for us. When you step off the boat or zeppelin in Borean Tundra or Howling Fjord, where will you go? What will you do? Here's a few quick Hunter specific tips to getting started in the Wrath of the Lich King.
Blue Man Group fittingly makes Blu-ray debut on Rhino Entertainment
Oh c'mon, you always knew Blue Man Group would never side with red, didn't you? Months after the format war ended, the famed group is finally making its Blu-ray debut on Rhino Entertainment, which, coincidentally, is also making its Blu debut. On November 4th, the Blu-ray version of How to be a Megastar Tour 2.0 will hit shelves, with bonus features including a music video, a parody called "Mono Makes a Plea - Save the TVs," a how-to manual (saywha?), and the Blue Man Group documentary Inside the Tube. MSRP on this one is expected to be $19.99.
BigRedKitty: Rhino Bowling
Daniel Howell contributes BigRedKitty, a column with strategies, tips and tricks for and about the Hunter class, sprinkled with a healthy dose of completely improper, sometimes libelous, personal commentary. There is extremely little we can offer in the way of an excuse for this project, except maybe... OK, there's no excuse. The silliness just has to be let out. You are invited to download the YouTube version (24MB) of this movie here, and the full-sized (in stereo, even!) version (39MB) here.As always, a great big Thank You to the WoW Insider editors for allowing us to publish this movie both here and on our little blog at the same time! From his video guides to Karazhan For Hunter Dummies, nobody covers raid Hunters like BRK. Looking for more Hunter goodness? Check out our non-raid Hunter column, Scattered Shots or the WoW Insider Directory of Hunter Guides.
BigRedKitty: Rhino II
Daniel Howell contributes BigRedKitty, a column with strategies, tips and tricks for and about the Hunter class, sprinkled with a healthy dose of completely improper, sometimes libelous, personal commentary.The one hunter-pet that hadn't had his special spell revealed already in the Wrath of the Lich King beta was our beloved, delicate, diminutive Rhino. Say no more! The 8885 WotLK beta-build has fixed that, and with a vengeance. Stampede! /flop-faint from joyYou are invited to download the YouTube version (29MB) of this movie here, and the full-sized version (116MB) here.As always, a great big Thank You to the WoW Insider editors for allowing us to publish this movie both here and on our little blog at the same time! From his video guides to Karazhan For Hunter Dummies, nobody covers raid Hunters like BRK. Looking for more Hunter goodness? Check out our non-raid Hunter column, Scattered Shots or the WoW Insider Directory of Hunter Guides.
BigRedKitty: Rhino
Daniel Howell contributes BigRedKitty, a column with strategies, tips and tricks for and about the Hunter class, sprinkled with a healthy dose of completely improper, sometimes libelous, personal commentary.Real short, real sweet. The Rhino... is Big.Do you understand that? Are you paying attention? Big. B.I.G. Huge. Massive. A whole lot of air-displacement. You may need to buy a bigger monitor.Taurens, your dream of have a pet bigger than you is totally realized.And if there was ever a pet that deserved to be a mount and one's pet, this guy is the best reason ever to start email-bombing Blizzard to develop that capability. The Rhino is a Tenacity pet; it's a bad-@ss tank, baby. It doesn't do the DPS of a Ferocity or Cunning pet, but it has one of the best new pet-talents there is, Blood of the Rhino. That 40% bonus to healing includes everything from direct heals, to the hunter two-piece tier-five bonus, and even bandages.As of this writing, Blizz hasn't released the Rhino's unique spell - every pet-class will have a unique spell in Wrath of the Lich King - but when they do, we'll be sure to let you know what it is.Rhinos... commence freaking out; all social-nicety rules have been suspended.You are invited to download the YouTube version (30MB) of this movie here, and the full-sized version (97MB) here. As always, a great big Thank You to the WoW Insider editors for allowing us to publish this movie both here and on our little blog at the same time! From his video guides to Karazhan For Hunter Dummies, nobody covers raid Hunters like BRK. Looking for more Hunter goodness? Check out our non-raid Hunter column, Scattered Shots or the WoW Insider Directory of Hunter Guides.
Afrika's main theme sounds Indiana Jones-ish
Afrika is a safari sim hitting Japan in late August. While we haven't heard much about the game recently, we have heard sounds from the game -- the main theme to be exact. Coming from ScoringSessions, this video shows composer Wataru Hokoyama leading an orchestra on Afrika's title music. It sounds rather Indiana Jones-ish in lieu of what we'd expect to hear; like, uh, say something out of The Lion King. Still, it's a good track, and, no, the video has no sights of Africa ... just sights of Hollywood where the music was recorded. If you want to check out more on Afrika, you can hit up the official Japanese site. A North American release has yet to be announced.[Via MultiplayerBlog]
