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Hitting the Books: How crop diversity became a symbol of Mexican national sovereignty
In this excerpt from her new book, Endangered Maize, author Helen Anne Curry examines Mexico's efforts to maintain its cultural and genetic independence in the face of globalized agribusiness.
Hitting the Books: A brief history of industrial espionage and corn
Welcome to Hitting the Books. With less than one in five Americans reading just for fun these days, we've done the hard work for you by scouring the internet for the most interesting, thought provoking books on science and technology we can find and delivering an easily digestible nugget of their stories.
Reebok's first plant-based shoes go on sale for $95
It took a while, but Reebok's first plant-based shoes are ready for your feet -- the company is now selling limited numbers of the NPC UK Cotton + Corn through its website for $95 a pair in unisex sizes. You'll have to be happy with a lone "natural/chalk" color combo, but you can feel better knowing that 75 percent of the shoe is made from USDA-certified biological material. The upper is made entirely of the shoe's namesake cotton, while the sole is made from a corn-derived biobased TPU (DuPont's Susterra Propanediol). Even the insole is made from castor bean oil, and Reebok avoids using dyes to maintain the shoe's eco-friendly credentials.
Reebok will introduce plant-based sustainable shoes this year
While others try shoes that lace themselves or have 3D printed soles, Reebok will have "plant-based" footwear on shelves this year. Adidas already sold a sneaker produced from ocean-plastic, but Reebok's "Cotton + Corn" push is focused on shoes that are made from sustainable, growing materials, that can even be used as compost after they're worn out.
'Maize' mates first-person puzzle gaming with sentient corn
Game developers are no strangers to using wild concepts to catch your attention, but this one might just work. Finish Line Games has revealed Maize, a first-person puzzler that revolves around scientists creating "sentient corn." Yep. And reportedly, that's just the start of the absurdity. On top of what learning what the corn wants (besides fewer crows), you'll deal with a secret underground research facility and a Russian Teddy Ruxpin clone. It's too soon to say whether the underlying gameplay will be as interesting as the premise, but you'll get to find out first hand when the title reaches PCs in the fall.
The Popinator voice-activated popcorn launcher: because greasy hands are just so 2011 (update: yep, may become a product)
Before you ask: it looks like the real deal. Popcorn, Indiana has decided that it's just too much trouble to reach into that bag or bowl and has devised the Popinator, quite possibly the world's only smart popcorn launcher. A binaural microphone array on the machine's front listens for a clear "pop" command -- say the magic word and the Popinator will aim one of its many corn projectiles at your mouth, no hands required. We're still working to glean all the details, such as whether or not the snack delivery vehicle will be a commercial project and how much money it would take to install one at home (and, we'll admit it, the Engadget offices). In the meantime, you can hop past the break to catch one of the most appetizing and laid-back promo videos you've likely ever seen. [Thanks, Peter] Update: Popcorn, Indiana has answered back and says the Popinator is currently an in-house project, but it may well become something you can buy if everything lines up. We'll let the full statement speak for itself: "All we have to say is: it is a work in progress right now. We certainly hope that one day it will become a commercial project, but as of now there is no shipping date and no price tag. It is purely a fun internal project we are toying with here at Popcorn Indiana. Based on the very positive responses we are getting online, we think this is well worth looking into as a commercial product."
EOps Noisezero i+ Eco earbuds get cornstarch construction, finger-friendly design (video)
Hard to say when (or if) these beauts will ever hit the market, but we've all ideas they'd move quite briskly if positioned in a nondescript kind of store that tends to sell fruit, peripherals and things heavily prefixed with "i." Designed Michael Young has teamed up with EOps to create the Noisezero i+ Eco Edition earbuds, which are constructed with cornstarch (you know, in honor of Ma Earth), equipped with an iPod / iPhone-friendly inline remote and outfitted with a unique design that purportedly makes it easier for these to be inserted into one's ear canal. We're told that they'll eventually be available in charcoal, rustic brown, midnight blue and sage green, and yes, a carrying case would be included. Too bad there's nary a hint as to where you can actually buy 'em, but the video just below the break will give you a better idea of what to hunt for.
Samsung debuts corn-based E200 Eco cellphone
Samsung's new E200 Eco cellphone may not stand out very much based on its specs, which include a 1.3 megapixel camera and MP3 player functionality, but the company is hoping that folks will take notice of it for another reason: its casing is made of corn. Or, more specifically, a corn-based bioplastic, which has some drawbacks of its own but is becoming more and more commonly used these days. No word on a release 'round these parts just yet, but the phone (which also comes in packaging made from recycled materials) will be available in Europe sometime next month.[Via HotHardware]
Ten off-the-wall facts about high-definition
Think you're an HD aficionado? Insulted that we'd even begin to think otherwise? For what it's worth, we'd wager that even the hardest of hardcore HD junkies could learn a thing or two from CD Freak's top ten list of things you might not know in relation to high-def. For starters, high-definition (as a term) emerged nearly four score ago, the first HDTV was sold in 1998 here in the United States and the first "high-resolution television system" was actually created by the Soviets in 1958. Eager to take a peek at the other seven? Head on down to the read link and stock up on potential trivia knowledge.[Image courtesy of Philips]
CE-Oh no he didn't, part XXXV: NBC sez piracy hurts 'corn growers'
Although some may argue that piracy is (at least on some level) beneficial, it looks like NBC has taken that sentiment to the opposing extreme with its latest comments. In a purported filing with the FCC calling for enhanced regulation of the internet in an attempt to stifle evil P2P activity, NBC blurted out a string of text that it surely hoped would be overlooked. Alas, hardly any ridiculous claims go unseen these days, so now we're faced with this gem: "In the absence of movie piracy, video retailers would sell and rent more titles. Movie theaters would sell more tickets and popcorn. Corn growers would earn greater profits and buy more farm equipment." There's absolutely no need for us to pick apart the aforementioned quote, after all, we're fairly certain the absurdity shines right through on its own.[Via TechDirt, image courtesy of Monsanto]
RE4 zombies will steal your wig-wearing girlfriend
Describing Capcom's latest trailer for its Resident Evil 4 Wii port as corny would be an understatement. It would be more appropriate to liken the video to Iowa, the biggest corn producer in the United States. You could even describe the advertisement as Centeot himself, the Mayan god of corn. The corniness of this RE4 promotional clip runs so deep, it should come on a cob. Playing the game with the Wii remote and nunchuck looks great, but we really can't get over the bad acting. We're not sure if this is the worst video we've seen all week, or the most wonderful! Jump past the post break to see the trailer in all its glory. [Via NeoGAF]
