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ISS ready for new zero-g experiments, students asked to float ideas
Those secret space experiments you've been scheming? They may never happen if you try to go it alone. Fortunately, the space science group NCESSE can get you a ride, having started the countdown for its fifth wave of microgravity experiments aboard the International Space Station. US and international students from grade 5 up to university level can submit ideas until September 12th, 2012, with final culling by December 7. The mini-labs -- which can include experiments in seed germination or crystal growth, for example -- are set to be ferried aboard a SpaceX flight in April 2013. Three similar missions have flown nearly 60 student experiments already, with a fourth set as soon as the Falcon 9 craft deigns to go. If you've got a flat-out good idea being prevented by big G, hit the source to see how you could get it fired off to the ISS.
TUAW's Daily App: Superbrothers' Sword and Sworcery EP
We've been following Sword & Sworcery for a while, with previews at last year's GDC and then again at Indiecade last fall. The app itself is now finally available for your iPad, and the post-release hype is off the charts. The gaming press loves this one, and last night, Twitter was full of the "#sworcery" hashtag as players got into the game and tweeted directly from it. As I said in our previews, the title is more of an experience than a game. It's got musical elements, lots of action and exploration, and a superbly crafted feeling thanks to the art and music of Craig "Superbrothers" Adams, and Capy's own incredible game design talent. There's only one mode, no Game Center integration, and some of the game's mysteries might leave more casual players perplexed, but honestly, none of that matters. This is a must-see experience on the iPad or the iPad 2. This kind of intimate, personal, indie, touchscreen experience is exactly what makes Apple's tablet so amazing. Yes, there's a lot of hype, and some Angry Birds fans will look at this game and wonder what everyone is getting out of it. But Sword & Sworcery is a milestone in the maturity of the iPad gaming platform, and for that, US$4.99 is just plain cheap.
