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Scientists calculate the speed of free-roaming dark matter
When dark matter is the most pervasive substance in the universe, it's important that we know how quickly it can move. Thankfully, Syracuse University scientists may have just found that speed. By comparing distribution in the early universe with what we see today, researchers now estimate that free-roaming dark matter moves at 54 meters per second (177 feet per second). That's pokey in relation to other materials in space, and the calculation assumes that nothing gets in the way -- most dark matter is stuck in clumps. The number may not sound like much, but it could be vital to physicists wanting to test (and possibly prove) their theories about a very mysterious element. [Image credit: NASA]
Google Envelopes turns Gmail into snail mail, wraps it in precisely routed Maps printout
It's a fantasy come true for the avid nerd / traveler, but unfortunately for us, it's but a concept in its current form. Syracuse's own Rahul Mahtani and Yofred Moik have dreamed up Google Envelopes, and if brought to production, this might just make the USPS as relevant as it was during the heyday known as 1985. Put simply, the solution would involve a new 'Send Envelope' method of passing along a note penned in Gmail; when pressed, you'd get a printout of the message along with a specially crafted envelope, the latter of which really makes this idea shine. The envelope itself would be a Google Maps representation of the quickest route to transfer said message from you to the recipient if roadways and kayaks were used in place of fiber and coax, giving the receiver a crucially awesome keepsake each time you dropped him or her a line. Oh, and having an 'Avoid Tolls' option would just totally put it over the top -- even if were relegated to beta. [Thanks, Yofred]
Downtown Syracuse to see artwork blasted onto walls via projectors
While we've certainly seen more extravagant uses of walls as art canvases, we have all ideas this will be plenty radical in downtown Syracuse, New York. Syracuse University is aiming to add permanent (but not, you know) imagery to a number of walls by "projecting artwork onto some of its most visible areas." The institution is currently asking the Syracuse Industrial Development Agency "for permission to install projector equipment on one of its buildings," and if its wish is granted, the Urban Video Project will be well on its way to becoming a reality. Keep an eye out (not like it'll be hard to miss) for the installation to go live this October.[Via AboutProjectors]
