Filed under: Computers, Green Tech

U.S. regulators announced last week plans to use robots to improve the process of testing toxicity levels in chemicals commonly used by humans. Currently, most chemicals are tested by directly injecting the chemicals into animals, an inefficient and costly process. Samuel Wilson, director of National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and NTP, explains, “The news here is the capacity to test many thousands of compounds, something we haven’t had until this collaboration.”

Driven by a call for action within the scientific and animal rights communities, the new testing procedures promise to speed testing via the use of cell cultures and computer simulations to test the potentially toxic chemicals. BBC News reports that scientists hope to improve on the precision with which test results can be applied from animals to humans.

From BBC News

Related Posts:

• Giant Rat Species Found
• Underwater Robot Glider Harvests Ocean Heat
• Switched Reviews the Gibson Robot Guitar

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Share This

The concept behind Stereotype is to create metaphoric creatures in costumes that mimic well known identities we see on our streets and in our imagination

I selected this one, in which I immediately recognized the useful wallet & doll combo!

Posted by Cati Vaucelle
♥ Architectradure
………………………………………

Share This

it’s always fun to go searching for these! Here are some I’d never seen before:

This one just seems a bit mean.

Somehow I don’t think they’ll be getting the message intended…

Yuck. Not so much unfortunate ad placement as…unfortunate mud placement.

Oh, now…that’s just not right.

Sometimes I wonder if a portion of resources should be removed from advertisement research and placed into some constructive planning for placement. Nah, then we wouldn’t get gems like these.

Share This

Filed under: Action, Mystery & Suspense, Fandom, DIY/Filmmaking, Movie Marketing, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Images

I wonder if the President is reading Cinematical today …

The first teaser poster/thingy for G.I. Joe was apparently unveiled at the New York Toy Fair over the weekend (as captured by MTV), and it’s everything we all hoped it would be. Man, check out that silver on black — it’s all just so … exciting. 2009 can’t come soon enough. In other Joe news, Latino Review claims Jonathan Pryce has landed a “small but integral” role as President of the United States in the film, which comes with the following official synopsis: “From the Egyptian desert to deep below the polar ice caps, the elite co-ed GI JOE team, based from it’s headquarters The Pit, deploys the latest in next-gen spy and military equipment to fight crooked arms dealer Destro and the growing threat of the mysterious COBRA organization from plunging the world into chaos.” Yum!

In other news, the first photo from Richard Kelly’s new flick The Box has arrived online (via Twitch). The photo (which you can view after the jump) shows two hands holding a box which appears to feature a snow globe of some sorts on the top of it. This is being hailed as Kelly’s big commercial film, after his first two attempts (Donnie Darko, Southland Tales) confused the hell out of people and the box office. Starring Cameron Diaz and James Marsden, The Box tells of a couple who discover a mysterious box with a button inside that, if pressed, will give them enough money to save their ailing son. However, in return, someone somewhere will die. Freaky! The Box is due out later this year.

Continue reading Fanboy Bites: ‘G.I. Joe’ and Cameron Diaz’s ‘Box’

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Share This

Filed under: Action, RumorMonger, Celebrities and Controversy, Fandom, DIY/Filmmaking, Newsstand, James Bond, Remakes and Sequels

Depending on who you read, Daniel Craig, as well as the cast and crew of Quantum of Solace (aka Bond 22), were either caught up in the middle of a gang turf war down in Panama … or they’re completely safe without a worry in the world. Oh yes, I definitely said gang turf war — and if the Daily Mail is right (which they’re probably not), things seem to be getting hella dangerous down on the Panama set of the next James Bond film. DM says, “Daniel has had to dodge the crossfire as gangsters spray bullets at each other on the set. Bond girls Gemma Arterton, 22, and Olga Kurylenko, 28, are also under armed guard, while terrified crew are having to brave the deadliest warzones as they struggle to get the blockbuster “in the can.” And that’s not all — a little above that quote, they claim Craig’s guards have already “taken out” one gangster in a hail of bullets. How do you say … AWESOME DVD extras in (what do they speak down in Panama?).

Now, according to a statement from producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, this whole thing is just a big misunderstanding. In a joint statement, they say, “The filming of ‘Quantum of Solace’, with director Marc Forster at the helm, is on schedule and will continue as planned in Panama. None of the cast or crew have ever been in danger. Reports of troubles with gangs are untrue. The protests are to do with the fatal shooting of a construction worker in Colon and are unrelated to our filming activities. Our cast and crew have not been threatened and no thefts or muggings have occurred. These scurrilous and irresponsible reports in The Daily Star have caused distress to the UK families of our filming unit.”

Really? I wonder why? Was it the part where they quote an anonymous crew member saying, “Quite a few of the crew are considering clearing out because they fear for their lives. It’s chaotic.” Regardless, I think someone needs to evaluate what the hell is going on in Panama right now — last thing we need is James Bond being “taken out” when he still has a few more films to shoot.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Share This

Filed under: