Twofer: No drivers redux

Image by swanny338 at Morguefile

Two new items, adding on to my previous post about the evolution (and need for) robot-driven cars:

This week the state of Nevada finalized new rules that will make it possible for robotic self-driving cars to receive their own special driving permits. It’s not quite driver’s licenses for robots — but it’s close.: When The Car Is The Driver from All Tech Considered : NPR.

Also, from MIT Tech Review:
Fully autonomous self-driving cars are still far from the market, but a wide range of features—including sensor systems that warn of lane departures and imminent crashes, and can even apply the brakes if you don’t—are rapidly showing up in midmarket cars. Self-Driving Tech Veers into Mid-Range Cars

Shark Week!

Shark, photo by Paulabflat

Okay, no, not really Shark Week.

But this story — and the related video, shows how the surface of shark skin helps sharks swim faster by manipulating drag. When you watch the video, look for the little swirls near the fin’s surface.

Video: Scales Give Sharks Their Speed – ScienceNOW.

Tangling with Teleportation

Want to visit Schroedinger’s cat, the principle of superposition, and theoretical considerations for teleporting a living creature? Read Part 2 of my quantum teleportation article at NOVA’s Physics Blog: The Nature of Reality:

Tangling with Teleportation.