Tech Talk Episode 11: Unsinkable Metal, Artificial Leaves, Bring Back the 80s

Hey Tech Fans. Contraptions that remove carbon dioxide. Unsinkable materials. Retro style watches. . . Just what is this world coming to? We’ve got the scoop on this and more at. .

LA NPDT Tech Talk, where we bring you the latest developments in the technology world. We’ll keep you tuned in the newest gadgets and product innovations across the globe. Join LA New Product Development Team for the most recent, up-to-date tech news each day. Now, let’s get to today’s news.

Unsinkable Metal

Our first news brief certainly could have helped Jack and Rose when they most needed it. University of Rochester researchers have created an “unsinkable” metal, which could mean the end of sinking or capsizing boats. The metal uses tiny patterns etched onto it by a laser to trap air bubbles inside. The syperhydrophobic material, designed to repel water exceedingly well, was poked, prodded, and even punctured during tests, but still stayed afloat. Some work needs to be done yet to make this commercially viable, but this could be the start of what will become a truly unsinkable ship.

Artificial Leaves Collect Carbon Dioxide

Scientists at the University of Waterloo, Ontario created an artificial leaf. The leaf mimics the real thing, by taking in carbon dioxide, and producing an alternative fuel. Instead of producing glucose and oxygen, as a real leaf would, this leaf produces oxygen and methanol. Future work will be focused on increasing the production of methanol in the leaf. This could be good news for global warming and decreasing the carbon dioxide in our atmosphere.

Bring back the 80s

Timex is ditching the smartwatch trend, and in an attempt to steal some of the limelight from Apple, they are bringing back the Timex T80. It has no smart features, but the retro style just might bring them a small slice of the watch market. This watch from the 1980s features has your basic date and time functionality, and a calculator. It can also store up to 10 phone numbers. Bold move Timex!

And that’s a wrap of today’s tech talk. Leave a comment with your thoughts, and stay tuned for tomorrow’s Tech Talk brought to you by LA New Product Development Team.