Today, SpaceX recovered its Dragon spacecraft after a successful journey to the International Space Station — thus proving that a private company can transport supplies, or maybe even crew, to the ISS. Everybody’s saying this is the real beginning of the era of private space travel.

But how much further could private companies like SpaceX take us? In particular, could they take us all the way to Mars? With NASA’s budget constantly under fire, is there some way that a private corporation could fulfill our common dream of putting human beings on another planet? We decided to ask some experts and find out.

Top image: Painting by Ren Wicks for NASA.

via Could SpaceX land the first humans on Mars?.

The nice thing about the upcoming Ikea TV, other than being smart and cheap, is that it blends the television into your furniture to completely banish unsightly cables from your living room. Here’s how it would look like in a “real life” setting.

via Here’s a Closer Look at the Ikea TV That Shows It’s Even More Awesome.

In June of 2010, a security firm in Belarus called VirusBlokAda reported the first known citing of what we know now as Stuxnet. It was, simply put, the most advanced malware of all time. Its target? Iran. Its origin? Unknown. Until now.The New York Times is reporting today that the source of the worm so advanced some thought it was alien weapon was us. And it wasnt the first.

via Obama Ordered Devastating Cyberattacks Against Iran.

The Egoz recon unit of the Israeli Defense Force is trained is an elite group trained in guerilla tactics. Sometimes they operate in cities. But sometimes, as seen above, they hide on the hills. Watching. Waiting. They’re very, very good.

If it takes you more than a few seconds to spot both of the soldiers here, blending in among a rocky patch of northern Israel—too bad! They’ve probably already killed you. No hard feelings.

via Can You Find the Two Camouflaged Commandos in This Photo Before They Shoot You?.

I found my son’s killer. It took three years. But we did it. I should clarify one point: my son is very much alive. Yet, my wife Cristina and I have been found responsible for his death.

My son Bertrand has a new genetic disorder. Patient 0. To find it, a team of scientists at Duke University used whole-exome sequencing (a protein-focused variant of whole-genome sequencing) on me, my wife and my son.

via Hunting Down My Son’s Killer.

The first rule of Brooklyns notorious Brower Boys gang is: You dont talk about the Brower Boys gang. The second is: Unless its on Facebook, then its totally fine. Oh, but maybe accept a cops friend request before you do?Welcome to the latest edition of criminals being idiots on Facebook. Its maybe the best one yet.The Brower Boys, a gaggle of wayward youths who committed everything from burglary to sexual assault, had made Brooklyns Crown Heights their stomping ground for the last year. And, as teenagers so often do, they bragged about their exploits on Facebook. Bragged here meaning “posted video of,” and exploits being “robbing the hell out of people.”None of which would have gotten them in trouble, necessarily, had they bothered to form a Brower Boys Group or maybe Google+ circle? for limited sharing. Or if they hadnt accepted the friend request of NYPD officer Michael Rodriguez. Who needs an informant when youve got a newsfeed?

via Gang Members Accept Cops Friend Request, Get Arrested, Are Idiots.

Anyway, I thought I would say hey! to all you who have recently joined me on my walkabout through the interweb! I hope you will continue to find it interesting. If you do tell a friend if you don’t, well there’s always tomorrow.

Either way thanks for coming along for the ride!

STR

Weed is a double-edged sword. On one hand, its cannabidiol CBD compounds ease the symptoms of many diseases. On the other, its tetrahydrocannabinol THC compounds produces feelings of euphoria and calm. Luckily, the Tikkun Olam company has figured out how to strip those nasty THC side effects while retaining the CBDs healing properties. Um, thanks?

via Killjoy Scientists Have Bred the Fun Out of Medical Marijuana.

$1,800 is a lot of money to spend on a single pair of shoes. But a company called Rayfish Footwear has come up with a unique manufacturing process that’s even more over-the-top than what it’s charging for its creations: It’s genetically-engineering stingrays for their skins.

The company claims that no two sneakers it produces are alike, and each stingray is grown specifically for each pair. Clients can choose from 29 different styles of stingray leather, combining up to nine different patterns for a truly unique design. Once they’ve made their selections, the DNA from each patterns is then combined and used to create a new stingray that’s grown to maturity before being harvested to make the sneakers.

via $1800 Gets You Sneakers Made From Stingrays Customized Through Genetic Engineering.

Common knowledge dictates that girls dig guys with muscles. However, new research suggests that women gave up on bulging biceps and strong jawlines long ago, in favor of qualities like loyalty and generosity. In other words, the scrawny geek gets the gal.

The research, which was conducted at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville and is published in PNAS, used mathematical models to get to the bottom of when humans first started living in monogamous relationships. The study suggests that the rise of weaker males—or Beta males, if you prefer—began far earlier than suspected. In fact, Beta males started to become a hit with the ladies not long after humans started living in large social groups.

[PNAS via The Telegraph]

Image by NinaMalyna/Shutterstock

via Why Women Date Weaklings.