The Year in Robots, 2008 Video -- National Geographic

The Year in Robots, 2008 Video December 30, 2008—Robots became more and more human-like in the past year, which saw the debuts of "emotional" robots, robot bartenders, robot swarms, and more.Welcome to the National Geographic video player.Video Sections

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- Solar Eclipse Video From Today - July 22, 2009—See what you probably couldn't view earlier today, unless you were in Asia: The longest total solar eclipse of the entire 21st century. Other eclipses will be longer, but none will see the sun totally eclipsed for so long.
- $20-Million Contest Announced - April 2, 2008—Scotland plans to award 10 million pounds (about 20 million U.S. dollars) for the first viable technology to harness the sea's energy for electricity.
- "Body Swapping" Becomes "Reality" - December 3, 2008—Using virtual reality goggles, a kitchen knife, and mannequins, scientists can now reportedly make subjects "feel" another "body" being cut, among other sensations.
- "New" Moon Landing Video - July 16, 2009—See NASA's newly restored video of the first ever moonwalks in 1969—and find out what it took to capture it.
- "Robo Legs" Unveiled - November 14, 2008—New "robo legs" make walking and climbing stairs easier. "I felt like I had springs in my legs," said a reporter who had tested the high-tech apparatus.
- Airliner Flies on Plant Fuel - December 31, 2008—Air New Zealand says a test flight Tuesday was the first commercial-jet journey to use a fuel that is equal parts biofuel and standard jet fuel.
- Antarctica Images Best Yet - November 28, 2007—A nearly cloudless satellite image is the most geographically accurate and true-color map of the southern continent—at ten times the resolution of previous NASA views.
- Arctic Ice in "Death Spiral" - September 17, 2008—NASA animations show dramatic Arctic ice melt again in 2008, which saw the second smallest Arctic sea ice cover on record, scientists announced this week.
- Arctic Ice Thinner, Smaller - April 7, 2009—New reports show ice in Antarctica continues melting at an advanced rate in summer months, and ice in the Arctic region is re-forming at a slower rate in winter months.
- Astronauts Install New Tower - October 30, 2007—Astronauts install a solar power tower on the International Space Station and consider extending their mission.
- Astronauts on 2nd Space Walk - February 13, 2008—Atlantis Astronauts conduct the second of three planned space walks, this one to install the International Space Station's new nitrogen tank.
- Atlantis Damaged on Launch - May 13, 2009—Space shuttle Atlantis sustained minor damage to its thermal tiles during its Monday launch, likely from debris that came off the fuel tank after lift off.
- Bees Key to Better Missiles? - January 7, 2009—Scientists are studying bees' aggressive behavior and ocular and navigational skills in hopes of improving missile technology.
- China Rocket Lifts Off - September 25, 2008—China launched three men into space Thursday on its most ambitious mission yet. One astronaut, called a "taikonaut," will attempt the country's first-ever spacewalk.
- Christmas Lights Dazzle Sydney - December 24, 2008—Spectacular displays of Christmas lights draw thousands of spectators in Sydney, Australia.
- Colored Solar Panels Touted - September 14, 2009—A "green" technology company has developed jewel-toned solar panels that capture different parts of the sun's light spectrum and don't need direct sunlight to work, the company says.
- Deep Sea Robo-Help - November 26, 2008—Scientists searching the depths of the ocean for undiscovered marine life off the coast of Maine get help from a well-equipped robot.
- Dolphin "Talk" Visualized - April 8, 2009—An acoustics engineer in the UK claims he's got a key tool in decoding the language of dolphins. He's invented a device that visualizes dolphin sounds, but skeptics have their doubts.
- Double Arm Transplant a First - October 9, 2008—The world's first complete double arm transplant was performed successfully in Germany. The recipient, a farmer who lost his own arms in an accident, is doing well.
- Egypt Mummy Has Sex Changed - June 26, 2009—Lady Hor, an ancient Egyptian mummy at New York's Brooklyn Museum, is actually Sir Hor, CT scans reveal.
- Elephant Sends Text Messages - November 5, 2008—A high-tech collar on a farm-raiding elephant in Kenya sends text messages when he crosses a virtual fence. Rangers then rush to shoo him away—safeguarduing both the elephant and crops.
- Fire Ants "Attacked" From Air - August 11, 2009—Sarah Palin isn't the only one who supports hunting from a helicopter. The Australian government is using choppers with heat sensors to scour the land for invasive fire ants.
- First China Space Walk Imminent - September 23, 2008—China rolled out a Shenzhou spacecraft in preparation for Thursday's planned blastoff. The mission is expected to include the country's first space walk.
- First Spacewalk a Success - May 15, 2009—Atlantis' astronauts completed the first of five spacewalks to repair the Hubble telescope. They installed a new camera that will see farther into the universe than ever before.
- Giant Air Purifier Installed - March 5, 2009—A giant air purifier was installed recently along a busy street in Lima, Peru. Its makers claim it can clear carbon dioxide from 200,000 cubic meters of air each day, the equivalent of 1,200 trees.
- Glacial Loss Spurs Warning - September 10, 2009—As officials meet in Denmark to prepare for the successor to the Kyoto Protocol, scientists in the Danish territory of Greenland warn of accelerated glacial loss, which could boost sea levels.
- Glowing Puppies Created? - April 29, 2009—A South Korean research team claims to have cloned beagles with an implanted fluorescent gene. The dogs "glow in the dark." Some researchers say the technique could be applied to treatment of human diseases.
- Google Earth Ocean Preview - February 3, 2009—A new ocean update to Google Earth allows users to dive underwater, see ocean topography, and watch regions change over time.
- Hip-Swaying Robot "Emotes" on Cue - March 16, 2009—Japanese government scientists unveiled a robot "woman" with a nearly natural, hip-swaying walk. "She" changes mood as instructed and will strut in a fashion show.
- Homemade Trains as Transport - October 23, 2008—Built with bamboo and tiny engines, do-it-yourself trains are ferrying Cambodians who, faced with unreliable public transportation, took matters into their own hands.
- Hubble Floats Away From Shuttle - May 19, 2009—Space shuttle astronauts on Tuesday morning released the Hubble Space Telescope, following five spacewalks to repair and improve the 19-year-old spacecraft.
- Hubble Repair Mission Launches - May 11, 2009—Astronauts aboard space shuttle Atlantis will install new tools in the Hubble Space Telescope to see deeper into the universe than ever before.
- Huge Quake Lab Smashes Buildings - September 22, 2008—A giant shaking platform in a warehouse-size Japanese lab simulates earthquakes on full-size models of buildings, and it's a smashing success.
- Hurt Turtle Gets Fake Flippers - August 3, 2009—A loggerhead sea turtle seemingly injured by a shark was recently fitted with "trial" prosthetics as part of efforts to give the rare animal fully functioning flippers.
- India Heads to Moon - October 22, 2008—Aiming to redraw lunar maps, India has launched its first moon mission, joining other countries in a new space race.
- Injured Elephants Get Fake Legs - August 24, 2009—Two Asian elephants in Thailand have been fitted with new prosthetic limbs after each lost a leg to landmine explosions.
- Internet's 40th "Birthday" Marked - August 31, 2009—In fall 1969, computers sending data between two California universities set the stage for the Internet, which became a household word in the 1990s.
- Longest Solar Eclipse Coming - July 20, 2009—The total solar eclipse on Wednesday, July 22, 2009 will be the longest solar eclipse of the 21st century. Preview the eclipse via animations and more.
- Lost People Really Walk in Circles - August 20, 2009—A new study finds that people naturally walk in circles when their sense of direction is lost. Researchers had people walk in the desert and through a forest.
- Man Flies Across English Channel - September 29, 2008—Yves Rossy, known as Fusion Man or Jet Man, flew across the English Channel using only the jetpack and wings strapped to his back.
- Mexico Lakes Linked to Mars? - October 17, 2008—A northern Mexico valley may hold the first human footprint in the Americas, and could even provide the basis for discovering organisms on Mars, according to a NASA scientist.
- Mind-Controlled Robot Tech Debuts - March 31, 2009—New technology allows a person limited control of a humanoid robot, according to the Honda Research Institute. Based on the flow of electricity and blood in a person's brain, the robot reportedly can move its hand, run, and "eat."
- Module Added to Space Station - October 29, 2007—Astronauts break in the new addition to the International Space Station, conduct a second space walk, and plan for a third.
- Monkey Mind Controls Robot Arm - July 27, 2009—Monkeys with computer chips implanted in their brains are helping researchers develop technology that could help paralyzed humans become more self-sufficient.
- Moon Pics Fixed at Old McDonald's - May 5, 2009—It might sound like going from the frying pan to the Frymaster, but it's actually a good thing that historic moon pictures have been moved from dusty storage to an old McDonald's--a "pretty cool place" for restoration work.
- NASA Asteroid Mission Launch - September 27, 2007—NASA's DAWN spacecraft took off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, this morning, kicking off its eight-year mission to study a pair of asteroids beyond Mars.
- NASA Craft to Seek "ET's Home" - March 4, 2009—NASA is scheduled to launch the Kepler spacecraft later this week. The space observatory will spend more than three years traveling through space searching for Earth-like planets.
- NASA Drops "Spiders" Into Volcano - August 13, 2009—NASA helicopters have lowered about a dozen monitoring "spiders" in and around Mount St. Helens's volcanic crater to better predict major eruptions.
- Needle-Free Injection Invented - September 25, 2008—Needle-free syringes use air pressure or gases to deliver drugs, and a Japanese inventor says he's gone even further to cut costs and improve efficiency.
- New "Robocop" Shoots Nets - January 26, 2009—Something like Spider-Man disguised as a vacuum cleaner, the T-34 Japanese security robot shoots nets at intruders and can be controlled via mobile phone.
- New NASA Moon Rover Revealed - October 23, 2008—NASA's new prototype lunar rover improves on the original moon buggies by incorporating 35 years of technology, including an anti-rollover mechanism used in SUVs.
- New Robot Has Delicate Touch - January 16, 2009—Japanese researchers have shown a humanoid robot with fingers that can pick up small delicate objects, such as straws, nearly as well as people.
- Ozone Hole Peaks Over Antarctica - November 3, 2008—The Antarctic ozone hole reached its 2008 peak at 10.5 million sq. miles (27.2 million sq. kilometers), short of the 2006 record size of 10.6 million sq. miles (27.5 million sq. kilometers), according to NASA scientists.
- Polar Probe to Land on Mars - May 22, 2008—NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander is scheduled to touch down near the planet's north pole Sunday and begin its search for signs of life on Mars.
- Quake Machine Shocks 7-Story Condo - July 23, 2009—Rattled on a giant "shake table," a seven-story building wobbled but didn't fall down—evidence that mid-rise wood-frame buildings can be built to withstand earthquakes, experts say.
- Rare Nighttime Shuttle Launch - March 11, 2008—NASA's first nighttime launch since 2006 sent Endeavour on a 16-day space station mission. Astronauts will install a Canadian robot and a Japanese storage unit.
- Rickshaw Robot Made by Farmer - January 15, 2009—A Chinese farmer, long ridiculed for building robots from spare parts, is making money and winning awards from his hobby. His latest: a mustachioed, rickshaw puller.
- Robot Walks, "Emotes" at Same Time - June 24, 2009—Never mind chewing gum, this new robot can walk and "emote" at the same time, using both its face and arms to convey "feelings"--a first, scientists say.
- Robots Controlled by Cell Phones - December 5, 2008—An inventor in Hong Kong uses his mobile phone to control his life-like robots.
- Sahara Train Fights Sand - December 29, 2008—A one-of-a-kind train that runs through the African desert in Mauritania is uniquely adapted to extreme heat and blowing sand.
- Sandwich Bags Save Lives - December 23, 2008—A simple sandwich bag can bring new hope to the parents of premature babies.
- Satellite Crash Spawns Debris - February 13, 2009—NASA and the Russian space agency Roscosmos say debris from the high-impact satellite collision this week poses no real threat to the International Space Station.
- Saturn Moon Flyby Coming Monday - August 8, 2008—To get the best look yet at the ice geysers and fissures on Saturn's moon Enceladus, NASA's Cassini spacecraft will fly within 30 miles of the satellite.
- Seal Sends Text Messages - October 31, 2008—A monk seal, raised in captivity in Greece, has been released into the wild with a cell phone that sends text messages about her location.
- Shuttle Astronauts Space Walk - October 26, 2007—Discovery shuttle astronauts begin the difficult job of attaching an Italian-made module to the International Space Station. The project is expected to take ten days.
- Shuttle Discovery Launches - October 23, 2007—The space shuttle Discovery launched Tuesday from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on a mission to expand the International Space Station.
- Shuttle Docks With Station - June 2, 2008—The NASA space shuttle Discovery docked with the International Space Station Monday, bringing a huge new Japanese lab.
- Shuttle Lands at Night - March 27, 2008—Completing the 22nd night landing in shuttle history, NASA's Endeavour landed successfully last night at Kennedy Space Center.
- Shuttle Lands in Florida - February 20, 2008—Atlantis and its crew safely landed at Kennedy Space Center, after the successful delivery and installation of a new lab for the International Space Station.
- Skinless "Body Double" Muscles In - February 19, 2009—A new virtual body double shows a person's muscles in action while exercising. The technology could aid rehabilitation after injuries or surgeries.
- Snow Falls on Mars - September 30, 2008— NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander has detected snow falling from Martian clouds, and its soil testing shows further evidence of the planet's watery past, scientists say.
- Solar Eclipse Coming August 1 - July 22, 2008—Parts of the Northern Hemisphere will soon see a rare total solar eclipse. Find out how it works, where to watch, and more.
- Space Shuttle Atlantis Launches - February 7, 2008—NASA launched the space shuttle Atlantis Thursday afternoon for a mission to attach the European Space Agency's Columbus laboratory to the International Space Station.
- Space Tourist Reaches ISS - October 14, 2008—An American multi-millionaire, who paid for his adventure through Russia's space program, arrives on the International Space Station.
- Spacewalker Loses Tool Bag - November 19, 2008—A NASA astronaut accidentally lost a tool bag during a spacewalk Tuesday when a grease gun exploded. The kit was one of the largest items ever lost by a spacewalker.
- Spacewalkers Outfit New Lab - February 15, 2008—Astronauts installed a sun-monitoring device during the final space walk of the shuttle Atlantis's mission to deliver the Columbus lab to the Space Station.
- Stem Cell Transplant a Success - November 19, 2008—Doctors in Spain successfully transplanted a windpipe into a woman using tissue grown from her own stem cells.
- Taking A Bite Out of Banana Mess - June 27, 2008—Copious chemicals and plastic make conventional banana growing far from "green." But a remote university is producing eco-friendly bananas that may be in your local grocery.
- The Year in Robots, 2008 - December 30, 2008—Robots became more and more human-like in the past year, which saw the debuts of "emotional" robots, robot bartenders, robot swarms, and more.
- Tornadoes, Lightning in Rare Video - April 3, 2009—As tornado season touches down in the U.S., see a high-tech tornado chaser's stunning footage of twisters—and of lightning as you've never seen it, in superslow motion.
- Unknown Deforestation Exposed - October 30, 2008—In the Brazilian Amazon rain forest, a nongovernmental organization is using satellites to uncover deforestation the Brazilian government doesn't find.
- Vatican Goes Solar - September 30, 2008—Workers recently began installing donated solar panels on the papal auditorium's roof, part of Vatican City's efforts to reduce its carbon footprint.
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