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www.freedowns.netwww.freedowns.net & & www.journal-plaza.net©® www.journal-plaza.net©® www.freedowns.netwww.freedowns.net & & www.journal-plaza.net©® www.journal-plaza.net©® www.freedowns.netwww.freedowns.net & & www.journal-plaza.net©® www.journal-plaza.net©® www.freedowns.netwww.freedowns.net & & www.journal-plaza.net©® www.journal-plaza.net©® Is running your business getting in the way of running your business? www.freedowns.netwww.freedowns.net & & www.journal-plaza.net©® www.journal-plaza.net©® The world’s first D-SLR with HD Movie is here. Introducing the Nikon D90. With the new 12.3 megapixel Nikon D90, the creative possibilities are revolutionary. It’s the world’s fi rst D-SLR to capture HD movie clips, enabling you to use interchangeable NIKKOR® lenses for video as well as stills. Add to that a Live View LCD, the ability to shoot up to 4.5 fps, and a NIKKOR VR lens for legendary Nikon image quality and it’s easy to see why the new Nikon D90 is everything you need. For more, go to ashtonsd90.com Upload, organize and share your shots online at mypicturetown.com Over 45 Million “Highest in Customer Satisfaction with Digital SLR Cameras, NIKKOR® Lenses Two Years in a Row, Tied in 2008.” Produced. Nikon D Series received the highest numerical score among digital SLR cameras in the proprietary J.D. Power and Associates 2007-2008 Digital Camera Satisfaction StudiesSM tied in 2008. 2008 study based on 8,099 total responses measuring 8 product lines and measures opinions of consumers who purchased a digital camera in the previous 12 months. Proprietary study results are based on experiences and perceptions of consumers surveyed in June-July 2008. Your experiences may vary. Visit jdpower.com Nikon® and D90™ are registered trademarks of Nikon Corporation. ©2008 Nikon Inc. www.freedowns.netwww.freedowns.net & & www.journal-plaza.net©® www.journal-plaza.net©® this month’s guide to innovation and discovery january ’09 VOLUME 274 #1 b Concepts & Prototypes 42 STEALTH REBORN Inside the Air Force’s secret plans for a bomber that will barely register on radar— and might even fl y without a pilot. By Dawn Stover PopSci Predicts 46 YOUR GUIDE TO THE TOP SCIENCE STORIES OF 2009 We forecast the major scientifi c developments of the coming year: the space missions to watch, the invention prizes you can win and, oh, a little study that might show whether 42 your cellphone is killing you. Fieldwork 54 KILLER 54 64 CONNECTION There are far more serial murderers on the loose than we think. The Center for Human Identifi cation uses powerful DNA techniques to examine victims—and closes the coldest, darkest cases in the process. By Jessica Snyder Sachs the future of energy 64 THIS MACHINE How It Works MIGHT SAVE THE 62 DIGITAL WORLD MAPMAKING Two Canadian tinkerers To build the maps for embark on an improbable Google and your GPS gad- quest to create nuclear get, a team of hundreds of fusion in an offi ce-park drivers trolls the streets warehouse. By Josh Dean with cameras on their vans. By Doug Cantor 46 N THEN COVER: NICK KALOTERAKIS; THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: NICK KALOTERAKIS; JOHN B. CARNETT; JOHN B. CARNETT AND PAUL WOOTTON; COURTESY X PRIZE FOUNDATION; COURTESY MISSOULA COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE O POPSCI.COM JANUARY 2009 POPULAR SCIENCE 05 www.freedowns.netwww.freedowns.net & & www.journal-plaza.net©® www.journal-plaza.net©® 20 33 78 REGULARS MEGAPIXELS 14 A blue chicken embryo; a dark hall to nuclear waste. WHAT’S NEW 19 RECREATION LEAN MACHINE Cooling molten metal faster to build a better motorbike. 20 THE GOODS Our bike expert reviews this ultra-sleek two-wheeler. A 3-D GPS gadget; a guitar that records itself. 22 HOME TECH Power tools get more power, thanks to a new motor. JOIN US FOR A THRILL RIDE 30 GADGETS Resident motorcycle guru Matt Cokeley visited Berlin to ogle the new What’s next for Google’s groundbreaking cellphone? Buell 1125CR, grill its designers about bike tech, and take a high- TOCK; G.K. AND VIKKI HART/GETTY IMAGES S speed test drive. See video of his adventure at popsci.com/buell. I HEADLINES 33 ENVIRONMENT Why climate-change models underestimate the problem. RETURN OF THE BODACIOUS ‘BOTS 34 DEFENSE TECH Can’t get enough alluring photos of female robots? Scanners that check your body to predict criminal acts. We’ve whipped up another gallery showing how 36 WHAT’S THE BIG IDEA? science-fiction writers, artists and engineers rep- ; COURTESY TOM RILES; Entrepreneur Elon Musk on Tesla’s new electric sedan. resent women, at popsci.com/fembot. 40 PLANET FIXERS Making electricity from hot streets, and more. BLOGS AND MORE HOW 2.0 CKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: COURTESY OVATION GUITARS; MIKE DICKBERND/AP PHOTO; 73 YOU BUILT WHA T ?! LO C OOZING ANIMALS IKEAHACKER.BLOGSPOT.COM A poker table that turns a card game into a TV event. 76 GRAY MATTER Weak stomachs be warned: We bring you a new and nauseating gallery of “Nature’s Grossest Powder in a fl owerpot becomes titanium metal. Creatures.” Point and stare, at popsci.com/gross. 77 CHEAP TRICKS Connect your Xbox to the Web with an old router. 79 ASK A GEEK INVESTIGATING THE INFOMERCIALS With automated reminders, you’ll never forget anything. Can that treatment really grow your hair back? Do those electronic pest repellers actually work? Our new column “As Seen on TV” reveals the FYI truth behind the late-night ads, at popsci.com/tvtruth. 80 The best job on Mars. Plus: Will corn pop in space? OTHER STUFF FAST FUN: MORE 5-MINUTE PROJECTS 10 FROM THE EDITOR POPSCI’s how-to crew is back with six new videos. 12 THE INBOX Learn how to make a spectrometer, geek-chic cuff links, and more—all in less time than it takes to fix 96 PPX: THE POPSCI PREDICTIONS EXCHANGE a sandwich. Check out popsci.com/freshfiveminutes. 06 POPULAR SCIENCE JANUARY 2009 www.freedowns.netwww.freedowns.net & & www.journal-plaza.net©® www.journal-plaza.net©® www.freedowns.netwww.freedowns.net & & www.journal-plaza.net©® www.journal-plaza.net©® ALL-NEW ’09 F-150 Yeah, so THE HUMP JUST GOT ITS WALKING PAPERS. Introducing the fi rst COMPLETELY fl at load fl oor AND six more inches of interior room.* *F-150 SuperCrew. www.freedowns.netwww.freedowns.net & & www.journal-plaza.net©® www.journal-plaza.net©® FIND OUT MORE AT FORDVEHICLES.COM www.freedowns.netwww.freedowns.net & & www.journal-plaza.net©® www.journal-plaza.net©® THE FUTURE NOW Editor-in-Chief Mark Jannot Deputy Editor Jacob Ward Creative Director Sam Syed EDITORIAL Executive Editor Mike Haney Articles Editor Michael Moyer Editorial Production Manager Felicia Pardo Senior Editor Nicole Dyer Senior Technology Editor Seán Captain Copy and Research Director Rina Bander Senior Associate Editors Doug Cantor, Seth Fletcher, Martha Harbison Associate Editors Lauren Aaronson, Bjorn Carey Tech Editorial Assistant Amy Geppert Editor at Large Dawn Stover Contributing Technology Editor Steve Morgenstern Contributing Editors Eric Adams, Theodore Gray, Eric Hagerman, Joseph Hooper, Suzanne Kantra Kirschner, Preston Lerner, Gregory President Mone, Rena Marie Pacella, Dave Prochnow, Jessica Snyder Sachs, Rebecca Skloot, Mike Spinelli, Elizabeth Svoboda, Kalee Thompson, Phillip Torrone, James Vlahos, Speed Weed Contributing Troubadour Jonathan Coulton Contributing Futurist Andrew Zolli Editorial Intern Greg Soltis On October 30, just five days before the presidential election, Barack ART AND PHOTOGRAPHY Art Director Matthew Cokeley Obama did something that snapped my head back: He devoted a solid Photo Editor Kristine LaManna Staff Photographer John B. Carnett chunk of an interview on an evening news show to detailing his plans, Senior Designer Stephanie O’Hara Contributing Artists Kevin Hand, Nick Kaloterakis, Graham Murdoch, if elected, to overhaul the nation’s electrical grid. Bob Sauls, Paul Wootton “If we’re going to be serious Photo Intern Ilona Lieberman POPSCI.COM about renewable energy,” he Digital Content Director Megan Miller THERE ARE Acting Digital Content Manager Taylor Hengen said, “I want to be able to get Associate Web Editors Paul Adams, Abby Seiff ENCOURAGING wind power from North Dakota POPULAR SCIENCE PROPERTIES to population centers like Chi- Group Publisher Gregg R. Hano SIGNS THAT THIS cago. And we’re going to have Associate Publisher Advertising Wendi S. Berger Executive Assistant Christopher Graves to have a smart grid if we want Marketing Director Mike Gallic PRESIDENT-ELECT Business Manager Connie Lau to use plug-in hybrids and we Vice President, Corporate Sales and Marketing Pete Michalsky Northeast Advertising Office: Alex DeSanctis 212-779-5129, want to be able to have ordinary Chris Young 212-779-5148, Taryn Young 212-779-5030 IS SERIOUS ABOUT Midwest Advertising Office: Manager John Marquardt consumers sell the electricity 312-252-2838 Ad Assistant Krissy Van Rossum that’s generated from those car Los Angeles Advertising Office: Manager Robert Hoeck 310-227-8958 INNOVATION. Digital Account Manager Kate Gregory batteries back into the grid.” Detroit Advertising Office: Manager Edward A. Bartley 248-282-5545 Ad Assistant Diane Pahl Wow, I thought, he’s making offhand reference to subtle and sophisti- San Fran cisco Advertising Office: Jill Stankoski 415-496-2700 Digital Account Manager Jacqueline Boyl 415-496-2700 cated ideas about renewable energy. What’s more, his analysis is spot-on— Southern Regional Advertising Office: Manager Jason A. Albaum 404-892-0760 the grid is the often-overlooked key to the successful propagation of any Classified Advertising Sales Patrick Notaro 212-779-5555 Direct Response Sales Marie Isabelle 800-280-2069 legitimate new alternative-energy economy. And the fact that he was Interactive Sales Director Rob Pfeiffer Digital Account Managers Jessica DeBiase, Jesse Parker, Jenny Smith spending precious airtime in the campaign’s waning days pushing such a Digital Sales Development Manager Brian Glaser Sales Development Managers Kerri Levine, Alexis Smith techno-wonk agenda struck me as a particularly encouraging sign that this Creative Services Director Mike Iadanza Marketing Art Director Shawn Woznicki president-elect is serious about innovation.