Science is doing some crazy things in the world of genetics these days. Have you heard about the half goat, half spider?

Dragline silk, produced by spiders and used to catch them when they fall, is incomprehensibly strong for it’s weight. It’s stronger than kevlar used in bullet-proof vests. The possible uses are endless. The thing is, spiders are tough to gather and ‘farm for their silk.’ They produce a miniscule amount of this fiber, so we’re unable to harvest it to study and use.

That’s where the goats come into play. Using a form of DNA adjustment called synthetic biology, scientists have taken the gene associated with the production of dragline silk in spiders, and mixed it into the DNA that promotes milk production in goats. They can now obtain drastically more silk in a more controlled manner. Scientists are referring to this technique as advanced farming.

The internet has become so entrenched in the day to day lives of billions in the world that it often seems even a day without it can lead to withdrawls. In fact, there are now over 2 billion internet users in the world today. When the internet at a particular location becomes slow or inoperational it can be devastating. Business professionals who are on the road often deal with the issue of finding a place to get online; scouring the city and having to deal with paying extreme rates at hotels and restaurants just to keep in touch. For something that has become so necessary, it’s often becoming increasingly difficult to stay connected. An upstart company is taking a game changing strategy and aiming to alleviate our internet woes.

Astounde.com covered an overview of Augmented Reality in February. Augmented Reality is essentially the opposite of virtual reality. AR is placing virtual components into the real world, rather than trying to make a real world in a digital one. AR is still in it’s infancy, but is starting to take a stronghold on our tablets and phones.

One of the most exciting developments using AR is taking place in a new device that can be worn on your face. Technology is shrinking and becoming more powerful than we ever imagined, and that is enabling us to come up with some sensational new applications. Many technology experts believe that 2012 may go down as the year of wearable technology. This evolution of technology and communication has enabled Google to release Project Glass; which is the introduction of what is becoming known as Google Glasses. These glasses have the potential to change the way we live forever.

Many uninformed individuals still think flying cars are the thing of science fiction. If you didn’t see our article from last March, there are several companies working on prototypes of a roadable aircraft that you can park in your garage at home. The company that is furthest along in the process, Terrafugia, successfully completed their first flight with their version of the flying car called the Transition today. Over 100 people have put down $10,000 deposits on the vehicle that’s expected to have a price tag of $279,000. Expect to see the Transition in the air within the next year!

The television is a prime example of how technology in the 21st century is moving at an exponential pace. As soon as high definition was introduced to the world, we were presented with the option of a flat screen HDTV. Everyone who went out and bought a brand new flat screen thought they were living fancy, only to have their hopes and dreams slashed when the 3D Flat Screen HDTV was released. Many individuals have caught on to the scheme, and avoided the 3DTV altogether. We all knew that it was only a matter of time before the next plateau was reached; get ready for the 4KTV.

Amazing news out of Stockholm today, where Swedish scientists won the ongoing battle of who could successfully teleport the first human being. 46 year old Oskar Svensson was almost instantaneously teleported from the Stockholm Science Institute Headquarters, to a separate underground branch in Karlstad. The report said that according to the on location sensors, Svensson was able to travel 180.4 miles in 2.54 seconds. Just when you thought you had seen it all, an incredible story like this breaks.

There are over 40 million blind people in the world. Individuals without sight are forced to hire orientation and mobility specialists to help them move around town. Some common techniques include devising consistent and familiar routes, using a walking cane, and obtaining a specially trained seeing eye dog. Similarly, phone apps have been designed that give the blind detailed directions to navigate around town. All of these alternatives are great, but the one common denominator is the slow rate of speed at which a visually impaired human beings must travel alone. Amazingly, though, a major breakthrough in this field is on the horizon.

Crew members aboard the ISS scrambled into an emergency exit craft as stray debris from a forgotten Russian satellite surprised NASA. The debris was only noticed on Friday, which evidently did not give the monitoring team enough time to create a sizable distance between the ISS and the scrap. NASA couldn’t even determine the exact size of the debris, although any small amount can jeopardize the entire craft.

Astounde covered the story of the incredible threat posed by space junk in this article in mid-February. Swiss scientists are currently designing a project called Clean Space One to help alleviate this problem. The article is a fascinating read if you hadn’t heard of it yet. Hopefully the hard working scientists can get Clean Space One implemented soon, as the lives of the six crew members onboard are too valuable to be left to chance.

Science Fiction has provided us with some whimsical ideas that are now becoming a reality. One of the neatest has got to be invisibility. While it may not be in the manner that our predecessors had imagined, we have achieved the ability to mask humans and objects. It goes without saying that the military is implementing some form of invisibility. Will this technology ever be available to the general public? Is it too dangerous?

Although many schools and businesses are going digital with their operations, final copies are still printed out onto traditional sheets of paper. The process of paper recycling is far more difficult and consumes much more energy than many people imagine.

The paper first has to be sorted. It is then rid of it’s contaminants and compacted. The paper is then shredded and mixed with water to make a pulp. The pulp is washed again and refined, before being beaten into a slush. It’s then shaped and left to dry before then be converted into printer paper, newspaper and cardboard.