A device that fits invisibly into the wheel of an ordinary trolley, complete with sensors and Bluetooth connection, has been invented by product design firm Cambridge Consultants in East Anglia. It tells retailers a shopper's location to within one metre and doesn't need batteries because it harvests energy from the rotation of the wheel to gain power. Data is transmitted via Bluetooth to a shop's server. The technology could spell the end of queues as it could be used to alert staff when customers are nearing checkouts, allowing shops to automatically allocate assistants when they are needed most.
Glasses will use technology to allow drivers to 'see through' car
Esa's Intermediate Experimental Vehicle has successfully returned home. The spaceplane took off at 1340 GMT on a Vega rocket from South America.
The science of 'Where's Wally?': Scientist reveals how to find the character in the shortest time possible
The strategy was designed by a Michigan-based computer scientist Randal Olson. He began by plotting Wally's locations across 68 pages (top right) and then used an algorithm to find the shortest path needed to visit the 68 points (bottom right). He said following this path on a standard Where's Wally? page (example left) is said to be the easiest and fastest way to find the elusive character.
Self-driving cars hit UK roads: Driverless vehicles could have 'BOOZE-CRUISE control' for drunk motorists in future
UK Government sets out its road map for allowing driverless cars on public streets as it gives the green light for the first trials of the Meridian vehicle (bottom right) to be carried out in Greenwich. The LUTZ Pathfinder pod (left and top right) will be trialed in Milton Keynes while further trails will be carried out in Bristol. A ministerial review said the technology could allow those without driving licences or those considered 'unfit' to drive to use the vehicles while motorists will be able to text on mobile hones, read a book or even swivel their seat to turn their back on the road.
Comets are like deep fried ICE CREAM: Nasa ice-box experiment confirms 67P is hard on the outside but fluffy on the inside
Nasa scientists in California say comets like 67P (image left) are like deep fried ice cream (stock image top right). The analogy was made after an experiment on Earth simulated comets. Called Himalaya (bottom right) it looked at how they evolve over time. It suggests they have a hard exterior but a soft and fluffy interior. Results could help explain how water was brought to the young Earth.
Can't be bothered to stir your food? There's a gadget for that! £37 Stirio continuously mixes food as it cooks
The Stirio clamp (pictured top right) was designed by a team of inventors at Oslo-based firm Unikia. It attaches to a pot and stirs any food for up to 90 minutes. This stops gravy and porridge (pictured left), for example, becoming lumpy or sticking to the pan. The wireless gadget (pictured bottom right) is rechargeable, can be taken apart to clean and features a plastic stirring blade that can be folded out to reach across the bottom of different sized pots.
Nasa wants to send a SUBMARINE to space in 2040: Agency reveals plans for a craft to explore Titan's hydrocarbon oceans
Nasa's conceptual Titan submarine would weigh about one tonne (2,200 lb), and would use conventional electric propulsion over a 90-day mission, according to the Houston-based agency. Saturn's largest moon is unique in the outer solar system in that it is the only one of the bodies outside the Earth with liquid lakes and seas on its surface. The Titanian seas, however, are seas of liquid hydrocarbons - and astronomers now what to find out what lies beneath.
Is this the best photo of Earth's night sky EVER taken? Amazing long-exposure montage reveals a meteor, comet and nebulae above an observatory and oxygen airglow on Earth
The European Southern Observatory has revealed an amazing image (left) taken above an observatory in Chile. The montage reveals many different cosmic phenomena above the La Silla Observatory. In the centre of the image is Comet Lovejoy (top right), which made its closest path to Earth in January 2015. Elsewhere a nebula shaped like the state of California (bottom right) and another surrounding a runaway star are seen. And in a chance encounter, a meteor is also seen burning up in Earth's atmosphere.
What a striking map! Thunderstorm animation reveals five lightning bolts hit the Earth every SECOND
Researchers at Tel Aviv University in Israel created the map (pictured) using a global network of 70 lightning stations that detect radio waves. The peak time for lightning strikes was found to be 1900 UTC, with low activity at 0300 UTC every day. Scientists hope the data can be used to work out the effect climate change is having on thunderstorms. They said that by the end of the 21st century, there could be an 25 per cent more lightning around the world.
How did this little Neolithic child die? 4,000-year-old remains of a 10-year-old uncovered on a Scottish beach
An almost complete skeleton of a 4,000-year-old child (pictured left) has been found. The discovery was made by walker Carrie Brown in Orkney, Scotland (bottom right). The skeleton was carefully removed from the grave on Sunday (top right). But mystery remains about how the child died and even whether it was a boy or a girl.
How they built the Blackbird: Fascinating pictures show birth of Lockheed's top secret SR-71 spy plane - which is STILL the fastest plane ever built after 39 years
These once classified photos reveal how aerospace company Lockheed built three varieties of the Blackbird - A, B and C, in top secret conditions in Burbank, California (pictured left), under a 'black project' - a highly classified defence project unacknowledged by the government. Since 1976, the SR-71 Blackbird (right) has held the world record for the fastest air-breathing manned aircraft.
Mysterious Anglo-Saxon carving is discovered in a back GARDEN - and it may contain a hidden message
The stone (main picture) was found in a garden in Leicester and was purchased by an amateur archaeologist who believes the intricate pattern was probably carved in Anglo Saxon times, over 1,000 years ago. James Balme, who is also a television presenter, said that the pattern 'may be some form of writing,' although it is likely the pattern (inset) will reveal symbols rather than text. The stone could be 'a keystone from an archway or indeed a vaulted ceiling,' or the base of a cross or tombstone.
Extraordinary footage emerges of Tomahawk missile punching a hole completely through a moving shipping container during U.S. Navy training exercise
A test of a Tomahawk missile off San Nicolas Island in California showed it ploughing through a shipping container on a moving ship with such force that it punched a hole all the way through. Experts said if the Navy can use the technology they could be able to improve their fleet of long range missiles to hit moving targets.
FAULTY towers? Japan opens hotel run by ROBOTS that will welcome guests, carry bags and even clean your room
When the first guests check into at Henn-na Hotel in Nagasaki this July, they will be greeted by 10 eerily lifelike robots who will do everything from carrying luggage and cleaning, to translating. They will come from a company called Kokoro, which has been developing 'actroid' or human-seeking robots, for just over a decade. The robots are designed to look like and share the mannerisms of a polite young Japanese woman. They will look like they are really breathing, blink and make eye contact as well as altering their body language and tone to respond to guests' requests.
Here, Spot! Google reveals smaller version of its robo-dog that can walk, trot and climb up steps - even when KICKED
The Google-owned Boston firm behind Spot says the four legged robo-pet can run, climb stairs, job next to its owner and even cope with being kicked. A sensor on the robot's head helps it navigate over rough terrain - and to spot when humans, or another robo-dog, is nearby by, allowing it to follow its owner and run in formation.
Watch a chick grow inside a TRANSPARENT egg: Scientists create see-through shell to study how a bird embryo develops
Scientists in Beijing have created a see-through eggshell (main image). They grew a living bird embryo for 17 days - three days before it hatched. The shell was made of a silicon-based organic polymer. It is the first time such an egg has been grown in a laboratory. The method could allow embryos to be altered to observe changes. Previously, scientists had to rely on a method known as 'windowing' (inset image) to get a peek into the processes going on inside an egg. And there are hopes the method could be recreated for humans.
X marks the spot! Interactive map plots the possible locations of buried treasure around the world
EXCLUSIVE: The map (pictured) was created for California-based eBay and plots the location of 35 buried treasures around the world. These include real troves of gold, mythical loots and heists that feature in fictional films. Each location shows the year the treasure went missing and the details surrounding its disappearance, plus its estimated value. The majority of the real buried treasure on the map is still waiting to be discovered and collections include the Faberge Eggs of Russia, the Irish Crown Jewels, diamonds from the 2003 Antwerp Diamond Heist and gold that sunk with the SS Islander in 1901.
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's the TRANSITION: Two-seater flying car takes off from a runway but still fits inside your garage
A US firm has created a road-legal airplane called the Transition (left) that looks like something out of The Jetsons (top right). The flying car seats two, has foldable wings (bottom right) and can drive on roads and also take to the skies. It reaches 70mph (113km/h) on the ground and 115mph (185km/h) in the air The company hopes it could go on sale this or next year. Drivers will need a pilot's licence and 20 hours flight time to fly it. An upgraded version that seats four is also undergoing testing.
It's a microwave, but not as you know it! Appliance FREEZES food and drinks at the flick of a switch
The Freezer-Wave (pictured left) was designed by Emma Maskery from Peterborough and was crowned Britain's strangest entry in the Odd Invention Challenge. A prototype of the appliance was built by YouTube inventor Colin Furze. The gadget works as a regular microwave until the Freeze button (pictured right) is switched, at which point carbon dioxide is blasted into the microwave and freezes what's inside. It can also be used to cool down food and drinks that are too hot to be consumed.
Terrifying microbe map of New York's subway system reveals superbugs, anthrax and bubonic plague
Dr Chris Mason and colleagues from Weill Cornell Medical College found 67 bacteria species associated with diseases among more than 15,000 different types of microbes at 466 stations. The most diverse station was the G train's Myrtle-Willoughby stop in Brooklyn, with 95 different bacteria groups. Pictured are some of the most popular stations in New York, along with a common type of bacteria found in the area. Many are associated with different diseases such as food poisoning and infections
Radical railgun that can fire shells at mach 6 and penetrate concrete 100 MILES away shown off in public by US Navy
A lethal US Navy weapon that can fire a shell at seven times the speed of sound has been shown off in public for the first time in Washington DC. Using electromagnetic energy, the gun can fire a shell weighing 10kg at up to 5,400mph over 100 miles - with such force and accuracy it penetrates three concrete walls or six half-inch thick steel plates.
Meteor streaks across English Channel: Fireball captured hurtling across night sky off the coast of Devon
Experts say the fireball, filmed by a beach-side webcam (right and top left), appears to expand and contract like a small meteor breaking apart in the atmosphere. It was spotted by webcam operator Simon Dean as he watched footage for signs of night time repairs on the seaside railway track in Dawlish (bottom left) that was damaged by storms.
- Splashdown! Europe's first 'space taxi' returns to Earth after successful 100-minute mission through the atmosphere
- When lemmings ATTACK: Aggressive rodents use multicoloured fur and loud shrieks to warn predators to stay away
- A new look for the View-Master? Google and Mattel tease big announcement ‘to view what’s possible’ with retro invite
- Are underwater volcanoes causing global warming? Oceanic eruptions may have a greater effect on climate than first thought
- End of the checkout queue? Supermarket trolley 'GPS' could cut waiting times and guide customers to special offers
- Did deep sea currents end the ice age? Carbon dioxide released from ocean floor triggered warming, claims study
- Samsung's Galaxy S6 WILL have curved screens that cover its sides: 'special edition' handset is set to take on Apple's iPhone 6
- Birth of a multiple-star 'Tatooine' system captured in stunning images as it forms 800 light-years from Earth
- EE to use drones and balloons to boost 4G: £1.5bn to be spent on network improvements in rural areas
- Take a selfie with your HEADPHONES: Video reveals the 14 ways you can transform earbuds into an iPhone remote
- Tim Cook plugs new fitness friendly Apple Watch that can remind you to move every hour with declaration that 'sitting is the new cancer'
- The science of 'Where’s Wally?': Scientist reveals how to find the character in the shortest time possible
- Ask Dr Google: Search engine adds professional health information to its results - but will it encourage hypochondria?
- Why you DON'T want to be born with silver spoon in your mouth: Silver cutlery makes food tastes bad, expert reveals
- The Fun Lovin' CROCODILES: Deadly reptiles play, give each other piggy backs, surf and like pink flowers
- Dawn of the SUPER-BATTERY? Engineer who invented lithium ion cell is developing battery that is 60% more powerful
- Does eternal life lie in the INTERNET? Online Evertomb 'prepares you for the afterlife like a great digital pharaoh'
- 100 ancient 'sex cult' sites found in Israel: Mysterious 8,000 year old stone circles filled with phallic carvings discovered in mountains
- Here, Spot! Google reveals smaller version of its robo-dog that can walk, trot and climb up steps - even when KICKED
- Did the Big Bang ever happen? Quantum model predicts universe has NO beginning - and it could even explain dark energy
- Will you be a victim of digital pickpockets? Hacker reveals how easy it is to steal credit card numbers in seconds while you still have them in your hand
- How popcorn gets its pop: Slow motion video solves snack's scientific mystery
- Can the past be changed by the FUTURE? Bizarre quantum experiment suggests time can run backwards
- Is this the best photo of Earth's night sky EVER taken? Amazing long-exposure montage reveals a meteor, comet and nebulae above an observatory and oxygen airglow on Earth
- Is someone tracking YOU on WhatsApp? Hackers reveal tool to bypass privacy settings
- Why is the sun so upset? Giant filament turns solar surface into a giant 'sad face' emoji
- Don't bother with expensive wearables - smartphones are just as accurate at monitoring health
- Samsung smart TV backlash continues: Firm responds to privacy concerns - but users now complain sets play adverts in the middle of movies
- When will people take their passwords seriously? Researcher leaks 10 million login details to highlight how people STILL make bad choices
- Is Apple working on a CAR? Employee reveals the firm's latest project will give 'Tesla a run for its money'
- The 'magic' hi-tech window that can block out noise - but still let fresh air in
- The golden Apple: Tech giant becomes first company in history worth over $700 BILLION
- The Fun Lovin' CROCODILES: Deadly reptiles play, give each other piggy backs, surf and like pink flowers
- Will robots take YOUR job? Study says machines will do 25% of US jobs that can be automated by 2025
- MOST READ IN DETAIL
VIDEO GAMES
THIS WEEK'S TOP TEN VIDEO GAMES
The not so dark side of the moon: Stunning animation shows lunar phases in a new light
The animation, by Houston-based Nasa, reveals the phases of the moon as it would appear if we could see the far side. The animation takes the moon through the 29.5 day period of phases. In the background, the Earth can be seen, appearing to move in a figure eight as it reveals itself and and disappears behind its satellite. In another series of animations, a spinning Earth looms large in a time-lapse telescopic view.
Will 2015 kick off another 'golden age of space'? Mission to Pluto and record-breaking rocket among upcoming highlights
Missions from the US, Europe, Japan and Russia are set to wow a global audience this year. Professor Chris Riley said 2015 could be a 'golden age of spaceflight'. Dawn's mission to Ceres next month is among the highlights. Nasa and Roscosmos are also preparing year-long stays on the ISS. In April Hubble will celebrate its 25th birthday, while SpaceX are due to launch their Falcon Heavy rocket around June. And at the end of the year Japan will make a dramatic attempt to get a spacecraft into orbit around Venus. Shown clockwise from top right are the New Horizons spacecraft, Falcon Heavy rocket, Hubble Space Telescope and the Dawn spacecraft. In the middle is astronaut Scott Kelly (left) and Mikhail Kornienko (right), who will begin a one-year stay aboard the ISS in March.
EURGH! Watch the grotesque moment a parasitic worm erupts from a spider's body
The disgusting sight was filmed by YouTube member BaskWith2 in Australia, who was shocked to see the writhing worm after spraying the spider with insecticide. His video seems to show a giant parasitic nematode worm erupting from the dead spider's body in a spiral shape, before unfurling to look like a strange of wriggling wholemeal spaghetti. It appears to be over 15 times longer than the spider's body and around the same size as the arachnid's abdomen. Once the parasite is wriggling in a foamy sea of insecticide, the disgusted cameraman blasts it with more poison, as the video cuts out.
The optical illusions that trick FISH: Mind-bending patterns reveal similarities between human and aquatic brains
The University of Trento in Italy found redtail splitfins could see the famous Ebbinghaus trick (top right), while separate research has found that zebra fish can see the 'rotating snakes' illusion (left). This illusion tricks the brain into think the patterns are moving, when they are in fact completely still. Visual illusions such as this reveal the discrepancy between perception and reality, and it was previously believed this was caused by neural processes specific to the brains of primates. The studies suggest that fish and humans have co-evolved shortcuts to help understand what the see in the natural world.
How the universe will end: We could collapse, be ripped apart or decay into nothing - and the process may have started
Munich-based group. Kurzgesagt, has put together a video explaining how the world could end in three leading theories dubbed the big crunch, the big rip and the big freeze. In the big crunch, gravity would become the most powerful force in the universe. The rate that the universe expands would decrease and the universe would start to collapse. During the big freeze, matter would decay into radiation as the universe expands. The big rip scenario suggests galaxies would tear apart, followed by black holes, planets and stars.
The incredible 3D projection system that can make an ice rink disappear - and transported Katy Perry to a desert island at the Super Bowl
Ohio-based studio, Lightborne, and Virgina firm, Quince Imaging, have revealed how they transform stadiums using their unique set up of projectors, computer-aided modelling and lights. Katy Perry's Super Bowl XLIX halftime show, for instance, used the technology to create the illusion that she was transported to a tropical island and a chess board. At the Prudential Center in Newark - home ice of the Devils - a pre-game presentation by Quince combines live video, animations, projection-mapping. During the show, the Devil mascot looks as if he is setting fire to the ice. Pictured inset is a Boston University ice projection.
The 'Death Star' as never seen before: Dawn probe reveals stunning animations of Ceres as it edges closer to its 'alien' mark
At a resolution of 8.5 miles (14km) per pixel, the pictures represent the sharpest images to date of the icy world, which Dawn is due to arrive at on March 6, according to Houston-based Nasa. When it does, it will become the first human-made probe to visit the 'Death Star' planet - and scientists hope it will uncover the secrets behind its mysterious white spot.
Spot the octopus! Amazing moment marine creature camouflages itself against a reef is captured on video
A diver in the Caribbean saw an octopus reveal itself against a coral reef. The cephalopod springs into view as it changes its tone and texture. Shown is an image of the octopus - if you can spot it. Octopuses can camouflage themselves to hide from predators. They use thousands of colour-changing cells known as chromatophores. But how they do this is unknown exactly - as they are 'colour blind'.
Rare 'upwards lightning' captured on video: Unique phenomenon spotted in thunder clouds above Florida
Researchers at the Florida Institute of Technology have recorded a rare type of lightning. 'Upwards lightning' (shown main) comes in three types: short, medium and long. All three types were spotted in seven events in the video. Studies could reveal how they affect cloud formation and the atmosphere. The discharges (stock image inset) can also affect radio signals for long-range communication.
'Gospel of the Lots of Mary' found hidden inside 1,500-year-old book: Ancient text was used to seek divine answers
The text (pictured main) was studied by Professor Anne Marie Luijendijk from Princeton University. It is written in an ancient language called Coptic and is titled the 'Gospel of the Lots of Mary'. The book is 1,500 years old and measures just 3 inches (75mm) tall and 2.7 inches (68.7mm wide). It contains a total of 37 oracles and would have been used by a person seeking an answer to a certain problem, similar to a modern Magic 8 ball (pictured inset).
GADGET REVIEWS
SMARTPHONES? IT'S YOUR CALL
The ultimate non-iPhone smartphone guide...
Talk time: 9.5hr (7hr playback, 55hr music)
Spec: 3.7in (800x480 pixels) AMOLED screen, 16GB, 1.4GHz Windows Mango, 8MP camera, 720p HD video
Verdict: This combination works wonderfully. It's a pleasure to use and Nokia's Drive GPS app is impressive. We've rated these iPhone alternatives from Ace down to Five - and the Nokia is at the head of the pack.
Talk time: 8.5hr
Spec: Android Ice Cream Sandwich OS, 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 4.65in (720x1,280) AMOLED screen, 5MP camera, 1080p video, 16GB memory
Verdict: It's got a beautiful screen, intuitive operating system and cool features like face-recognition security, but battery life doesn't quite match the hype.
Talk time: 6hr 50min
Spec: Windows Phone 7.5 Mango, 1.5GHz, 4.7in (480x800) screen, 16GB, 8MP camera, 720p HD video
Verdict: The Titan is slim, light and has the largest screen on any Windows device. Shame they didn't give it better screen resolution.
Talk time: 4hr
Spec: Android 2.3 Gingerbread, 1 GHz, 4.3in (800x480) screen, 8MP camera, 1080p HD video, 8GB memory
Verdict: The sharp lines and thin bezel give a professional look while the monochrome interface screams class. One for the fashionistas.
Talk time: 5hr 20min
Spec: BlackBerry 7 OS, 1 GHz, 2.45in (480x360) screen, 5MP camera, VGA video, 8GB memory
Verdict: Beautifully made and with a battery life most handsets would kill for, but the OS is limiting and even with its touch screen it can't compete.
Talk time: 7hr 35min
Spec: Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread, 1.4GHz, 4.2in (854x480) screen, 1GB internal, 8GB MicroSD memory (included), 8.1MP camera, 720p HD video
Verdict: Motorola take note, this is how you do slim and sexy. The camera is let down by a poor menu and awful shutter button, but Sony's social media widget 'Timescale' is a time-saving stroke of genius.
Talk time: 10hr
Spec: Android 2.3.5 Gingerbread, dual-core 1.2 GHz processor, 4.3in Super AMOLED (540x960) screen, 8MP camera, Full HD video, 16GB
Verdict: Light and impossibly thin, but even with its rigid Kevlar frame it feels limp and lopsided in the hand. Shame, as the screen is exceptional and the interface is bursting with neat tricks including the ability to resize the icons you use most.
Talk time: 4hr 30min
Spec: Android 2.3 Gingerbread, 800MHz processor, 3.5in (800x480) screen, 5MP camera, 512 MB internal memory, 2GB microSD card (included)
Verdict: Never going to induce envy but if you want smartphone functionality without budget busting it's hard to fault. Navigation is intuitive; battery life excellent.
Talk time: 4hr
Spec: Android 2.3 Gingerbread OS, 3.5in (800x480) screen, 5MP camera, 800MHz processor, 512MB memory, 2GB microUSB card, GPS
Verdict: The Vivacity is essentially the San Francisco II with iPhone looks, and while it lacks the fluidity of its more expensive cousins, you can get app-happy on a budget.
Talk time: 4hr 30min
Spec: Android 2.2 Froyo, 2.8in (240x320) screen, 2MP camera, 130MB memory, 2GB microSD card
Verdict: It might be cheap, small and pocketable but as a smartphone it's cramped, slow and the minuscule memory limits the number of apps.
All around the world... and beyond
British photographers Fiona Rogers and Anup Shah captured apes in Indonesia and Borneo - and highlighted how human our evolutionary cousins are.