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A Water-Powered Jet Pack

Dreaming about a beach break this spring?

A multinational company hopes you’ll soon be flying over water — and not just on an airplane to get there.  Jetlev, a new water-powered jet pack being piloted in Dania, Fla., has the potential to fly 30 feet in the air at 22 miles per hour, making it a lot more thrilling than a water slide or jet ski.

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Shipboard Lasers to Ward Off Pirates

Even though the laser is now over 50 years old, its technology and applications continue to advance and grow. Now we can add a new item to the laser’s already impressive list of accomplishments: warding off pirates.

Over the past few years piracy has been on the rise, with 430 attacks reported in 2010. These attacks, which mostly happen between the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean, as well as off the coast of Somalia, cost the United States an estimated $13-$16 billion annually.

To combat the growing piracy threat, defense technology company BAE Systems has developed a system to help ships detect and deter potential attacks. A laser is mounted to the side of the vessel, allowing crew members to shine a three-foot-wide bright green beam over dangerous waters, temporarily blinding and disorienting pirates up to a mile away.

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Best of 2010: Our Top Stories

This year was a busy one for engineers all over the world. From inventing bendable computer screens to unlocking a secret room in a 4,500-year-old pyramid, scientists and engineers broke new ground in numerous ways.

We at eGFI have also been busy chronicling the most awe-inspiring innovations and stories, so without further ado, we present:

The Most Popular, Interesting, Weird, or Just Plain Cool eGFI Blog Posts of 2010

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Stunning Underwater Sculptures Revive Coral Reefs

Every once in a while, a project comes along that, in addition to bridging the gap between art and science, also manages to leave you completely awestruck. Such is the case with the haunting and surreal underwater sculpture of Jason deCaires Taylor, a Mexico-based artist and scuba diver.

After spending much of his childhood in Malaysia near its famous coral reefs, Taylor developed a profound attachment to the ocean and its diverse inhabitants. He was later inspired to combine his love of the sub-aquatic world with his training in ceramics and stone carving, ultimately producing a series of stunning underwater installations across the globe.

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Meet John Dabiri: Bioengineer and
Jellyfish Expert

When it comes to design, engineers have a lot to learn from nature and its diverse forms of life. That’s why John Dabiri, a bioengineer and recipient of a 2010 MacArthur Genius Grant, has turned his eye to a strange and surprisingly complex creature: the jellyfish.

Known as the “jellyfish engineer,” Dabiri uses physics, mathematics, and statistical modelling to better understand the locomotion of these fascinating animals.

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