Rejoice! Six fake astronauts near the end of their simulated Mars mission, and will set foot on Earth, which they will pretend is Mars. It’s the closest a human will get to the real thing for a very long time.

The journey will ultimately take 520 days, during which time these international pseudo-nauts will have been subjected to all manner of Mars voyage-related experiments, “mishaps” and just 52 showers each in their 1,800-square-foot vessel. Mishaps is in quotes because every catastrophe or challenge was created by engineers monitoring the fake astronauts from the outside.

In December, a “crisis” struck that is probably the nightmare of many an astronaut: the electricity in the module went out. Of course, every mishap is planned by the Russian engineers on the outside, but the astronauts don’t know when and how set-backs will happen. As one of the astronauts wrote in his diary:

We didn’t know how long it would take for the engineers’ team to solve the problem. So, to save some power on the emergency batteries and to avoid any new issues, we unplugged all the electric devices and we even removed the bulb of some security lamps which weren’t needed. In the end only two lights remained: one in the kitchen and one near the bathroom.

To their credit, these six men did not eat the weakest of their number when disaster struck, nor did they panic and open the fake airlocks when all seemed lost, as it did when they were pooping and showering and eating in near darkness during that harrowing power outage. With only 10,000 fake miles to go before reaching Mars orbit, the journey is nearly done. Final touchdown takes place in November.

Dammit, they survived, and we could all learn a fake thing or two from their journey into the vast unknown blackness known as “Moscow.” Rejoice!

Updated: To clarify, the “space travel” portion of the journey is coming to an end, with only 10,000 miles left to go, at which point the craft will “land” on “Mars” and begin the second phase on the surface. Discover

Send an email to Jack Loftus, the author of this post, at jloftus@gizmodo.com.

Get a rare peek inside the Smithsonian‘s hidden 217 vehicle collection. Of the 73 cars in the collection, a 1948 Tucker and a 1929 Miller were recently chosen in an online poll to return to public display in the Smithsonian.

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Car and Track viewers “who get their kicks departing from the man-made ribbons of concrete and heading off across the wilder backwoods country” were treated to a series of SUV road tests in 1970, including this winter Jeepster Commando test.

In a slight departure from the cars we’ve seen tested in our Car & Track series, this week we have a Jeepster Commando which isn’t too luxury and doesn’t have a whole lot of muscle. That being said, in the words of host Bud Lindemann, the 1970 Jeepster Commando is “a little plusher, lusher and jazzier than ever” and “underneath this fancier façade is the power and agility of a bobcat”. The Commando also does something the other we’ve seen road tested so far would have a tough time with; drive in the snow.

Car and Track didn’t let a little Michigan snow stop them from testing the Jeepster Commando. It can be seen snowing throughout the test footage and it doesn’t look like the Jeep had any problem with it. Taking a (then) brand new Jeepster Commando through a pylon course in three inches of snow looks and sounds like our idea of a good time.

The Jeepster tested was a slightly improved model. In Lindemann’s words, “Some degree of comfort” had been built into the Jeepster making it “possible to drive for a longer period of time without the aid of your chiropractor.” In addition to the improved standard of comfort, equipped with the optional 160 horsepower Dauntless V6, the Jeepster had “A lot more scat and scurry under the bonnet”. Lindemann sums up the Jeepster Commando nicely explaining “Jeep still builds them tough, only now they are a little prettier”.

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Welcome to Found Off The Street, our look at cars found on the cape that rust liked so much it decided to summer there; Cape Cod, MA. Today we have a 1965 Triumph TR4A.

Last week’s 1970 International Scout 800A managed to defy its rust prone nature in a rust prone area. This week’s 1965 Triumph TR4A was not so lucky. Years of salt air on the cape that rust remembered have taken a serious toll on this old British sports car. This TR4A’s future is limited to sitting until perhaps someday it gives up parts of itself to bring another old Triumph back to life.

This TR4A is part of a series of Triumph sports cars that began with the introduction of the TR2 in 1953. 1981 was the last year of TR8 production, ending a 28 year run of TR sports cars. One of the many models produced between the first TR2 and the TR8 was the TR4A. Built between 1965 and 1967, the TR4A was a slightly updated version of the TR4. The primary difference between the TR4 and the TR4A was the optional Independent Rear Suspension. About ¾ of TR4A’s were produced with the new IRS option while the rest retained the live rear axle previously used on the TR4s.

Like the other 28,464 TR4As produced during their short model run, this week’s FOTS car is powered by a torquey 2138 cc inline 4 cylinder engine with a 4 speed transmission behind it. The 104hp engine was capable of pushing the little car to a top speed of 110 MPH when new. As you can see from the pictures, this week’s TR4A has traveled quite a few miles and seen quite a bit of wear and tear since it left England for the US years over 45 years ago.

This TR4A has been sitting where you see it currently for as long as I can remember. The Triumph’s owner had a similar time estimate when asked about it. Sitting alongside a repair shop with a few other cool and weathered old vehicles, the Triumph will likely remain where it sits for a while longer. The body is very rusty, but the frame is solid and everything mechanical is there, albeit in unknown condition. It seems like the Triumph is complete. For whatever reason, like so many other old cars, one day it was parked never to be started again.

Seeing any old British cars on the cape that rust remembered is a fairly uncommon occurrence, regardless of the condition. Every time I drive by this TR4A it reminds me of the so far unexplored small British car segment of my automotive bucket list. It is for this reason I hope this TR4A remains where it is for years to come, reminding me how much fun it looks to pilot one of these down the road. The owner says the TR4A is for sale, although I don’t think he’s actively trying to sell it. Body rust and lack of title mean the old Triumph will likely trade hands one last time for use as a parts car. For now, the TR4A sits untouched, slowly succumbing to the effects of many years exposure to New England weather while it waits out the remainder of its days.

Contact information for this author is not available.

In the past few years, some researchers have explored whether warfare and societal collapse might be explained in part by swings in climate. But what about the opposite effect? Can humanity’s skirmishes change the climate?

A 2007 study found that periods of cold weather preceded 12 of 15 major conflicts in China’s ancient dynasties. The frost would have created food shortages, the study suggested, which would have inspired rebellions and made communities more vulnerable to invasion. More recently, a study in Science argued that dramatic shifts in climate would have affected agriculture, contributing to the fall of the Roman Empire.

But what about the opposite effect? Can humanity’s skirmishes change the climate?

Yes, says a new study in The Holocene by Julia Pongratz of the Carnegie Institution for Science. It all comes down to a trade-off between people and trees: when a brutal war or devastating plague significantly reduces a human population, forests have the chance to re-grow and absorb carbon dioxide, mitigating the greenhouse effect.

Pongratz reconstructed global land cover from 800 AD to the present and modelled the carbon cycle for the same time period in order to test how land usage influenced climate change. She found, for example, that during the Mongol invasions in Asia (1200 – 1380), which some historians estimate killed at least 15 million people, newly flourishing trees in once deforested areas inhaled nearly 700 million tons of carbon from the atmosphere – an amount equivalent to the world’s total annual demand for gasoline today.

There was also significant re-growth during the conquest of the Americas (1519 – 1700), in which native populations were decimated by up to 90 per cent – but not during shorter events like the Black Death (1347 – 1400) and the fall of the Ming Dynasty in China (1600 –1650).

However, Pongratz points out, any sighs of relief forests drew from human war and death failed to overcome the climate damage caused by a long and continuing history of deforestation. As far as the Earth is concerned, there have been way too many people, and too few trees, for far too long.

New Scientist reports, explores and interprets the results of human endeavour set in the context of society and culture, providing comprehensive coverage of science and technology news.

The author of this post can be contacted at tips@gizmodo.com

This weekend’s Barrett-Jackson Car Auction features a wide variety of cars and trucks. Many of the cars have already crossed the block and found new owners, but you can still dream. What is the 2011 Barrett-Jackson vehicle of your dreams?

This is the 40th year the Barrett-Jackson auction house has been holding their collector car auction in Scottsdale, Arizona. When the auction started no one could have predicted the six day 1200+ car extravaganza it has become. Some people think Barrett-Jackson is destroying the car hobby by driving car values up reflective of their sky high selling prices. The auction house has certainly been a source of some controversy in the car hobby.

Since 1997, the Speed channel has been making up for untold hours of NASCAR analysis by broadcasting live coverage of Barrett-Jackson each January. Regardless of whether you endorse the Barrett-Jackson collector car mentality, if you are anything like me, you look forward to the middle of January to see some unbelievable cars sell for even more unbelievable prices.

Watching the auction it becomes pretty clear that there is something to please almost any automotive taste, from Lincolns of the 1920s to modern day Toyota Camry stock cars, there is bound to be something that attracts almost anyone. Looking at the list below you can see every car that has been/will be sold at this year’s event. The price and quality of the cars culminate Saturday afternoon (right about now), which is when the most high profile and high dollar cars sell. Taking a look at the list of cars below, if you could pick from the cars sold at this year’s Barrett-Jackson, which would be the car of your dreams?

Complete List of Barrett-Jackson 2011 Cars

This question, although unrealistic, is a tough one. Almost being sidetracked by a custom Divco milk truck, a replica Goggomobil Dart, a one of 547 Buick GNX and a 1957 Desoto Adventurer Convertible, I finally decided on the 1959 Plymouth Atomic Punk Bubbletop. You may remember our feature on the Atomic Punk in 2008 shortly after it was finished. While I have known quite a few 57-59 Plymouths in my life, none have ever been anything like this one. There isn’t much besides the fins and the headlights to indicate that the Atomic Punk was derived from one of Virgil Exner’s creations. The design of the Atomic Punk is heavily influenced by Ed Roth’s show cars of the 1960s, right down to the bubble top which was actually hand blown by the builder. Powered by a 400hp 392 Hemi and covered in pounds of metal flake, I would love a chance to bake in the sun at the wheel of the Atomic Punk.

I’ve told you about the Exner based and Roth influenced Hemi powered hot rod I’d love to see sitting in my garage, so tell me, what is the 2011 Barrett-Jackson vehicle of your dreams?

(Photo Credit: Barrett-Jackson)

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You know what the big deal about using your cell phone while driving – it not only endangers your life, but that of other road users as well. Hence, in many countries, it is against the law to do so, making hands-free kits a must. Some people prefer to opt for a wired solution, while others look towards Bluetooth connectivity being their savior.

Aliph has brought their expertise to the world of wireless communications with the Jawbone ERA Bluetooth headset, which is also the latest in their collection. The Jawbone ERA Bluetooth headset is touted to deliver the highest quality HD audio experience on-the-go, boasting unprecedented intelligence courtesy of motion technology and a robust computing platform which will work in tandem to deliver richer applications.

Jawbone CEO and founder Hosain Rahman claims that they have “perfected a complete in-bound and out-bound audio experience that is so rich it is almost addictive – whether you are listening to your favorite song or a phone call.” Of course, apart from HD (High Definition) audio, the use of integrated sensors and intelligence will also pave open the road for new ways to interact with the device and apps via natural, intuitive motion control, and this alone is hoped to change the way we use headsets.

Thanks to a 25% larger wideband speaker, expect High Definition audio to be the norm even while you converse over the phone, listen to music, watch movies and play games. Jawbone will also be relying on their legacy of noise-cancelling expertise by including the newest version of military-grade NoiseAssassin 3.0 technology with the Jawbone ERA Bluetooth headset. Being able to detect your surroundings, it will then go ahead and adjust the inbound volume and intelligibility, regardless of whether you are in a restaurant, ball game or traffic, so that your ears will be able to enjoy the clearest, richest sound, automatically without any user intervention.

Not only that, the Jawbone ERA Bluetooth headset is also hailed to be the first headset with a built-in accelerometer and MotionX, being one of the more accurate motion sensing technology on the market thanks to their partnership with Fullpower-MotionX, the leaders in motion technology. Jawbone ERA is capable of detecting your natural movements when you interact with it right out of the box. Available for $129 a pop, it will come in Shadowbox, Smokescreen, Midnight and Silver Lining designs.

Press Release

Forget about using your hands to control knobs with the Tip & Tilt Internet Radio, for as its name suggests, this £89.99 purchase will instead rely on a built-in gyro-sensor, making sure that less is more. Similar to other Internet radios, this one takes the cake in terms of funky-ness, where it is fully rechargeable and will receive all the Internet radio your ears can stomach via a Wi-Fi connection. Nice to know that no buttons to be pushed are required, and neither do you need to turn any knobs.

Just switch between all four preset stations simply be turning it over from side to side. Tilting it forwards or backwards will help you adjust the volume, and if you need it to remain silent, just lay it on its front. Of course, after purchase, you will need to download the relevant software online and plug in the USB cable that came with each purchase to add your favorite channels. You can choose from white, black, pink, blue and green colors, where a single charge ought to have it go for up to 14 hours before it gets exhausted.

Skizee may sound like some new fangled porn category, but it’s in fact a piece of ski kit that can propel riders up hill, across a hill or even faster down a hill.  Yup, no longer are down hill skis relegated for, well, down hill use.

Originally intended for snow patrollers, the Skizee has a 10.5hp, 4 stroke engine and a tank tread equivalent to that of a ski mobile that hopefully keeps you glued to the hill.  Riders steer the device by resting their lower back on the control arms, which are infused with a set of controls.  An electronic start insures a quick up time and a built-in battery with unknown ports lets you juice your products any where you ride.

Checkout the video after the ‘leap’, which if you ask us looks like the rider almost bails and has a hard time propelling themselves up hill.  But we’ll let you judge for yourself.