Whether or not science was your standout subject in school, GE is looking to help you tap into your inner Marie Curie. The company has launched Labracadabra, which it bills as “the magic of science, made simple.” In this case, simple means how-to videos, DIY science experiment kits, and a high-tech lab assistant in the form of Amazon Alexa.
There are six Labracadabra videos so far, each showcasing a different experiment. Viewers get step-by-step instructions to achieve the intended results. In each case, the outcome is colorful and eye-catching, which is fitting considering GE’s goal is to “entice the mind with the beauty of science as pure, raw entertainment.”
The experiments currently available demonstrate a variety of interesting lessons. The Foaming Fountain (above) shows an exothermic reaction, while Speaker Splatter allows you to see sounds by creating standing waves. Bouncing Bubbles uses hydrogen bonds to make bubbles that are harder to pop, and the Liquid Stack shows how liquids with different densities will behave differently. The Lemon Volcano involves acid-base reactions, and the Lava Lamp teaches about intermolecular forces and chemical properties used in the lamps.
In addition to teaching how to do each of the experiments with its videos, Labracadabra offers all of the necessary supplies in its pre-assembled kits. Starting at $30, they save you from having to scrounge up items like hydrogen peroxide, yeast, and a volumetric flask. Many of the ingredient are common, so it wouldn’t be impossible to create your own kit.
Alexa also makes the process easier, at least for Amazon Echo owners. Once Labracadabra is enabled and opened, the voice assistant can walk you through the experiments. Not only does the device provide instructions, it can answer questions that arise throughout the process.
You might not emerge quite as skilled as Marie Curie, but Labracadabra does look like a fun learning tool.
Few things ruin a quiet evening faster than a robot vacuum roaring through the living room. Most of us end up pausing the cleaning run, which defeats the whole purpose of owning one. Matic thinks it has the answer with its new Serene robot vacuum, and the big selling point is how little noise it makes.
The Matic Serene runs at 52 decibels even when cleaning at full power. To put that in perspective, Matic compares it to the hum of your refrigerator. It is available now for $1,695, which is $200 more than the original Matic’s current price.
Outdoor security cameras are not always practical if you live in an apartment or rental. Drilling into an exterior wall may be off-limits, while pointing a regular indoor camera through a window can create another problem once reflections start showing up after dark.
Baseus is trying to solve both issues with the new PrimeSentinel W1, a $69.99 security camera designed specifically to monitor the outdoors through glass. It mounts directly to a window without drilling and uses a 4K Starlight sensor with an F1.0 aperture for full-color monitoring during the day and at night.
This post is brought to you in paid partnership with Best Buy.
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