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R2-D2's iconic droid look has inspired quite a few products, ranging from speakers to a rolling suitcase. Instructables user seamster took a look at R2-D2 and zoomed in on the "Star Wars" robot's head. What did it remind him of? Why, a bra, of course.

Most people would giggle about the idea and then move on, but seamster set about making not one, but two R2-D2 bras. He also posted painstakingly detailed instructions for making your own from scratch on Instructables.… Read more

It's hard not to get freakishly excited when science fiction becomes scientific fact -- especially when the origins of that science are rooted in Star Wars.

Think back, young Jedis, to the scene where a fresh-off-Tatooine Luke Skywalker is honing his light saber skills under the tutelage of Obi-Wan Kenobi. A round, floating robot called a remote helps Luke practice his Force-finding mojo. Now, NASA is running experiments with miniature satellites, or nanosatellites, that were inspired by that fictional robot.

Roughly the size of a soccer ball, these robots that fly freely in space are called Spheres (which is … Read more

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On this week's Crave, we take a first look a gadget that truly blows, an optical game controller that looks like a kazoo. Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield gives us some more cooking tips from space. And Hotello is a hotel room in a box. Sounds uncomfortable, no? All that and more on this week's episode. … Read more

If you're on the fence about seeing an elder Luke, Han, and Leia return to the next installment of "Star Wars," it's possible artist Adam Schickling's illustration of a mock "Episode VII" poster could get you in the mood to see some geriatric Jedis on the silver screen.

Schickling, a 37-year-old professional illustrator based in New York, drew and painted the 30x40-inch "Star Wars" art by hand over the course of four weeks. The mock poster features most of the beloved characters from the original trilogy -- including Luke, Han, Leia, Chewbacca, Lando, R2-D2, and C-3PO -- with some extra gray hair and wrinkles. Well, except the droids, who don't really age.… Read more

It's finally here. More than a year after it debuted and months after it went free to play, Star Wars: The Old Republic is getting its first downloadable expansion, Rise of the Hutt Cartel, due to arrive on April 14 (or April 9 for early preorders). The obvious question is, what has it got that could tempt former players to come back?

First of all, a new planet and more story. Much of the appeal of BioWare and LucasArts' MMO is the way every quest takes place against the backdrop of the galaxy-wide struggle between the Empire and the Republic, and every player class ends up playing a different but pivotal role.

Rise of the Hutt Cartel picks up at the end of the original story: The Republic's beating back the Empire, and the war machine on both sides needs fuel (hey, it's more dramatic than trade sanctions). The resource-stripping Hutts decide it's a good moment to take over the galaxy and be generally slimy, as they are wont to do, but now you can shoot them. Yay! Actually you're fighting their mercs. What starts as a quick smackdown of the Hutts turns into something more urgent and planetwide, and as usual, it's all up to you.… Read more

I can't say I'm a fan of the "Star Trek" reboot, preferring the days when the franchise was so bad it was good, but I have to admire this marketing stunt for "Into Darkness."

We've seen LED quadrotor displays before, and there's no denying that lighting up the night sky with small flying machines has enormous potential.

Ars Electronica Futurelab, the same outfit that illuminated the skies over Linz, Austria, last year, launched 30 quadrotors near London's Tower Bridge and flew in a formation that any Trekkie would salute.… Read more

Will "Star Wars" fans see Luke, Leia, and Han pop up in the next film? Harrison Ford certainly thinks so.

Rumors have soared lately over whether the trio would reprise their classic roles in "Star Wars: Episode VII," which is expected to be released in 2015. George Lucas and Carrie Fisher have churned up those rumors with their own off-the-cuff comments. Now the man who brought Han Solo to the screen has chimed in with some tidbits of his own.

Ford is on tour to promote "42," a film about Jackie Robinson in which … Read more

If Scotland passes proposed legislation, it's possible that a Jedi officiant, complete with brown robe and lightsaber, could stand before two lovers and say, "Dearly beloved: We have come together in the presence of the Force to witness and bless the joining together of these two people in Jedi-blessed matrimony."

The Marriage and Civil Partnership Bill (PDF) backs several other updates to marriage law, including same-sex marriage. But the BBC reports that the allowance of a Jedi-managed wedding has incensed some religious conservatives in the region. The Free Church of Scotland spoke out against the bill, which opens the door for leaders of Jedism and other movements to officiate at weddings.… Read more

BlackBerry co-founder and former CEO Mike Lazaridis has veered from mobile devices and set his sights on quantum technology.

This technology is so fascinating to him that he and fellow BlackBerry co-founder Doug Fregin have launched a $100 million investment fund, called Quantum Valley Investments, to work on commercial applications for breakthroughs in quantum science, according to the Wall Street Journal.

But, what exactly are breakthroughs in quantum science?

According to Lazaridis, one need look no further than Star Trek.

"There's this buzz around the world that this quantum information science is starting to bear fruit," Lazaridis … Read more