Boeing uses potatoes in in-flight electronics tests

  Eyewitness NewsNEW YORK (WABC) -- Airplane manufacturer Boeing says it's reached a breakthrough in allowing commercial flight passengers to use wireless devices in-flight.

And company officials did it by using potatoes.

Boeing used 20,000 pounds of taters to fill the seats of a test aircraft.

The spuds simulate the way human passengers would respond to electronic signals for things like Wi-Fi and mobile phones.

That way, engineers could run their tests without the need for hundreds of people sitting in for long test-flights.

Boeing says it's learning ways to allow us to use our laptops, tablets and phones in flight without interfering with the plane's navigation equipment.

After the flights, the potatoes were donated to a food bank.

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IIHS releases crash tests for midsized family cars

  Eyewitness NewsWASHINGTON (WABC) -- The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is reporting on new crash tests for a group of 18 midsize family cars.

The testing checks how the cars do when just the front corner hits another vehicle or a roadside object, like a tree or pole.

Two cars, the Honda Accord and Suzuki Kizashi earned good ratings, while 11 models were in the acceptable range. But two cars from Toyota were rated poor. Those were the Camry and the Prius V, which sustained major structural deformation in the test.

As a group, the midsize family cars outperformed the midsize luxury cars tested earlier.

The Institute implemented the new tests after research showed that about a quarter of serious injuries and deaths in frontal crashes occur in these small overlap impacts.

CLICK HERE to read the full report from the IIHS.

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6 of 13 small cars earn top marks in IIHS crash tests

  ARLINGTON, Va. (WABC) -- Proving you don't have to give up safety for good gas mileage, six of 13 small cars earned top scores in recent crash tests.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety released the crash-test results on Thursday.

The six cars winning the Top Safety Pick award were the Ford Focus, Honda Civic 4-door, Hyundai Elantra, Lexus CT 200H, Nissan Juke and Toyota Prius.

None of the small cars earned a "poor" rating, a big turnaround from a few years ago.

CLICK HERE for the IIHS release on the crash tests.

(Copyright ©2011 WABC-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)
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Consumer Reports: Tests reveal top performing sunscreens

  NEW YORK -- Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. In fact, more than one million new cases were diagnosed last year alone.

There's nothing quite like walking on the beach on a beautiful day. But you don't want to head there without a good sunscreen.

As we head into the Memorial Day weekend, Consumer Reports' sunscreens tests can help you find the best protection.

Consumer Reports tested 22 sprays, creams, and lotions, including ones from Banana Boat and Coppertone.

Testers looked at whether the product protected against UVB radiation, which causes sunburn and is what the SPF numbers on sunscreens refers to.

Another potential danger from the sun is the UVA radiation, which can cause cancer and ages skin, penetrating even deeper than UVB rays.

Testers also evaluated how well the sunscreens block UVA radiation. Though there's still no standardized labeling system, most products indicate protection against UVA.

To test, sunscreens are applied to people's backs at an outside lab. Then they're subjected to either UVA rays or UVB rays.

Since swimming in the water can wear off sunscreen, Consumer Reports tests for water resistance as well.

A number of sunscreens provided excellent protection against UVB rays and very good protection against UVA radiation, two of them at a good price - Up & Up Sport, a spray from Target with SPF 30, and Equate Baby, a lotion from Walmart with an SPF of 50.

Consumer Reports says it's best to apply sunscreen about half an hour before you head outside. And even when using sunscreen, it's a good idea to limit the time you spend in the sun, especially in the middle of the day.

Also, when you're at the beach, remember to reapply sunscreen right after swimming or about every two hours.

LINK: CONSUMER REPORTS STORY (Copyright ©2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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