Outrageous Interviewing Mistakes
A job interview can be a stressful experience for both parties. With the current employment market setting intense competition for many job openings, the potential for an unfavorable, unusual or downright bizarre interview gaff has never been higher.

A recent CareerBuilder.com survey of 2,700 hiring managers uncovers some of the most common and least common mistakes made during job interviews. Among the top common mistakes are dressing inappropriately (57 percent), appearing disinterested (55 percent), speaking negatively about a current or former employer (52 percent) and appearing arrogant (51 percent).

However, not all problems are typical, or even conceivable in most settings. Here are the most unusual and outrageous blunders from CareerBuilder's findings:

• Candidate wore a business suit with flip-flops.
• Candidate applying for a customer service position claimed "I don't really like working with people."
• Candidate recited poetry.
• Candidate ate food in the employee break room after the interview.
• Candidate invited the interviewer to meet up for a drink afterward.
• Candidate applying for an accounting job claimed to be "bad at managing money."
• Candidate interrupted the interview to retrieve a dog that had gotten loose in the parking lot.
• Candidate cited Dungeons and Dragons as an example of teamwork.
• Candidate stared at the ceiling throughout the interview.
• Candidate filed fingernails throughout the interview.

Given the many common and uncommon ways to ruin a job interview, it may help to brush up on your interviewing skills and learn how to respond to challenging questions before trying for a new position.

Prizewinning Student Science Breakthroughs
The next generation of scientists, inventors and engineers is already working on new breakthroughs that could make a significant impact on the world, as the winners of this year's Lemelson-MIT Student Prize, sponsored by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) School of Engineering, clearly show.

This Wednesday, $30,000 was awarded to four students in recognition of their contributions to various scientific fields, with a key award criterion being potential commercial applications for their work, Scientific American reports.

Heather Agnew, a Ph.D. candidate at the California Institute of Technology, helped develop synthetic antibodies that identify, bind and remove protein markers that indicate disease or infection. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's Kayvan Rafiee worked on new hydrogen storage and release mechanisms to be used for hydrogen-powered vehicles, while Jonathan Naber, an engineering undergraduate at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, designed systems for producing inexpensive prosthetic limbs.

MIT's Erez Lieberman-Aiden won for developing a 3-D modeling system for the human genome, as well as his invention of the iShoe, a sneaker that uses digital sensors to track a person's balance patterns to help prevent falling injuries, according to CNN Tech.

3-D Television on the Way
Though the first models are unlikely to arrive in time to watch this weekend's Oscars in more than two dimensions, 3-D televisions are on their way, thanks in part to the recent popularity of 3-D technology in films, with many manufacturers racing to develop and release viable 3-D TVs in the near future.

"The stars are aligning to make 2010 the launch year of 3-D," John Taylor, vice president for LG Electronics USA, told the New York Times. "It's still just in its infancy, but when there is a sufficient amount of content available — and lots of people are working on this — there will be a true tipping point for consumers."

Much like 3-D movie screens, 3-D televisions work by separating an image into two parts, one for each eye. A viewer needs to have special glasses that enable each eye to detect a different image and provide a sense of depth to the picture. 3-D footage relies on two connected cameras for filming images dedicated to each eye.

According to a report this week from electronics research firm iSuppli, worldwide 3-D television shipments are expected to reach 78 million units by 2015, rising from a projected 4.2 million units this year. Revenues for 3-D TV sets are estimated to total $7.4 billion through 2010, before rising to $64.4 billion in 2015. So far, every major global television manufacturer has announced an upcoming 3-D TV model.

Despite the optimistic outlook, uncertainty remains over the new technology, as there are still multiple 3-D transmission standards. Plus, consumers may be reluctant to wear special glasses — expected to cost around $300 — while watching TV. However, ESPN announced this week that it will produce 3-D broadcasts of certain sporting events this year, beginning with college football games.

The World's Most Addictive Sounds
Sounds can be surprisingly effective motivators for action, and the right auditory stimulation can trigger a powerful response in listeners. Although the majority of advertising is focused on visual stimuli, marketers are becoming increasingly aware of sound's potential, based in no small part on new research detailing the world's most addictive sounds.

A study last month from Martin Lindstrom, "neuromarketing" expert and author of Buyology, found that certain sounds produce a more powerful psychological effect than others. Although there is a biological component to some of the most influential sounds, many of them derive from technological systems and recent innovations that affect day-to-day life.

According to Lindstrom's findings, the most addictive non-branded sounds in the United States include the following:

• A baby's giggle;
• A vibrating phone;
• An ATM machine or cash register;
• The "Star Spangled Banner";
• A sizzling steak;
• "Hail to the Chief"; and
• A cigarette being lit and inhaled.

"We learned that sound has remarkable power. This may not be surprising for many, but it was certainly surprising to realize just how many commercial brands over the past 20 years have made their way into the world's 10 most powerful and addictive sounds — beating some of the most familiar and comforting sounds of nature," Lindstrom wrote in an article for FastCompany last month.

The most addictive branded sounds are jingles from Intel, National Geographic, MTV, T-Mobile and McDonald's.

Robot Actor Makes Keanu Reeves Obsolete
A new robotic thespian with mechanical features designed to express emotion while reciting a script may be outdoing some of its flesh-and-blood counterparts. The machine, known as the RoboThespian and designed by United Kingdom firm Engineered Arts, is built on an aluminum chassis and powered by compressed air.

The RoboThespian is able to act out scenes from Star Wars, Shakespeare works or anything else that can be programmed into its memory, CNET News reports. The robot can also read scripts in 15 languages. It's already got our vote in the Robot Oscars in 2084.

Here's a clip of the RoboThespian doing what it does best:

Have a great weekend, folks.