Coolest. Inverted Pendulum. Ever.

SpaceX has been testing a system called the Grasshopper that will allow reusable rockets to perform powered landings. Currently, everything that comes back from space either parachutes in and has to be picked up from the middle of nowhere or glides.

The link contains a very cool video of a test flight and more information. 

It's innovations like this that actually change our ability interact with the world that make me proud to be a human. When I first saw the animated video of the concept, it triggered the normal warning sirens that should go off whenever you see a space project pitched with an awesome animation and little else. My initial skepticism makes it even even more exciting that SpaceX seems to be pulling it off.

This is a good example of a project that just straddles the tinfoil hat line.