Archive for the 'Technology' Category
Company Trying to Create 90% Efficient Solar Panel
November 24th, 2018Stories about exotic solar panels and energy storage systems come out all the time. As we all know, however, the gap between the laboratory and a product available to purchase is very large. In other words, don’t hold your breath—or delay a solar system purchase—waiting for this to happen. That said, it’s still fun to […]
Silent and Simple Ion Engine Powers a Plane with No Moving Parts
November 21st, 2018I found a video of the flight: Via: Scientific American: Behind a thin white veil separating his makeshift lab from joggers at a Massachusetts Institute of Technology indoor track, aerospace engineer Steven Barrett recently test-flew the first-ever airplane powered with ionic wind thrusters—electric engines that generate momentum by creating and firing off charged particles.
Quantum Computers Put Blockchain Security at Risk
November 20th, 2018Disclosure: I am long Quantum Resistant Ledger (QRL). Via: Nature: By 2025, up to 10% of global gross domestic product is likely to be stored on blockchains. A blockchain is a digital tool that uses cryptography techniques to protect information from unauthorized changes. It lies at the root of the Bitcoin cryptocurrency2. Blockchain-related products are […]
Apple and Samsung Fined for Deliberately Slowing Down Phones
November 19th, 2018Via: Guardian: Apple and Samsung are being fined €10m and €5m respectively in Italy for the “planned obsolescence” of their smartphones. An investigation launched in January by the nation’s competition authority found that certain smartphone software updates had a negative effect on the performance of the devices. Believed to be the first ruling of its […]
Inside the British Army’s Secret Information Warfare Machine
November 19th, 2018Via: Wired UK: They are soldiers, but the 77th Brigade edit videos, record podcasts and write viral posts. Welcome to the age of information warfare.
Ivanka Trump Used Personal Email for Government Business
November 19th, 2018Via: Guardian: Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka used a personal email account to send hundreds of emails about government business, the Washington Post reported on Monday. The revelation prompted immediate accusations of hypocrisy. Trump branded his 2016 election rival “Crooked Hillary” Clinton over her use of a private email server and encouraged supporters in chants of […]
Air Force Trying to Secure F-35 Support Systems from Hackers
November 18th, 2018Via: Fifth Domain: The U.S. Air Force is devoting fresh energy to plugging cybersecurity holes in the F-35’s external support systems, as they are deemed the easiest entry points for hackers into the fifth-generation combat jet, according to a key service official. “It’s a software-based aircraft, and any software-based platform is going to be susceptible […]
The Remarkable Brain Waves of High Level Meditators
November 18th, 2018Via: kottke.org: What’s going on in the brains of people who meditate? Anecdotal evidence suggests that meditation does something to people’s minds and bodies…quiets and calms them. In this video, Daniel Goleman reports on research done by his colleague Richard Davidson, a neuroscientist at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Davidson brought a number of “Olympic level […]
Humanoid Robot Prototype Capable of Heavy Labor
November 16th, 2018Via: PhysOrg: Researchers have developed a humanoid robot prototype, HRP-5P, intended to autonomously perform heavy labor or work in hazardous environments. As a 182 cm, 101 kg humanoid robot, HRP-5P was built on HRP series technologies by incorporating new hardware technologies. Within the series, it has unsurpassed physical capabilities. Its robot intelligence comprises environmental measurement […]
Why Sleep Apnea Patients Rely on a CPAP Machine Hacker
November 16th, 2018Via: Vice: An Australian hacker has spent thousands of hours hacking the DRM that medical device manufacturers put on CPAP machines to create a free tool that lets patients modify their treatment.
