Posts

Showing posts from November, 2018

Astronomy Picture of the Day: Mount Everest Star Trails

Image
Mount Everest Star Trails The highest peak on planet Earth is framed in this mountain and night skyscape. On September 30, the digital stack of 240 sequential exposures made with a camera fixed to a tripod at an Everest Base Camp captured the sheer north face of the Himalayan mountain and foreground illuminated by bright moonlight. Taken over 1.5 hours, the sequence also recorded colorful star trails. Reflecting the planet's daily rotation on its axis, their motion is along gentle concentric arcs centered on the south celestial pole , a point well below the rugged horizon. The color of the trails actually indicates the temperatures of the stars. Blueish hues are from hotter stars, and yellow to reddish hues a re from stars cooler than the Sun. December 01, 2018 via NASA https://ift.tt/2RmZ1tf

Dota 2 Update - November 30th, 2018

Image
7.20d: == * Melee heroes below 300 base movement speed increased by 5 * Tranquil Boots: Movement speed reduced from +28% to +24% * Power Treads: Attribute bonus increased from 12 to 14 * Phase Boots: Now has the active again instead of the passive * Mask of Madness: Movement speed changed from +12% to +25 constant * Yasha: Movement speed changed from +8% to +25 constant * Manta Style: Movement speed changed from +8% to +25 constant * Sange and Yasha: Movement speed changed from +12% to +35 constant * Yasha and Kaya: Movement speed changed from +12% to +35 constant * Wraith Band: Recipe cost increased from 220 to 240 * Bracer: Recipe cost increased from 220 to 240 * Null Talisman: Recipe cost increased from 220 to 240 * Axe: Counter Helix damage reduced from 75/110/145/180 to 60/100/140/180 * Axe: Level 15 Talent reduced from +4 Mana Regen to +3 * Brewmaster: Primal Split cooldown increased from 140/120/100 to 140/130/120 * Brewmaster: Level 10 talent reduced from

Anchorage suffered a 7.0 magnitude earthquake, but was spared a tsunami

Image
Science No injuries have been reported. A magnitude 7.0 earthquake hit Alaska today, causing a short-lived tsunami warning and substantial structural damage. via Popular Science "https://ift.tt/2SmybRX"

This new bike helmet can automatically call for help if you crash

Image
Technology Like the Apple Watch, it keeps an eye out for spills. The potentially life-saving gadget is called ANGI. via Popular Science "https://ift.tt/2ADaVbc"

Black truffles are in trouble

Image
Nexus Media News Climate change is threatening to muffle the truffle shuffle. Researchers gathered data on more than three decades of truffle production and compared it with data on temperature and precipitation to predict the future impact of… via Popular Science "https://ift.tt/2SmoqDj"

The Marriott data breach exposed millions of passports. Here's what thieves can do with them.

Image
Technology A passport is an important document and the information on it is gold for identity thieves. Do you have to change your passport? via Popular Science "https://ift.tt/2DU3Wy0"

We finally know how bright the universe is

Image
Space Astrophysicists measured all of the lights. The darkness of the sky hides a history of the cosmos, and astrophysicists are working to decode it. via Popular Science "https://ift.tt/2KK7Vi0"

Daily Deal - Subsistence, 20% Off

Image
Today's Deal: Save 20% on Subsistence !* Look for the deals each day on the front page of Steam. Or follow us on twitter or Facebook for instant notifications wherever you are! *Offer ends Sunday at 10AM Pacific Time via Steam RSS News Feed "https://ift.tt/2QqJVWp"

The nightmarish Asian longhorned tick has invaded the US—and it can reproduce without mating

Image
Health It's in at least eight states already, and no one is sure how long it's been here. When officials from the CDC first encountered longhorned ticks, there were so many crawling in the grass that they infiltrated investigators' pants within minutes. via Popular Science "https://ift.tt/2E6aVEQ"

How to keep a Christmas tree fresh for as long as possible

Image
DIY Help your conifer thrive through the holidays. Nobody wants a drooping, brown-needled Christmas tree in the corner. Keep your living decoration green and happy with these tips. via Popular Science "https://ift.tt/2Solkip"

Cannabis gets its high-inducing power from ancient viruses

Image
Health A new genome map reveals that the genes for THC and CBD production probably came from viral DNA. In the latest issue of Genome Research, a group of North American scientists have, for the first time ever, published a full map of the cannabis genome. Among the myriad… via Popular Science "https://ift.tt/2FMDJnl"

The best alternatives to 2018’s hottest toys

Image
Gadgets Some gifts sell out. Or are very annoying. These are just as good. Sometimes you forget to pre-order the new hot gift and it sells out. Fear not, these are the best alternatives to 2018’s hottest holiday toys for kids. via Popular Science "https://ift.tt/2AzqDUJ"

These spiders make protein-packed milk for their young

Image
Animals We should all be drinking spidey milk. Spider milk may sound like a fictional substance, but scientists in China have found at least one species of creepy crawlers that produces a milk-like fluid to nourish… via Popular Science "https://ift.tt/2SjrwrE"

The decline in U.S. life expectancy is unlike anything we've seen in a century

Image
Health The CDC identified three things shortening American lives. A new report from the Centers for Disease Control shows that the small decrease in life expectancy, from 78.7 to 78.6 years is part of a continuing trend. Even as we… via Popular Science "https://ift.tt/2zwctnE"

The Google Pixel Slate mixes great hardware with a slight identity crisis

Image
Gadgets Google's high-end tablet is like a fancy condo in which Chrome and Android apps live. Slick hardware and improving software make Google's convertible tablet an interesting option. via Popular Science "https://ift.tt/2Ro1ljF"

Free Weekend - Ancestors Legacy

Image
Play Ancestors Legacy for FREE starting now through Sunday at 1PM Pacific Time. You can also pickup Ancestors Legacy at 50% off the regular price!* If you already have Steam installed, click here to install or play Ancestors Legacy. If you don't have Steam, you can download it here . *Offer ends Monday at 10AM Pacific Time via Steam RSS News Feed "https://ift.tt/2FMa6CE"

SCS Software Publisher Weekend, Save up to 80%!

Image
Save up to 80% on SCS titles during the SCS Software Publisher Weekend *! *Offer ends Monday at 10AM Pacific Time via Steam RSS News Feed "https://ift.tt/2TXcbPu"

Daily Deal - They Are Billions, 25% Off

Image
Today's Deal: Save 25% on They Are Billions !* Look for the deals each day on the front page of Steam. Or follow us on twitter or Facebook for instant notifications wherever you are! *Offer ends Saturday at 10AM Pacific Time via Steam RSS News Feed "https://ift.tt/2DQhhY1"

Scientists share the most dangerous things they work with

Image
Science Acid, lasers, snakes—the laboratory isn't always a safe haven. The laboratory isn't always a safe haven. Here are some of the most dangerous substances scientists work with. via Popular Science "https://ift.tt/2FPW2Iu"

Presents only '90s kids will get

Image
Gift Guides I like big gifts and I cannot lie. Here's what to get the token '90s child in your life this holiday season. Because buying them a Discman would just be impractical. via Popular Science "https://ift.tt/2kPUofP"

Nine health and fitness apps to turn your Apple Watch into a personal trainer

Image
DIY Your wearable should enhance your wellbeing. With the right Apple Watch programs, you can track your physical activities, monitor your health, and improve your fitness. Here are our favorite health and fitness… via Popular Science "https://ift.tt/2KH6qkG"

Picture This: Caught Our Eyes: Tapping Out a Giant Message

Image
Caught Our Eyes: Tapping Out a Giant Message By Barbara Orbach Natanson In the era before the development of social media, how did you get a big message across?  Type it out on a giant typewriter! Texas sized letter to Vice President Garner. Photo by Harris & Ewing, 1939. https://ift.tt/2P8qlcI Reference Librarian Jon Eaker ran across this photo while browsing the Harris & Ewing negatives online. It came with very little information. As with many images that catch our eyes, however, delight in an image prompts us to look around and discover more. We learned that there is a related photo in the George Mason University Special Collections and Archives that gave us the size of the letter (40 feet long) and the name of the typist (Dorothy French). And what was Dorothy French doing perching on this gigantic piece of correspondence? The Underwood Typewriter Company built th

Astronomy Picture of the Day: Across Corona Australis

Image
Across Corona Australis Cosmic dust clouds are draped across a rich field of stars in this broad telescopic panorama near the northern boundary of Corona Australis , the Southern Crown. Less than 500 light-years away the denser clouds effectively block light from more distant background stars in the Milky Way . The entire vista spans about 5 degrees or nearly 45 light-years at the clouds' estimated distance. Toward the right lies a group of bluish reflection nebulae cataloged as NGC 6726, 6727, 6729 and IC 4812 . The characteristic blue color is produced as light from hot stars is reflected by the cosmic dust. The dust also obscures from view stars in the re gion still in the process of formation. Smaller yellowish nebula NGC 6729 surrounds young variable star R Coronae Australis . Below it are arcs and loops identified as Herbig Haro (HH) objects associated with energetic new

The surprising link between balmy winters and violent crime

Image
Nexus Media News As temperatures rise, so does criminal activity. Warm winter weather pulls more people outside when they're normally not. This, researchers say, increases crime rates in certain regions. via Popular Science "https://ift.tt/2QseBqa"

Dude, where's my amphibious car?

Image
Cars Building a car that's also a boat is hard, but their numbers are increasing. Duck boat dramas and Nazi origins can't suppress the dream of an amphibious car. Another tragedy—climate change—may ensure its future. via Popular Science "https://ift.tt/2RkXeVH"

What the new climate report says about where you live

Image
Environment There's a lot of info in here about what we're in for. Here’s a look at how climate change is already affecting—and will continue to affect—your own corner of the contiguous United States. via Popular Science "https://ift.tt/2Q0dRZX"

Siberian unicorns lived alongside humans, and they were so much cooler than the mythical version

Image
Animals Ancient rhinos were basically magic. In a sense, all rhinos are unicorns—they just aren’t pearly white and magical the way our myths say they should be. via Popular Science "https://ift.tt/2DReY7f"

Smart foam and artificial intelligence could help robots know if they're injured

Image
Technology This foam creation can figure out what's happening to it. Foam that can sense how it is being deformed could help robots know what's going on with their own bodies. via Popular Science "https://ift.tt/2Rl6NE3"

Daily Deal - Total War: ATTILA & DLCs, up to 80% Off

Image
Today's Deal: Save up to 80% on Total War: ATTILA and DLCs !* Look for the deals each day on the front page of Steam. Or follow us on twitter or Facebook for instant notifications wherever you are! *Offer ends Friday at 10AM Pacific Time via Steam RSS News Feed "https://ift.tt/2KCXgFE"

Maine’s new voting system is mathematically superior—and constitutionally questionable

Image
Science The indicator state is asking: what's the best way to vote? Maine's alternative voting scheme faces a legal test after its first use in a national election. via Popular Science "https://ift.tt/2SnR7jB"

Will We Get a GDPR for the IoT?

Image
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) breaks new ground when it comes to privacy law. After years of hidden breaches, stolen identities and negligent data handling,organizationswill finally be forced to get serious about data privacy. Data loss incidents that are due to non-compliance will face fines that run as high as four percent of global turnover, or 20 million euros, whichever is higher. This will prove a threat to some, but for others, it will finally put the weight behind personal data protection that has been lacking for so long. But there is still no specific regulation for the relentlessly growing, and fatally insecure IoT. In 2017, the European Union Agency for Network and Information Security (ENISA) found that there were no "legal guidelines for IoT device and service trust." Nor any "level zero defined for the security and privacy of conn