Sci-Tech news

• Scientists discover 'apple shape' gene which tells fat to gather around the stomach

  23-03-2015 23:38 via
  
  Scientists from from Duke University, North Carolina, say the Plexin D1 gene influences whether a person is 'apple' or 'pear' shaped - and their discovery could help eliminate pot bellies.
  
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• Google Glass WILL be coming to consumers: Eric Schmidt pledges controversial wearable is a 'big and very fundamental platform for Google'

  23-03-2015 23:11 via
  
  Google boss Eric Schmidt has confirmed that the California firm's Glass is still going strong - and remains 'a big and very fundamental platform for Google'.
  
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• Scientists discover first ever amphibian that can rapidly change its skin texture

  23-03-2015 23:09 via
  
  Spotted in Ecuador's western Andean cloud forest, Pristimantis mutabilis can shift its skin texture to match anything it is sitting on in a little more than three minutes.
  
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• VIDEO: How robotic hand uses bio-signals

  23-03-2015 23:01 via bbc.co.uk
  
  David Shukman looks at work being done at the Edinburgh Centre for Robotics, as the government pushes for more investment and co-operation in the field.
  
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• Precious metals in human poo are 'worth MILLIONS': Scientists say we are flushing away a goldmine

  23-03-2015 22:39 via
  
  Scientists at the US Geological Survey in Virginia are investigating ways of flushing out the valuable minerals, including gold, silver and rare elements such as palladium and vanadium.
  
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• Chevrolet lets parents spy on teenagers' driving by providing real-time report cards

  23-03-2015 22:10 via
  
  Detroit-based Chevrolet has unveiled its 'Teen Driver' feature which lets parents view maximum speed reached, distance driven, and number of times active safety features were used.
  
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• The world's most secure computers can be hacked by HEAT

  23-03-2015 22:00 via
  
  Israeli researchers say the technique  could be used to attack classified military networks, the payment networks that process credit card transactions and industrial control systems for power plants.
  
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• What to pack for year in space? A 'superhero utility belt'

  23-03-2015 21:28 via
  
  51-year-old retired Navy captain Scott Kelly says 'a military, tactical-style thing' that can hold a tool pouch is his key item as he prepares to blast off with Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko.
  
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• Rugged machine carves up 150 acres of land in a day and can plough round the clock

  23-03-2015 20:56 via
  
  The US-made tractor is guided by GPS and steers with an accuracy over the ground of less than an inch, meaning there is no overlapping and it can be driven in perfectly straight lines.
  
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• Children with ears that stick out are more CUTE, study says

  23-03-2015 20:55 via
  
  A plastic surgeon from Cantonal Hospital St Gallen in Switzerland found that adults tended to rate children with larger ears (stock image) as being more intelligent and likeable.
  
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• Could a blue light treat erectile dysfunction?

  23-03-2015 20:46 via
  
  Swiss scientists at ETH Zurich are developing a Viagra-replacement therapy that involves injecting the penis with a gene and then exposing it to a blue light to increase blood flow in the penis.
  
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• EC funds switch 'good for science'

  23-03-2015 20:21 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Taking money out of Europe's research budget for a special economic stimulus plan will end up boosting science, claims Research Commissioner Carlos Moedas.
  
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• Scans reveal what smoking does to an unborn baby

  23-03-2015 20:01 via
  
  Scans reveal foetuses carried by smokers touch their faces more than those carried by non-smokers - a sign of delayed development, experts from Durham and Lancaster Universities found.
  
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• Boeing patent reveals plans for Star Trek-style FORCE FIELD

  23-03-2015 19:38 via
  
  Boeing have been granted a patent for a device that uses sensors to detect an explosion before creating a 'shield' of electrically charged gas that can deflect and weaken incoming bastwaves.
  
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• Instagram launches Layout app that lets you make and edit photo collages

  23-03-2015 19:36 via
  
  The Californian firm's Layout app has four main features called Faces, Mirroring, Photo Booth and Previews. It lets people create collages with up to nine images and 11 combinations.
  
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• Mushrooms use bioluminescence to attract insects

  23-03-2015 19:28 via
  
  Scientists in Brazil studied why certain species of mushroom glow (pictured). They found the ability helps them attract insects at night. These creatures will then move their fungal spores elsewhere.
  
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• Gold in faeces 'worth millions'

  23-03-2015 19:07 via bbc.co.uk
  
  US researchers are investigating ways to extract the gold and precious metals from human faeces.
  
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• Has Google cracked the 'holy grail' of TV ads? Search giant starts testing advertisements personalised to each viewer

  23-03-2015 19:06 via
  
  Google's 'smart ads' will be seen by customers of its fiber TV service in Kansas, and allow advertisers to target individual users.
  
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• Volcanic eruption 40,000 years ago ruled out as Neanderthals killer theory

  23-03-2015 18:46 via
  
  Scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, modeled the impact that the Campanian Ignimbrite supervolcano eruption had on the climate in areas where Neanderthal populations were living.
  
  Read more

• Could a blue light treat erectile dysfunction? Radical therapy may replace Viagra, say scientists

  23-03-2015 18:43 via
  
  Swiss scientists at ETH Zurich are developing a Viagra-replacement therapy that involves injecting the penis with a gene and then exposing it to a blue light to increase blood flow in the penis.
  
  Read more

• Are orphan planets more common than we thought?

  23-03-2015 18:27 via
  
  Ashley Yeager for Science News in Washington DC explained that solo planets (artist's impression shown) could be common. This is thanks to more regions of dust and gas than we thought.
  
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• Boeing patents real Star Trek-style force field to protect vehicles and buildings from explosion shockwaves

  23-03-2015 18:16 via
  
  Boeing have been granted a patent for a device that uses sensors to detect an explosion before creating a 'shield' of electrically charged gas that can deflect and weaken incoming bastwaves.
  
  Read more

• Instagram launches Layout app that lets you make and edit photo collages using up to nine images

  23-03-2015 18:16 via
  
  The Californian firm's Layout app has four main features called Faces, Mirroring, Photo Booth and Previews. It lets people create collages with up to nine images and 11 combinations.
  
  Read more

• Sexism on trial in Silicon Valley

  23-03-2015 17:42 via bbc.co.uk
  
  A judge has ruled that a woman may seek punitive damages from a venture capital firm in Silicon Valley on the grounds of sexual discrimination.
  
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• Marijuana is 'a lot more potent than it used to be': Experts warn today's weed is super strength compared to pot smoked in the 80s

  23-03-2015 17:32 via
  
  Samples also contained contaminants including bacteria, fungi, butane and heavy metals, scientists from the Charas Scientific lab, Colorado, discovered.
  
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• AppKettle remotely controls kettle to boil and cool down water before baby has woken up

  23-03-2015 17:31 via
  
  AppKettle was created by Loughborough University engineering graduates Robert Hill and Richard Hill. It is expected to launch on Kickstarter on 31 March and will retail for £120 ($179) once funded.
  
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• Why mushrooms GLOW: Fungi use bioluminescence to attract insects - but 'switch off' to conserve energy in the day

  23-03-2015 17:30 via
  
  Scientists in Brazil studied why certain species of mushroom glow (pictured). They found the ability helps them attract insects at night. These creatures will then move their fungal spores elsewhere.
  
  Read more

• Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak has no doubt artificial intelligence will take over the world

  23-03-2015 17:29 via
  
  Steve Wozniak (pictured) told Australian Financial Review he now realises the predictions about technology threatening humanity are coming true and AI is a dangerous reality.
  
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• Russian supersonic PAK TA plane's designed to carry tanks to combat zones

  23-03-2015 17:16 via
  
  Russia reportedly has plans for a supersonic transporter plane that could carry tanks and troops to anywhere in the world in a matter of hours.
  
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• Can't be bothered to chat? Use the Lazyboard: App replaces letters with words to write messages with minimal effort

  23-03-2015 17:01 via
  
  Lazyboard (pictured) is the ultimate predictive text app designed for Android. It was created by Singapore-based Reddit user Sir-Zeph and lets people communicate using a list of just ten words.
  
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• Flower-friendly farms 'boost bees'

  23-03-2015 17:00 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Planting farmland with strips of flowers can boost the number of wild bumblebees, but rarer species need special attention, a study has confirmed.
  
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• Kisha smart umbrella can be tracked online - and it warns of bad weather

  23-03-2015 16:43 via
  
  Kisha (pictured) was designed by Goran Candrlic, from Rijeka in Croatia. It connects to an app via Bluetooth and gives five-day forecasts, while a Bluetooth beacon can be used to locate it.
  
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• The moon volcano that blasted an area the size of SCOTLAND

  23-03-2015 16:10 via
  
  Research led by Durham University studied a lunar volcanic eruption. The team found that the eruption 3.5 billion years ago was much bigger than thought and spread debris over a large area (shown).
  
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• 'Packing peanuts' could be used to create batteries that charge your phone

  23-03-2015 15:42 via
  
  Researchers from Purdue developed a way of turning 'packing peanuts' (pictured) into carbon by baking them at high temperatures and flattening them into microsheets and nanoparticles.
  
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• Post Modern Skateboard puts your feet inside wheels

  23-03-2015 15:21 via
  
  The skateboard-meets rollerskates, has two 10-inch wheels, which riders position their feet inside, and is being sold by Hammacher Schlemmer, which is based in Niles, Illinois.
  
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• Switchmate lets you make your household lights 'smart' without expensive rewiring

  23-03-2015 15:12 via
  
  Switchmate, developed by Californian electrical engineers, acts like a robotic finger to turn switches on and off. It can be attached to existing light switches using a magnetic fastener.
  
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• The moon volcano that blasted an area the size of SCOTLAND: Huge eruption 3.5 billion years ago is mapped

  23-03-2015 15:02 via
  
  Research led by Durham University studied a lunar volcanic eruption. The team found that the eruption 3.5 billion years ago was much bigger than thought and spread debris over a large area (shown).
  
  Read more

• Did a massive volcanic eruption kill off the Neanderthals? Probably not: Explosion 40,000 years ago ruled out as killer theory

  23-03-2015 14:50 via
  
  Scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, modeled the impact that the Campanian Ignimbrite supervolcano eruption had on the climate in areas where Neanderthal populations were living.
  
  Read more

• Never lose your brolly again! £49 smart umbrella can be tracked online - and it warns of bad weather 

  23-03-2015 14:33 via
  
  Kisha (pictured) was designed by Goran Candrlic, from Rijeka in Croatia. It connects to an app via Bluetooth and gives five-day forecasts, while a Bluetooth beacon can be used to locate it.
  
  Read more

• Giant prehistoric Irish elk lived 2,000 years after 'extinction'

  23-03-2015 14:19 via
  
  Bones from Irish elk (a skull is shown), which stood seven foot (two metres) tall, have been found in a number of locations across western Siberia and have now been re-analysed.
  
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• Climate change will make food TASTE bad

  23-03-2015 14:01 via
  
  A report by climate scientists at the University of Melbourne has warned that many meats and vegetables are under threat from rising global temperatures.
  
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• Chlorine reacts with drugs dumped in sewer water to create antibiotic-resistant bacteria

  23-03-2015 14:01 via
  
  Dr Olya Keen from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte ran several lab experiments on wastewater. She found exposing doxycycline to the chlorine increased its antibiotic properties.
  
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• Giant 400km meteor crater found underground in Central Australia

  23-03-2015 13:59 via
  
  An enormous 400km impact zone has been found by researchers two kilometres under the ground in Central Australia. This is now the largest impact zone in the world by more than 100km.
  
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• Could you master the skateboard WITHOUT a board? $100 sidewinding skates put your feet inside wheels

  23-03-2015 13:59 via
  
  The skateboard-meets rollerskates, has two 10-inch wheels, which riders position their feet inside, and is being sold by Hammacher Schlemmer, which is based in Niles, Illinois.
  
  Read more

• Amazing scans reveal what smoking does to an unborn baby

  23-03-2015 13:57 via
  
  Scans reveal foetuses carried by smokers touch their faces more than those carried by non-smokers - a sign of delayed development, experts from Durham and Lancaster Universities found.
  
  Read more

• Turning 'packing peanuts' into POWER: Packaging foam could be used to create batteries that charge your phone

  23-03-2015 13:46 via
  
  Researchers from Purdue developed a way of turning 'packing peanuts' (pictured) into carbon by baking them at high temperatures and flattening them into microsheets and nanoparticles.
  
  Read more

• UK lack of cyber-insurance exposed

  23-03-2015 13:23 via bbc.co.uk
  
  About 98% of large UK firms lack insurance that could help them recover from a serious cyber-attack, says a UK government report.
  
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• The light switch reinvented: Switchmate lets you make your household lights 'smart' without expensive rewiring

  23-03-2015 13:18 via
  
  Switchmate, developed by Californian electrical engineers, acts like a robotic finger to turn switches on and off. It can be attached to existing light switches using a magnetic fastener.
  
  Read more

• Australia's big bang! Scientists confirm two giant craters in the desert are the planet's biggest asteroid impact zone and may have helped cause the extinction of the dinosaurs

  23-03-2015 13:01 via
  
  An enormous 400km impact zone has been found by researchers two kilometres under the ground in Central Australia. This is now the largest impact zone in the world by more than 100km.
  
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• Google keeps phone unlocked as long as it's touching your body

  23-03-2015 12:55 via
  
  The 'on-body detection' feature (pictured) was first spotted by San Francisco-based fan site Android Police in the Smart Lock menu of a Nexus 4 running Android Lollipop.
  
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