Sci-Tech news

• Microbe is relative of complex life

  06-05-2015 23:45 via bbc.co.uk
  
  A newly discovered microbe could help solve one of the most controversial puzzles in modern biology.
  
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• Deep-sea microbes called missing link for complex cellular life

  06-05-2015 23:30 via
  
  Deep beneath the Atlantic Ocean between Greenland and Norway, scientists have found microorganisms they call a missing link in life on Earth.
  
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• Developer of Snake reveals smartphone version will be released next week

  06-05-2015 23:22 via
  
  It first appeared on Finnish firm Nokia's 6110 handset in 1997 - but is set to get a new lease of life as a smartphone game.
  
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• Tesla loss narrows as orders rise

  06-05-2015 23:13 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Electric car maker Tesla reports better-than-expected first quarter results, sending shares up more than 5% in trading after US markets had closed.
  
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• Spacecraft 'to fall back on Friday'

  06-05-2015 23:05 via bbc.co.uk
  
  A Russian spacecraft that has been out of control since launching last week will fall back to Earth and burn up on Friday, scientists say.
  
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• Zynga shares surge on layoff plans

  06-05-2015 22:49 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Shares in online game maker Zynga rise strongly after the firm reports a smaller-than-expected loss and plans to cut costs by laying off 18% of its workforce.
  
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• The sun unleashes its biggest flare of the year- but scientists warn solar bursts 1,000 times more powerful may be on their way

  06-05-2015 22:40 via
  
  The enormous X-class solar flare peaked at 6:11pm ET yesterday from a sunspot called Active Region 2339 (AR2339). It caused radio blackouts throughout the Pacific region.
  
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• China's terracotta army has new recruits as 1,400 more are found

  06-05-2015 22:15 via
  
  Archaeologists in Xi'an in China have begun a new excavation close to the tomb of the country's first emperor Qin Shihaung to look for more statues thought to be buried there.
  
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• Google accuses Secret app founders of pulling a 'bank heist'

  06-05-2015 22:07 via
  
  Bill Maris, managing partner of Google Ventures, made the comments after revealing the firm had initially backed the San Francisco firm.
  
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• VIDEO: Japan giant solar farm from the air

  06-05-2015 22:03 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Rupert Wingfield-Hayes visits a vast solar farm in Okinawa to see how Japan is trying to move on from nuclear power.
  
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• Google reveals its self-driving car can keep an eye on cyclists

  06-05-2015 22:00 via
  
  The California-based company's patent reveals that the car’s array of sensors will notice a cyclist among other objects and vehicles on the road. It can then watch their arms and hands for gestures.
  
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• Facebook's Oculus Rift headset will finally ship in 2016

  06-05-2015 21:51 via
  
  Facebook's Oculus Rift VR headset will go on sale early next year, the LA firm behind it has revealed. The firm boasts it will 'transform gaming, film, entertainment and communication'
  
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• Astronomers confirm image of distant system shows worlds taking shape

  06-05-2015 21:51 via
  
  University of Toronto scientists say a famous image of a 'disk' 450 light-years away shows planet formation in action after skeptics had said it wasn't possible. Shown is the image of HL Tau.
  
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• A third of the people on Tinder are already married

  06-05-2015 21:51 via
  
  According to a study byLondon firm GlobalWebIndex, more than four in ten people who use the dating app are already in a relationship.
  
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• Are self-driving cars a danger to cyclists? Google patents a way for autonomous vehicles to understand hand signals 

  06-05-2015 21:13 via
  
  The California-based company's patent reveals that the car’s array of sensors will notice a cyclist among other objects and vehicles on the road. It can then watch their arms and hands for gestures.
  
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• Global levels of carbon dioxide at highest point for over 2  MILLION years

  06-05-2015 20:37 via
  
  The Washington based NOAA said that in March, the global monthly average for carbon dioxide hit 400.83 parts per million , reaching levels that haven't been seen in about 2 million years.
  
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• X-rays reveal liquid fat in confectionery flows through crystals at room temperature

  06-05-2015 20:27 via
  
  Scientists at the Hamburg University of Technology found that the perfect temperature for storing chocolate is 18°C (64°F) and that up to a quarter of the cocoa butter in a bar is liquid at room temperature.
  
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• Average person now spends equivalent of TWO working days a week on their mobile

  06-05-2015 20:27 via
  
  A new survey looking at the mobile phone habits of people in Britain found that a quarter of people questioned admitted to checking their mobile devices 50 times.
  
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• A third of the people on hookup app Tinder are already married - with WOMEN being most likely to cheat

  06-05-2015 20:27 via
  
  According to a study byLondon firm GlobalWebIndex, more than four in ten people who use the dating app are already in a relationship.
  
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• Virtual Reality is coming: Facebook's Oculus Rift headset will finally ship in 2016 as firm promises it will 'transform entertainment and communication'

  06-05-2015 20:02 via
  
  Facebook's Oculus Rift VR headset will go on sale early next year, the LA firm behind it has revealed. The firm boasts it will 'transform gaming, film, entertainment and communication'
  
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• Russian space officials warn spacecraft might not burn up entirely in atmosphere

  06-05-2015 20:02 via
  
  Russian space agency Roscosmos says most of the Progress spaceship will burn up in the atmosphere, but there is a chance some small parts will crash on to land.
  
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• Formula for the ultimate summer song revealed

  06-05-2015 20:02 via
  
  First choice, Spotify and its music intelligence agency based in Somerville, Massachusetts, studeidd the science behind hit summer songs, such as Katy Perry's 'This Friday Night'.
  
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• Did life begin in a 'cosmic barbeque' near hot stars?

  06-05-2015 20:02 via
  
  The research was carried out at Berkeley Laboratory in California. The scientists said hot regions near stars (shown)could be the prime location for forming DNA, and possibly seeding the cosmos with life.
  
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• Amazon to allow Prime customers to stream films and TV shows for free on JetBlue

  06-05-2015 20:02 via
  
  Called Fly-Fi for Amazon Prime, the service will give Prime members access to original Amazon shows like 'Transparent,' and also access to Kindle downloads and Amazon's Prime Music store.
  
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• Nevada licenses big rig that could one day see the end of professional truckers

  06-05-2015 18:56 via
  
  The Freightliner Inspiration Truck received its official 'autonomous vehicle' license plate in Nevada and rolled out to a test event on Hoover Dam Tuesday, heralding a new era of road transport.
  
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• Tim Peake passes final Soyuz exam

  06-05-2015 18:41 via bbc.co.uk
  
  British astronaut Tim Peake passes his final Soyuz exam, as he prepares for November's mission to the space station.
  
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• What CAN'T you do in a polling station?

  06-05-2015 18:41 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Is it legal to take a selfie in a polling station?
  
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• Forests 'pivotal' for food security

  06-05-2015 18:23 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Forests can play a vital role in supplementing global food and nutrition security, as well as providing sources of income, suggest leading scientists.
  
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• Planet formation caught in ACTION: Astronomers confirm famous image of distant system shows worlds taking shape 

  06-05-2015 18:19 via
  
  University of Toronto scientists say a famous image of a 'disk' 450 light-years away shows planet formation in action after skeptics had said it wasn't possible. Shown is the image of HL Tau.
  
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• 'Concolinel' in Love's Labour's Lost identified as title of X-rated French ditty

  06-05-2015 18:09 via
  
  A researcher from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland claims that the strange word 'Concolinel' in Love's Labour's Lost, is a reference to a rude French song.
  
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• Apple Watch is now causing RASHES as users report irritation

  06-05-2015 18:09 via
  
  A small number of users are reporting the California firm's Watch (pictured) causes rashes, allergic reactions and skin irritation. Apple is aware of the problemand has posted a support page.
  
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• Shakespeare's secret song revealed: Cryptic word 'Concolinel' in play identified as the title of an X-rated French ditty

  06-05-2015 17:33 via
  
  A researcher from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland claims that the strange word 'Concolinel' in Love's Labour's Lost, is a reference to a rude French song.
  
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• Forget 'tattoogate', the Apple Watch is now causing RASHES: Users are reporting irritation and allergic reactions

  06-05-2015 17:33 via
  
  A small number of users are reporting the California firm's Watch (pictured) causes rashes, allergic reactions and skin irritation. Apple is aware of the problemand has posted a support page.
  
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• Oculus headset on sale in early 2016

  06-05-2015 16:47 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Facebook's virtual reality division Oculus reveals when its much anticipated headset will go on sale to the public.
  
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• Samantha Cristoferetti gives video tour of ISS's bathroom

  06-05-2015 15:34 via
  
  The Italian astronaut calls the bathroom on the ISS her 'hygiene corner' and in a video, she fills a pouch with water and mixes it with no-rinse soap on her arm to show how the crew keep themselves clean.
  
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• Snake game is back for smartphones

  06-05-2015 15:21 via bbc.co.uk
  
  The classic Nokia game, Snake, is being brought back for smartphones by its original creator.
  
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• Success! SpaceX tests its revolutionary Crew Dragon that will take astronauts to the ISS in 2017

  06-05-2015 15:15 via
  
  The first test of SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft is taking place from Florida today at 2pm BST (9am EDT). The unmanned test flight will see the vehicle simulate an emergency on the launch pad.
  
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• SpaceX tests launch abort system

  06-05-2015 15:02 via bbc.co.uk
  
  SpaceX puts its Dragon astronaut capsule through a practice abort - a demonstration of how the ship would cope with a pad emergency.
  
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• Watch LIVE as SpaceX tests its revolutionary Crew Dragon that will start taking astronauts to the ISS in 2017

  06-05-2015 14:58 via
  
  The first test of SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft is taking place from Florida today. The unmanned test flight will see the vehicle simulate an emergency on the launch pad.
  
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• Instagram maps use of the emoji's to see how they're replacing slang words

  06-05-2015 14:58 via
  
  California-based Instagram recently studied the use of emoji to try to establish the context of many popular, and more obscure, emoji. A scatter chart discovered emoji are in some cases, replacing internet slang.
  
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• Can you tell the difference between Skype and Sky? EU court rules internet phone service's name and logo is too easily confused with broadcaster

  06-05-2015 14:58 via
  
  The General Court of the European Union has ruled that the name Skype is too similar to Sky in a long running trademark dispute between Microsoft and the British Sky Broadcasting Corporation.
  
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• Lenovo: 'massive security risk' found

  06-05-2015 14:56 via bbc.co.uk
  
  The Chinese computer manufacturer Lenovo is urging users to install an update to protect their systems after it was alerted to a series of vulnerabilities.
  
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• Dolphins have complex social networks like humans, study reveals

  06-05-2015 14:50 via
  
  Scientists at the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute (HBOI) at Florida Atlantic University, studied interactions between 200 dolphins in the Indian River Lagoon (pictured) to reveal how they mingle.
  
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• Plant that only grows near DIAMONDS could help us find more gems

  06-05-2015 14:43 via
  
  A species of plant in Liberia could point towards the location of diamonds. Pandanus candelabrum (shown) is found to enjoy soil rich in kimberlite, which is associated with diamonds undergound.
  
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• Are emoji killing off the alphabet? Instagram maps use of the icons to see how they're replacing internet slang words

  06-05-2015 14:43 via
  
  California-based Instagram recently studied the use of emoji to try to establish the context of many popular, and more obscure, emoji. A scatter chart discovered emoji are in some cases, replacing internet slang.
  
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• The plant that only grows near DIAMONDS: Surrounding soil is perfect fertiliser for one shrub - and the discovery could help find new gem hotspots

  06-05-2015 14:18 via
  
  A species of plant in Liberia could point towards the location of diamonds. Pandanus candelabrum (shown) is found to enjoy soil rich in kimberlite, which is associated with diamonds undergound.
  
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• Dolphins hang out with friends in 'gangs': Marine mammals have complex social networks like humans, study reveals

  06-05-2015 14:18 via
  
  Scientists at the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute (HBOI) at Florida Atlantic University, studied interactions between 200 dolphins in the Indian River Lagoon (pictured) to reveal how they mingle.
  
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• Watch a man try to read while wearing a speech jammer

  06-05-2015 13:38 via
  
  'Brian' from Pennsylvania tried to read One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish while wearing a speech jammer (pictured) - which reduces his speech to gibberish.
  
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• EU wants travel access to iPlayer

  06-05-2015 13:36 via bbc.co.uk
  
  The EU's plan for a "digital single market" could result in UK citizens being able to continue using iPlayer across Europe.
  
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• China's terracotta army has new recruits: 1,400 more clay warriors, horses and chariots found buried near emperor's tomb

  06-05-2015 13:31 via
  
  Archaeologists in Xi'an in China have begun a new excavation close to the tomb of the country's first emperor Qin Shihaung to look for more statues thought to be buried there.
  
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