Sci-Tech news

• Russia delays ISS astronauts' return

  12-05-2015 23:51 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Russia delays for about a month the return of three astronauts on the International Space Station after the recent failure of its supply spaceship.
  
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• Illinois gets go ahead to use 'unmanned aircraft' to speed ahead to crime scenes

  12-05-2015 23:35 via
  
  Illinois State Police have been given the go-ahead for the first 'drone cops'. Officials say the program 'is not being implemented for surveillance purposes' and will photograph crash and crime scenes.
  
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• Researchers to create machine to work out what triggers customer's tantrums

  12-05-2015 23:27 via
  
  Researchers are set to create an angry computer in a bid to improve customer service. The Radiant program will be based on two years of customer calls to an Australian bank.
  
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• Drone cops are coming! Illinois gets go-ahead to use 'unmanned aircraft' to speed ahead to crime scenes and traffic accidents

  12-05-2015 23:27 via
  
  Illinois State Police have been given the go-ahead for the first 'drone cops'. Officials say the program 'is not being implemented for surveillance purposes' and will photograph crash and crime scenes.
  
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• New book reveals Elon Musk's bizarre views on life

  12-05-2015 23:09 via
  
  The book, 'Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX and the quest for a fantastic future',reveals the 43-year-old's attitude to work, romance and innovation. Musk, however, says it should be taken with a 'pinch of salt'.
  
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• Dozens die in fresh Nepal quake

  12-05-2015 21:37 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Dozens die as a new earthquake of magnitude 7.3 strikes Nepal, two weeks after a devastating tremor killed more than 8,000.
  
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• Starry nights at sea - stunning 'starshot' picture from International Space Station actually shows fishing boats on Earth 

  12-05-2015 21:32 via
  
  Captured by Samantha Cristoferetti from the International Space Station, it actually shows a fleet of fishing boats. 'What intriguing visual effects as the light shines through a cloud layer!' she tweeted.
  
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• Exposure 'to felines increases risk of glaucoma'

  12-05-2015 21:25 via
  
  Scientists at the University of California, Los Angeles, found people with glaucoma had higher levels of immunoglobulin E, a type of allergic antibody to cats and cockroaches.
  
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• 'Serious illnesses strike more in winter as immune systems vary with seasons'

  12-05-2015 21:25 via
  
  Heart attacks, type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis and schizophrenia are all more severe or commonly diagnosed in the winter,' said Cambridge University researchers.
  
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• Vacation will kill you and women only need 10 hours of attention a week: New book reveals Elon Musk's bizarre views on life

  12-05-2015 21:21 via
  
  The book, 'Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX and the quest for a fantastic future',reveals the 43-year-old's attitude to work, romance and innovation. Musk, however, says it should be taken with a 'pinch of salt'.
  
  Read more

• El Nino is coming Forecasters warn substantial weather event will cause extreme weather around the world this year 

  12-05-2015 21:21 via
  
  The El Nino weather phenomenon, which can spark deadly and costly climate extremes, will pack a punch this year after declaring its onset in the tropical Pacific.
  
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• Kokoon headphones senses when you're snoozing to turn down music

  12-05-2015 20:50 via
  
  The world's first sleep sensing headphones were designed by a London-based startup. They track how deeply you are sleeping using EEG sensors.
  
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• Stephen Hawking warns computers could control humans within a century

  12-05-2015 20:40 via
  
  Professor Stephen Hawking's comments were made today at the Zeitgeist 2015 conference in London and follows a previous warning that artificial intelligence could spell the end for humanity.
  
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• E-Kaia portable charger harnesses electricity from soil to charge phone

  12-05-2015 20:40 via
  
  The E-Kaia portable charger prototype (shown) was developed by students from Andrés Bello National University in Chile. It can also be used to power lamps and other devices with a USB port.
  
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• Skype launches online translator that could let you converse in ANY language

  12-05-2015 20:32 via
  
  Skype's live translation tool allows people to speak to others in another language - even if they don’t know what they’re saying. English, Spanish, Italian, Mandarin are supported.
  
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• Russian launch failure delays landing for space station crew 

  12-05-2015 19:47 via
  
  Three of the orbiting outposts' six-person crew, who had been scheduled to return this week, were asked to stay in orbit until early June, Russian controllers said.
  
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• Stranded in space: Russian launch failure delays landing for space station crew 

  12-05-2015 19:39 via
  
  Three of the orbiting outposts' six-person crew, who had been scheduled to return this week, were asked to stay in orbit until early June, Russian controllers said.
  
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• Our robot overlords will take over in 100 YEARS: Stephen Hawking warns computers could control humans within a century

  12-05-2015 19:39 via
  
  Professor Stephen Hawking's comments were made today at the Zeitgeist 2015 conference in London and follows a previous warning that artificial intelligence could spell the end for humanity.
  
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• Chickens bred with the face of a DINOSAUR: Scientists tweak bird genes to trigger growth of snouts in embryos

  12-05-2015 19:39 via
  
  Researchers at Yale have successfully altered genes of chicken embryos to change how their beaks formed (shown in image). The result was a beak that resembled their dinosaur ancestors.
  
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• Firm sued over location-tracking app

  12-05-2015 18:56 via bbc.co.uk
  
  A lawsuit has been lodged in California alleging that location-tracking apps used by a firm invaded staff privacy.
  
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• Drones of the future unveiled at an event in Atlanta, Georgia

  12-05-2015 18:15 via
  
  Companies have unveiled new drones at an event in Atlanta, Georgia. One giant drone resembled a helicopter and could reach 50mph, while another resembled a bird of prey (shown).
  
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• Babies prefer each other's voices to yours

  12-05-2015 17:58 via
  
  Researchers at McGill University in Montreal, Québec, played repeating vowel sounds to the babies that mimicked either those made by an adult woman or those made by a baby.
  
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• 'Substantial' El Nino event predicted

  12-05-2015 17:46 via bbc.co.uk
  
  The El Nino event, which can drive droughts and flooding, is under way in the tropical Pacific, say scientists.
  
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• Third Bangladesh blogger murdered

  12-05-2015 17:42 via bbc.co.uk
  
  A secular blogger is hacked to death by suspected Islamists in Bangladesh, the third such deadly attack this year.
  
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• The ultimate power plant! Biocircuit harnesses electricity from soil in your houseplant to charge your mobile phone

  12-05-2015 17:39 via
  
  The E-Kaia portable charger prototype (shown) was developed by students from Andrés Bello National University in Chile. It can also be used to power lamps and other devices with a USB port.
  
  Read more

• Babies prefer each other's voices to yours: Listening to babble could kick start infants' ability to talk, researchers claim

  12-05-2015 17:39 via
  
  Researchers at McGill University in Montreal, Québec, played repeating vowel sounds to the babies that mimicked either those made by an adult woman or those made by a baby.
  
  Read more

• Drones of the future unveiled: Flying saucer and floating orb among new aircraft that could soon take to our skies

  12-05-2015 17:39 via
  
  Companies have unveiled new drones at an event in Atlanta, Georgia. One giant drone resembled a helicopter and could reach 50mph, while another resembled a bird of prey (shown).
  
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• Verizon to buy AOL for $4.4bn

  12-05-2015 17:30 via bbc.co.uk
  
  US telecoms giant Verizon says it will buy internet firm AOL in a deal worth $4.4bn.
  
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• The headphones that helps you sleep ANYWHERE: Cushioned Kokoon senses when you're snoozing to turn down music

  12-05-2015 16:37 via
  
  The world's first sleep sensing headphones were designed by a London-based startup. They track how deeply you are sleeping using EEG sensors.
  
  Read more

• Dartmoor's Bronze Age stone circle could be older than Stonehenge

  12-05-2015 16:03 via
  
  A stone circle on Dartmoor has become the first to be discovered in a century, forming part of a 'sacred arc' of similar sites on the moor which suggests a high level of coordination between bronze age Brits.
  
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• EE tops consumer telecoms complaints

  12-05-2015 15:57 via bbc.co.uk
  
  EE is named as the most complained-about phone and broadband provider.
  
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• If at first you don't succeed you really should try, try again! 'Near misses' motivate us to work harder, study reveals

  12-05-2015 15:47 via
  
  Researchers from the INSEAD Business School in Singapore found that a group of students who suffered a 'near win' group collected their reward for completing the task sooner than the failure group.
  
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• ESA reveals Europa's shattered 'glass' surface and underground ocean

  12-05-2015 15:25 via
  
  The European Space Agency has revealed an image of Europa's surface with cracks over it (shown). The lines across the ground that are known as 'chaos terrain'.
  
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• Jamie's website hacked a third time

  12-05-2015 14:44 via bbc.co.uk
  
  The website of British TV chef, Jamie Oliver has been hit for a third time by malware that potentially infects users' computers
  
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• Facebook takes on eBay enabling you to buy second-hand goods

  12-05-2015 14:35 via
  
  The feature was spotted by Amsterdam-based Owen Williams from The Next Web. The site has added an 'All Sales Group' search box and a drop-down category menu, similar to eBay's lists (pictured).
  
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• Bronze Age stone circle found on Dartmoor for the first time in 100 years - and it could be older than Stonehenge

  12-05-2015 14:26 via
  
  A stone circle on Dartmoor has become the first to be discovered in a century, forming part of a 'sacred arc' of similar sites on the moor which suggests a high level of coordination between bronze age Brits.
  
  Read more

• 'Peacemaker' tank stars in Tom Hardy's Mad Max: Fury Road film

  12-05-2015 14:10 via
  
  Two brothers in Maine have revealed how they built a lightweight tank for the Mad Max film, which has a top speed of 70mph (113km/h).
  
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• Facebook takes on eBay: Latest features help you buy second-hand goods advertised on the social network

  12-05-2015 14:10 via
  
  The feature was spotted by Amsterdam-based Owen Williams from The Next Web. The site has added an 'All Sales Group' search box and a drop-down category menu, similar to eBay's lists (pictured).
  
  Read more

• Unsettled Earth continues to rattle Nepal

  12-05-2015 13:56 via bbc.co.uk
  
  What triggered Nepal's second big quake?
  
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• Solar Impulse 2 prepares for its most dangerous leg: Sun-powered plane to attempt daring five-day trip over the Pacific

  12-05-2015 13:53 via
  
  Swiss pilot Andre Borschberg will pilot the plane from China to Hawaii (shown in map). It is waiting for a window to begin the flight, which could open on Saturday.
  
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• So THAT'S why plane windows contain holes: Expert reveals the 'air conduit' acts as a failsafe to protect the craft if the outer pane cracks

  12-05-2015 13:53 via
  
  Philip Spiers from the University of Sheffield said the hole means pressure from the cabin is exerted onto the outer pane, rather than the inner pane and provides a failsafe should the outer pane blow out.
  
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• Mysterious stone circle found on Dartmoor: Discovery reveals Bronze Age communities built 'sacred arc' of sites together

  12-05-2015 13:53 via
  
  A stone circle on Dartmoor has become the first to be discovered in a century, forming part of a 'sacred arc' of similar sites on the moor which suggests a high level of coordination between bronze age Brits.
  
  Read more

• Google's Map Maker suspended

  12-05-2015 13:00 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Google stops the public contributing to its map service following some high-profile graffiti, including a urinating Android.
  
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• Nasa wants to conquer WORMHOLES: Agency plans to crack unknown physics to explore beyond our solar system

  12-05-2015 12:38 via
  
  Washington DC-based Nasa has revealed in its Technology Roadmaps that it is planning to develop warp travel (illustrated) and wormholes to travel into the distant universe.
  
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• Medieval Britons believed headless men and dog demons roamed the Middle Ages

  12-05-2015 12:30 via
  
  A new book called Medieval Monsters details the monstrous creatures that were illustrated in religious texts and travelling tales that were believed to live on the edges of the world.
  
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• Smartphone unlocked with eyes with Fujitsu iris scanner using infrared light

  12-05-2015 12:12 via
  
  The Japanese company plans to launch a smartphone with the technology on board later this year and claims that it's harder to forge and more convenient to use than fingerprint scanners.
  
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• Medieval beasts unleashed: Headless men and dog demons among monsters thought to roam exotic lands in the Middle Ages

  12-05-2015 12:12 via
  
  A new book called Medieval Monsters details the monstrous creatures that were illustrated in religious texts and travelling tales that were believed to live on the edges of the world.
  
  Read more

• Being tall can harm your sex life but it may help your heart and your hearing

  12-05-2015 11:06 via
  
  Being tall may come with practical problems, such as the lack of legroom on aeroplanes, but there are some perks, too. Researchers reported that tall people are, on average, cleverer and have better social skills.
  
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• Codex Gigas, or Devil's Bible, with colour image of Devil drawn by Lucifer

  12-05-2015 10:32 via
  
  The mysterious manuscript is today housed within the National Library of Sweden in Stockholm and includes a menacing full-page colour image of the Devil.
  
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• Sri Lanka first to protect mangroves

  12-05-2015 09:45 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Sri Lanka becomes the first nation to comprehensively protect all of its mangrove forests, using a model that conservationists hope other nations will adopt.
  
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