Sci-Tech news

• Uber takes to the air: Airbus reveals deal to develop helicopter-hailing system with car firm

  18-01-2016 22:54 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  Airbus and Uber are bringing on-demand helicopter rides to the Sundance Film Festival this month. Airbus will be using their H125 and H130 models and users just request in Uber app.
  
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• Video shows chicken embryo's heart beating INSIDE the egg

  18-01-2016 22:34 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  The video, produced by the University of Oxford, shows a 'windowing' procedure where a section of shell is cut from an egg and ink is injected into the embryo's yolk sac artery (result pictured).
  
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• Why Spiderman could never climb walls: Superhero would need sticky pads covering 40 per cent of his body to scale skyscrapers

  18-01-2016 22:30 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  University of Cambridge researchers said that for humans to scale a wall like Spiderman (illustrated), or a gecko, they would need need impractically large sticky feet.
  
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• Explosive volcanoes ended Earth's time as a snowball

  18-01-2016 22:30 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  Researchers at the University of Southampton believe underwater volcanoes were key in defrosting 'Snowball Earth' and created conditions favourable to life.
  
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• Constellation in the shape of lightning bolt named after David Bowie

  18-01-2016 21:56 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  MIRA Public Observatory in Brussels teamed up with Studio Brussels to register a constellation in David Bowie's honour. The seven stars form the iconic lightning bolt shape that is seen on 'Aladdin Sane'.
  
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• Cosmic rays could reveal how pyramids were built: Scientists say imprint of space particles may unveil ancient Egypt's secrets

  18-01-2016 21:55 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  Egyptian and foreign experts say they are now ready to begin studying cosmic particles collected inside Egypt's 4,600-year-old Bent Pyramid in Dashour.
  
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• Army testing ROBO-PARACHUTES that don’t rely on GPS

  18-01-2016 21:53 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  The U.S. military is refining an autonomous airdrop system to save thousands of lives and deliver supplies to troops with increased accuracy. The JPADS navigate using just imagery data.
  
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• Gorillas on Mars: Rock shaped like a giant ape joins the zoo full of 'animals' to have been spotted on the red planet

  18-01-2016 21:45 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  A rock with a similar shape to a silver back gorilla (pictured) has been spotted by conspiracy theorists in images sent back by Nasa's Mars rover Curiosity.
  
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• El Niño's effect on the US is 'just beginning' forecasters warn as they reveal its impact on weather systems around the world

  18-01-2016 21:29 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  The main season for El Niño impacts in the U.S. (January–March) is just beginning in the U.S., but it's winding down in other areas of the world, NOAA forecasters said.
  
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• Spoilsport scientists unstick Spider-Man

  18-01-2016 21:00 via go.theregister.com
  
  You won't be climbing walls with those sticky pads, mate A team of scientists from the University of Cambridge has disagreeably grounded Spider-Man after concluding that were the archnohuman crimefighter to use gecko-style sticky pads to scale buildings, they'd need to measure 40 per cent of his body surface.*…
  
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• Falcons store live birds in LARDERS

  18-01-2016 20:59 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  Researchers have observed falcons in Morocco storing live prey in rock crevices to eat at a later date, the first time such behaviour has been seen in any bird species.
  
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• Who needs a ski lift! Nissan reveals SUV that can swap its wheels for triangular snow tracks and even drive up 45 degree slopes

  18-01-2016 20:57 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  Nissan's Rogue Warrior sits atop heavy-duty triangular snow tracks, each nearly three feet high, in a design that boasts the ability to climb Canadian ski slopes at up to a 45 degree incline.
  
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• Could this be humanity’s LAST century? Expert says 're-engineering our children’ will lead to the creation of a new species

  18-01-2016 20:42 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  Seth Shostak, the California-based director of the Seti nstitute, says we will eventually produce offspring that are 'as different from us as dogs are from grey wolves.'
  
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• Study: Man-made heat put in oceans has doubled since 1997

  18-01-2016 20:32 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  The amount of man-made heat energy absorbed by the seas has doubled since 1997, a new study has revealed.
  
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• WhatsApp goes free: Messaging app ditches $1 fee

  18-01-2016 20:23 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  WhatsApp announced it is axing the $1 subscription fee and allowing users to communicate for free. The company will start testing commercial services, which will allow users to chat with businesses.
  
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• It's no yoke! Eggstraordinary video showing a chicken embryo's heart beating INSIDE the egg may put you off your omelette

  18-01-2016 20:16 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  The video, produced by the University of Oxford, shows a 'windowing' procedure where a section of shell is cut from an egg and ink is injected into the embryo's yolk sac artery (result pictured).
  
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• Robots and artificial intelligence will kill off five MILLION jobs by 2020

  18-01-2016 20:11 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  Disruptive labour market changes, including the rise of robots and artificial intelligence, will result in a net loss of 5.1 million jobs over the next five years, the report says.
  
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• Explosive volcanoes ended Earth's time as a snowball: Huge eruptions broke our planet's deep freeze and kickstarted life

  18-01-2016 20:11 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  Researchers at the University of Southampton believe underwater volcanoes were key in defrosting 'Snowball Earth' and created conditions favourable to life.
  
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• Now David Bowie really IS a Starman: Constellation in the shape of the iconic lightning bolt registered in his name

  18-01-2016 20:08 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  MIRA Public Observatory in Brussels teamed up with Studio Brussels to register a constellation in David Bowie's honour. The seven stars form the iconic lightning bolt shape that is seen on 'Aladdin Sane'.
  
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• Friends Reunited to close down: Founder say just a 'handful' of users are now using the beleaguered social networking site

  18-01-2016 19:51 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  Friends Reunited once boasted more than 23 million users at its peak, but of the 10 million currently registered just a 'handful' use the site. It has struggled to keep up with Facebook and Twitter.
  
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• The ROBO-PARACHUTES that could save thousands of lives: US Army reveals system that can land anywhere without needing a GPS signal

  18-01-2016 19:32 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  The U.S. military is refining an autonomous airdrop system to save thousands of lives and deliver supplies to troops with increased accuracy. The JPADS navigate using just imagery data.
  
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• Is this the ghost of Michelangelo's David? Mysterious sketch found erased from Leonardo da Vinci's journal may be of rival artist's famous statue

  18-01-2016 18:20 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  Experts at the British Library in London have uncovered a mysterious sketch of a man erased in a journal by the legendary renaissance artist in around 1508.
  
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• DOOM designer creates first new level in 20 years

  18-01-2016 17:30
  
  John Romero, designer of the original DOOM, has released a brand new level for the classic first person shooter -- his first in more than two decades.
  The level itself may be familiar to veterans of the 1993 game though. What Romero has released is his take on the E1M8 mission. Named "Tech Gone Bad", it's best viewed as an alternate universe take on the original version.By: Matt Kamen, Continue reading...
  
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• Friends Reunited to close after 15 years

  18-01-2016 16:53
  
  Friends Reunited has been closed down by its owner Steve Pankurst. Continue reading...
  
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• Cabbies want to crowdfund £600,000 to contest Uber's license

  18-01-2016 16:53
  
  A group of London cabbies are taking the next step in their fight against Uber with their attempt to contest the 2012 ruling that licensed Uber. To do so, they hope to raise £600,000 via an Action for Cabbies crowdfunder. By: Emily Reynolds, Continue reading...
  
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• New Zealand man creates wasp zapping machine that makes the insects EXPLODE

  18-01-2016 16:40 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  The New Zealand man has strategically placed a homemade 5,600 volt trap over a wasp nest in his backyard amid an apparentplague in some parts of the country.
  
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• Apple investigates battery percentage issues on iPhone 6s

  18-01-2016 16:19 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  Apple has confirmed it is investigating a bug which displays the incorrect battery percentage on the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus when the phone's time is changed.
  
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• Biski motorbike that can turn into a jet ski in just five seconds

  18-01-2016 16:10 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  Biski, designed by Warwickshire-based Gibbs Sports Amphibians, can travel at 87mph on the road and 37mph when in the water by retracting its wheels at the touch of a button.
  
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• Dr James Hind reveals the formula for the perfect snowman

  18-01-2016 16:05 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  A mathematician from Nottingham Trent University came up with the formula (pictured), which examines variables such as height, relative size of each ball of snow and accessories.
  
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• Nasa's Tim Kopra was wearing the same outfit that sparked a leak 3 years ago

  18-01-2016 15:26 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  The leaky space suit worn by US astronaut Tim Kopra, which led to Tim Peake's first spacewalk being cut short, is the same one which caused a life-threatening situation in 2013.
  
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• 'Cyborg sperm' could help solve male infertility

  18-01-2016 15:19
  
  A team of researchers from the Germany Institute for Integrative Nanosciences have developed a way of boosting sluggish sperm. By: Emily Reynolds, Continue reading...
  
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• Amazon and Netflix could herald indie cinema's great revival

  18-01-2016 15:10
  
  Streaming giants Amazon and Netflix look set to give the movie industry a shot in the armBy: Matt Cowan, Continue reading...
  
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• Donald Trump is only 11.4% as popular as Barack Obama

  18-01-2016 14:46
  
  New statistics show world leaders' popularity and engagement on Facebook, where the line between political relevance and the cult of celebrity blurs. Despite that, Donald Trump is still only 11.4% as successful as Barack Obama.By: K.G Orphanides, Continue reading...
  
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• The world's 3.6 billion poorest people are getting poorer

  18-01-2016 14:28
  
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  The world's 62 richest people now own as much wealth as the 3.6 billion people who make up the poorest half of the global population, according to a new study by Oxfam.
  The data, released ahead of the World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in Davos, Switzerland, shows the gap between richest and poorest continues to widen.
  In 2015 it required the combined wealth of the world's 80 richest people to match the wealth of the poorest half of the population. In 2010 that figure
  
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• How Republicans will learn from Obama's tech savvy campaign

  18-01-2016 14:07
  
  Aaron Ginn will help the Grand Old Party use tech in its election bidBy: Oliver Franklin-Wallis and Madhumita Venkataramanan, Continue reading...
  
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• X-ray breakthrough 'opens door' to controlled nuclear fusion

  18-01-2016 13:59
  
  Scientists have for the first time been able to monitor the flow of energy during fast ignition, a process that it hoped to be capable of creating controlled nuclear fusion.
  By: K.G Orphanides, Continue reading...
  
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• Netflix confirms second 'Jessica Jones' season, eyes 'Punisher' series

  18-01-2016 13:48
  
  Jessica Jones, Marvel's first female hero to headline her own series, will be returning to Netflix for a second season.
  The announcement came as part of the Television Critics Association's winter press tour in the US, courtesy of showrunner Melissa Rosenberg. The new season will see the return of Krysten Ritter as the super-strong, sort-of-flying private detective, following the traumatic events of her conflict against David Tennant's mind-controlling Kilgrave.By: Matt Kamen, Continu
  
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• Nick O'Donoghue snapped Iron Giant image on EasyJet flight to London Gatwick

  18-01-2016 13:46 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  Flyer Nick O'Donoghue was on board an EasyJet flight from Austria to London Gatwick when he noticed the bizarre figure in the sky and grabbed his camera.
  
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• Baddies in movies help to set our moral compass and help us spot evil in real life

  18-01-2016 13:17 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  A a graduate student from the University of Aarhus, Denmark, studied a variety of fictional villains (Darth Vader pictured) to pinpoint characteristics and conclude they help set our moral compass.
  
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• We need an adult debate about exploiting sex robots

  18-01-2016 12:36
  
  Supporting prostitution is encouraging people to stop being human. Do we want to encourage more of this by extending this lack of empathy to robots?By: Kathleen Richardson, Continue reading...
  
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• Paralysed MS patients able to WALK again thanks to 'miracle' stem cell treatment 

  18-01-2016 12:31 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  Tonight's Panorama follows the story of Holly Drewry (with daughter Isla) and Steven Storey, who say the treatment at Sheffield's Royal Hallamshire Hospital has transformed their lives.
  
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• Rise of the robots might hit women hardest, economists say

  18-01-2016 12:24
  
  Automation, robots, and artificial intelligence are frequently threatened to take human jobs. The doom mongering may not come to fruition but if it does women will lose more jobs than men, a report has claimed.By: Matt Burgess, Continue reading...
  
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• NASA astronaut Piers Sellers makes announcement he has terminal cancer 

  18-01-2016 12:04 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  The NASA climate scientist, 60, (pictured) originally from Crowborough, East Sussex, said he had recently been told by doctors that he had Stage 4 pancreatic cancer.
  
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• Atlas robot learns how to do chores

  18-01-2016 11:50
  
  If you're in the market for a robot butler, some good news -- this one has learned how to do chores. 
   By: Emily Reynolds, Continue reading...
  
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• HoloLens will only have a 5.5 hour battery life

  18-01-2016 11:44
  HoloLens, Microsoft's augmented reality headset, will only have a battery life of 5.5 hours.By: Matt Burgess, Continue reading...
  
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• Snow acts as a sponge for pollutants emitted by car exhausts

  18-01-2016 11:13 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  Scientists from McGill University in Canada have found that pollutants and particles from car exhausts can accumulate in snow as it covers the ground. A stock image of traffic in the snow pictured.
  
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• El Reg mulls entering Robot Wars arena

  18-01-2016 11:02 via go.theregister.com
  
  Vulturebot death machine? A lovely idea The news this week that the BBC is to reboot its celebrated robo-deathmatch series Robot Wars prompted much comment from our beloved readers, and amid the excitement, Sleepypete posed the provocative question: "Anyone else hoping that SPB turn their talents to making an all conquering, all destroying, punyhuman enslaving Vulturebot?"…
  
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• Edible orange zinnia is first flower grown in space

  18-01-2016 10:44
  
  It's still pretty early in the year, but you may as well give up now -- you're unlikely to achieve anything as exciting as Scott Kelly. He's just grown the first flower in space.By: Emily Reynolds, Continue reading...
  
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• SpaceX Falcon 9 explodes on landing after space delivery

  18-01-2016 10:32
  
  Following a successful satellite launch mission, SpaceX has failed to land a Falcon 9 rocket booster at sea, but results from last month's successful ground landing are optimistic.By: K.G Orphanides, Continue reading...
  
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• Video shows SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket tip over and EXPLODE

  18-01-2016 10:05 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  Elon Musk has shared footage of the moment his latest SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket came in to land before a support leg failed, causing it to fall and hit the landing pad, triggering an explosion.
  
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