Sci-Tech news

• Study finds regular readers are kinder people

  05-05-2017 23:41 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  Readers are more empathetic while people who prefer watching television are less friendly and less understanding of others’ views, researchers at Kingston University in London found.
  
  Read more

• Burger King revealed hackability of voice assistants

  05-05-2017 23:21 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  Burger King pulled a pretty juicy marketing stunt last month that drew plenty of attention - not just to the Whopper, but also to the intrinsic vulnerabilities of a new type of voice-activated gadget.
  
  Read more

• Bogey bacteria may boost your immune system

  05-05-2017 23:14 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  Dr Scott Napper, professor of biochemistry at the University of Saskatchewan, Canada, said: ‘Nature pushes us to do different things because it is to our advantage.'
  
  Read more

• Men have bigger brains but ladies' ones are more efficient

  05-05-2017 23:03 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  The research from the Netherlands was based on MRI scans of almost 900 men and women and found male brains are around 14 per cent larger.
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Seals are trained to shoot, defuse mines in Russia

  05-05-2017 22:51 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  Aquatic mammals Tito, 16, and Lilo, nine, have been trained to shoot, defuse bombs and raise naval flags at Baikal Seal Aquarium, in the city of Irkutsk.
  
  Read more

• Report finds the average person uses 10 apps per day

  05-05-2017 22:45 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  App Annie has found the amount of time spent using apps increased by 25 percent in Q1 2017. On average, users launched over 30 apps a month and each person accessed at least 10 apps per day.
  
  Read more

• Fukushima gave everyone on PLANET X-ray worth of radiation

  05-05-2017 21:19 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  Researchers have carried out the first global survey of radiation exposure caused by the meltdown of three nuclear reactors at the Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear plant in Japan after a tsunami struck in 2011.
  
  Read more

• Citi lists Netflix and Tesla as takeover targets for Apple

  05-05-2017 20:17 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  Citigroup has listed seven companies as potential takeover targets for Apple Inc, including Netflix, Walt Disney and Tesla Inc, as a way to put its cash hoard of more than $250 billion to work.
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Robots disguised as dolphins spy on the pod

  05-05-2017 20:09 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  A documentary series called 'Dolphins: Spy in the Pod', which aired on PBS in the US this week, used robots to collect intelligence on aquatic life.
  
  Read more

• 'Feeld' app aids office hookups

  05-05-2017 20:00 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  The dating service, created by London-based company 'Feeld', uses a chat bot in Slack. The bot invites users to type in the name of their crush, and if any match up the two colleagues are notified.
  
  Read more

• Map shows parts of the US most at risk of a robot takeover

  05-05-2017 19:59 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  A new map paints a picture of a robot takeover in the US. Researchers used data from Oxford and the Bureau of Labor Statistics to show where the most 'automatable' jobs are in the nation.
  
  Read more

• YouTube to take on Netflix by offering star-studded shows

  05-05-2017 19:33 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  The new set of shows from YouTube, based in San Bruno, California, includes a roster of homegrown YouTube stars and A-list celebrities. Some will be free, supported by advertising on videos.
  
  Read more

• Iceland begins 'Thor' magma energy experiment

  05-05-2017 19:27 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  Launched in August last year, the drilling was completed on January 25, reaching a record-breaking depth of 4,659 metres (nearly 3 miles).
  
  Read more

• Monolithic houses across the USA

  05-05-2017 19:08 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  Families across the country have opted to live in Monolithic domes for security and energy efficiency - with homesfrom Texas (pictured) to Alabama built to withstand storms and wildfires
  
  Read more

• Youtuber designs giant mousetrap to catch raccoons 

  05-05-2017 18:55 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  A 'mad scientist' designed a giant mouse trap consisting of plywood and coils from a car suspension system in order to catch a pesky raccoon - and it travels 42 mph (67 km/h) on impact.
  
  Read more

• Leaked documents say UK government could ban encryption

  05-05-2017 18:45 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  The document was leaked by the Open Rights Group, and details some extreme proposals by the UK government to force technology firms to spy on users.
  
  Read more

• People who read books are NICER says Kingston University

  05-05-2017 18:33 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  Researchers from Kingston University found that people who preferred reading fiction showed more positive social behaviours, and were more empathetic (stock image).
  
  Read more

• Stronger swearing, WIRED redesign: Podcast 316

  05-05-2017 18:15
  
  By: WIREDContinue reading...
  
  Read more

• Debenhams Flowers data breach hits 26,000

  05-05-2017 17:58 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Customers of the main Debenhams.com website have not been affected by the incident.
  
  Read more

• Samsung gets FCC approval to sell refurbished Note 7 units

  05-05-2017 17:50 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 is officially making a comeback. The firm has received FCC approval to sell refurbished units that could be released in June - but the US and Canada are not part of the launch.
  
  Read more

• The Truth About Sleep reveals test for sleep deprivation

  05-05-2017 17:41 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  More than half of all adults in the UK struggle to nod off, with 40 per cent saying they regularly get just six hours sleep - considerably less than the recommended seven to nine.
  
  Read more

• Melting ice could unleash deadly dormant viruses

  05-05-2017 17:34 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  A professor of microbiology at Aix-Marseille University in France has warned that thawing permafrost and industrial digging could release diseases that cause a global pandemic.
  
  Read more

• Facebook Messenger search directs users to prostitutes

  05-05-2017 17:19 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  Facebook Messenger is suggesting call girl agency websites to users typing in a random number into the search bar, according to an investigation by a London-based media company.
  
  Read more

• Things people born after 2000 will NEVER understand

  05-05-2017 17:07 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  The images, which include attempting to cram your discman into your jean pocket, will leave anyone born pre-2000 feeling nostalgic - and anyone born after that year a little baffled.
  
  Read more

• Having something in common with your doctor eases pain

  05-05-2017 16:55 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  Knowing you share religious or political beliefs with your doctor acts as a placebo effect against the pain of an injection, according to researchers from the University of Miami.
  
  Read more

• Machine learning algorithm predicts Supreme Court outcomes

  05-05-2017 16:45 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  The algorithm was developed by researchers at the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago, and South Texas College of Law, who trained it using the US Supreme Court Database.
  
  Read more

• Lost at the airport? This robot can help

  05-05-2017 16:45 via bbc.co.uk
  
  The robot that helps people lost in the airport or the shopping mall.
  
  Read more

• Elon Musk decides what to call Boring Company's machine

  05-05-2017 16:19 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  Elon Musk has taken to Twitter to muse ideas for names for the impressive boring machine, which is digging a tunnel under LA to dodge the city's infamous traffic.
  
  Read more

• Breast cancer bra made by teenager could save millions

  05-05-2017 15:48 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  Julian Rios Cantu, 18, from Mexico, has won the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards (GSEA) in Frankfurt for his Eva bra which could provide an early warning for women developing breast cancer.
  
  Read more

• Debenhams Flowers customers´ data stolen in cyber attack

  05-05-2017 15:12 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  The UK-based Debenhams Flowers website suffered a malicious attack that is thought to be malware-based. The attack targeted users' names, addresses and payment details.
  
  Read more

• India launches 'invaluable' South Asia satellite

  05-05-2017 15:03 via bbc.co.uk
  
  The satellite, funded by India, will help South Asian nations boost their communication services.
  
  Read more

• SolarStratos takes to the skies for the first time

  05-05-2017 14:56 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  SolarStratos took to the skies over Payerne, Switzerland at 08:00 local time (07:00 BST/02:00 EST), where conditions were described as 'ideal.'
  
  Read more

• Air quality: Diesel scrappage scheme being considered

  05-05-2017 14:51 via bbc.co.uk
  
  The scheme is part of the government's draft clean air plan, which critics dismissed as "toothless".
  
  Read more

• Is Mini's roof tent the most outrageous car option yet?

  05-05-2017 14:49 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  What could be more bonkers than a roof tent for a Mini? How about a coffee machine in a Fiat, a £20k watch to unlock your Aston and a stupidly expensive Bentley fishing set?
  
  Read more

• Donkey Kong and Pokemon join gaming hall of fame

  05-05-2017 14:29 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Halo: Combat Evolved and Street Fighter II also honoured with places in the permanent exhibition.
  
  Read more

• SS7 bank hack could affect millions around the world

  05-05-2017 14:16 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  Hackers in Germany have exploited a vulnerability in global telecoms networksto steal funds from bank accounts, and it could affect customers worldwide as well as other high profile websites.
  
  Read more

• Rat heads are one thing but don't expect a human head transplant any time soon

  05-05-2017 14:00
  
  By: Abigail BeallContinue reading...
  
  Read more

• 'Roll cloud' is spotted in the skies above Cumbria 

  05-05-2017 13:48 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  Onlookers were treated to a stunning spectacle as a blustery wind created the unusual meteorological sight known as the Helm Bar above their homes in Carlisle, Cumbria.
  
  Read more

• Investigatory Powers: 'Real-time surveillance' in draft update

  05-05-2017 13:32 via bbc.co.uk
  
  The proposal is included in a leaked paper outlining new surveillance powers for UK authorities.
  
  Read more

• Facebook shuts Oculus VR movie studio

  05-05-2017 13:29 via bbc.co.uk
  
  The Story Studio won an Emmy for one movie made specifically to watch on a VR headset.
  
  Read more

• What we want to see from the Game of Thrones spin-offs

  05-05-2017 13:24
  
  By: Alexandra Simon-LewisContinue reading...
  
  Read more

• First Chinese passenger plane C919 takes maiden flight

  05-05-2017 13:22 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  Narrow-body twin-engine C919 today completed its maiden flight in Shanghai.State-owned COMAC spent 11 years and £5 billion on developing the plane as a part of China's aviation dreams.
  
  Read more

• How your selfie could affect your life insurance

  05-05-2017 12:43 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  Technology called Chronos developed by data scientists in Wilmington, North Carolina uses facial analytics to estimate life expectancy (stock image).
  
  Read more

• The 12 things you should NEVER let your dog eat 

  05-05-2017 12:28 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  As well as chocolate, all forms of onion will make your pet ill including dried/dehydrated, raw and cooked onions, says London-based Emma Hammett, who set-up First Aid for Pets.
  
  Read more

• UAE plans to drag an ICEBERG from Antarctic for water

  05-05-2017 12:23 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  An Abu-Dhabi based firm plans to tow icebergs from Antarctica to the United Arab Emirates to provide the arid arab state with fresh drinking water in a scheme that could begin at the start of 2018.
  
  Read more

• Healthcare gets personal at WIRED Health

  05-05-2017 11:58
  
  How big data and genomics are making customised healthcare a reality
  Continue reading...
  
  Read more

• WhatsApp update lets you pin your favourite conversations

  05-05-2017 11:45 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  WhatsApp is trialling a new global feature that lets you pin chats to the top of the list, meaning the conversations you come back to regularly are more easily accessible.
  
  Read more

• The self-balancing, sprinting robot and other news

  05-05-2017 11:45 via bbc.co.uk
  
  BBC Click's Nick Kwek looks at some of the best of the week's technology news stories.
  
  Read more

• Fidget spinners inventor isn't making a penny

  05-05-2017 11:28 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  Catherine Hettinger, from Florida, came up with the concept 20 years ago as a way of occupying her daughter, but they have recently become a craze and tens of millions of units have now been sold.
  
  Read more

• Self-driving robot chauffeur that can fit in a suitcase

  05-05-2017 11:26 via dailymail.co.uk
  
  The autonomous driving system, dubbed IVO has been created by scientists at the University of the Negev in Israel. The current prototype cost $1,600 (£1,240) to produce.
  
  Read more

Follow @scitech_UK on Twitter!