Sci-Tech news

• Inside Snap's $23.6 Billion IPO: Will Wall Street Love It as Much as Millennials Do?

  01-03-2017 23:51 via nbcnews.com
  
  Snap, the company behind Snapchat and Spectacles, is going public.
  
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• Washington produces record harvest of wine grapes in 2016

  01-03-2017 23:40
  
  Washington state's booming wine industry produced a record harvest of wine grapes in 2016 after cooler weather lengthened the growing season, officials said Wednesday.
  
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• Understanding and predicting snow behavior

  01-03-2017 22:56
  
  Engineers from the University of Luxembourg are working together with scientists from the WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF in Switzerland to better analyse mechanical properties of snow. The project has the goal to develop a computer model that can help solving typical snow-related engineering problems. The model could, for example, be used to anticipate avalanches, to determine the load on buildings caused by snow or calculate the traction of vehicles on snow-covered surfaces b
  
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• Snapchat parent passes big test: IPO above expectation (Update 2)

  01-03-2017 22:54
  
  Snapchat parent Snap Inc. started its official bid to go public last Halloween. Now investors get to learn whether they're in for a trick or a treat.
  
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• Snap IPO: Messaging app company seems to pass 1st major test (Update)

  01-03-2017 22:54
  
  For Snap Inc., a social media company that started its official bid to go public last Halloween, the looming question now is whether investors are in for a trick or a treat.
  
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• Hidden figures no more: Lego honors 'Women of NASA'

  01-03-2017 22:45
  
  Lego sets have long celebrated superheroes like Batman and Superman. But now, the Danish toy maker is honoring real-life heroines—five women pioneers for the US space agency NASA.
  
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• Oculus looks to spur VR spread with Rift price cut

  01-03-2017 22:12
  
  Facebook-owned Oculus on Wednesday slashed the price of its Rift headsets to speed the pace at which the virtual reality technology is working its way into homes.
  
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• Appeals court overturns $533 mn verdict against Apple

  01-03-2017 22:12
  
  A US appellate court Wednesday overturned a $533 million patent verdict against Apple, saying the award was based on "routine computer activities" which cannot be patented.
  
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• New tool, RODEO, promises to capture the breadth of microbial biosynthetic potential

  01-03-2017 22:09
  
  In an age of booming biotechnology, it might be easy to forget how much we still rely on the bounty of the natural world. Some microbes make us sick, some keep us healthy, while others continue to give us some of our best cures in the form of naturally occurring products such as penicillin and tetracycline.
  
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• Concurrent heat waves, air pollution exacerbate negative health effects of each

  01-03-2017 22:07
  
  The combination of prolonged hot spells with poor air quality greatly compounds the negative effects of each and can pose a major risk to human health, according to new research from the University of California, Irvine.
  
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• Game theory could improve cyberwarfare strategy

  01-03-2017 22:04
  
  Whether a nation should retaliate against a cyber attack is a complicated decision, and a new framework guided by game theory could help policymakers determine the best strategy.
  
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• Cholesterol-processing enzyme protects from debilitating brain lesions

  01-03-2017 22:04
  
  An enzyme that helps break down cholesterol may also be a therapeutic target to stave off neurologic diseases, including Alzheimer's and a rare genetic disorder, according to a new study published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry. Researchers from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and Karolinska Institute in Sweden discovered that a specific enzyme in the brain could reduce the formation of debilitating brain lesions in
  
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• Are These the Oldest Fossils Ever Found?

  01-03-2017 21:49 via nbcnews.com
  
  Little red tubes found in rocks from northeastern Canada may be the oldest fossils ever found, dating back to nearly 4 billion years ago.
  
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• After argument with driver, Uber CEO promises to 'grow up'

  01-03-2017 21:48
  
  Uber's CEO is known for battling with critics and local governments, but a video of an argument with one of his own drivers has him pledging to change his ways
  
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• Tiny tubes in Canadian rock may be oldest known fossils

  01-03-2017 21:01
  
  Tiny tubes and filaments in a Canadian rock may be the oldest known fossils on Earth
  
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• Scientists Measure Temperature Swings of Black Hole Winds for the First Time

  01-03-2017 20:29 via scitechdaily.com
  
  A team of scientists has measured rapidly varying temperatures in hot gas emanating from around a black hole for the first time. These ultrafast “winds”...
  The post Scientists Measure Temperature Swings of Black Hole Winds for the First Time appeared first on SciTech Daily.
  
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• Facebook Is Using Artificial Intelligence to Help Prevent Suicides

  01-03-2017 20:29 via nbcnews.com
  
  Facebook's artificial intelligence is in a position to help save lives.
  
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• Twitter Introduces (Yet More) Anti-Troll Measures

  01-03-2017 20:03 via nbcnews.com
  
  Twitter is trying to move away from being the Wild West and attempting to become a civil society, with a set of tools designed to help end abuse.
  
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• War less likely between nations that are 'friends of friends': study

  01-03-2017 20:00
  
  Even nations can have friends of friends, a new study has found.
  
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• The ultimate power nap: Researchers use 'Fitbits' to track elephant sleep in the wild

  01-03-2017 20:00
  
  Why we sleep is one of the enduring unanswered mysteries of modern science. Along with such activities as eating, protecting oneself and reproducing, sleep is one of the major biological imperatives of existence.
  
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• Ninety percent of predatory fish gone from Caribbean coral reefs due to overfishing

  01-03-2017 20:00
  
  Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have found that up to 90 percent of predatory fish are gone from Caribbean coral reefs, straining the ocean ecosystem and coastal economy. The good news? They identified reefs, known as supersites, which can support large numbers of predator fishes that if reintroduced, can help restore the environmental and economic setback inflicted by overfishing.
  
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• Iron dissolved by air pollution may increase ocean potential to trap carbon

  01-03-2017 20:00
  
  Iron particles generated by cities and industry are being dissolved by man-made air pollution and washed into the sea - potentially increasing the amount of greenhouse gases that the world's oceans can absorb, a new study suggests.
  
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• Catalog of 208 human-caused minerals bolsters argument to declare 'Anthropocene Epoch'

  01-03-2017 20:00
  
  Human industry and ingenuity has done more to diversify and distribute minerals on Earth than any development since the rise of oxygen over 2.2 billion years ago, experts say in a paper published today.
  
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• Singing posters and talking shirts: Engineers turn objects into FM stations

  01-03-2017 19:47
  
  Imagine you're waiting in your car and a poster for a concert from a local band catches your eye. What if you could just tune your car to a radio station and actually listen to that band's music? Or perhaps you see the poster on the side of a bus stop. What if it could send your smartphone a link for discounted tickets or give you directions to the venue?
  
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• Old mold from penicillin discoverer auctioned for $14,617

  01-03-2017 19:41
  
  How much is an old, dried-out piece of mold worth? Apparently more than $14,600 if it was created by the doctor who discovered penicillin.
  
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• Classified US satellite launched from California

  01-03-2017 19:40
  
  A rocket carrying a classified U.S. satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office has been launched from California.
  
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• Cover crop prevents weeds, protects soil

  01-03-2017 19:38
  
  Organic farmers have to make hard choices between protecting soil from erosion and controlling weeds. For example, large-scale organic farming relies heavily on tillage. Tilling breaks up the soil to kill weeds and prepare for planting. But intense tillage can compact soil, cause erosion, and deplete nutrients. As a result, some organic farmers are turning to cover crops for weed control.
  
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• Lego Making 'Women of NASA' Figures

  01-03-2017 19:36 via nbcnews.com
  
  Lego kicks off Women's History Month with five new minifigures celebrating legendary female NASA scientists and astronauts.
  
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• World's oldest fossils unearthed

  01-03-2017 19:00
  
  Remains of microorganisms at least 3,770 million years old have been discovered by an international team led by UCL scientists, providing direct evidence of one of the oldest life forms on Earth.
  
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• Synthetic tooth enamel may lead to more resilient structures

  01-03-2017 19:00
  
  Unavoidable vibrations, such as those on airplanes, cause rigid structures to age and crack, but researchers at the University of Michigan may have an answer for that—design them more like tooth enamel, which could lead to more resilient flight computers, for instance.
  
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• Rapid changes point to origin of ultra-fast black hole 'burps'

  01-03-2017 19:00
  
  Gas outflows are common features of active supermassive black holes that reside in the center of large galaxies. Millions to billions of times the mass of the Sun, these black holes feed on the large disks of gas that swirl around them. Occasionally the black holes eat too much and burp out an ultra-fast wind, or outflow. These winds may have a strong influence on regulating the growth of the host galaxy by clearing the surrounding gas away and suppressing star formation.
  
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• Molecular structure of the cell nucleoskeleton revealed for the first time

  01-03-2017 19:00
  
  Using 3-D electron microscopy, structural biologists from the University of Zurich succeeded in elucidating the architecture of the lamina of the cell nucleus at molecular resolution for the first time. This scaffold stabilizes the cell nucleus in higher eukaryotes and is involved in organizing, activating and duplicating the genetic material. Diseases such as muscular dystrophy and premature aging, caused by mutations in the lamin gene, the major constituent of the lamina, can now be studied mo
  
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• Improved gene expression atlas shows that many human long non-coding RNAs may actually be functional

  01-03-2017 19:00
  
  While it was once believed that genes regulated biological functions almost exclusively by being transcribed to coding RNAs that were then translated into proteins, it is now known that the picture is much more complex. In fact, studies examining the association between genes and diseases have shown that most disease variants are found outside of protein-coding genes.
  
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• 4 billion years: World's oldest fossils unearthed

  01-03-2017 19:00
  
  Remains of microorganisms at least 3,770 million years old have been discovered by an international team led by UCL scientists, providing direct evidence of one of the oldest life forms on Earth.
  
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• A Galaxy on the Edge – ESO Views NGC 1055

  01-03-2017 18:51 via scitechdaily.com
  
  This new Very Large Telescope image shows spiral galaxy NGC 1055, which is located roughly 55 million light-years away in the constellation of Cetus. This...
  The post A Galaxy on the Edge – ESO Views NGC 1055 appeared first on SciTech Daily.
  
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• Car parts maker says scam got tax info for 2,400 workers

  01-03-2017 18:49
  
  A Swiss company said Wednesday income tax information was stolen for about 2,400 workers in the United States, putting them at risk of identity theft just as many are awaiting tax refunds.
  
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• Toyota adds most fuel-efficient Prius

  01-03-2017 18:48
  
  For 2017, Toyota has added its most fuel-efficient Prius ever: a plug-in gasoline-electric hybrid called Prius Prime that can travel up to 640 miles on a full electric charge and a single tank of fuel.
  
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• Moon tourists risk rough ride, experts say

  01-03-2017 18:45
  
  Non-stop vomiting, a puffy face and the constant need to pee: Volunteers for a week-long loop around the Moon may be in for a rough ride even if all goes to plan.
  
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• With most of the same genes, how do lizard siblings end up so different?

  01-03-2017 18:43
  
  The brown anole, a prolific lizard native to Cuba and the Bahamas and now commonly found in many tropical and subtropical regions, is providing new clues to how genetics and hormones work together to shape the development of organisms.
  
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• Astrophysicists Produce High-Resolution Map of Dark Matter

  01-03-2017 18:35 via scitechdaily.com
  
  A team of astrophysicists has produced one of the highest-resolution maps of dark matter to date, offering a detailed case for the existence of cold...
  The post Astrophysicists Produce High-Resolution Map of Dark Matter appeared first on SciTech Daily.
  
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• NASA’s HiRISE Views North Polar Layers of Mars

  01-03-2017 18:21 via scitechdaily.com
  
  This newly released HiRISE image shows the North Polar layered deposits on Mars, which are a 3-kilometer thick stack of dusty water ice layers that...
  The post NASA’s HiRISE Views North Polar Layers of Mars appeared first on SciTech Daily.
  
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• Fin24.com | HP makes a push for mobile first computing

  01-03-2017 18:06
  
  US computing multinational HP has made a further push in mobile hardware and software development in attempts to own the mobile first computing space .
  
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• Click for candy: How online retailers boost impulse buys

  01-03-2017 18:05
  
  Supermarket layouts are carefully calibrated to tempt people into impulsive purchases, and now food makers are trying to adapt their strategies as people do more of their shopping online.
  
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• Research shows nature can beat back scientific tinkering with genes of entire species

  01-03-2017 17:57
  
  Rest easy, folks. Armies of genetically modified super-species are unlikely to conquer Earth anytime soon.
  
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• As North Koreans use phones, state finds new ways to censor

  01-03-2017 17:27
  North Koreans have gained unprecedented connectedness with greater access to media and devices like cellphones over Kim Jong Un's five-year rule
  
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• WATCH: Thousands of websites are operating again after a crippling outage

  01-03-2017 17:19
  
  YouTube takes on Netflix and Hulu with subscription service; President Donald Trump sets a social media record.
  
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• This Is How Your Email's Spam Filter Works

  01-03-2017 17:19 via nbcnews.com
  
  Open the spam folder in your email account, and you're likely to find all kinds of messy missives offering low-cost drugs, replica watches, and millions in winnings from that lottery you didn't enter. Here's how email providers know you don't want these messages cluttering up your inbox.
  
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• Uber CEO apologizes after video shows him berating driver

  01-03-2017 17:09
  
  Uber chief Travis Kalanick has apologized, acknowledging that "I must fundamentally change as a leader and grow up," after a video showed him verbally abusing a driver for the service.
  
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• Hunting for giant planet analogs in our own backyard

  01-03-2017 17:07
  
  There may be a large number of undetected bright, substellar objects similar to giant exoplanets in our own solar neighborhood, according to new work from a team led by Carnegie's Jonathan Gagné and including researchers from the Institute for Research on Exoplanets (iREx) at Université de Montréal. It is published by The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series.
  
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• 2017 forecast: Significant chance of earthquake damage in the Central and Eastern US

  01-03-2017 17:06
  
  A one-year seismic hazard model for 2017, from the U.S. Geological Survey, forecasts lower damaging ground shaking levels in the central and eastern U.S. compared to the previous forecast, in areas where there have been numerous earthquakes induced by wastewater disposal from industrial activities.
  
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