ICT news

• New Nanophotonic Sample-Testing Chip Could Detect Multiple Viruses or Cancers In Minutes

  12-08-2023 23:33 via science.slashdot.org
  
  Science magazine reports:Researchers have shown how to conduct thousands of rapid molecular screenings simultaneously, using light to identify target molecules snared on top of an array of tiny silicon blocks. In theory, the tool could be used to spot 160,000 different molecules in a single square centimeter of space. Developed to spot gene fragments from the SARS-CoV-2 virus and other infectious organisms, the technology should also be able to identify protein markers of cancer and small molecu
  
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• Teens Hacked Boston Subway Cards For Infinite Free Rides, and This Time Nobody Got Sued

  12-08-2023 22:14 via tech.slashdot.org
  
  Long-time Slashdot reader UnCivil Liberty writes:Following in the footsteps of three MIT students who were previously gagged from presenting their findings at Defcon 2008 are two Massachusetts teens (who presented at this year's Defcon without interference).
  The four teens extended other research done by the 2008 hacker team to fully reverse engineer the "CharlieCard," the RFID touchless smart card used by Boston's public transit system. The hackers can now add any amount of money to one of thes
  
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• For Carbon-Capture Experiment, Researchers Dye Canada's Halifax Harbor Pink

  12-08-2023 21:14 via news.slashdot.org
  
  The CBC reports that "Some parts of the Halifax harbour turned a bright shade of pink on Thursday — for science."
  After researchers dumped in 500 litres of safe, water-soluble dye, "boats, drones and underwater robots were then deployed to map the movement of the dye, so researchers can understand where materials spread and how quickly they do so." The CTV calls it "part of long-term research project that could help reverse some of the world's greenhouse gas emissions" by Dalhousie Univers
  
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• US Spy Agencies Will Start Sharing More Cyber-Threat Intelligence with Private Companies

  12-08-2023 19:34 via yro.slashdot.org
  
  An anonymous reader shared this report from the Wall Street Journal:U.S. spy agencies will share more intelligence with U.S. companies, nongovernmental organizations and academia under a new strategy released this week that acknowledges concerns over new threats, such as another pandemic and increasing cyberattacks. The National Intelligence Strategy, which sets broad goals for the sprawling U.S. intelligence community, says that spy agencies must reach beyond the traditional walls of secrecy an
  
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• 'Data Have Spoken... LK-99 is Not a Superconductor,' Says US Research Center

  12-08-2023 18:34 via science.slashdot.org
  
  The Verge writes that "LK-99 hasn't turned out to be the miraculous superconductor some people initially claimed it was..."[T]he results so far indicate that LK-99 is not a superconductor, at room temperature or otherwise. A slew of research groups have released studies that counter claims originally made about LK-99. "With a great deal of sadness, we now believe that the game is over. LK99 is NOT a superconductor, not even at room temperatures (or at very low temperatures). It is a very highly
  
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• 'Bulletproof' Web Site Hosting Ransomware Finally Seized, Founder Indicted

  12-08-2023 17:34 via yro.slashdot.org
  
  An anonymous reader shared this report from CNBC:The mastermind behind a ransomware hosting service that allegedly helped criminals collect more than 5,000 bitcoin in ransom from hundreds of victims was indicted in federal court this week, prosecutors announced Thursday. Artur Grabowski's LolekHosted service operated for about a decade and advertised itself as a haven for "everything but child porn," according to Florida prosecutors. Clients allegedly used the hosting service to deploy ransomwar
  
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• Amazon Warns Employees Who Don't Go to the Office Enough

  12-08-2023 16:34 via it.slashdot.org
  
  Amazon has sent emails "to those it believes are not complying with its return-to-office policies," reports CNN:The message highlights Amazon's determination to enforce its rules amid an employee backlash to the policy, which requires workers to report to an office at least three days a week, and in the face of a broader push by companies to scale back on remote work.
  Screenshots of the email circulating on social media show that Amazon told some employees they were "not currently meeting our ex
  
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• Publishers, Internet Archive Agree To Streamline Digital Book-Lending Case

  12-08-2023 15:00 via news.slashdot.org
  
  An anonymous reader quotes a report from Reuters: The Internet Archive and a group of leading book publishers told a Manhattan federal court on Friday that they have resolved aspects of their legal battle over the Archive's digital lending of their scanned books. If accepted, the consent judgment would settle questions over potential money damages in the case and the scope of a ban on the Archive's lending and would clear the way for the Archive to appeal U.S. District Judge John Koeltl's decisi
  
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• Scientists Genetically Engineer Bacteria To Detect Cancer Cells

  12-08-2023 12:00 via science.slashdot.org
  
  An international team of scientists has developed a new technology that can help detect (or even treat) cancer in hard-to-reach places, such as the colon. The team has published a paper in Science for the technique dubbed CATCH, or cellular assay for targeted, CRISPR-discriminated horizontal gene transfer. Engadget reports: For their lab experiments, the scientists used a species of bacterium called Acinetobacter baylyi. This bacterium has the ability to naturally take up free-floating DNA from
  
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• Planetary Defense Test Deflected An Asteroid But Unleashed a Boulder Swarm

  12-08-2023 09:00 via science.slashdot.org
  
  A UCLA-led study of NASA's DART mission found that the collision launched a cloud of boulders from its surface. "The boulder swarm is like a cloud of shrapnel expanding from a hand grenade," said Jewitt, lead author of the study and a UCLA professor of earth and planetary sciences. "Because those big boulders basically share the speed of the targeted asteroid, they're capable of doing their own damage." From a news release: In September 2022, NASA deliberately slammed a spacecraft into the aster
  
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• Founder of Russia's Largest Internet Company Slams 'Barbaric' Invasion of Ukraine

  12-08-2023 05:30 via tech.slashdot.org
  
  An anonymous reader quotes a report from CNN: The founder and former CEO of Russia's largest internet company, Arkady Volozh, has slammed Vladimir Putin's "barbaric" war in Ukraine, becoming one of the most prominent Russian businessmen to express criticism of what Russia still calls euphemistically its "special military operation." "I've been asked a lot of questions over the past year, and especially a lot of them came up this week. I would like to clarify my position," he said in a statement
  
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• Neil Gaiman To Continue 'Good Omens' Story Even If It's Not Renewed For Season 3

  12-08-2023 04:20 via entertainment.slashdot.org
  
  In the unfortunate event that Amazon cancels Good Omens, a British fantasy comedy series created by Neil Gaiman, the New York Times bestselling author says a novel would be written to continue where the show left off. For those unaware, Good Omens recently launched season two on Amazon Prime and follows various characters all trying to either encourage or prevent an imminent Armageddon, seen through the eyes of the angel Aziraphale and the demon Crowley. According to Gizmodo's Linda Codega, it "
  
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• Canon Is Getting Away With Printers That Won't Scan Sans Ink

  12-08-2023 03:40 via hardware.slashdot.org
  
  Last year, Queens resident David Leacraft filed a lawsuit against Canon claiming that his Canon Pixma All-in-One printer won't scan documents unless it has ink. According to The Verge's Sean Hollister, it has quietly ended in a private settlement rather than becoming a big class-action. From the report: I just checked, and a judge already dismissed David Leacraft's lawsuit in November, without (PDF) Canon ever being forced to show what happens when you try to scan without a full ink cartridge. (
  
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• Pornhub Sues Texas Over Age Verification Law

  12-08-2023 03:00 via yro.slashdot.org
  
  Pornhub, along with several other members and activists in the adult industry are suing Texas to block the state's impending law that would require age verification to view adult content. Motherboard reports: The complaint was filed on August 4 in US District Court for the Western District of Texas, and the law will take effect on September 1 unless the court agrees to block it. Governor Greg Abbott passed HB 1181 into law in June. The plaintiffs, including Pornhub, adult industry advocacy group
  
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• Illinois Just Made It Possible To Sue People For Doxxing Attacks

  12-08-2023 02:20 via news.slashdot.org
  
  An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: Last Friday, Illinois became one of the few states to pass an anti-doxxing law, making it possible for victims to sue attackers who "intentionally" publish their personally identifiable information with intent to harm or harass them. (Doxxing is sometimes spelled "doxing.") The Civil Liability for Doxing Act, which takes effect on January 1, 2024, passed after a unanimous vote. It allows victims to recover damages and to request "a temporary
  
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• Microsoft Shuts Down Cortana App On Windows 11

  12-08-2023 01:50 via tech.slashdot.org
  
  Microsoft is rolling out a new update for Windows 11 that disables the digital assistant Cortana. The Verge reports: If you attempt to launch Cortana on Windows 11 you'll now be met with a notice about how the app is deprecated and a link to a support article on the change. Microsoft is now planning to end support for Cortana in Teams mobile, Microsoft Teams Display, and Microsoft Teams Rooms "in the fall of 2023." Surprisingly, Cortana inside Outlook mobile "will continue to be available," acco
  
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• Alibaba Chief Warns of Constraints as China AI Training Ramps Up

  12-08-2023 01:20 via slashdot.org
  
  Alibaba Group hasn't been able to completely fulfill demand for AI training from clients because of global supply constraints, its top executive said, suggesting a shortage of critical components such as artificial intelligence chips is weighing on Chinese efforts to ramp up in the cutting-edge technology. From a report: "In the past quarter, we have received strong demand for model training and related services on cloud infrastructure, which were only partially fulfilled due to the near-term su
  
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• After Backlash, Zoom Now Says It Won't Train AI Systems On Customer Content

  12-08-2023 00:40 via yro.slashdot.org
  
  An anonymous reader quotes a report from Variety: Zoom changed its terms of service to say that it won't use any customer content -- at all -- in training generative artificial intelligence models. The update, which the videoconference company announced Friday, comes after observers raised the alarm about a recent change in Zoom's TOS that appeared to grant the company royalty-free rights in perpetuity for customer video calls and presentations for the purposes of training AI models. In its init
  
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• US Investors Face Uncertain Future in China After Tech Ban

  12-08-2023 00:00 via news.slashdot.org
  
  Private equity and venture capital funds targeted in Biden administration's crackdown. From a report: After President Joe Biden announced a ban on US investment in some of China's critical tech industries, the founder of a Shanghai-based semiconductor start-up felt forced to react. "After the news came out, I was determined to move the team out of China, at least part of the team," the person said, asking not to be named because of the sensitivity of the subject. "Otherwise, the financing will b
  
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