Tech and Science News

Lab-grown penis helps rabbits mate

snow — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 01:40:05 GMT

Mon, Nov 09 18:08 PM EST By Maggie Fox, Health and Science Editor WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Researchers have engineered artificial penises in rabbits, using cells from the animals, who then used their new organs to father baby rabbits. The work takes scientists closer to making other complex solid organs such as livers using a patient's own cells, the researchers reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on Monday. It provides a tailor-made transplant, ...

So, how long should a computer monitor last?

NancyB (admin) — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 21:29:46 GMT

I've had the worst problem keeping a monitor for more than 18 months or so. That is recently.
In the old days they lasted years.

I've "stolen" my daughters monitor to type this post.

Future of Laptops...OMG !!!!

LaLa — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 23:06:26 GMT

I want it now. K?

NASA spacecraft to slam into the Moon in search of water

NancyB (admin) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 23:19:04 GMT

Tomorrow morning at 7:30am Eastern, they will broadcast this. LOL - at some of the anti- science ignorance I've been reading around the net. etwork World - In search of elusive Moon water, NASA expects to slam its Lunar CRater Observing and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) into the Moon Friday morning creating what the space agency hopes is an ice-filled a debris plume that should be visible from Earth- and space-based telescopes 10-to-12 inches and larger. The LCROSS satellite experiment ...

Windows 7 set to break retail records

NancyB (admin) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 23:50:54 GMT

Guardian article Microsoft's latest Windows 7 operating system beats Harry Potter to become biggest-grossing pre-order in Amazon's history Windows 7 has become the biggest-grossing pre-order in Amazon's history � worth even more than the most recent JK Rowling book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. "The launch of Windows 7 has superseded everyone's expectations," the managing director of Amazon.co.uk, Brian McBride, said. "Demand is still going strong." Millions ...

Astronaut Nicole Stott on Twitter

Mappy — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 17:29:20 GMT

Aboard the space station, astronaut Nicole Stott is tweeting. You can follow her - @Astro_Nicole.

GMT240 On orbit! Feeling great! Launch was an incredible kick off the pad! Smiled the whole way! Got a �woo hoo� in there for good measure!

(about 14 hours ago - 1st tweet)

via @NASA

New images from the Hubble telescope.

NancyB (admin) — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 11:03:48 GMT

I love these. Go to the link to see the full sized pictures and the rest. I only downloaded and resized three. WASHINGTON (AP) -- A refurbished U.S. space telescope is showing Earth the sharpest photos yet of cosmic beauty, complete with heavenly glows. NASA on Wednesday unveiled the first deep space photos taken by the Hubble telescope since its billion dollar repair mission earlier this year. That work included installing two new cameras, other science instruments and replacing broken ...

More beautiful photos of our planet

NancyB (admin) — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 22:17:47 GMT

This photo essay says alien landscapes...

http://matadortrips.com/photo-essay-the-most-alien-landscapes-on-earth/

Solar eclipse photos

NancyB (admin) — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 23:11:51 GMT

The longest solar eclipse of the 21st century took place on July 22, 2009. The Moon's shadow swept across India, China, parts of Japan and the Pacific Ocean, lingering in some places for as long as 6 minutes and 39 seconds. This eclipse will not be surpassed in duration until June 13, 2132. More pictures here: Spaceweather link

Kindle

icecoffee — Wed, 27 May 2009 11:38:40 GMT

Does anyone have this & can you believe the price on the newest one? $489.00 Display 9.7" diagonal e-inkSize 10.4" x 7.2" x 0.38"Storage 3,500 booksPDF Support native PDF readerRotating Display 3G Wireless Books in Under 60 Seconds Text-to-Speech Whispersync Price $489.00Availability Pre-order now The other one is 359.00. Display 6" diagonal e-inkSize 8" x 5.3" x 0.36"Storage 1,500 booksPDF Support via conversionRotating ...

Lyme Disease "the movie"

NancyB (admin) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 21:20:30 GMT

THis is a Vanity Fair article about a documentary movie about Lyme Disease.

Very interesting article.

http://www.vanityfair.com/online/oscars/2009/06/qa-the-lyme-disease-controversy.html

And now... Really cool volcano pictures

NancyB (admin) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 19:35:07 GMT

taken from space.

They are kind of big, so go to the link: Volcano pictures

Cool cloud pictures

NancyB (admin) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 22:44:15 GMT

These can be found at: New Scientist dot com Fallstreak holes These are crisp gaps in mid or high-level cloud layers, below which dangle trails of ice-crystals. ----- Roll cloud This is a horizontal tube of cloud that forms in the cold downdraughts that spread out ahead of an approaching storm (or, less commonly, at the tail end of a decaying storm). ------ Pink UFOs A stack of altocumulus lenticularis clouds hovers over the Alpujarra ...

Just try prying your XBox away from your parents now

NancyB (admin) — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 15:05:39 GMT

Link to article The newest (and no doubt coolest) entry into the "Rock Band" catalouge arrived yesterday with The Beatles: Rock Band a video that will offer a tour of the group's music, career and legacy. The game comes out on Sept. 9th-- the same day as the Beatles' entire, original, digitally re-mastered CD catalogue. What an uncanny coincidence! The game, a release says, lets fans experience The Beatles musical career for themselves, although we're guessing ...

More cool Atlantis and Hubble pictures

NancyB (admin) — Sun, 24 May 2009 21:27:56 GMT

Tons of pictures at the link

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/05/hubbles_final_servicing_missio.html

Space Station Tracker

Mappy — Mon, 25 May 2009 09:05:57 GMT

http://www.lizard-tail.com/isana/tracking/

Here is the new search engine all the techies are talking about

NancyB (admin) — Mon, 18 May 2009 17:59:23 GMT

http://www.wolframalpha.com/index.html

They took it for a test run this weekend. It is still rough. It seems as of now to be more geared toward higher education type questions.

Amateur Astronomer Captures Stunning Images of Atlantis, Hubble in the Face of the Sun

NancyB (admin) — Fri, 15 May 2009 16:43:56 GMT

Link to the photos

This is pretty cool stuff IMO

Be sure to scroll down to see the second photo

An invention that could change the internet for ever

Mrs C — Sun, 03 May 2009 19:25:24 GMT

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/an-invention-that-could-change-the-internet-for-ever-1678109.html Revolutionary new web software could put giants such as Google in the shade when it comes out later this month. Andrew Johnson reports Sunday, 3 May 2009 The biggest internet revolution for a generation will be unveiled this month with the launch of software that will understand questions and give specific, tailored answers in a way that the web has never ...

Ancient colony of microbes found thriving without oxygen, warmth or light

NancyB (admin) — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 10:09:00 GMT

This picture is called "Blood Falls" n ancient colony of microbes thriving without oxygen, warmth or light beneath a rusty glacier has led scientists to re-evaluate what it takes for life to survive. Article here he bugs, believed to be descended from ocean-dwelling organisms, have evolved a unique ecosystem in a briny pool under 400 metres of ice. There they have flourished for at least 1.5 million years, transforming sulphur and iron compounds to fuel their growth. cientists ...

New Technology Reveals Close Calls With Asteroids

NancyB (admin) — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 21:58:37 GMT

http://cornellsun.com/node/36816 On Feb. 28, sky-watchers at the Siding Spring Observatory in Australia sighted an unexpected guest: an asteroid heading directly toward the Earth. From the uncharted reaches of space, the asteroid zoomed toward the planet at 12 miles per second, forcing physicists to scramble for their calculators and crunch the numbers. Within minutes, the astronomers calculated the asteroid�s size, mass, speed and vector. At approximately 69 ft. to 154 ft. in diameter, ...

Who's watching you?

lindakm — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 21:46:30 GMT

I See You Typing Spying on someone by hacking into his webcam is disturbingly easy. Why don't more people do it? By Christopher Beam Posted Monday, April 6, 2009, at 5:09 PM ET A webcamThe China-based cyber-spy network known as "GhostNet" is a sophisticated group of hackers capable of logging its victims' keystrokes, stealing their documents, capturing images from their screens�and staring creepily at them through their webcams. CLOSEIn a report released last month, ...

Ice bridge holding Antarctic ice shelf cracks up

NancyB (admin) — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 22:56:50 GMT

By Alister Doyle OSLO (Reuters) - An ice bridge which had held a vast Antarctic ice shelf in place for hundreds of years at least shattered on Saturday and may herald a wider collapse linked to global warming, a leading scientist said. "It's amazing how the ice has ruptured. Two days ago it was intact," David Vaughan, a glaciologist with the British Antarctic Survey, told Reuters of a satellite image of the Wilkins Ice Shelf. "We've waited a long time to see this." The ...

How to diagnose and defeat the dangerous Conficker worm

NancyB (admin) — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 23:49:36 GMT

http://blogs.usatoday.com/technologylive/ Want to quickly find out if your PC might be one of the millions infected by Conficker? Try clicking to Microsoft.com. Next try Symantec.com. Now try McAfee.com. If you can get to these sites, you're cool. But if your browser will not let you access any of these websites, then you very likely are infected with Conficker. That�s because Conficker blocks you from reaching any web address that includes Microsoft, Symantec, McAfee, AVG, Kaspersky, ...

Tesla unveils its all-electric, seven-seat sedan

NancyB (admin) — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 21:24:50 GMT

Link Tesla took the cover off its curvaceous Model S sedan today, the second phase of the Silicon Valley automaker's lofty plan to sell electric cars for the masses. If the $109,000 carbon fiber Roadster signified the new company's cocksure stardom against Porsche and the Italians - after all, celebrities and rich enthusiasts are on minimum one-year waiting lists - consider the Model S a detente with Tesla's exotic rivals. The production version of the electric sedan, ...

Maggots as Good as Gel in Leg Ulcer Treatments

NancyB (admin) — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 21:23:12 GMT

US News and World Report link LOL - I saw this story and just had to post it. ABC News Link This is the ABC story because it's easier to cut and paste. Maggots' Taste For Flesh May Cure Leg Ulcers Patients Don't Seem to Mind Uncommon Therapy That May Ward Off Amputation Maggots' Taste For Flesh May Cure Leg Ulcers Patients Don't Seem to Mind Uncommon Therapy That May Ward Off Amputation By JOSEPH BROWNSTEIN ABC News Medical Unit March 20, 2009� With ...

A couple of UK sites you might like

oneforthefrog — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 18:48:41 GMT

Just a couple of techy/gadgety sites you might find interesting http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/click_online/ http://fwd.five.tv/gadget-show

Internet Explorer 8 released, progress unmistakable

NancyB (admin) — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 22:43:19 GMT

Internet Explorer 8 released, progress unmistakable Microsoft has announced that Internet Explorer 8 has been released and can be downloaded now for Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista, and Windows Server 2008. The final build of Internet Explorer 8 has been released in 25 languages. You can also grab the download directly from these links: Windows XP 32-bit (16.1 MB), Windows XP 64-bit (32.3 MB), Windows Server 2003 32-bit (16.0 MB), Windows Server 2003 64-bit (32.3 MB), ...

Nearly a third of U.S. bird species in trouble: report

NancyB (admin) — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 22:47:07 GMT

Link to article: Article Link WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Nearly one-third of all U.S. bird species are endangered, threatened or in significant decline, with birds in Hawaii facing a "borderline ecological disaster," scientists reported on Thursday. The State of the Birds report, issued by Interior Secretary Ken Salazar along with conservation groups and university ornithologists, also noted some successes, including the recovery of the bald eagle, the peregrine falcon and ...

Is the Beatles Rock Band game too late?

NancyB (admin) — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 14:42:38 GMT

CNET LINK Is the Beatles Rock Band game too late? Me: reading the comments page the answer seems to be "No". The Beatles are not just some random 1970's band. People who commented think it will be a huge success. The long-buzzed-about Beatles video game, from the creators of the Rock Band franchise, made news this past week with some pricing details and an official release date. The Beatles: Rock Band, coming September 9, 2009, will be available as a $59 stand-alone ...

Horses were tamed a millennium earlier than previously thought

NancyB (admin) — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 14:28:15 GMT

LA TImes Article Horses were tamed a millennium earlier than previously thought New evidence, including mares milk residue in pottery, shows that horses were domesticated 5,500 years ago in Central Asia. By Thomas H. Maugh II March 6, 2009 The horse, its four slender legs accomplishing astonishing feats of strength and endurance, has provided humans with far more than transportation from point A to point B. It has allowed us to travel long distances for trade, carry ...

How the World Was Made

flowerpower — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 15:03:23 GMT

Good show coming up Tuesday (March 10) on the History Channel It is one of the most man-made spaces on the planet, but everything in New York from the height of the skyscrapers to the way the subway was constructed to the position of the harbor is governed by the extraordinary forces that ultimately shaped this city. You can tell the geology of Manhattan at a glance by looking at the skyline. The skyscrapers of Midtown and Downtown are built on hard granite; the low-rise buildings in between ...

Microsoft to let PC users turn off IE Web browser

NancyB (admin) — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 09:46:47 GMT

Me: Microsoft is doing this so they won't get sued... monopoly laws especially in Europe SEATTLE (AP) � A single check box deep in the guts of the next version of Windows is giving Microsoft Corp. watchers a peek at how the software maker plans to keep European antitrust regulators from marring a crucial software launch. Windows 7, the successor to the much-maligned Vista, isn't expected to reach consumers until next year, but more than a million people are already testing early versions. ...

Kepler blasts off in search of Earth-like planets

NancyB (admin) — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 09:56:54 GMT

In a timed exposure, spectators watch from Cocoa Beach as the Kepler satellite launches from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. March 6 The $590-million mission, jointly managed by JPL and NASA, will examine a star-rich stretch of sky for a planet where water could exist in liquid form. By John Johnson Jr. March 7, 2009 NASA's Kepler spacecraft blasted off from Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Friday on a three-year mission to find Earth's twin, a Goldilocks planet where it's ...

Report: Firefox Security Superiority a Myth

NancyB (admin) — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 09:51:33 GMT

Me: a little more on the "browser war" Firefox is even more riddled with holes than IE, says security firm Secunia, but Mozilla does win props for patching them faster. Mozilla's Firefox browser has stolen a sizable chunk of marketshare away from Microsoft's once-ubiquitous Internet Explorer -- its popularity fueled largely by concerns over security weaknesses in IE. Now, the picture isn't quite so clear. Secunia has debunked a myth held dear by Linux devotees and anti-Microsoft ...