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The Military

Submission + - Real-Life Invisibility Cloak Claims to Make Soldiers Virtually Undetectable (ecouterre.com)

Submitted by fangmcgee
fangmcgee writes: A Canadian camouflage-design company claims to be developing a real-life invisibility cloak that causes its wearer to vanish in plain sight. Likening its “Quantum Stealth” technology to Harry Potter’s magical coverup, the British Columbia-based Hyperstealth Biotechnology says the material tricks the human eye by bending light around a person or object. Although the firm has provided only “mockups” in lieu of proof of concept—CEO Guy Cramer says he cannot show the actual technology for security reasons—the company insists it has the backing of both the U.S. Pentagon and the Canadian military.
Biotech

Submission + - Fast DNA origami opens way for nanoscale machines (nature.com)

Submitted by
ananyo
ananyo writes: "DNA strands can be coaxed to fold up into shapes in a matter of minutes, reveals a study published in Science. The finding could radically speed up progress in the field of DNA origami.
DNA origami involves using short DNA strands to hold a longer, folded strand in place at certain points, like sticky tape. Until now, assembling the shape has involved heating the DNA and allowing it to cool slowly for up to a week. But researchers at the Technical University of Munich in Germany have worked out that for most of the cooling period, nothing happens. But when a crucial temperature is reached, the whole structure forms suddenly (abstract).
The researchers now aim to design nanostructures with optimal folding temperatures close to 37 C, the temperature at which mammalian cell cultures are grown, so that DNA machines could one day be used in biological settings."
NASA

Submission + - NASA Prepares Probes for Suicide Mission (nasa.gov)

Submitted by Press2ToContinue
Press2ToContinue writes: "Twin lunar-orbiting NASA spacecraft that have allowed scientists to learn more about the internal structure and composition of the moon are being prepared for their controlled descent and impact on a mountain near the moon's north pole at about 2:28 p.m. PST (5:28 p.m. EST) Monday, Dec. 17.

Ebb and Flow, the Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission probes, are being sent purposely into the lunar surface because their low orbit and low fuel levels preclude further scientific operations. The duo's successful prime and extended science missions generated the highest resolution gravity field map of any celestial body. The map will provide a better understanding of how Earth and other rocky planets in the solar system formed and evolved.

Both spacecraft will hit the surface at 3,760 mph (1.7 kilometers per second). No imagery of the impact is expected because the region will be in shadow at the time."

Observing the impacts could provide valuable feedback. For example, a spectrographic analysis of the impact dust cloud could reveal additional density and compositional element information for the lunar pole surfaces, so it is particularly Interesting that the probes will impact where they can't be observed from earth. This leads I, for one, to wonder if there is more to this than meets the press.
Anime

Submission + - Greenpeace's Anime Trailer Reveals Dystopian Future Destroyed by Fashion (ecouterre.com)

Submitted by fangmcgee
fangmcgee writes: A dystopian city populated by mindless drones, a mustache-twirling dictator, and a Katniss-like heroine leading a ragtag band of rebels. The ingredients for next summer’s blockbuster? Not quite. Greenpeace created the mock anime trailer as part of its “Detox” campaign to clean up the toxic fashion industry.
Robotics

Submission + - Bionic Store Mannequins Could Be Secretly Profiling the Way You Shop (ecouterre.com)

Submitted by fangmcgee
fangmcgee writes: If you’ve ever suspected store mannequins of knowing more than they let on, it might not be just your imagination. An Italian company known as Almax has developed a $5,000 bionic mannequin that employs the same type of facial-recognition software used to identify criminals in a crowd. Equipped with cameras in their eye sockets, the “EyeSee” dummies are designed to profile shoppers by age, gender, and race in much the same way online merchants do. The data, according to Almax, can help stores tailor their offerings, window displays, and even store layouts to appeal to their customer base and help boost sales. Our take? It’s more than a little creepy to have robots watch—not to mention record—your every move.
Businesses

Submission + - Companies Getting Rid of Reply-all (businessweek.com)

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: An article at BusinessWeek highlights an issue most corporate workers are familiar with: the flood of useless reply-all emails endemic to any big organization. Companies are beginning to realize how much time these emails can waste in aggregate across an entire company, and some are looking for ways to outright block reply-all. "A company that’s come close to abolishing Reply All is the global information and measurement firm Nielsen. On its screens, the button is visible but inactive, covered with a fuzzy gray. It can be reactivated with an override function on the keyboard. Chief Information Officer Andrew Cawood explained in a memo to 35,000 employees the reason behind Nielsen’s decision: eliminating 'bureaucracy and inefficiency.'" Software developers are starting to react to this need as well, creating plugins or monitors that restrict the reply-all button or at least alert the user, so they can take a moment to consider their action more carefully. In addition to getting rid of the annoying "Thanks!" and "Welcome!" emails, this has implications for law firms and military organizations, where an errant reply-all could have serious repercussions.
Star Wars Prequels

Submission + - Faux-Fur "Chewbacca" Hoodie Turns You Into a Big Walking Carpet (ecouterre.com)

Submitted by fangmcgee
fangmcgee writes: If Marc Ecko’s “Chewbacca” hoodie isn’t the coolest faux-fur jacket in the galaxy, then it’s certainly the geekiest. Part of larger lineup of Star Wars-inspired threads, the chocolate-fleece number even includes our favorite Wookie’s signature bandoleer utility belt. The best part? On the off, off chance you tire of looking like a big walking carpet—why would you?—the hairy topper reverses into a Rebel Alliance bomber toasty enough for a trip to Hoth. (We’d keep a Tauntaun close-by just in case, though.)
HP

Submission + - Meg Whitman & HP defrauded by Autonomy; HP stock plunges (cnbc.com)

Submitted by McGruber
McGruber writes: CNBC is reporting (http://www.cnbc.com/id/49900639) that Meg Whitman claims HP was defrauded in its purchase of Autonomy.

"We believed there is a willful effort on the part of certain members of Autonomy management to mislead shareholders when Autonomy was a publicly traded company, and to mislead potential buyers including HP, Whitman said. "We stand by the forensic review that we’ve seen," she added.

I wish her the same level of success I had when I filed an eBay claim.
Idle

Submission + - Edible "Deodorant Candy" Promises to Make Your Skin Smell Like Roses for Hours (ecouterre.com)

Submitted by fangmcgee
fangmcgee writes: Think of Deo Perfume Candy as a breath mint for your entire body. The fragrance-releasing “edible deodorant,” a collaboration between Beneo, an American nutrition company and Alpi, a candy-maker from Bulgaria, is a rose-scented boiled sweet that claims to leave you smelling like a floral arrangement. The source of the scent? Geraniol, a natural substance found rose, geranium, lemon, and other essential oils. Like garlic, geraniol contains chemicals that cannot be digested. Instead, it’s secreted through the skin’s pores, resulting in a light, rosy aroma that is said to last for hours.
Science

Submission + - "Texting Jacket" Provides Emergency Responders With Critical Information (ecouterre.com)

Submitted by fangmcgee
fangmcgee writes: Clothes that "talk" to Facebook aren't just fun and games. They could also provide first responders with critical, real-time information in times of emergency. With this in mind, a group of students at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology developed a jacket that uses a Bluetooth-enabled cellphone to communicate with the Internet, particularly social networks that can help large groups coordinate their efforts. Designed to be worn by firefighters and rescue workers, who typically don't have time to fuss with additional gear, the jacket features a built-in screen on its sleeve and a vibrating collar that alerts the wearer of incoming messages.
Politics

Submission + - Would Charles Darwin Have Made a Good Congressman? (sciencemag.org) 1

Submitted by sciencehabit
sciencehabit writes: It's a good 130 years too late to answer that question empirically, but at least symbolically Charles Darwin has won support from more than 4000 voters in the 10th congressional district of Georgia, thanks to an initiative headed by James Leebens-Mack, a plant biologist at the University of Georgia in Athens.

Like many others, Leebens-Mack was deeply troubled by a speech his Congressman, Paul Broun (R-GA), gave at an Athens church in October deriding teachings on evolution, embryology, and the big bang theory as "lies straight from the pit of Hell." Broun, a medical doctor, is a member of the U.S. House of Representative's Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, and chair of its Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight.

Leebens-Mack says the "protest vote should make it clear to future opponents that there are a lot of people in the district who are not happy with antiscience statements."
Power

Submission + - Pee-Powered Generator Unveiled at Maker Faire Africa (paritynews.com) 1

Submitted by hypnosec
hypnosec writes: Four Nigerian girls aged between 14 and 15 have unveiled their creation – a urine-powered generator that is capable of generating six hours of electricity using a liter of pee. Showcased at the fourth annual Maker Faire Africa in Lagos, Nigeria, the generator is an eco-friendly power source that generates electricity by separating hydrogen present in the excreted bodily fluids with an electrolytic cell. The design is more or less crude as of now and if enough attention and funding are made available, chances are that this pee-powered generator may very well be available at your local hardware store.
Idle

Submission + - Cancer-Detecting Smart Bra Could One Day Surpass Mammograms in Accuracy (ecouterre.com)

Submitted by fangmcgee
fangmcgee writes: Reno-based First Warning Systems is working on a new bra that could detect if you are developing breast cancer. Integrated sensors and a data controller regularly monitor your breasts and can watch for irregularities which may signal the growth of tumors. Tests so far are showing that the bra is far superior and may be able to detect cancerous growth up to 6 years sooner than self-exams or mammograms.

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