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NASA Releases Columbia Crew Survival Report 223

Posted by timothy from the sacred-cow dept.
Migraineman writes "NASA has released a 400-page Columbia Crew Survival Investigation Report [16MB PDF.] If you're interested in a detailed examination and timeline of the events leading to the destruction of Columbia, this is well worth the time. The report includes a number of recommendations to increase survivability of future missions." Reader bezking points out CNN's story on the report, which says that problems with the astronauts' restraint systems were the ultimate cause of death for the seven astronauts on board.
The Courts

Psystar Claims Apple Forgot To Copyright Mac OS 648

Posted by kdawson from the that-would-be-an-oopsie dept.
Preedit writes "Mac cloner Psystar is claiming in new court papers that Apple's copyright suit against it should be dismissed, because Apple has never filed for copyright protection on Mac OS X 10.5 with the US Copyright Office. Infoweek is reporting that the claim, if it holds up, could open the door for third-parties to enter the Mac market without fear of legal action from Apple. In its latest set of allegations, Psystar is also accusing Apple of bricking Macs that don't run on genuine Apple hardware." We've been following the Psystar-Apple imbroglio since the beginning.
Communications

Mediterranean Undersea Cables Cut, Again 329

Posted by ScuttleMonkey from the cut-me-twice-shame-on-you dept.
miller60 writes "Three undersea cables in the Mediterranean Sea have failed within minutes of each other in an incident that is eerily similar to a series of cable cuts in the region in early 2008. The cable cuts are already causing serious service problems in the Middle East and Asia. See coverage at the Internet Storm Center, Data Center Knowledge and Bloomberg. The February 2008 cable cuts triggered rampant speculation about sabotage, but were later attributed to ships that dropped anchor in the wrong place."
Biotech

Oldest Nuclear Family Found Murdered In Germany 186

Posted by kdawson from the calling-csi-stone-age dept.
Pickens writes "The oldest genetically identifiable nuclear family met a violent death, according to analysis of remains from 4,600-year-old burials in Germany where the broken bones of these stone age people show they were killed in a struggle. Comparisons of DNA from one grave confirm it contained a mother, father, and their two children. 'We're really sure, based on hard biological facts not just supposing or assuming,' says Dr. Wolfgang Haak, from The Australian Centre for Ancient DNA. The stone-age people are thought to belong to a group known as the Corded Ware Culture, signified by their pots decorated with impressions from twisted cords. The children and adult males had the same type of strontium in their teeth — which was also found locally, but the nearest match to the women's teeth was at least 50km away, suggesting they had moved to the area. 'They were definitely murdered, there are big holes in their heads, fingers and wrists are broken,' says Dr. Alistair Pike from Bristol University. He noted that one victim even had the tip of a stone weapon embedded in a vertebra. 'You feel some kind of sympathy for them, it's a human thing, somebody must have really cared for them. ... We don't know how hard daily life was back there and if there was any space for love,' added Dr. Haak."

Oil-Immersion Cooled PC Goes To Retail 210

Posted by ScuttleMonkey from the next-up-hot-grits dept.
notthatwillsmith writes "Everyone's seen mods where someone super-cools a PC by submersing it in a non-conductive oil. It's a neat idea, but most components aren't designed to withstand a hot oil bath; after prolonged exposure materials break down and components begin to fail. Maximum PC has an exclusive hands-on, first look at the new Hardcore Computer Reactor, the first oil-cooled PC available for sale. Hardcore engineered the Reactor to withstand the oil, using space-age materials and proprietary oil. The Reactor's custom-manufactured motherboard, videocards, memory, and SSD drives are submersed in the oil, while the dry components sit outside the bulletproof tank. The motherboard lifts out of the oil bath on rails, giving you relatively easy access to components, and the overall design is simply jaw-dropping. Of course, we'd expect nothing less for a machine with a base price of $4000 that goes all the way up to $11k for a fully maxed out config."
Censorship

Submission + - T-Mobile enforces trademark on Magenta

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: On March 31, 2008, Engadget Mobile received a nice letter requesting that the magenta in Engadget's logo be changed. Today being April Fools Day, several sites have gone magenta in a show of solidarity. There's no more an appropriate time to whip up the OMG Ponies theme. Or perhaps Slashdot missed the boat on this one.
Space

Submission + - First Fully Automated Spacecraft to Dock with ISS (popularmechanics.com)

Submitted by
longacre
longacre writes: "The first of seven planned fully autonomous resupply spacecraft will rendezvous with the International Space Station on Thursday. Unmanned Russian Progress modules have been running supplies up to the International Space Station for years, but the European Space Agency's new Jules Verne will be the first to dock with the ISS controlled only by navigation software and instruments. Launched on March 9th, Verne is the first vehicle built as part of ESA's Automated Transfer Vehicle program, which was initiated following NASA's decision to retire the Space Shuttle in 2010."
Google

Submission + - With Google, everyday can be yesterday

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: I got an email about Google's new Custom Time feature in GMail. I thought it might of been an April Fool's joke, but the email was sent yesterday, so it's obviously true. This has got to be the coolest thing Google has ever done!
Privacy

Submission + - Get Out the Tin Hats; dust-speck sized RFID

Submitted by MedicinalMan
MedicinalMan writes: According to Pink Tentacle, http://www.pinktentacle.com/2007/02/hitachi-develo ps-rfid-powder/ very tiny RFID chips 0.05mm x 0.05mm will be markted by Hitachi in the next couple of years. The many harmless uses generally involve embedding them in paper (money, gift certificates, admission tickets, etc.). The main specs are: "128-bit ROM for storing a unique 38-digit ID number.The new chips are also 9 times smaller than the prototype chips Hitachi unveiled last year, which measure 0.15 x 0.15 mm." Telescreen: There will be absolutely no uses that involve privacy invasion nor should paranoia increase. Carry on...War is peace...
Space

Submission + - Whistle While You Work? Not in Space.

Submitted by
Ant
Ant writes: "ABC News report that astronauts on spacewalks will never, ever be able to whistle while they work in space. Former NASA astronaut, Dan Barry has seven hours of spacewalking time to his credit. He tried whistling during his spacewalk on STS-96 in May 1999. "It wasn't something I hadn't planned — I thought of it on the fly. It turned out that it didn't work." he said. "You can't whistle because the air pressure in the suit is only 4.3 [pounds per square inch], and normal atmospheric pressure is 14.7 psi, so there are not enough air molecules blowing by your lips to make a sound," he said. Seen on Blue's News."

Feed RFID Chips Shrink to Powder Size (wired.com)

From feed by wiredfeed
Hitachi's new tags measure 0.002 inches square, but store as much information as their much-larger predecessors. The company's still investigating possible uses. By the Associated Press.


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