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Submission + - Apple Pay users could be fined if their battery runs out on the train (betanews.com)

Submitted by Mark Wilson
Mark Wilson writes: Apple Pay caused ripples of excitement when it was announced, and just the other day it found its way across the ocean to the UK. The contactless payment method transforms iPhones and Apple Watches into cardless way to pay for low-cost items with little more than a tap.

But if you plan to use Apple Pay to pay for travel by bus, tram, or train in London, it may not all be plain sailing. Using a phone or watch to make a payment is supposed to make life easier, but it could also result in a fine. Transport for London has issued a warning to travelers pointing out that if their battery dies, their journey could prove expensive.

Submission + - 2014 was Earth's warmest year on record (noaa.gov)

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: A lengthy report compiled by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration using work from hundreds of scientists across 58 countries has found that 2014 was the hottest year on record. "he warmth was widespread across land areas. Europe experienced its warmest year on record, with more than 20 countries exceeding their previous records. Africa had above-average temperatures across most of the continent throughout 2014, Australia saw its third warmest year on record, Mexico had its warmest year on record, and Argentina and Uruguay each had their second warmest year on record. Eastern North America was the only major region to experience below-average annual temperatures." They've also published a page showing highlights of the major findings. Greenhouse gas concentrations continue to rise, the global sea level reached a record high, and average sea surface temperatures reached a record high.

Submission + - Antineutrino Detectors Could Be Key to Monitoring Iran's Nuclear Program (ieee.org)

Submitted by agent elevator
agent elevator writes: Tech that analyzes antineutrinos might be the best way to keep tabs on Iran's nuclear program. The technology, which can tell how much of and what kind of plutonium and uranium are nearby, should be ready to serve as a nuclear safeguard in less than two years, according to IEEE Spectrum. In a simulation of the Arak nuclear plant, which the Iran deal requires be redesigned to make less plutonium, a detector parked outside in a shipping container could do the job.

Submission + - Nuclear power losing steam after Fukushima (worldnuclearreport.org)

Submitted by The Real Dr John
The Real Dr John writes: Japan has been without nuclear power for a full calendar year for the first time since the first commercial nuclear power plant started up in the country 50 years ago. New reactor construction around the world is down, and most plants under construction have been delayed, often by years. Renewable energy including wind and solar have surpassed nuclear generation in many developed countries without posing the threat of radioactive disasters. Nuclear power looks like it will be around for decades to come, but its time is over.

Submission + - Google Self-Driving Car Read-Ended In First Injury Accident (go.com)

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: Google's autonomous car project, as of June, hadn't been in any accidents that involved an injury. That changed on July 1st, thought it wasn't the car's fault. A Lexus SUV that was self-driving while carrying three Google employees was rear-ended while stopped at a traffic light in Mountain View, California. All three employees had minor cases of whiplash, and were quickly checked out and released from the hospital. The other driver had minor neck and back pain as well. Chris Umson, head of the autonomous car project, said, "Other drivers have hit us 14 times since the start of our project in 2009 (including 11 rear-enders), and not once has the self-driving car been the cause of the collision. Instead, the clear theme is human error and inattention. We’ll take all this as a signal that we’re starting to compare favorably with human drivers." He also posted a short video of how the self-driving car was tracking other vehicles at the time of the crash — including the one that hit it.

Submission + - 3-Year-Old with Huge Head Has Groundbreaking Skull Replacement Surgery (3dprint.com)

Submitted by ErnieKey
ErnieKey writes: Doctors in China have just successfully performed a groundbreaking surgery on a 3-year-old little girl named Han Han. Han Han was suffering from congenital hydrocephalus which caused her head to grow to four times the normal size. If something wasn't done, she probably wouldn't have lived much longer. This is when surgeons at the Second People’s Hospital of Hunan Province elected to remove a large portion of her skull and replace it with a 3d printed titanium mesh skull. The results were truly amazing, and Han Han is expected to make a full recovery.

Submission + - Dozens arrested in international crackdown on Darkode crime forum (arstechnica.co.uk)

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: The FBI and its counterparts in Europe, Brazil, and elsewhere have arrested more than 60 people suspected of carrying out hacking crimes associated with a secretive online forum known as Darkode, according to media reports.

Submission + - Wi-Fi Aware could be what the Internet of Things has been waiting for (betanews.com) 1

Submitted by Mark Wilson
Mark Wilson writes: The Internet of Things — or IoT if you will — is much more than just a buzzword. It's also much more than 'the next big thing'; it could be fundamental to the future of technology and how we interact with it. When we talk about the Internet of Things, we tend to do so in reference to the home and business — but there is more to it than that.

There's a lot to consider when it comes to working with data gathered by various sensors built into smart devices, and the most recent game-changer has been unveiled by the Wi-Fi Alliance. Wi-Fi Aware certification has just been opened up with a view to enabling the creation of smart devices that can wirelessly exchange data directly, react to location, and discover other devices. This, rather than a connected fridge or oven, is what is exciting about the Internet of Things.

The difference with Wi-Fi Aware is that data can be transferred without the need for a separate wireless network. There's no need to have a router sitting there waiting to intercept one device's signal and pass it to another — the two devices can communicate directly without the need to set anything up. It's something that is set for inclusion in mobile phones, but there are plenty of other applications.

Comment Suddenly it all makes sense (Score 1) 143

by Billy the Mountain (#50116997) Attached to: Does Elon Musk's Hyperloop Make More Sense On Mars?
The hyperloop is the next new national travel phenomenon. Here's why:

1. Hyperloop uses electricty and can work fine without fossil fuels.
2. Because hyperloop cars can be made an arbitrary size, security demands are much less of an issue for a vehicle carrying, say, 10 people.
3. Because the cars travel in a tube as the technology advances they can travel at artbitrary speeds like 2k, 3k, 4k? M.P.H. With no noise impact.

So what if it costs 6 billion per route? The cars will probably be way cheaper to make than airplanes.

Submission + - SpaceX rocket failure cost NASA $110 million (latimes.com)

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: On June 28th, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket exploded just over two minutes into its attempt to reach the International Space Station. It was a contracted mission from NASA to resupply the astronauts living there. Today, NASA associate administrator William Gerstenmaier said the price tag to taxpayers for that failed launch is $110 million. SpaceX is leading the investigation into the cause of the failure, and NASA officials faced tough questions about whether private companies should be allowed to direct investigations into their own failed launches. A similar inquiry is underway at Orbital ATK. NASA inspector general Paul Martin said his office is looking into it. Gerstenmaier added that NASA is thinking about making these companies take out insurance policies that would cover the cost to taxpayers in the event of another failure.

Submission + - Solar activity predicted to fall 60% in 2030s

Submitted by sycodon
sycodon writes: A new model of the Sun's solar cycle is producing unprecedentedly accurate predictions of irregularities within the Sun's 11-year heartbeat. The model draws on dynamo effects in two layers of the Sun, one close to the surface and one deep within its convection zone. Predictions from the model suggest that solar activity will fall by 60 per cent during the 2030s to conditions last seen during the 'mini ice age' that began in 1645.

Submission + - New Rooftops in France Now Must Be Covered in Plants or Solar Panels (themindunleashed.org)

Submitted by MichaelBrittt
MichaelBrittt writes: France has recently introduced an environmental law which makes it obligatory for new buildings in commercial zones to have their rooftops partially covered with either plants or solar panels.

Despite the fact that the primary goal of French environmental activists was to pass a law that would require making the entire surface of new roofs âgreenâ(TM), the potential benefits of commercial buildings with partially covered roofs are still very promising. The French government wanted to avoid approving a law that would impose too many additional costs on businesses, which could possibly have negative effects on the economy.

This draft law is a very positive step forward and a concrete lever for greener and smarter cities, James Watson, CEO of the European Photovoltaic Industry Association, told CBSNews. There are so many unused rooftops in our cities today and solar photovoltaics is the perfect solution to make the best out of them as it can be seamlessly integrated in an urban setting.

The application of this environmental law will help significantly reduce energy costs. The main reason for this is the isolating effect of green roofs, which results in the fact that buildings need less heat during the winter and less air-conditioning in the summer. Some other advantages of green roofs include the ability to retain rainwater and prevent the water runoff, as well as providing shelter for birds in urban surroundings. There is also some evidence that green roofs contribute to reducing the effects of so-called urban heat island , which is associated with the increased temperatures in metropolitan areas in summer.

As for solar panels, itâ(TM)s needless to say that with more buildings powered by renewable energy, it will be possible to mitigate negative environmental consequences of conventional electricity production. Moreover, solar panels have a similar isolating effect as the green roofs.

In a long-term perspective, not only will this law help solve some environmental issues and make a wider use of renewables, but it will also prove beneficial for building owners themselves, since they will be saving on the electricity bills.

Itâ(TM)s very inspiring to see the increasing number of countries that are becoming aware of the importance of environmental sustainability and favor the use of clean energy and environment-friendly initiatives. Some other examples of such countries are Germany and Australia, where green roofs have already become popular, or Norway, which recently started constructing the worldâ(TM)s first âbee highwayâ(TM) to help save the endangered bees. Letâ(TM)s hope that this trend will continue and we will soon see other countries adopt similar environmental laws and facilitate green projects.

Image source: Wikipedia

Submission + - Airbus first to Fly across English Channel, after dirty tricks delay rival. 1

Submitted by wolfguru
wolfguru writes: Airbus claimed the technical coup of being the first to fly and electrically powered plane across the English Channel today, with great fanfare. Unfortunately for Airbus, even though they were able to get rival Pipistrel denied the opportunity earlier this week, by behind-the-scenes pressure on Siemans to de-certify the electric motors Pipistrel uses for flight over water, another electric plane was able to make the flight about 12 hours earlier. French pilot Hugues Duval took his two-engine, one-seat Cricri plane from Calais to Dover and back. Because he was denied authorization to take off from Calais, another fuel-driven plane towed his 100-kilogram (220-pound) Cricri for the start of the trip. He then flew back to Calais and landed safely.
So what does Airbus get to actually claim, other than to have duplicated the acheivement with more media in attendance?

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