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Submission + - First children have been diagnosed in 100,000 Genomes project (bbc.com)

Zane C. writes: The 100,000 Genomes project, an organization dedicated to diagnosing and researching rare genetic disorders, has just diagnosed its first 2 patients. After painstakingly analyzing about 3 billion base pairs from the parents of one young girl, and the girl herself, "doctors told them the genetic abnormality — in a gene called KDM5b — had been identified". The new information will not yet change the way the young girl, named Georgia, is treated, but it opens up a path for future treatments. For the other girl, Jessica, the genetic analysis provided enough information to diagnose and begin a new treatment. A mutation had occurred "[causing] a condition called Glut1 deficiency syndrome in which the brain cannot get enough energy to function properly." Jessica's brain specifically had not been able to obtain enough sugar to power her brain cells, and as such, doctors prescribed a high fat diet to give her brain an alternate energy source. She has already begun showing improvement.

Submission + - Explosion-Proof Lithium-Ion Battery Shuts Down At High Temperatures (thestack.com)

An anonymous reader writes: Scientists have designed a lithium-ion battery that self-regulates according to temperature, to prevent itself from overheating. Reaching extreme temperatures, the battery is able to shut itself down, only restarting once it has cooled. The researchers designed the battery to shut down and restart itself over a repeated heating and cooling cycle, without compromising performance. A polyethylene film is applied to one of the electrodes, which expands and shrinks depending on temperature, to create a conductive/non-conductive material.

Submission + - French conservatives push law to ban strong encryption (dailydot.com)

Patrick O'Neill writes: The French parliament this week will examine a bill that would require tech manufacturers of computers, phones, and tablets to build backdoors into any encryption on the device. The anti-encryption bill is being presented by 18 conservative members of the National Assembly as part of a large "Digital Republic" bill.

Submission + - Reprogramming NES Super Mario Bros. 3...By Playing It 1

seufet writes: The retro-gaming wizards at tasvideos.org have managed to use extremely precise controller input to play a console game into reprogramming itself on a new platform — Super Mario Bros. 3 on the venerable Nintendo Entertainment System — and with a twist. Instead of playing Pong or Snake, the new exploit gives Mario new powers the game developers never imagined and uses them to dominate the game in unexpected ways. TASBot demonstrated the feat live on an unmodified NES & cartridge for the Awesome Games Done Quick 2016 charity marathon, where world champion Mitch kicked the tires on Mario's new powers in realtime.

 

Submission + - Group Recycling New York City Pay Phones into Free WiFi Hubs (fastcoexist.com)

retroworks writes: Jessica Lieber writes for FastCompany on the LinkNYC project, which is run by a private consortium called CityBridge. The project, which will convert existing public pay phones to free wifi hubs, is billed as "the largest and fastest public Wi-Fi network in the world." The advertising-supported model could eventually be expanded to other cities. 500 structures will be distributed among all five boroughs, and 4,500 within the first four years until there are 7,500 units. http://www.intersection.com/li...

Comment Re:JJ has a chance, maybe (Score 1) 422

Did you even watch the latest StarTrek? JJ is a *HORRIBLE* director, mainly for his overuse of lens flare, excessively bright lights, and shaky-cam. JJ was a terrible choice for StarWars and I hold out no hope for the new movies as long as he is in charge.

On another note, Lucas isn't actually that bad of writer - the original 3 he wrote and they worked out, mainly because others directed them and were able to tell him "no". As long as he is reigned in, he is good. (Especially with story concepts.)

Comment Wouldn't actually prevent 1:N copying. (Score 1) 163

While this is a nifty "copyright" idea that I'm sure producers will jump all over, it doesn't actually enforce 1:1 copies or prevent 1:n copies. At the most basic level, I can setup 2x 3D printers side by side and link them to the same servo controller, giving me a 1:2 copy every time and bypassing any encryption or other form of DRM. I could also probably put a recorder on the servo controller output and play it back later, again bypassing encryption or DRM.

In theory I could then take the 2nd copy and put it in the "scanner" and repeat infinitely. (Although I'm sure the resolution would degrade rather quickly in practice)

It is going to be *EXTREMELY* difficult (I would venture to say impossible) to come up with an effective DRM for 3D printing, especially in the near future.

Comment Re:not trolling, really. well, maybe a little.. (Score 2) 355

I'm going to go with this part:

http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=54092c01

It can be the front of a plane or something else that looks like the front of a plane.

The rest of the parts in that set seem pretty useful though:

http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemInv.asp?S=3182-1

Is your imagination broken dude? I could use that part for *TONS* of different models! Granted, it's gonna be a cockpit, but it doesn't have to be an airplane cockpit... It could be used on a racecar, submarine, spaceship, crane, whatever! (I think I would use it on a monorail - that would be fun!) You could also face it backwards or sideways for a very unique model! It could probably also prove useful somehow in a GBC module. (http://www.greatballcontraption.com/)

Yes, there are many specialized parts nowadays, but the trick is finding new and fun ways to use it.

Comment Re:um... (Score 2, Insightful) 269

Mod parent up!

As an armchair pilot, and aviation enthusiast, I've seen some "pilots" do some stupid stuff! Listening to ATC and hearing private pilots who barely know how to tune their radio is a little scary. While I'm sure GP is a great pilot, and lots of pilots are great pilots, the entry level for a private pilots license is fairly low. (If it weren't so expensive, I would have my license already - that's a *really* scary thought that someone would trust me with an airplane!)

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