A groundbreaking public health study has found a connection between damp, moldy homes and depression. The scientists said the findings came as a complete surprise. This was a large study, analyzing data from 5,882 adults in 2,982 households. Molds are toxins, and some research has indicated that these toxins can affect the nervous system or the immune system or impede the function of the frontal cortex, the part of the brain that plays a part in impulse control, memory, problem solving, sexual behavior, socialization and spontaneity.

In studies going back to the 1930s, mice and many other species subsisting on a severely calorie-restricted diet have consistently outlived their well-fed peers by as much as 40 percent. But just how a diet verging on the brink of starvation extends lifespan has remained elusive, until now.

Filed under: Peripherals, Storage

You spoke, Data Robotics listened. Even though we didn't think the $700 pricetag for a Drobo is that unreasonable considering its capabilities, Data Robotics is apparently deciding to preemptively strike and cut its price before it even reaches retail availability. With enough pre-orders in to increase volume and cut costs, Data Robotics was apparently able to shave a full $200 bones (nearly 30%) off the top, meaning now you'll only have to ante up $500 if you want to take one home. Pre-order customers will even get a check back for the $200 difference, which we presume they'll probably blow on more (or larger) drives.

P.S. -For the curious: it's still slated to land in early June.

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

By adulthood, most people have suffered at least one bout of painful cold sores brought on by Herpes simplex virus 1. After the initial infection, the virus usually remains in the body, hiding out in nearby nerve cells where the victim's immune defenses cannot reach it, activating periodically to cause symptoms. Now, scientists have discovered a molecular mechanism that allows the virus to escape detection by the body's immune system for months or even years.

Bacteria that may provide ticks with essential nutrients they can't get from their meals of blood could be a key to controlling ticks and the diseases they carry, such as Lyme Disease.

Hybrid B20 fuel can be used in most diesel vehicles without engine modification.
Photos: San Francisco fuels up on biodiesel

At some point, you have to just think that Chinese officials will say anything about the internet and it need not be based in any sort of reality. Earlier this week, of course, China was blaming the internet for youth violence, making the very weak case that since many kids caught doing crimes used the internet, that obviously it was at fault. However, President Hu Jintao is kicking things up a notch. Earlier this year, he suggested that the internet needed to be purified, and now he's provided some details. Apparently the way to purify the internet is to make sure that there's plenty of Marxist and socialist ideas online which will somehow entice people away from the decadent aspects of the internet. He even admits that its propaganda he's talking about. Perhaps it's just a cultural thing, but if it seems like you should be able to support your position with facts rather than admitting it's propaganda.

Rawstudio is an open source, GTK+-based RAW photo converter. It takes a straightforward approach -- no outside-the-box interface designs, no fancy frills. The result is an easy-to-use application that is stable enough for everyday usage, even though...