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Medicine

Scientists Crack 'Entire Genetic Code' of Cancer 235

Posted by samzenpus from the whole-tumor dept.
Entropy98 writes "Scientists have unlocked the entire genetic code of skin and lung cancer. From the article: 'Not only will the cancer maps pave the way for blood tests to spot tumors far earlier, they will also yield new drug targets, say the Wellcome Trust team. The scientists found the DNA code for a skin cancer called melanoma contained more than 30,000 errors almost entirely caused by too much sun exposure. The lung cancer DNA code had more than 23,000 errors largely triggered by cigarette smoke exposure. From this, the experts estimate a typical smoker acquires one new mutation for every 15 cigarettes they smoke. Although many of these mutations will be harmless, some will trigger cancer.' Yet another step towards curing cancer. Though it will probably take many years to study so many mutations."
Data Storage

Synthetic Stone DVD Claimed To Last 1,000 Years 416

Posted by timothy from the will-your-progeny-the-warranty dept.
Lucas123 writes "A start-up launched a new DVD archive product this week: a disc that it says will hold its data for 1,000 years. The company, Cranberry, says its DiamonDisc product, which can be used in any standard DVD player, is not subject to deterioration from heat, UV rays or material rot due to humidity or other elements because it has no dyes, adhesives or reflective materials like standard DVD discs, and its discs are made from a vastly more durable synthetic stone. Data is laid down on the platter much in the same way as a standard DVD disc, but with DiamonDisc the burner etches much deeper pits. Cranberry said it is also working on producing a Blu-ray version of its 1,000-year disc."
The Media

Censorship Struggle Underway In Iceland 251

Posted by Soulskill from the information-wants-to-be-free-but-it's-gotta-work-for-it dept.
jon jonson writes "Information from the collapsed Icelandic bank Kaupthing has been leaked to WikiLeaks, revealing billions in insider loans, and the bank has been working day and night to censor the information contained in the document. Last night at 6:55pm GMT, they served an injunction against the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service, five minutes before the 7pm news was due to be aired. The TV station just displayed the WikiLeaks URL instead. They've also injuncted Iceland's national radio, banning all discussion about the contents of the document, and they are actively trying to censor the rest of the Icelandic media along with WikiLeaks."
Power

Small Nuclear Power Plants To Dot the Arctic Circle 255

Posted by Soulskill from the ubiquitous-radioactive-polar-bears dept.
Vincent West writes with news of a Russian project currently underway to populate the Arctic Circle with 70-megawatt, floating nuclear power plants. Russia has been planning these nuclear plants for quite some time, with construction beginning on the prototype in 2007. It's due to be finished next year, and an agreement was reached in February to build four more. According to the Guardian: "The 70-megawatt plants, each of which would consist of two reactors on board giant steel platforms, would provide power to Gazprom, the oil firm which is also Russia's biggest company. It would allow Gazprom to power drills needed to exploit some of the remotest oil and gas fields in the world in the Barents and Kara seas. The self-propelled vessels would store their own waste and fuel and would need to be serviced only once every 12 to 14 years."
Displays

Skin-Based Display Screens From Nanotech Tattoos 200

Posted by timothy from the your-epidermis-is-showing-a-movie dept.
destinyland writes "Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York is developing flexible nanotubes inserted under the skin to create a handheld display — inside your hand. They wirelessly receive data and display reminders and text messages, and the concept has also been broadened to suggest endlessly programmable digital tattoos, while Netherlands-based Royal Philips Electronics is also exploring the concept of the body as 'a platform for electronics and interactive skin technologies'." That middle link is quite old, but is still loaded with interesting links.
The Internet

The Net — Democratic Panacea Or Autocratic Tool? 204

Posted by Soulskill from the or-tubular-googocracy dept.
Alex writes "On April 6, 10,000 protesters organized in Moldova against the nation's Communist leadership by utilizing new media like Twitter and Facebook, demonstrating the ever-increasing potential of the Internet as a democratic and liberating tool. But in the current Boston Review, Evgeny Morozov critiques the view that the internet will inevitably democratize autocratic regimes like China, Russia and Iran. He argues that the Net's democratic effects are not inherent, and that autocratic regimes have been successful in controlling electronic media to disseminate their ideology. Will the net ultimately spread American democracy, or just American entertainment?"
GNU is Not Unix

CloudLeft Public License Closes User Data Loophole 70

Posted by timothy from the for-great-justice dept.
FreedomFighter writes "In a Cloud Standards breakthrough, the FSF is teaming up with major cloud computing vendors to form the Free and Open Cloud Alliance (FOCA), a trade marketing association supporting Free(TM) and Open Cloud Computing (FOCC). The new CloudLeft Public License (CPL) is based on the ideas that data wants to be Free(TM) and all your Cloud(TM) are belong to us. It closes the 'user data loophole' by requiring the release of not only the source code for a CloudLeft platform but also the data passing through it. This renders most security issues void while appropriately setting the users' expectation of privacy. 'In the past, I've said that "cloud" is complete gibberish, but while discussing fashion during my weekly squash game with Stallman he convinced me that this was a great opportunity.' said Larry Ellison, CEO of Oracle. RMS, who previously said that 'cloud' is worse than stupidity was also pleased about the return of the advertising clause, requiring the use of the 'GNU/Cloud' name, as he is 'tired of haranguing the GNU/Linux community about this.' Full details will be available next Monday, including the first marketing and outreach program — 'FOCC: IT in 2009.'"

Comment Re:Required reading (Score 1) 628

by agravier (#27368589) Attached to: Study Suggests Crabs Can Feel Pain
never though much of this objection at all. Suppose they conclude that it would be best to wipe us out. If we accept the stipulation that their moral reasoning really is above and beyond what we are capable of comprehending then the situation is just: (1) It would be right for them to wipe us out; and (2) We wouldn't understand why. That would be tough, but it's no great philosophical puzzle, and being nice to lobsters now won't help us if this ever comes to pass. :)

I got your point, but given its inductive nature, it doesn't hold: would you consider it OK for you to be the lobster?
I.e. you need higher standards to let the aliens wipe out humans than you need to cook lobsters.
Moreover, you assume a higher level of understanding for the aliens, hence admitting that you may not comprehend all the consequences of wiping out lobsters, that in the higher ethics, it may be wrong (= the laiens would never harm these lobsters). Hence, your decision to cook lobsters is not guaranteed to be right. It's even impossible to justify without a "maybe" inside.

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