15006558
submission
bsDaemon writes:
CNN is reporting that former NASA head, Sean O'Keefe, has died in a plane crash in Alaska. The information comes from EADS North America, where he has been serving as the CEO. According to the story, the NTSB is citing inclement weather as the cause of the crash.
14773940
submission
bsDaemon writes:
It appears, according to a CNN.com article that Lucasfilm Ltd is backing off its crusade against Wicked Lasers and their "light saber"-like hand held laser, stating that the 'The potential for confusion is now "significantly reduced,"' according to a press release issued by Lucasfilm and referenced by a CNN.com story. However, Wicked Lasers did end up adding additional safety features, including tuning down the default power setting, as well as adding a safety lock to the device, as well as having gone out of their way to make sure every one knows they are not affiliated with or endorsed by the 'Star Wars' creators in any way.
7725300
submission
bsDaemon writes:
Today is the 25th anniversary of Cisco as a company, and to mark the occasion they are encouraging employees to volunteer a total of 200,000 hours to their local communities. From the article: "I can think of no better way to mark Cisco's 25th year than focusing even more of our employees' talents and energy on community service," Chambers said. "Helping people connect and collaborate is not just core to our business — it is core to our values."
662110
submission
bsDaemon writes:
According to New Scientist, researchers at JPL intend to search for magnite deposits on Mars, thinking that it may be a key to finding traces of life on the red planet. Magnite is produced by some bacteria on Earth, so if they find the mineral on Mars, it could contain evidence of similar bacteria having taken hold. From the article:
"Bacteria produce magnetite crystals in a very narrow size range, whereas 'non-biogenic' minerals occur in a variety of sizes and shapes. The variations in size mean that different kinds of magnetite have distinct magnetic properties."
652720
submission
bsDaemon writes:
New Scientist is running a story about Ghost Imaging with digital cameras due to quantum links between photons. The technique allows an image to be taken of an object that can't be directly seen. Some possible implications being mentioned are for satellite imaging through clouds or smoke. FTA: "The same method could one day be employed to produce satellite images of objects hidden behind clouds or smoke, using the sun's radiation as the photon source, says Shih. Doing that may require a photon counter beneath the clouds, but could allow a top-down view not possible using conventional methods." I suppose that in the future, there may really be no place to hide?
