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Submission + - Polyethylene Bulletproof Vests better than Kevlar

Submitted by teflonscout
teflonscout writes: When I think of bulletproof vests, the first word that comes to mind is Kevlar. Wired is running a story on Dynema SB61, a bulletproof material that is made of polyethylene. It is a higher grade of the plastic found in Tupperware. The story also mentions the recall of Second Chance bulletproof vests that were made from Zylon, a material that degraded slowly when exposed to moisture. At least one police officer was injured when a bullet penetrated his Zylon vest. Polyethylene is impervious to moisture. The first vests made from this new material are 5mm thick and can stop at 9mm bullet traveling at 1777 feet per second, which is slightly better than other top of the line vests.
Biotech

Submission + - Genetic Markers for Aggressive Prostate Cancer

Submitted by
hairygenes
hairygenes writes: "Northwestern University researchers have found a genetic marker associated with aggressive forms of prostate cancer. Previously characterized mutations in markers at 8q24 are associated with a broader population than previously reported and with much more aggressive tumors. deCODE genetics, who originally characterized these mutations noted a 60% increase in risk of prostate cancer, but this study finds more concrete linkage to inheritance and disease severity.Read more about these findings released today"
Space

Submission + - Dr. Michael Turner asks, "Cosmology Solved?

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: In 1998, Dr. Michael Turner published a famous paper titled "Cosmology Solved? Quite Possibly!" where he outlined seven major issues cosmologists should address in the next ten years. Nine years later, he revisits the list in an interview with the Slackerpedia Galactica podcast. He summarizes progress on each issue, adds some new goals for the next ten years, and even suggests that cosmology is now more interesting than science fiction!
Power

Submission + - Simple chemical trick to boost battery efficiency

Submitted by space_mongoose
space_mongoose writes: Hitachi reckons that a simple chemical additive could significantly improve battery life. Alkaline batteries have a positive electrode of manganese oxide and a negative electrode of finely powdered zinc, but zinc oxide forms around these grains of zinc. Hitachi's solution is to replace the zinc with a fine powder of zinc-aluminium alloy, displaces the zinc within the zinc oxide layer making it a much better conductor.
Math

Submission + - $25,000 question: Is this Turing machine universal

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: Stephen Wolfram, creator of Mathematica and author of A New Kind of Science, is offering a 25k prize to anyone who can prove or disprove his conjecture that a particular 2-state, 3-color Turing machine is universal. If true, it would be the simplest universal TM, and possibly simplest universal computational system — even simpler than rule 110. The announcement comes on the 5-year anniversary of the publication of NKS, where among other things Wolfram introduced the current reigning TM champion.
User Journal

Journal Journal: Making Money In Webcomics: Revisited

Journal by compugasm

Since my interview a few days ago, I've gotten more email questions about webcomics and money. So, I will expand on what I said in the interview:
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Feed Austin-area Scouts aim to smear model rocket launching record (engadget.com)

From feed by engfeed

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

The 1,000 hand-painted model rockets that Austin-area Cub Scout Pack 990 and Boy Scout Troop 990 are aiming to launch some 500 to 1,000-feet in the sky today aren't as technically sophisticated as some we've seen, but raising over $8,000 in an attempt to obliterate the current record of 399 is something to salute. Rather than pocketing the funds and heading off to Philmont or using this fine weekend to complete that 50-miler via canoe, these two crews have their sights set on deploying a full thousand rockets within five seconds of each other in order to firmly establish a new world record. Interestingly enough, the event has drawn such buzz around the area that Congressman Michael McCaul and Austin City Council Member Lee Leffingwell will actually be speaking at the venue before watching the fireworks -- and if any of you just happen to be in the area with a few extra frames left on your digicam, grab a few shots, will ya? Oh, and we recognize that true Scouts already know the motto, but considering the pyrotechnics you're playing with on this one, we're really stressing that "be prepared" bit.

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

Submission + - NASA's Atlantis Ready For June 8 Launch

Submitted by
lifuchi
lifuchi writes: "The guys and girls at NASA are at it again with Atlantis. The newly repaired space shuttle is said to launch on June 8. The hail-damaged fuel tank has been repaired and is said to be a bit of an eyesore. Zee News is quoted as saying "Instead of being a uniform orange, it has a patchwork of white spots where technicians sprayed, scraped and filled fresh foam into the more than 4200 areas that were damaged during a freak hailstorm in February." Full Story"
United States

Submission + - State bans texting while driving

Submitted by
netbuzz
netbuzz writes: "The state of Washington yesterday became the first in the nation to ban text-messaging while driving. The law could use sharper teeth, but it's a natural and necessary progression of the movement to clamp down on those who find the need to constantly communicate more important than the safety of their fellow travelers.

http://www.networkworld.com/community/?q=node/1508 8"

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