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Comment Re:Thunderbolt 3 dubious for external GPU (Score 2) 296

Seeing as the purpose of this setup seems to be more for the ability to drive the 5K display than to actually use the power of the GPU for gaming or other heavy tasks, I don't think it's going to be a huge issue. As well, the 4x lane isn't as huge a limitation as you'd expect
Stats

Nearly 700 Genetic Factors Found To Influence Human Adult Height 68

Posted by Soulskill from the so-much-for-genetic-height-therapy dept.
damn_registrars writes: A consortium of scientists from many different countries reviewed genome-wide association study data sets of over 250,000 individuals in a search for genetic factors that influence adult height. Looking at Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms, the researchers found 697 distinct genetic markers that can explain some 20 percent of the heritability of human adult height. Previous studies had found around 180 such markers, but the larger sample set increased the ability to detect these changes, both within genes and in non-coding regions. Genes found in this set included ones from pathways not previously connected to skeletal growth.

This study is also significant for the sample size, which allows it to address whether the data from such large sets has a tendency to converge or diverge on genetic pathways; this study particularly favors the latter, which is of great utility toward studying other polygenetic conditions in the future. The original paper is likely paywalled, however the abstract is available for free and some of the collaborators behind it have other bits available for free in the meantime.
Australia

Aussie Attorney General Says Gamers Are Scarier Than Biker Gangs 409

Posted by Soulskill from the well-perhaps-in-some-senses dept.
Sasayaki writes "South Australian Attorney-General Michael Atkinson claims, in an interview with Good Game, that gamers were more of a threat to his family than biker gangs. This is the man who has been the biggest opponent to Australia receiving an R18+ rating for video games and who has the power to veto any such law introducing it."
Transportation

Flying Car Ready To Take Off 315

Posted by timothy from the fill-up-on-windshield-fluid-please dept.
ChazeFroy writes "The first flying automobile, equally at home in the sky or on the road, is scheduled to take to the air next month. If it survives its first test flight, the Terrafugia Transition, which can transform itself from a two-seater road car to a plane in 15 seconds, is expected to land in showrooms in about 18 months' time. Terrafugia claims it will be able to fly up to 500 miles on a single tank of unleaded petrol at a cruising speed of 115mph. Even at $200,000 per automobile, they have already received 40 orders."
Windows

Ballmer Sets Loose Windows 7 Public Beta At CES 672

Posted by timothy from the conventional-wisdom-ranks-it-high dept.
CWmike writes "The rumors turned out to be true. Microsoft will release a public beta this week of its next desktop operating system, Windows 7, hoping it will address the problems that have made Windows Vista perhaps the least popular OS in its history. Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer will launch the beta during his speech at the start of the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas on Wednesday. Preston Gralla reviewed Windows 7 beta 1, noting 'Fast and stable, Beta 1 of Windows 7 unveils some intriguing user-interface improvements, including the much-anticipated new task bar.' MSDN and Technet subscribers should be able to get the public data tonight. The general public will have to wait until Friday."
Christmas Cheer

Submission + - Tech Gifts for the Holidays (blogspot.com)

Submitted by
MrCopilot
MrCopilot writes: "Here is a list of tech gadgetry, I'd like to see under the tree. This year on my list 3 items run on a Linux OS, including the Nokia n810, Asus eePC and the XO Laptop. I fully expect twice as many next year, with the imminent release of Google's Android.
Of course, there is no shortage of Xmas Tech Lists.

What do you, the Slashdot Tech Geek, want to open up this Christmas/Kwanzaa/Chanukah/Pagan Winter Solstice Holiday?"
Music

Submission + - Can Govt Study Says P2P Downloaders Buy More Music 2

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: Michael Geist reports that a newly study commissioned by the Government of Canada, which includes some of the most extensive surveying to date of the Canadian population on music purchasing habits, finds what many have long suspected — there is a positive correlation between peer-to-peer downloading and CD purchasing. The Impact of Music Downloads and P2P File-Sharing on the Purchase of Music: A Study For Industry Canada was conducted collaboratively by two professors from the University of London, Industry Canada, and Decima Research, who surveyed over 2,000 Canadians on their music downloading and purchasing habits.
The Courts

RIAA Accepts $300 Offer of Judgement In Carolina 165

Posted by kdawson from the when-will-they-just-give-it-up-and-go-home dept.
NewYorkCountryLawyer writes "In a North Carolina case, Capitol v. Frye, the RIAA has accepted a $300 offer of judgment made by the defendant. This is the first known use, in the RIAA v. Consumer cases, of the formal offer of judgment procedure which provides that if the plaintiff doesn't accept the offer, and doesn't later get a judgment for a larger amount, the plaintiff is responsible for all of the court costs from that point on in the case. The accepted judgment in the Frye case (PDF) also contains an injunction — much more limited than the RIAA's typical 'settlement' injunction (PDF) — under which defendant agreed not to infringe plaintiffs' copyrights."

Nanocosmetics Used Since Ancient Egypt 252

Posted by ScuttleMonkey from the lead-good-for-the-skin dept.
Roland Piquepaille writes "French researchers have found that Egyptians, Greek and Romans were using nanotechnology to dye their hair several thousands years ago. Nanowerk Spotlight reports they were using lead compounds which generated lead sulfide (PbS) nanocrystals with a diameter of only 5 nanometers. At a moment where many people wonder if the use of nanoparticles is safe, it's good to know that nanotechnology has been widely used for a very long time."

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