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Medicine

Why Climbers Die On Mount Everest 417

Posted by timothy from the failure-to-be-born-sherpas dept.
Science Daily reports that researchers have conducted the first detailed analysis of deaths during expeditions to the summit of Mt. Everest. They found that most deaths occur during descents from the summit in the so-called "death zone" above 8,000 meters, and also identified factors that appear to be associated with a greater risk of death, particularly symptoms of high-altitude cerebral edema. The big surprise that the data indicate those deaths aren't primarily from avalanches or falling ice, as had long been believed.
Software

Algorithms Can Make You Pretty 288

Posted by timothy from the too-late-for-me dept.
caffeinemessiah writes "The New York Times has an interesting story on a new algorithm by researchers from Tel Aviv University that modifies a facial picture of a person to conform to standards of attractiveness. Based on a digital library of pictures of people who have been judged 'attractive,' the algorithm finds the nearest match and modifies an input picture so it conforms to the 'attractive' person's proportions. The trick, however, is that the resultant pictures are still recognizable as the original person. Here's a quick link to a representative picture of the process. Note that this is a machine-learning approach to picture modification, not a characterization of beauty, and could just as easily be used to make a person less attractive." Note: As reader Trent Waddington points out, the underlying research was mentioned in an earlier story as well.

Comment Apple won't license OSX because... (Score 1) 731

by yule (#15106922) Attached to: Bunk Camp - Apple Gets It Wrong?
Apple will not license OSX to run on other vendor's hardware because they are a *hardware company*. Yes, I know, they also make some great software. But the majority of Apple's computer division revenue comes from selling hardware and not from selling OSX licenses. (I think the iPod is still the largest single source of revenue for the company overall, though.)

Do you remember way back in 1994-5, when Apple granted licenses for "clone" Macs? The clones worked great, were significantly cheaper that Macs from Apple, and ran OS8 and 9 perfectly. Great idea for Apple, right? Wrong. The loss in hardware revenue was not offset by license revenue. The licensing blunder (and other mistakes) led to Job's return and the current state of Apple as a company. So, Apple is going to shy away fron licensing if it has any corporate memory at all.

Google's DNA 171

Posted by Zonk from the bioengineered-for-the-win dept.
bart_scriv writes "Businessweek confronts Google naysayers with an analysis of the company's business structure, arguing that its unique structure lends it the flexibility to adapt to any and all markets: 'Google is actually the first company with a brand that is built entirely on stem cells: able to grow and develop into whatever form it sees fit.' The article predicts significant changes for the company in communications, hardware, entertainment and localization and goes on to argue that Google is on the verge of achieving the holy grail of branding--being all things to all markets."

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