For everything from family to computers…
The little mobile-only social network kicked up a big privacy debacle by uploading its members address book data to its servers without their knowledge. Today, Path announced that it’s deleting that data, and released a new version of its app. More »
from Gizmodo
Things are NOT looking good for Airbus (and its parent company EADS) with 2nd aircraft to develop cracks in its wings! >.<
================================================================
Last month, engineers found small cracks in the wings of Singapore Airlines’ A380s. Now, Qantas has been forced to ground one its A380s because of the same problem. More »
from Gizmodo
Wow… even FAA is joining the 21st century!! o.O
===========================================================
It took awhile, and the price tag is quite a bit steeper than previously thought (shocking, right?), but the FAA is finally getting the funding it needs to bring the nation’s air traffic control system up to date. Congress just passed the bill to make it happen, allotting $11 billion to the FAA to upgrade the nation’s 35 busiest airports air traffic controls from radar to GPS. The deadline for the conversion is June 2015, and when complete, it’ll allow for more precise positioning of aircraft — GPS pings for the planes’ locations every second, while radar updates their locations every 6 to 12 seconds. With such technology enabled, airplanes will be able to take-off and land more closely together while utilizing steeper descents than is currently possible to conserve fuel. So, now that we’ve got the new traffic control system to improve airline punctuality, we just need the FAA and the FCC to team up and eliminate the “Terrible 10,000 feet” and flying might actually be fun.
from Engadget
Critics are calling for the ouster of Trustwave as a trusted issuer of secure sockets layer certificates after it admitted minting a credential it knew would be used by a customer to impersonate websites it didn’t own.
The so-called subordinate root certificate allowed the customer to issue SSL credentials that Internet Explorer and other major browsers would accept as valid for any server on the Internet. The unnamed buyer of this skeleton key used it to perform what amounted to man-in-the-middle attacks that monitored users of its internal network as they accessed SSL-encrypted websites and services. The data-loss-prevention system used a hardware security module to ensure the private key at the heart of the root certificate wasn’t accidentally leaked or retrieved by hackers.
from Ars Technica
Why spend $400+ on a Geiger Counter when you can build your own for a fraction of the price? This new Geiger Counter Kit, available in the Maker Shed, was featured in MAKE: Volume 29 and is able to detect α(alpha), β(beta) and γ(gamma) radiation using the included GMT-01 tube. The simple to build kit can be soldered together in a few hours and is designed to be reliable and long lasting. When complete, the Geiger counter will output a click and flash an LED each time a radioactive particle is detected. The unit has two digital TTL logic pulse outputs that allow connection to a number of accessory instruments such as a a data logger, Digital Meter, or RS-232 adapter for connection to a PC (none included.)
Features
- GMT-01 tube detects α(alpha) β(beta) and γ(gamma) radiation
- 2 digital outputs
- Flashing LED and audio clicker alert you to detected radiation.
- Robust circuit design
- 9V battery not included
from MAKE
Some people go to the beach but eschew going into the water because it’s “gross”. If that’s you, then you are a sucker. According to a new EPA study, playing in the sand more than doubles your chances of getting sick. More »
from Gizmodo
We’ve seen the plasma beam toothbrush, where a blast of room-temperature plasma destroys plaque and bacteria in your mouth. Now researchers at Drexel University have applied the technology to raw chicken and found that the gentle blue blast of ionized matter effectively removes pathogens on the poultry’s surface.
When raw chicken breasts had a normal amount of pathogens (Salmonella enterica and Campylobacter jejuni were the culprits that were tested), the plasma almost completely eliminated them. The technology is still too expensive to fit into the highly streamlined production lines that bring skinless, boneless, sanitized poultry to your table, but — not least because it is equally effective on antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria — the proof of concept is an intriguing one.
The researchers suggest that the treatment could significantly increase the shelf life of raw meat by removing microorganisms responsible for spoilage. They don’t mention, though, the first idea that popped into my mind: delicious chicken sashimi.
from Popular Science – New Technology, Science News, The Future Now