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Jun 25, 2018

UF-oh no? We may be the only intelligent life out there, study finds

Posted by in categories: alien life, existential risks

If intelligent life is so likely to exist elsewhere in the universe, why haven’t we found it? Well, the chances of us coming across extraterrestrials are not looking good, according to a new study.

Scientists from the Future of Humanity Institute at Oxford University have revealed that we are probably the only advanced civilization out there, although they can’t say for sure. The team came to their conclusion after realizing that Fermi’s paradox and its supporting theories are somewhat flawed. The paradox is the conflict between the probability that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe and the lack of evidence of such.

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Jun 25, 2018

Antioxidant inhibitor might be a regulator of aging

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, life extension

TRX-1 inhibitor TXNIP might be implicated in increased oxidative stress as we age.


According to scientists at the German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, or DKFZ), the enzyme TXNIP, which inhibits the enzyme TRX-1, might be a regulator of aging and might be a viable candidate for future interventions against age-related diseases [1].

Study summary

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Jun 25, 2018

Volvo is making a true ‘Autopilot’ that’ll let you eat, sleep, or watch movies – coming in 3 years

Posted by in categories: food, mobile phones, robotics/AI

Self-driving cars have gone from DARPA project to roaming our streets much faster than anyone predicted, but if you bring the topic up with a grouchy truck nuts-owning uncle, the response is probably going to be “Yeah, but when can I buy one?”

Volvo is making a more concrete (and realistic!) pledge than most of its competitors: to have a Level 4 autonomous car in showrooms, buyable and usable, by 2021. Level 4 doesn’t mean full autonomy, but what it does mean is that you can have the bulk of your commute completely automated.

Don’t Miss : Get the wireless charger that should’ve come with your phone for $13.

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Jun 25, 2018

Australian cities are lagging behind in greening up their buildings

Posted by in categories: business, energy, habitats, policy

Covering roofs and walls of buildings with vegetation is a good way of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. And these green roofs and walls make cities look nicer. Toronto’s central business district adopted a policy of establishing green roofs on around half of all city buildings in 2009. Research shows this could reduce maximum city temperatures by up to 5℃.

We spent the past 12 months analysing the case for more greenery on Australian city buildings, drawing on international comparisons. We’ve shown that a mandatory policy, coupled with incentives to encourage new and retrofitted and walls, will provide environmental, social and business benefits.

These include improved air quality, energy conservation and reductions in stormwater run-off from buildings, which would decrease flash flooding. Green roofs and walls also become new habitats for biodiversity and can be pleasant spaces for social interaction in dense urban areas.

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Jun 25, 2018

Low-cost plastic sensors could monitor a range of health conditions

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, health, solar power, sustainability

An international team of researchers have developed a low-cost sensor made from semiconducting plastic that can be used to diagnose or monitor a wide range of health conditions, such as surgical complications or neurodegenerative diseases.

The sensor can measure the amount of critical metabolites, such as lactate or glucose, that are present in sweat, tears, saliva or blood, and, when incorporated into a , could allow to be monitored quickly, cheaply and accurately. The new device has a far simpler design than existing sensors, and opens up a wide range of new possibilities for health monitoring down to the cellular level. The results are reported in the journal Science Advances.

The device was developed by a team led by the University of Cambridge and King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia. Semiconducting plastics such as those used in the current work are being developed for use in solar cells and flexible electronics, but have not yet seen widespread use in biological applications.

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Jun 25, 2018

Want to feel more Calm, get some Headspace, and practice Mindfulness Daily?

Posted by in categories: education, mobile phones, space

Good update on the science around popular mindfulness apps — “It is vital that we understand the potential benefits of engaging with such apps, and how these compare to programs that are taught in-person…”


Let me ask again…want to feel more Calm, get some Head­space, and prac­tice Mind­ful­ness Daily?

There are apps for that—hundreds of them, besides the three I just mentioned.

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Jun 25, 2018

Water use across the US declines to levels not seen since 1970

Posted by in category: futurism

Reductions in water use first observed in 2010 continue, show ongoing effort towards “efficient use of critical water resources.”

Water use across the country reached its lowest recorded level in 45 years. According to a new USGS report, 322 billion gallons of per day (Bgal/d) were withdrawn for use in the United States during 2015.

This represents a 9 percent reduction of water use from 2010 when about 354 Bgal/d were withdrawn and the lowest level since before 1970 (370 Bgal/d).

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Jun 25, 2018

Star attraction: Royal Observatory seeks volunteers to use new telescope

Posted by in category: space

Cutting-edge telescope makes Greenwich a working observatory for the first time in 60 years.

Science editor.

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Jun 25, 2018

Ransom Demands and Frozen Computers: Hackers Hit Towns Across the U.S.

Posted by in categories: bitcoin, cybercrime/malcode

The attack on Rockport is one example in a rising tide of similar invasions of municipal systems across the U.S.—from major cities like Atlanta, which got hit in March, to counties, tiny towns and even a library system in St. Louis. Local governments are forced to spend money on frantic efforts to recover data, system upgrades, cybersecurity insurance and, in some cases, to pay their online extortionists if they can’t restore files some other way.


Hackers are targeting small towns’ computer systems, with public-sector attacks appearing to be rising faster than those in the private sector. Online extortionists demand bitcoin ransom in return for decryption keys.

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Jun 24, 2018

Trump’s ‘Space Force’ could fuel a new $1 trillion economy, Morgan Stanley says

Posted by in categories: economics, security, space travel

Space is the next frontier for war.


  • President Donald Trump’s proposed “Space Force” could help fuel the $1 trillion intergalactic economy, Morgan Stanley says.
  • The bank is tracking 100 private companies poised to profit from interstellar industries.

If President Donald Trump successfully organizes his so-called Space Force, it could speed up investment in what Morgan Stanley sees as the next trillion-dollar economy.

In a note to clients Friday, the bank doubled down on its intergalactic thesis from last October, saying the Space Force “could address critical vulnerabilities in national security, raising investor awareness in the formation of what we see as the next trillion-dollar economy.”

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