We need to take a hard look at bullshit. It is now almost commonplace to say we are in a “” era. But this notion is not only, or even primarily, about the difference between truth and untruth. A proper appreciation of the distinction between lying and spinning, between deliberate misinformation and deliberate obfuscation, is necessary to fully grasp the current political and media landscape.The liar knows the truth but wishes to misrepresent it; bullshit is different in an important way. The point of bullshit is to influence rather than misrepresent. The job of the marketing consultant, the...…We need to take a hard look at bullshit. It is now almost commonplace to say we are in a “” era. But this notion is not only, or even primarily, about the difference between truth and untruth. A proper appreciation of the distinction between lying and spinning, between deliberate misinformation and deliberate obfuscation, is necessary to fully grasp the current political and media landscape.The liar knows the truth but wishes to misrepresent it; bullshit is different in an important way. The point of bullshit is to influence rather than misrepresent. The job of the marketing consultant, the...WW…

Scanning tunneling microscope image of wide-band metallic graphene nanoribbon (GNR). Each cluster of protrusions corresponds to a singly-occupied electron orbital. The formation of a pentagonal ring near each cluster leads to a more than tenfold increase in the conductivity of metallic GNRs. The GNR backbone has a width of 1.6 nanometers. (UC Berkeley image by Daniel Rizzo)Transistors based on carbon rather than silicon could potentially boost computers’ speed and cut their power consumption more than a thousandfold — think of a mobile phone that holds its charge for months — but the set of...…Scanning tunneling microscope image of wide-band metallic graphene nanoribbon (GNR). Each cluster of protrusions corresponds to a singly-occupied electron orbital. The formation of a pentagonal ring near each cluster leads to a more than tenfold increase in the conductivity of metallic GNRs. The GNR backbone has a width of 1.6 nanometers. (UC Berkeley image by Daniel Rizzo)Transistors based on carbon rather than silicon could potentially boost computers’ speed and cut their power consumption more than a thousandfold — think of a mobile phone that holds its charge for months — but the set of...WW…

A from GQR research shows 52% of American voters support shutting down most-used social media platforms all over the country, a week before the US Elections 2020 begins. This includes Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other platforms. The survey questioned at least 1,000 registered voters in September, including 54% Democrats and 51% Republicans. As told by the survey, 62% are not confident that social media platforms can prevent misinformation. Meanwhile, 91% think social media companies should do more to prevent its spread. "There's a pretty staggering level of concern for how...…A from GQR research shows 52% of American voters support shutting down most-used social media platforms all over the country, a week before the US Elections 2020 begins. This includes Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other platforms. The survey questioned at least 1,000 registered voters in September, including 54% Democrats and 51% Republicans. As told by the survey, 62% are not confident that social media platforms can prevent misinformation. Meanwhile, 91% think social media companies should do more to prevent its spread. "There's a pretty staggering level of concern for how...WW…

Melting of the will cause sea level rises of about two and a half metres around the world, even if the goals of the Paris agreement are met, research has shown.The melting is likely to take place over a long period, beyond the end of this century, but is almost certain to be irreversible, because of the way in which the ice cap is likely to melt, the new model reveals.Even if temperatures were to fall again after rising by 2C (3.6F), the temperature limit set out in the Paris agreement, the ice would not regrow to its initial state, because of self-reinforcing mechanisms that destabilise...…Melting of the will cause sea level rises of about two and a half metres around the world, even if the goals of the Paris agreement are met, research has shown.The melting is likely to take place over a long period, beyond the end of this century, but is almost certain to be irreversible, because of the way in which the ice cap is likely to melt, the new model reveals.Even if temperatures were to fall again after rising by 2C (3.6F), the temperature limit set out in the Paris agreement, the ice would not regrow to its initial state, because of self-reinforcing mechanisms that destabilise...WW…

A leaked manual from Blackdot Solutions, a British company that offers social media monitoring services, included a step-by-step guide on how to create fake profiles on Facebook and LinkedIn. Registration, education and action. We're supporting voting in partnership with iamavoter.com, a nonpartisan movement encouraging voting, and civic engagement.Do you work at Blackdot Solutions? Have you ever used its product Videris? We'd love to hear from you. Using a non-work phone or computer, you can contact Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai securely on Signal at +1 917 257 1382, on Wickr at lorenzofb,...…A leaked manual from Blackdot Solutions, a British company that offers social media monitoring services, included a step-by-step guide on how to create fake profiles on Facebook and LinkedIn. Registration, education and action. We're supporting voting in partnership with iamavoter.com, a nonpartisan movement encouraging voting, and civic engagement.Do you work at Blackdot Solutions? Have you ever used its product Videris? We'd love to hear from you. Using a non-work phone or computer, you can contact Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai securely on Signal at +1 917 257 1382, on Wickr at lorenzofb,...WW…

Tiny robots can operate as nerve cell connectors, bridging gaps between two distinct groups of cells. These microscopic patches may lead to more sophisticated ways to grow networks of nerve cells in the laboratory, and perhaps even illuminate ways , researchers report September 25 in Science Advances.Engineers Eunhee Kim and Hongsoo Choi, both of the Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology in South Korea, and colleagues first built rectangular robots that were 300 micrometers long. Slender horizontal grooves, about the width of nerve cells’ tendrils that exchange messages with...…Tiny robots can operate as nerve cell connectors, bridging gaps between two distinct groups of cells. These microscopic patches may lead to more sophisticated ways to grow networks of nerve cells in the laboratory, and perhaps even illuminate ways , researchers report September 25 in Science Advances.Engineers Eunhee Kim and Hongsoo Choi, both of the Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology in South Korea, and colleagues first built rectangular robots that were 300 micrometers long. Slender horizontal grooves, about the width of nerve cells’ tendrils that exchange messages with...WW…

DALLAS — A major U.S. provider of software services to state and local governments acknowledged Friday it was hit by a ransomware attack two days after telling clients an unknown intruder had compromised its phone and information technology systems. Tyler Technologies said in a statement that it confirmed the intruder used ransomware but did not provide further details on its response, citing an ongoing investigation. A spokesperson for the Dallas-area company did not directly answer a question about whether it had paid to have its systems unlocked. Advertisement Ransomware purveyors are...…DALLAS — A major U.S. provider of software services to state and local governments acknowledged Friday it was hit by a ransomware attack two days after telling clients an unknown intruder had compromised its phone and information technology systems. Tyler Technologies said in a statement that it confirmed the intruder used ransomware but did not provide further details on its response, citing an ongoing investigation. A spokesperson for the Dallas-area company did not directly answer a question about whether it had paid to have its systems unlocked. Advertisement Ransomware purveyors are...WW…

Humans have for the most of our existence, communicated with language, though we lack a unified language. That’s where translators come in, a.k.a people who provide the meaning of two or more languages, whether it be written or spoken. For a long time, translators have played a big part in international affairs. However, with the advent of artificial intelligence and increased innovation in the tech industry, the translators job may soon be filled by a machine.In the immediate future (the next five-ten years), it’s possible that relatively little will change in the translation industry,...…Humans have for the most of our existence, communicated with language, though we lack a unified language. That’s where translators come in, a.k.a people who provide the meaning of two or more languages, whether it be written or spoken. For a long time, translators have played a big part in international affairs. However, with the advent of artificial intelligence and increased innovation in the tech industry, the translators job may soon be filled by a machine.In the immediate future (the next five-ten years), it’s possible that relatively little will change in the translation industry,...WW…

September 24, 2020by Manuel Gnida,Particle accelerators generate high-energy beams of electrons, protons and ions for a wide range of applications, including particle colliders that shed light on nature's subatomic components, X-ray lasers that film atoms and molecules during chemical reactions and medical devices for treating cancer.As a rule of thumb, the longer the accelerator, the more powerful it is. Now, a team led by scientists at the Department of Energy's SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory has invented a new type of accelerator structure that delivers a 10 times larger energy...…September 24, 2020by Manuel Gnida,Particle accelerators generate high-energy beams of electrons, protons and ions for a wide range of applications, including particle colliders that shed light on nature's subatomic components, X-ray lasers that film atoms and molecules during chemical reactions and medical devices for treating cancer.As a rule of thumb, the longer the accelerator, the more powerful it is. Now, a team led by scientists at the Department of Energy's SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory has invented a new type of accelerator structure that delivers a 10 times larger energy...WW…

AP NEWSADVERTISEMENThttps://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-media-social-media-archive-public-health-dd0168e11f7f1ae23a65feaa81cddd92Click to copyhttps://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-media-social-media-archive-public-health-dd0168e11f7f1ae23a65feaa81cddd92Click to copyRelated topicsIn the spring, Rick Rose drew the wrath of strangers after he practically shouted on Facebook that he wasn’t buying a face mask. Two months later, he contracted COVID-19 — and, he posted, he was struggling to breathe. Days later, on July 4, he was dead. That post, among the Ohio man’s final public words on...…AP NEWSADVERTISEMENThttps://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-media-social-media-archive-public-health-dd0168e11f7f1ae23a65feaa81cddd92Click to copyhttps://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-media-social-media-archive-public-health-dd0168e11f7f1ae23a65feaa81cddd92Click to copyRelated topicsIn the spring, Rick Rose drew the wrath of strangers after he practically shouted on Facebook that he wasn’t buying a face mask. Two months later, he contracted COVID-19 — and, he posted, he was struggling to breathe. Days later, on July 4, he was dead. That post, among the Ohio man’s final public words on...WW…

Particle accelerators generate high-energy beams of electrons, protons and ions for a wide range of applications, including particle colliders that shed light on nature's subatomic components, X-ray lasers that film atoms and molecules during chemical reactions and medical devices for treating cancer.As a rule of thumb, the longer the accelerator, the more powerful it is. Now, a team led by scientists at the Department of Energy's SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory has invented a new type of accelerator structure that delivers a 10 times larger energy gain over a given distance than...…Particle accelerators generate high-energy beams of electrons, protons and ions for a wide range of applications, including particle colliders that shed light on nature's subatomic components, X-ray lasers that film atoms and molecules during chemical reactions and medical devices for treating cancer.As a rule of thumb, the longer the accelerator, the more powerful it is. Now, a team led by scientists at the Department of Energy's SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory has invented a new type of accelerator structure that delivers a 10 times larger energy gain over a given distance than...WW…

Gadgets for humansAs a reporter, I have to read a lot of articles every day, and I often can’t get around to all the tabs I open by the time I clock out. It’s frustrating as hell,  and I’ve been looking for a solution to clear my reading queue.Thankfully, I came across Podcastle, a Chrome extension that solved all my problems. On the surface, it’s just a text-to-speech converter — and there are many of them out there — but it comes with extra bells and whistles that are actually useful. And unlike other text-to-speech tools, it works across tabs so you can control your listening queue and...…Gadgets for humansAs a reporter, I have to read a lot of articles every day, and I often can’t get around to all the tabs I open by the time I clock out. It’s frustrating as hell,  and I’ve been looking for a solution to clear my reading queue.Thankfully, I came across Podcastle, a Chrome extension that solved all my problems. On the surface, it’s just a text-to-speech converter — and there are many of them out there — but it comes with extra bells and whistles that are actually useful. And unlike other text-to-speech tools, it works across tabs so you can control your listening queue and...WW…

In 2011, Don Williams made the long trip from Michigan to North Dakota hoping to capitalize on the Bakken oil boom — to, as he says, "chase oil and make quick cash." It paid off; for years Williams worked in operations on the oil fields, watching over production and maintaining pump jacks. To say that Williams worked hard would be an understatement. Putting in 12-hour days, 7 days a week — 84-hour work-weeks were typical. And the work was lucrative. The money flowed as fast as the oil did — until it didn't. In May, Williams was laid off, along with most of the Bakken workforce, when boom...…In 2011, Don Williams made the long trip from Michigan to North Dakota hoping to capitalize on the Bakken oil boom — to, as he says, "chase oil and make quick cash." It paid off; for years Williams worked in operations on the oil fields, watching over production and maintaining pump jacks. To say that Williams worked hard would be an understatement. Putting in 12-hour days, 7 days a week — 84-hour work-weeks were typical. And the work was lucrative. The money flowed as fast as the oil did — until it didn't. In May, Williams was laid off, along with most of the Bakken workforce, when boom...WW…

The future of one of the world’s fastest-growing social media companies may be in the hands of a politician. That sentence should scare you.Last month, President Trump an executive order prohibiting Chinese mobile apps WeChat and TikTok from operating in the United States beginning this month. However, there may be hope for one or both of these apps if they can find American buyers quickly. a potential deal that would allow Oracle and Walmart investors to take majority ownership of TikTok. The parties are from Beijing, which has been complicated by recent Chinese restrictions on selling...…The future of one of the world’s fastest-growing social media companies may be in the hands of a politician. That sentence should scare you.Last month, President Trump an executive order prohibiting Chinese mobile apps WeChat and TikTok from operating in the United States beginning this month. However, there may be hope for one or both of these apps if they can find American buyers quickly. a potential deal that would allow Oracle and Walmart investors to take majority ownership of TikTok. The parties are from Beijing, which has been complicated by recent Chinese restrictions on selling...WW…

Sign inWelcome! Log into your accountyour usernameyour passwordPassword recoveryRecover your passwordyour emailA password will be e-mailed to you.Rose Pastore | Gizmodo“A new way of producing powerful X-ray beams—the brightest on Earth—is now making it possible to create 3D images of matter at astounding resolutions. …These X-ray beams will image the interiors of fossils, brains, batteries, and countless other interesting items down to the atomic scale, revealing unprecedented information and supercharging scientific research.”Luke Dormehl | Digital Trends“Dendra’s work might sound (and is)...…Sign inWelcome! Log into your accountyour usernameyour passwordPassword recoveryRecover your passwordyour emailA password will be e-mailed to you.Rose Pastore | Gizmodo“A new way of producing powerful X-ray beams—the brightest on Earth—is now making it possible to create 3D images of matter at astounding resolutions. …These X-ray beams will image the interiors of fossils, brains, batteries, and countless other interesting items down to the atomic scale, revealing unprecedented information and supercharging scientific research.”Luke Dormehl | Digital Trends“Dendra’s work might sound (and is)...WW…

Filed under:The Always Home Cam is an ambitious new home security deviceRing latest home security camera is taking flight — literally. The new Always Home Cam is an autonomous drone that can fly around inside your home to give you a perspective of any room you want when you’re not home. Once it’s done flying, the Always Home Cam returns to its dock to charge its battery. It is expected to cost $249.99 when it starts shipping next year.Jamie Siminoff, Ring’s founder and “chief inventor,” says the idea behind the Always Home Cam is to provide multiple viewpoints throughout the home without...…Filed under:The Always Home Cam is an ambitious new home security deviceRing latest home security camera is taking flight — literally. The new Always Home Cam is an autonomous drone that can fly around inside your home to give you a perspective of any room you want when you’re not home. Once it’s done flying, the Always Home Cam returns to its dock to charge its battery. It is expected to cost $249.99 when it starts shipping next year.Jamie Siminoff, Ring’s founder and “chief inventor,” says the idea behind the Always Home Cam is to provide multiple viewpoints throughout the home without...WW…

1268629The confessions were made at a hearing on Facebook's role in radicalizing America by making extremism mainstream.If you ever found yourself compulsively checking your Facebook, know that it may be no coincidence. A former high-ranking employee has now confessed to making the platform , according to . During the  on the site's role in radicalizing America by mainstreaming extremism, Facebook’s former head of monetization Tim Kendall compared what Facebook did to big tobacco companies looking to make their product as addictive as possible.“We sought to mine as much attention as humanly...…1268629The confessions were made at a hearing on Facebook's role in radicalizing America by making extremism mainstream.If you ever found yourself compulsively checking your Facebook, know that it may be no coincidence. A former high-ranking employee has now confessed to making the platform , according to . During the  on the site's role in radicalizing America by mainstreaming extremism, Facebook’s former head of monetization Tim Kendall compared what Facebook did to big tobacco companies looking to make their product as addictive as possible.“We sought to mine as much attention as humanly...WW…

We got to give it to Kesha. Her 2009 debut single really proved prophetic, didn’t it. Who knew, years later we’d all be jamming and finding our escape on an app developed miles away. But if things are ironed out in place of Douyin, or Tik Tok, the party will actually stop. No pop. No DJ to blow the speakers up. Quick hit!Earlier this year, and well into the COVID break-out, Tik Tok made news for all the wrong reasons. Within four years of release in 2016, the video sharing social media platform had percolated amongst inarguably the most remote and inaccessible of places. Breaking through...…We got to give it to Kesha. Her 2009 debut single really proved prophetic, didn’t it. Who knew, years later we’d all be jamming and finding our escape on an app developed miles away. But if things are ironed out in place of Douyin, or Tik Tok, the party will actually stop. No pop. No DJ to blow the speakers up. Quick hit!Earlier this year, and well into the COVID break-out, Tik Tok made news for all the wrong reasons. Within four years of release in 2016, the video sharing social media platform had percolated amongst inarguably the most remote and inaccessible of places. Breaking through...WW…

CNET también está disponible en español.Don't show this againSome might be able to see a pair of rockets streaking to space before bedtime.The US East Coast on Tuesday evening could see two major rocket launches within about 30 minutes of each other, assuming the weather gods and luck are on their side. SpaceX is scheduled to launch a new GPS satellite for the US Air Force from Cape Canaveral between 6:55 and 7:10 p.m. PT (9:55 and 10:10 p.m. ET in Florida). And a Northrop Grumman Antares rocket is set to lift off carrying a Cygnus cargo freighter to the International Space Station from the...…CNET también está disponible en español.Don't show this againSome might be able to see a pair of rockets streaking to space before bedtime.The US East Coast on Tuesday evening could see two major rocket launches within about 30 minutes of each other, assuming the weather gods and luck are on their side. SpaceX is scheduled to launch a new GPS satellite for the US Air Force from Cape Canaveral between 6:55 and 7:10 p.m. PT (9:55 and 10:10 p.m. ET in Florida). And a Northrop Grumman Antares rocket is set to lift off carrying a Cygnus cargo freighter to the International Space Station from the...WW…

This image from the Heart Cell Atlas shows six heart regions (left and right atria and ventricles, apex, and interventricular septum). Color coding is used to indicate cell types. Credit: www.heartcellatlas.orgScientists have created a detailed cellular and molecular map of the healthy human heart to understand how this vital organ functions and to shed light on what goes awry in cardiovascular disease.The work, published in Nature today (September 24, 2020) was led by investigators at Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, the Wellcome Sanger Institute, Max Delbrück Center...…This image from the Heart Cell Atlas shows six heart regions (left and right atria and ventricles, apex, and interventricular septum). Color coding is used to indicate cell types. Credit: www.heartcellatlas.orgScientists have created a detailed cellular and molecular map of the healthy human heart to understand how this vital organ functions and to shed light on what goes awry in cardiovascular disease.The work, published in Nature today (September 24, 2020) was led by investigators at Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, the Wellcome Sanger Institute, Max Delbrück Center...WW…

It’s creepy. When I talk to my friends on call about getting new earphones, and the internet blasts me with ads. For earphones. Everywhere. It isn’t coincidence but all a result of our mobile applications going about with their tracking algorithms. (Though may be a cumulative result of other algorithms too, not just data from our voice recordings)for it too. It’s our smartphone listening to everything we say.Listening inThe microphone records everything we say, making use of our default settings. The recordings then are stored in a distant server and used for marketing purposes. This fact...…It’s creepy. When I talk to my friends on call about getting new earphones, and the internet blasts me with ads. For earphones. Everywhere. It isn’t coincidence but all a result of our mobile applications going about with their tracking algorithms. (Though may be a cumulative result of other algorithms too, not just data from our voice recordings)for it too. It’s our smartphone listening to everything we say.Listening inThe microphone records everything we say, making use of our default settings. The recordings then are stored in a distant server and used for marketing purposes. This fact...WW…

It wouldn’t be wrong Adobe is to designers and creative professionals, what Microsoft Office is to a whole lot of others. The software inarguably is quite the backbone for millions of designing, editing, painting and whatnot. With this background, upping the ante when it comes to security measures is an order. Here’s what we know about how you can make use of Adobe’s recent authentication update. Irony galoreEarlier last month, American multinational computer software company Adobe announced that it’s popular image editing platform Photoshop will soon see a tech update. The update will help...…It wouldn’t be wrong Adobe is to designers and creative professionals, what Microsoft Office is to a whole lot of others. The software inarguably is quite the backbone for millions of designing, editing, painting and whatnot. With this background, upping the ante when it comes to security measures is an order. Here’s what we know about how you can make use of Adobe’s recent authentication update. Irony galoreEarlier last month, American multinational computer software company Adobe announced that it’s popular image editing platform Photoshop will soon see a tech update. The update will help...WW…

Employees of the Tribune Publishing Company were momentarily thrilled Wednesday after they received a company email announcing that they were each getting a bonus of up to $10,000, to “thank you for your ongoing commitment to excellence.”To see how big their bonus would be, they just had to click on a link that … well, that’s when they learned they had failed the test. And there was no bonus at all.The entire charade was Tribune’s effort to test its collective defenses against Internet scams that tempt email recipients to click on a link that has the effect of interfering with computer...…Employees of the Tribune Publishing Company were momentarily thrilled Wednesday after they received a company email announcing that they were each getting a bonus of up to $10,000, to “thank you for your ongoing commitment to excellence.”To see how big their bonus would be, they just had to click on a link that … well, that’s when they learned they had failed the test. And there was no bonus at all.The entire charade was Tribune’s effort to test its collective defenses against Internet scams that tempt email recipients to click on a link that has the effect of interfering with computer...WW…

There’s nothing that can replace dogs. The living ones. So let’s just start there. But sending in canine happiness to drive aware COVID-induced despair may not really be the smartest of choices. What is smarter though, is assembling a robot in the shape and feel of a dog. Sorry, shape only. Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston have put together one such robot. Complete with a handheld device these robots tend to a variety of functions. These include checking skin temperature, breathing rate, pulse rate and blood oxygen...…There’s nothing that can replace dogs. The living ones. So let’s just start there. But sending in canine happiness to drive aware COVID-induced despair may not really be the smartest of choices. What is smarter though, is assembling a robot in the shape and feel of a dog. Sorry, shape only. Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston have put together one such robot. Complete with a handheld device these robots tend to a variety of functions. These include checking skin temperature, breathing rate, pulse rate and blood oxygen...WW…

Sponsored by:I want a "secure by default" internet with all the things encrypted all the time such that people can move freely between networks without ever needing to care about who manages them or what they're doing with them. I'm a massive proponent of Let's Encrypt's and Cloudflare's missions to secure the web and of browser paradigms such as and to help make it a reality. Yet I also find myself constantly using VPNs for a variety of security and privacy related reasons and it got me thinking - why? I mean what's the remaining gap?Last month I announced and as part of that effort, I...…Sponsored by:I want a "secure by default" internet with all the things encrypted all the time such that people can move freely between networks without ever needing to care about who manages them or what they're doing with them. I'm a massive proponent of Let's Encrypt's and Cloudflare's missions to secure the web and of browser paradigms such as and to help make it a reality. Yet I also find myself constantly using VPNs for a variety of security and privacy related reasons and it got me thinking - why? I mean what's the remaining gap?Last month I announced and as part of that effort, I...WW…