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Science News
for 01/22/2010

(last updated 7:30am EST 01/22/2010)

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• AMD posts first profit in 13 quarters AMD posts first profit in 13 quarters
01/21/2010
Thirteen, it turns out, is a lucky number for AMD—that's how many quarters it has been since the company last turned a profit. And this quarter, thanks to a combination of the sizable Intel settlement and a major rebound in the PC market, the struggling chipmaker is finally, at long last, back in the black . AMD's revenue jumped 42 percent year-over-year to $1.626 billion, handily beating Intel's (also impressive) 28 percent jump . The chipmaker's quarterly profit, $1.288 billion, is mostly thanks to the $1.224 settlement with Intel . "We enter 2010 having completed the transition to a fabless business model, reached a historic antitrust settlement, and made significant progress strengthening our balance sheet," Dirk Meyer, AMD president and CEO, said in a statement. "Our innovative strategy for designing the world's most vivid digital experiences continues to generate demand." The entire computer industry was betting on the end of 2009 and the Windows 7 launch to restart the long-delayed upgrade cycle, and that bet appears to have paid off. AMD also successfully launched its new ATI GPU line this past year, putting it comfortably alone at the top of the graphics heap. NVIDIA, meanwhile, continues to delay the launch of its competing part, leaving ATI to rule the roost all by itself. (10 h ago)

• Kids consume media as a full-time job&am... Kids consume media as a full-time job—many getting overtime
01/21/2010
We already have a pretty good idea that most kids and teens probably spend too much time watching TV , playing video games, or getting online. The latest research from the Kaiser Family Foundation reveals that consuming various media, including TV, music, books, movies, video games, and websites, takes up almost every waking hour not spent in school. In 2009, the average 8- to 18-year-old had nearly 11 hours of media exposure per day. The full report contains an extensive analysis of findings, including comparisons with data collected in 1999 and 2004. Trends suggest kids are spending more time consuming media than ever, thanks largely to increases in media devices in the home, as well as access to more mobile media. Almost every youngster surveyed reported having a TV, DVD player, radio, computer, video game console, and CD player in the house, while just over half reported having a DVR. The average number of each device has increased as well, with the average household have 4 TVs, 3 DVD players and/or VCRs, and two each of radios, CD players, consoles, and computers. (11 h ago)

• Apple wants a tablet in every home, a us... Apple wants a tablet in every home, a use for everyone
01/21/2010
Apple wants to change the way television, news, and books are distributed once and for all, and it's going to use its soon to be unveiled tablet to try and do it. That's according to a Wall Street Journal article citing what seems to be several unnamed sources "familiar with the situation." The Cupertino powerhouse has reportedly been in contact with television networks as well as magazine, newspaper, book, and textbook publishers for some time now in hopes of giving the tablet a purpose and not just a cool piece of hardware. Apple's vision is supposedly of a tablet in every home—a shared device between family members that allow them to quickly check their e-mail or read the news. The device, which will sport a virtual keyboard, could have virtual sticky notes to leave for other family members or user identification using the device's built-in camera. Although it's unclear whether these features will make it into the final product, they do seem to have a family-oriented focus. Subscriptions may also be the way in which Apple entices new content publishers into getting on board. Newspapers are pretty straightforward, but Apple has supposedly been floating a "best of TV" scenario to the major networks too. If this model were to be realized, it would include a "bundled" subscription that would offer users on-demand options from participating networks. Each network would include four to six shows each, with revenue likely being shared between the networks. Apple has also been in contact with textbook publishers in hopes of making its way back into higher education. (This could be a breath of fresh air for many university students who routinely buy expensive textbooks at the beginning of a semester only to sell them back four months later at a fraction of the cost.) A subscription model for textbooks has the potential to be quite popular, and with the digital nature of the texts, it would be rather simple to push newer editions. It seems logical that an outright purchase option would also be made available for those who wish to keep their texts after the class ended, too. Additionally, making sure students receive the right books would be simpler with major-specific bundles. The company has also been working with EA to show off the tablet's gaming potential. With all of this content being available for the device, Apple is hoping that one will end up in your home—but that one won't be enough because everyone will have a use for it. (12 h ago)

• >90% of IPv4 address space used; IPv6... >90% of IPv4 address space used; IPv6 move looking messy
01/21/2010
The Number Resource Organization warns that less than 10 percent of the IPv4 address space remains; it's time to start adopting IPv6. The warning comes after APNIC, the registry that hands out IP addresses in the Asia-Pacific region, obtained an additional 33.5 million IPv4 addresses from IANA, the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority. This brings the size of IANA's global pool of free IPv4 address space down from 26 to 24 blocks of 16,777,216 addresses ("/8s"). The Number Resource Organization (NRO), which is where the five Regional Internet Registries (RIRs) get together to discuss address-related issues, is taking this opportunity to warn us all that the amount of IPv4 address space that is still free is now below ten percent, so we should all adopt IPv6 post-haste. But only weeks ago, we wrote that a mere 81 percent of the IPv4 addresses is in use , which leaves 19 percent free. What gives? There are two differences between the number in the earlier story and the one mentioned by the NRO: the NRO talks about /8 blocks rather than individual addresses, and the NRO lumps the unusable address space in with the used address space. Of the 256 /8 blocks that the 32-bit IPv4 address space allows for, only 221 are available for regular use. The remaining 24 unused blocks are 10.9 percent of those 221 usable /8s. And a significant number of the addresses in the /8s given to the RIRs haven't yet been passed on to service providers and end-users. For instance, it will probably take months before addresses out of blocks 1.0.0.0/8 and 27.0.0.0/8 that were given to APNIC show up in actual use—if only to allow firewall administrators to remove those blocks from their "bogon" lists. There's no doubt about it: APNIC is burning through its address space very fast. According to the policy used in the past, it should have gotten seven /8s to have enough to continue working the next 18 months. With only two new blocks, APNIC will probably have to come back for more after the summer. ARIN, the RIR serving North America, is also running low on address space, and should be getting some new blocks earlier than that. So we're still running out of IPv4 addresses, and IPv6 is the only medium- and long-term answer. However, it's now too late for a smooth IPv4-to-IPv6 transition, so prepare for a bumpy one where we run out of IPv4 addresses before there is widespread IPv6 adoption. (12 h ago)

• Music biz: piracy our "climate chan... Music biz: piracy our "climate change," governments must act!
01/21/2010
The global music industry trade group IFPI has released its Digital Music Report 2010, a 30-page document that makes a single argument: copyright infringement is a form of "climate change" for creative industries, and "we look to governments for action." According to this view of the world, the music business has now tried its hand at being "innovative" and "customer focused." It disaggregated albums, it allowed music to go up on everything from Amazon to iTunes to Spotify to Last.fm. It sued users, it launched education campaigns. Nothing worked. It's now time for governments to step up. (13 h ago)

• Windows Mobile devs to Microsoft: where'... Windows Mobile devs to Microsoft: where's our money?
01/21/2010
Over at the Windows Mobile Developer Center , a few Windows Mobile developers are up in arms for not getting paid. Some claim they are owed thousands of dollars after selling their apps through Windows Marketplace for Mobile . At the end of the month, Microsoft totals all transactions for a developer's application sales for which money was collected, calculates 70 percent of all application sales prices as their revenue share, and verifies if that number equals or exceeds $200. If so, an Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) payment to the developer's bank account is initiated. Developers aren't just complaining about January sales, either: some say they have been using the mobile store to sell their apps since it launched last October . So why haven't these developers been paid? We contacted Microsoft earlier this week, but we didn't get a statement back; instead we were told that Microsoft would post an official statement in the thread and to refer to that. "Firstly, let me assure you that we want to pay all our developers that have met the $200 threshold at the earliest," begins a lengthy reply by Mihir Rao, Windows Marketplace for Mobile Product Manager. "In some situations (like the ones I explain below) where we are not able to pay, the payout amount remains in the developer's balance for a future payment." The problem centers around the Dashboard Payout Status which can either say "Not eligible for revenue payout," "Pending eligibility for revenue payout," or "Eligible for revenue payout." Microsoft's explanation seems to suggest many of the users complaining are seeing a "Not eligible for revenue payout" status and thus need to rectify the issue on their end before getting paid. Unfortunately though, resolving the problem doesn't seem that simple. Soon after Rao posted his explanation of the issue, a few developers have responded that they have had the "Eligible for revenue payout" since the first month. That status apparently means that Microsoft has successfully paid the developer in the past, there is no action needed from the developer, and that the company will continue to pay if the payout amount exceeds $200. Some developers who have had this status since launch say they have yet to be paid. Furthermore, others say their status remained eligible even during the time when Microsoft notified them of problems with their payment eligibility and they took the steps to fix them. They still have not been paid and are questioning whether the issues are related solely to the status system. Despite Redmond's best efforts to make sure the payment system was clear, it appears the company still needs to work on its communication methods. Indeed, Rao followed up when he realized this. "I see my explanation of the 'Eligible for revenue payout' status has raised more questions than it has answered. I am going to get some more details on this particular dashboard status to provide further clarification." Hopefully Microsoft will have these issues sorted in time for the launch of Windows Mobile 7 . After all, as Ballmer says, it's all about "developers, developers, developers, developers…." (14 h ago)

• Parental Control glitch gives kids acces... Parental Control glitch gives kids access to App Store porn
01/21/2010
iPhone OS 3.x brought us beefed-up parental controls, giving parents finer-grained control over what apps their kids could purchase based on four standard age ratings. A side effect of Apple's move to have apps rated by age level meant that apps with racier content—essentially soft-core porn—could be approved for sale if was rated 17+. Educator and developer Fraser Speirs has discovered, however, that access is only restricted for purchasing, not browsing in the App Store, which is a real problem in school environments. The glitch has become a huge headache for Speirs' school, which plans to roll out iPod touches to every one of its 100 students next fall. Speirs is known for his work for Connected Flow, which makes FlickrExport for Mac and Darkslide for iPhone. During the day, however, Speirs works at Cedars School of Excellence in Greenock, Scotland, where he teaches computer courses and manages the school's IT. The small, independent school has just 100 students in primary and secondary grades combined. Unable to fund a one-to-one notebook program, the school was able to purchase each student an iPod touch to supplement the strained resources provided by its Mac-based computer lab. (15 h ago)

• Verizon: we're not cutting off users ove... Verizon: we're not cutting off users over copyright claims
01/21/2010
A stunning turn of events yesterday: CNET announced that Verizon "appears to have adopted an approach to illegal file sharing that sounds very similar to one promoted and pushed heavily by the music industry." That approach? Graduated response, complete with disconnections for repeat offenders. And it wasn't just a rumor. After claiming that "warnings to accused file sharers" could lead to a "service interruption" for those users, the site then quoted Verizon's Bobbi Henson: "We've cut some people off." But Verizon says it's not true. Everything about the story was extraordinary, since the RIAA has been trying to round up such ISP support for more than a year with no public success to date (some ISPs are forwarding warning letters, however). Getting Verizon on board with sanctions would be a major coup for the music industry, and would be a remarkable development coming from the company, which has always been publicly resistant to playing copyright cop on the Internet. We checked in with Henson, who describes the story as a "misunderstanding by CNET of something I said which resulted in story inaccuracies." According to her, nothing has changed at Verizon. The company forwards copyright infringement notices to consumers, and it says that program alone has been quite successful at reducing repeated infringement claims. It has also "not resulted in the termination of any Verizon customer’s service." Henson stressed that Verizon "could" disconnect someone over the issue; in fact, nearly all ISPs have similar provisions as part of their terms of service or acceptable use policy. But the company has not done so, and has no plans to do so. "Our goal is to protect our customers’ privacy and due process rights while recognizing the importance of copyright protection and acquiring content legally," according to a statement forwarded to us by Verizon. "We believe our program strikes a reasonable approach and is working very well." CNET has just issued a defense of its reporting which relies on a reporter's notes of the conversation. Henson tells us that the comments were only about what Verizon could do, but that she never claimed such cutoffs had happened. Who knows what happened... and in the end, it doesn't matter, because the final result is the same: Verizon still publicly refuses to adopt graduated response sanctions. (15 h ago)

• Hulu's most popular shows could end up b... Hulu's most popular shows could end up behind paywall
01/21/2010
Hulu fans may soon find themselves paying $4.99 per month to watch episodes of their favorite shows. More details have leaked on Hulu's plan to start charging for its streaming video content, which users have come to expect for free. Though the pricing structure doesn't appear to be nailed down, it shows that Hulu is serious in finding ways to make money besides just showing ads. Popular shows like House , 30 Rock , and Modern Family , would fall under the monthly pricing scheme, according to anonymous insiders speaking to the Los Angeles Times . Users would be able to view the most recent five episodes for free (presumably ad-supported, as usual), but if they want to watch older episodes, they would have to fork over $4.99 per month. It sounds as if this fee would cover all shows that fall under this pricing model, though; the Times says that Hulu believes it needs at least 20 shows on board for the model to be attractive to users. Hulu has been talking about the possibility of subscription fees since June of 2009 because revenue from online advertising is still miniscule compared to the payout that comes with traditional TV ads. The ad downturn hasn't helped, either; most regular Hulu users are accustomed to seeing the ads for charities that Hulu apparently slots into its rotation when it can't sell out its ad inventory (in fact, Hulu has just flat out shown no ads in some slots for me lately, with a sad message that it has nothing to put there). The company reiterated its plan in October , noting that the company may put Web-only content behind the paywall, or just restrict it to popular shows. Still, even with monthly fees as low as $4.99—which are lower than Netflix's lowest monthly plan that comes with video streaming at $8.99—users will undoubtedly come to expect something more than what Hulu already offers. At the top of the list is the ability to take content outside of the browser (at least with Netflix, you can still rent physical DVDs to watch on your TV). As we noted earlier in our coverage of YouTube rentals , users may balk at the idea of forking over cash and still being stuck on the PCs, but Hulu is likely willing to try anything to make up for its loss in ad revenue. (16 h ago)

• FCC closes loophole keeping HD programmi... FCC closes loophole keeping HD programming off FiOS
01/21/2010
Every time I read about a new dispute between two video companies like the latest between Verizon and Cablevision, I'm reminded of Woody Allen's famous comment about the entertainment business. "It's dog eat dog," he lamented. "Actually, it's worse than dog eat dog. It's dog doesn't return dog's phone calls." That's pretty much the video biz to a tee—a world of wait-out wars, brinkmanship, and extended bouts of "chicken." And the rules of engagement are mostly found in a single law: The Cable Act . By a vote of four to one, the Federal Communications Commission tweaked those rules this week in favor of Verizon's position that it should have access to key Cablevision HD sports channels. That doesn't mean that Verizon has won the fight yet, but now the telco has a much better chance when the agency considers its case. (16 h ago)

• Amoeboid designs complex transportation ... Amoeboid designs complex transportation network, eats oats
01/21/2010
For anyone interested in going into engineering, I can offer a warning: prepare to get your butt handed to you repeatedly by nature. Many of the processes at the forefront of engineering technology are just trying to play catch-up with what nature has done an innumerable number of times. Photosynthesis, genetic replication, the creation of joints, even the simple act of flight—nature has done it before, with greater ease, and often cheaper or more efficiently. A paper in the current issue of Science discusses the ability of a single-celled creature to create a robust network while foraging for food—one that mimicked the Tokyo rail system in complexity. Creating a good network is a balancing act; you need to span a large number of nodes with a minimal number of edges (keeping cost low), while being able to function when an edge is lost (fault tolerant). Problems of this type are a shining example of the adage "fast, cheap, or good: pick any two." (17 h ago)

• Bioshock 2 DRM: SecuROM, activation limi... Bioshock 2 DRM: SecuROM, activation limits, and bears
01/21/2010
Bioshock 2 will come both as a boxed retail product and a for-pay digital download if that's more to your taste. Looking at the game's page on Steam reveals something disappointing for those of us against invasive DRM: the game will utilize SecuROM and comes with a five-machine activation limit. 2K Games dealt with this decision head-on via its official forum. " BioShock 2 is using a standard Games for Windows Live activation system, much like other games you have played in the past," a 2K Community Manager writes . "That doesn't mean you always have to be online to play or save the game—you can create an offline profile for the Single Player portion of the game (you just won't earn achievements and you can't play Multiplayer, of course.)" Of course. "We are using SecuROM only as a disc check method for the retail copy of BioShock 2. That is it's [sic] only use." Well, there is also that pesky five-machine limit, which many of our readers find intolerable. Will this lead to lower sales? Who knows. It's important to know what you're buying for your money, however. A quick note: Shacknews lists the activation limit at 15 machines, but as of this writing the listing claims five. We've included a shot of the screen so you can see for yourself. It's very possible that could change before launch. Update: To be clear, it looks as if only the retail version of the game will include SecuROM, the Steam should be free of the program. (18 h ago)

• YouTube dipping its toe into rentals, bu... YouTube dipping its toe into rentals, but users may balk
01/21/2010
YouTube is finally jumping into the movie rental business after months of rumors, though it's starting slow. YouTube will begin offering five films from the 2009 and 2010 Sundance Film Festivals starting Friday of this week, and the company is hoping that the test will attract more movie studios to its new venture. That could prove difficult, though, as recent history shows that users aren't typically keen on paying money to watch streaming content in a browser. The five films will be available to US users until January 31 (when Sundance is over) and most will be available on a pay-per-view basis for $3.99. The viewing window for these particular films will be 48 hours after payment, though this won't necessarily be the same for all rental films. Participating filmmakers and studios can set individual prices and choose viewing windows that go up to 90 days, though we can only assume that they will try to charge more for movies that will be available for longer. (19 h ago)

• Microsoft dodges class action in WGA law... Microsoft dodges class action in WGA lawsuit
01/21/2010
A lawsuit that accused Microsoft of misleading consumers to download and install an update for Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) under the guise that it was critical security update will go forward, but not as a class action. A federal judge has refused to certify the lawsuit as a class action, which would have meant anyone who owned a Windows XP PC in mid-2006 could join the case without having to hire an attorney. As Windows XP was easily the most popular operating system at the time, the move means Redmond has managed to avoid hundreds of millions in potential damages. Microsoft has until February 12, 2010 to submit its expense list to the court. The issue began more than three years ago when it was revealed that beta versions of WGA "phone home" once every day , though later Redmond said the daily checks were there just because the software was in beta and confirmed that more recent versions communicate with the company approximately once every 90 days. Nevertheless, privacy advocates were outraged, and in June 2006 , after Microsoft began pushing WGA to Windows XP users via Windows Update as a "high priority" update, a suit was filed alleging that WGA was spyware. It demanded compensatory damages ("either actual damages or one hundred thousand dollars per violation, whichever is greater"), injunctive relief, and a requirement for Microsoft to fully disclose WGA's "potential security and other risks" to the public. Furthermore, the suit wanted Microsoft to produce a tool that could easily remove WGA from any Windows PC. Microsoft uses WGA to detect pirated copies of Windows and inform the user that the software is counterfeit, nagging them with messages and eventually locking down. In Windows 7, Microsoft rebranded WGA to Windows Activation Technologies (WAT) , saying that the technology used in Windows Vista and Windows 7 is fundamentally different from that used with Windows XP. Future versions of updates of the technology for Windows Vista will also be referred to as WAT. Microsoft still plans to keep WGA updates coming for Windows XP. (19 h ago)

• feature: Review: Firefox 3.6 brings joy ... feature: Review: Firefox 3.6 brings joy to Web devs, not just users
01/21/2010
Mozilla's Firefox got a bit hotter today with the official release of version 3.6, a noteworthy update of the popular open source Web browser. It's an incremental improvement that introduces a modest assortment of new features and expands the browser's support for emerging Web standards. It will add fuel to the fire as the flame-throwing fox continues to scorch Internet Explorer's declining marketshare, bringing more choice and openness to the Web. It's been roughly six months since the release of Firefox 3.5, Mozilla's last major update. This new release is less ambitious, but just as solid. Although there aren't a lot of significant user-facing features to talk about, there are some compelling improvements for Web developers. In this review we will look at both sides of the browser. (20 h ago)

• OnLive demoed: lag, graphics are a probl... OnLive demoed: lag, graphics are a problem
01/21/2010
OnLive promises nothing less than the moon and the stars: the service wants to stream games to you via your laptop or lower-end computer on their own proprietary hardware. We've seen tech demos and speeches at shows , but how does it work in practice? Ryan Shrout, from the website PC Perspective, had the fine luck to have access to the beta, and he has shared his thoughts with the world . No surprise: lag is an issue, as are graphics. Running the games was just as easy on the system as promised. "You are seeing OnLive running Burnout: Paradise on my local system using just under 60MB of memory and anywhere from 4-7 percent of the CPU power," Shrout wrote. "My system is running on a Core i7-860 so that is a bit lower than the total system consumption you'll see on slower systems, but that is obviously much lower CPU horsepower than would be required to play these types of games locally." In terms of bandwidth, the system was using around 1Mb/s. The games were running at 1280 by 720, and the expected issues became reality. "The input lag on UT3 was so noticeably bad with the mouse and keyboard that I would call [the] game simply unplayable. I often found myself overshooting the mouse movement by half a screen, moving well past my intended target because the cursor didn't stop when I did." The problem wasn't nearly as bad when played with an Xbox 360 controller, but Shrout found the graphics were sharper when played locally. The graphics aren't anything to phone home about, the lag was noticeable, and the resolution wasn't set very high. When something sounds too good to be true... that's usually a hint about the final product. Of course, there is one large gotcha here: "I first have to admit that I don't actually have a beta account with the OnLive service; instead a friend of a friend of a friend passed to me their login information after I requested it in order to write a preview of the technology. Why is this a note-worthy point to make? There is a chance that OnLive is only selecting beta members that are on ISPs close to their current data centers and as I live outside that area that could affect my experiences with cloud-based gaming." So there is that aspect to the writeup. Be sure to read the whole writeup for all the details. And now an honest question: is anyone surprised? (21 h ago)

• Hillary Clinton slams "Information ... Hillary Clinton slams "Information Curtain" of censorship
01/21/2010
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton gave a major speech on Internet freedom today at Washington, DC's Newseum, and she didn't hesitate to call out censorship regimes. Countries that heavily censor the 'Net are creating a new "Information Curtain" to rival the old Iron Curtain of the Cold War era. "New technologies do not take sides," said Clinton. "But the United States does." The US government will take a worldwide stand for a "single Internet" and will oppose the efforts of China, Tunisia, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Egypt, Iran, Saudi Arabia to impose censorship, detain bloggers, block Twitter, and cut off social networking sites. (22 h ago)

• 32 million passwords show most users car... 32 million passwords show most users careless about security
01/21/2010
We've covered this ground before , but never quite on this scale. The best passwords are arbitrary strings that mix letters, digits, and other characters, and are unique to each account. But the human brain isn't wired to remember arbitrary strings, and the explosion of locations that require a login has only exacerbated the problem. The inevitable result is that various surveys have all indicated that many user accounts are badly insecure. The latest confirmation of that comes with some pretty significant numbers behind it: 32 million, to be exact. That's how many passwords were obtained in a recent hack of the RockYou service. The hacker left a file with all the passwords on a public site, and security firm iMPERVA has now analyzed them . The numbers aren't pretty: about a third are less than six characters, and half are vulnerable to dictionary attacks. The most common password was 123456, and it was followed by 12345, 123456789, and Password. iMPERVA estimates that someone with a slow DSL connection could access one account a second using a dictionary attack. The one caveat here is that RockYou simply offers widgets for use on social networking sites, so the stakes aren't obviously that high. By all appearances, the worst thing that could happen if someone got ahold of RockYou login credentials is that they could upload photos to an unsuspecting user's Facebook account—potentially embarrassing, but not in the same league as banking information. What iMPERVA doesn't comment on, but it should be noted, is that RockYou itself seems pretty indifferent to security. Although the site's security notice about the breach starts by saying, "Our users' privacy and data security have always been a priority for RockYou," there's no way to reconcile that with the fact that the company stored all its user information as plain text in a database that was vulnerable to an SQL injection attack. The company is taking reasonable measures in response to its very public failing, but this is security 101. (22 h ago)

• Liveblog: Apple's "our newest creat... Liveblog: Apple's "our newest creation" event
01/21/2010
Our liveblog of the Apple event will reside on this page! Bookmark it and come back on Wednesday, January 27 at 10am Pacific Time to see the updates as they come in. You can also sign up for an e-mail reminder via the form below; on the day of the event, the widget will automatically change over to the liveblog. In the meantime, catch up on the latest rumors about what to expect ! Apple's January 2010 event is upon us and we will be live on the scene, blogging from the Yerba Buena center in San Francisco. Apple's theme for this event is "come see our newest creation," which is widely expected to refer to the mythical iTablet. Watch as the event unfolds live. Apple's event is set to start at 10am PST ( see it in your local timezone ) sharp and we'll be keeping you informed up to the second with a live transcription and live photos from the event. (22 h ago)

• Data doesn't lie: "MySpace angles&q... Data doesn't lie: "MySpace angles" are the best for hookups
01/21/2010
It's 2010 and online dating has become so ubiquitous that it's not only socially acceptable, it's practically the go-to when people decide it's time to meet someone new. One advantage to it all being on the Internet, though, is that we can discover what works—do people really respond to the things they claim are important to them? When it comes to profile pictures, it seems that everything most thinking adults assumed would be true is false—those awful "kissy face" pictures, the MySpace angles, phone-pics-in-the-mirror, and pics that don't even show your face are apparently quite effective in generating interest in the opposite sex. Popular dating site OKCupid has made a habit of running data analysis on its usage trends and posting the results on its blog . The latest analysis has been picking up steam on social networks because of the subject it examines: the impossible-to-master profile photo. As it turns out, nearly all conventional wisdom on what makes an effective profile photo is completely wrong, at least in terms of receiving initial messages from the opposite sex. (23 h ago)

• Chemical analyses uncover secrets of an ... Chemical analyses uncover secrets of an ancient amphora
01/22/2010
Chemists have confirmed that the substance used to hermetically seal an amphora found among remains at Lixus, in Morocco, was pine resin. The scientists also studied the metallic fragments inside the 2,000-year-old vessel, which could be fragments of material used for iron-working. (1 h ago)

• How does an outfielder know where to run... How does an outfielder know where to run for a fly ball?
01/22/2010
To test three theories that might explain an outfielder's ability to catch a fly ball, researchers had to produce realistic balls and simulate catches. Scientists then lobbed virtual fly balls to a dozen experienced ball players. (1 h ago)

• Insect colonies operate as 'superorganis... Insect colonies operate as 'superorganisms', new research finds
01/22/2010
New research finds that insect colonies follow some of the same biological "rules" as individuals, a finding that suggests insect societies operate like a single "superorganism" in terms of their physiology and life cycle. (1 h ago)

• Scientists show how brain tumors outsmar... Scientists show how brain tumors outsmart drugs
01/22/2010
Researchers have shown one way in which gliomas, a deadly type of brain tumor, can evade drugs aimed at blocking a key cell signaling protein, epidermal growth factor receptor, that is crucial for tumor growth. (1 h ago)

• Tracking MRSA evolution and transmission... Tracking MRSA evolution and transmission: Revolutionary strategy for control and prevention of infection
01/22/2010
Researchers have developed a remarkable new method to precisely track transmission of MRSA from one person to another in a hospital setting. The method "zooms" from large-scale inter-continental transmission events to person-to-person infection of MRSA within a single hospital. The technique, which harnesses the latest high-throughput DNA sequencing technologies, helps researchers understand how strains spread so rapidly, and should lead to novel infection control strategies, not only for MRSA but also for other emerging superbugs. (1 h ago)

• Switch turns on allergic disease in peop... Switch turns on allergic disease in people
01/22/2010
A new study in human cells has singled out a molecule that specifically directs immune cells to develop the capability to produce an allergic response. The signaling molecule, called thymic stromal lymphopoietin, is key to the development of allergic diseases such as asthma, atopic dermatitis (eczema) and food allergy. (1 h ago)

• Genetics helps to crack down on chimpanz... Genetics helps to crack down on chimpanzee smuggling
01/22/2010
The population of chimpanzees across western Africa has decreased by 75 percent in the past 30 years, due in part to widespread chimp hunting. New strategies are needed to curb this illegal activity, experts say. Now, new research suggests that genetics may provide valuable clues as to how to crack down on the animal smuggling trade, while also helping to safely reintroduce rescued apes into the wild. (1 h ago)

• Team finds childhood clues to adult schi... Team finds childhood clues to adult schizophrenia
01/22/2010
Years before adults develop schizophrenia, there is a pattern of cognitive difficulties they experience as children, including problems with verbal reasoning, working memory, attention and processing speed. Drawing on a long-term study of more than 1,000 New Zealanders born from 1972 to 1973, researchers have found a consistent pattern of developmental difficulties that first appeared when adult study subjects with schizophrenia were 7 years old. (1 h ago)

• Parkinson's: Treadmill training improves... Parkinson's: Treadmill training improves movement
01/22/2010
Treadmill training can be used to help people with Parkinson's disease achieve better walking movements, say researchers. In a systematic review of the evidence, Cochrane researchers concluded treadmill training could be used to improve specific gait parameters in Parkinson's patients. (1 h ago)

• San Andreas Fault study unearths new ear... San Andreas Fault study unearths new earthquake information
01/22/2010
Recent studies of stream channel offsets along the San Andreas Fault reveal new information about fault behavior -- affecting how we understand the potential for damaging earthquakes. (1 h ago)

• New 'nanoburrs' could help fight heart d... New 'nanoburrs' could help fight heart disease
01/22/2010
Researchers have built targeted nanoparticles that can cling to artery walls and slowly release medicine, an advance that potentially provides an alternative to drug-releasing stents in some patients with cardiovascular disease. (1 h ago)

• High vitamin D levels linked to lower ri... High vitamin D levels linked to lower risk of colon cancer
01/22/2010
High blood levels of vitamin D are associated with a lower risk of colon cancer, finds a large European study. The risk was cut by as much as 40 percent in people with the highest levels compared with those in the lowest. (1 h ago)

• Global warming increases flood risk in m... Global warming increases flood risk in mountain areas
01/22/2010
The world's mountainous regions are home to about 800 million people and the source of some of the world's major rivers. In these regions, runoff is strongly affected by temperature. This suggests that flooding could be quite sensitive to global warming, but there has been some lack of scientific consensus on the effects of temperature variations on floods. (1 h ago)

• Want to convince? Use abstract rather th... Want to convince? Use abstract rather than concrete language
01/22/2010
When consumers talk to each other about products, they generally respond more favorably to abstract language than concrete descriptions, according to a new study. (1 h ago)

• Doppler ultrasound in pregnancy reduces ... Doppler ultrasound in pregnancy reduces risk in high-risk groups
01/22/2010
Current evidence suggests that using Doppler ultrasound in high-risk pregnancies to monitor a fetus' health may reduce caesarean sections and the number of babies who die, according to a new review. (1 h ago)

• Rover gives NASA an 'Opportunity' to vie... Rover gives NASA an 'Opportunity' to view interior of Mars
01/22/2010
NASA's Mars exploration rover Opportunity is allowing scientists to get a glimpse deep inside Mars. Perched on a rippled Martian plain, a dark rock not much bigger than a basketball was the target of interest for Opportunity during the past two months. Dubbed "Marquette Island," the rock is providing a better understanding of the mineral and chemical makeup of the Martian interior. (1 h ago)

• Lung cancer patients who quit smoking do... Lung cancer patients who quit smoking double their survival chances
01/22/2010
People diagnosed with early stage lung cancer can double their chances of survival over five years if they stop smoking compared with those who continue to smoke, finds a new study. (1 h ago)

• Humans caused demise of Australia's mega... Humans caused demise of Australia's megafauna, evidence shows
01/22/2010
Researchers report strong evidence that humans, not climate change, caused the demise of Australia's megafauna -- giant marsupials, huge reptiles and flightless birds -- at least 40,000 years ago. (1 h ago)

• Double trouble: Bacterial super-infectio... Double trouble: Bacterial super-infection after the flu
01/22/2010
Current research suggests that the flu may predispose to secondary bacterial infections, which account for a significant proportion of mortality during flu pandemics. (2 h ago)

• Last decade was warmest on record, 2009 ... Last decade was warmest on record, 2009 one of warmest years, NASA research finds
01/22/2010
A new analysis of global surface temperatures by NASA scientists finds the past year was tied for the second warmest since 1880. In the Southern Hemisphere, 2009 was the warmest year on record. Although 2008 was the coolest year of the decade because of a strong La Nina that cooled the tropical Pacific Ocean, 2009 saw a return to a near-record global temperatures as the La Nina diminished. (2 h ago)

• Nobel-winning scientist Nirenberg dies a... Nobel-winning scientist Nirenberg dies at 82
01/21/2010
Marshall Nirenberg, a scientist whose groundbreaking work untangling fundamental genetic processes earned him a Nobel Prize, has died. He was 82. Nobel Prize - Chemistry - People - Marshall Nirenberg - Nobel Prize in Chemistry (15 h ago)

• Black bear about to bear cubs live on In... Black bear about to bear cubs live on Internet
01/21/2010
A black bear named Lily may be about to give birth in the wild live on the Internet. American Black Bear - Bears - Animals - Recreation - Outdoors (16 h ago)

• Better transit design through ... slime ... Better transit design through ... slime mold?
01/21/2010
Since the best city planners around the world have not been able to end traffic jams, scientists are looking to a new group of experts: slime mold. Traffic congestion - Urban planning - Business - Transportation and Logistics - Traffic Control (17 h ago)

• Gorilla who kept dead baby in 2008 dies Gorilla who kept dead baby in 2008 dies
01/21/2010
A German zoo says the gorilla who gained fame for mourning her dead baby by carrying its body for several days in 2008 has died following illness. Gorilla - Children - Death - Shopping - Animal (21 h ago)

• ‘Iron snail’ inspires new armor ‘Iron snail’ inspires new armor
01/21/2010
Next generation armor could be modeled after the shell design of this iron-plated snail. Snail - Animal - Body Armor - Armor - Scaly-foot gastropod (22 h ago)

• Joan of Arc 'relics' confirmed to be fak... Joan of Arc 'relics' confirmed to be fake
01/20/2010
The so-called "relics of Joan of Arc," overseen by the Archbishop of Tours in Chinon, France, do not contain the charred remains of the Catholic saint. Joan of Arc - France - Chinon - Travel and Tourism - Religion and Spirituality (1 d ago)

• U.N. panel: We erred on glacier warning U.N. panel: We erred on glacier warning
01/20/2010
Five glaring errors are discovered in one paragraph of the world's most authoritative report on global warming, forcing the scientists who wrote it to apologize and promise to be more careful. Global warming - Climate change - Environment - Opposing Views - Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (1 d ago)

• Experts: Haiti at risk for another big a... Experts: Haiti at risk for another big aftershock
01/20/2010
Haiti can expect more aftershocks in coming weeks, and while the usual pattern suggests they will become weaker and less frequent, another one as strong as Wednesday's jolt is certainly possible, scientists say. Aftershock - Haiti - Earthquake - United States Geological Survey - Port-au-Prince (1 d ago)

• Ancient bones may belong to English prin... Ancient bones may belong to English princess
01/20/2010
More than 1,000 years after she was carted off to Germany to marry an ambitious Saxon duke, experts believe they have identified the body of Princess Eadgyth. English people - Germany - United States - Education - Colleges and Universities (1 d ago)

• Cosmic Log: Big brains for video games Cosmic Log: Big brains for video games
01/20/2010
Science editor Alan Boyle's Weblog: Psychologists say they can predict how well you'll learn a video game by looking at three little structures inside your brain. The bigger they are, the better you’ll do. Video game - Games - Alan Boyle - Brain - Editing (1 d ago)

• Handwritten tale of Newton’s apple goes ... Handwritten tale of Newton’s apple goes online
01/19/2010
An 18th-century account of how Newton developed the theory of gravity has been posted to the Web, making the fragile paper manuscript widely available to the public for the first time. Gravitation - Newton - 18th century - Physics - Alternative (2 d ago)

• Cosmic Log: Solar salvation for Haiti? Cosmic Log: Solar salvation for Haiti?
01/19/2010
Science editor Alan Boyle's Weblog: Donors are gearing up to send solar-powered cell phones, streetlights and even audio Bibles to earthquake-hit Haiti. Mobile phone - Alan Boyle - Bible - Science and Technology - Cellphones (2 d ago)

• Sponsored By: Sponsored By:
01/19/2010
(2 d ago)

• Ancient cat goddess temple found in Egyp... Ancient cat goddess temple found in Egypt
01/19/2010
Egypt said Tuesday that its archaeologists have unearthed a Ptolemaic-era temple dating back more than 2,000 years, that may have been dedicated to the ancient cat goddess, Bastet. Ancient Egypt - Egypt - Bastet - History - Ptolemaic dynasty (2 d ago)

• NASA: No word from Phoenix Mars lander NASA: No word from Phoenix Mars lander
01/21/2010
NASA says there's no word from the Phoenix lander that is presumed to be frozen near the Martian north pole. Mars - NASA - Phoenix - Space - Planet (12 h ago)

• Hunt for Earthlike worlds looks in the m... Hunt for Earthlike worlds looks in the mirror
01/21/2010
To find Earthlike worlds around other stars, scientists should take a page from our own planet, a new study reports. Earth - Star - Education - Earth Sciences - Earth Day (21 h ago)

• Meteorite strikes doctor's office in sma... Meteorite strikes doctor's office in small town
01/21/2010
Doctors at a small U.S. medical practice got a big surprise when a tennis ball-sized meteorite punched a hole through their roof. No one was injured. Tennis - sport - United States - Medicine - Shopping (22 h ago)

• Cosmic Log: Good moves on Mars Cosmic Log: Good moves on Mars
01/20/2010
Science editor Alan Boyle's Weblog: If you're a fan of NASA's Mars missions, there are a few things that appear to be heading in the right direction — including a rover that's been stuck in a sand trap for months. Mars - NASA - Mars rover - Alan Boyle - Space (1 d ago)

• Earth causes asteroids to shake, rattle ... Earth causes asteroids to shake, rattle and roll
01/20/2010
Earthlings casting a wary eye for rogue asteroids may be comforted to learn that our planet is not a sitting duck. Asteroid - Earth - Solar System - Astronomy - Small Bodies (1 d ago)

• Private space stations edge closer to re... Private space stations edge closer to reality
01/20/2010
With two prototype modules for a commercial space station already circling the Earth, Bigelow Aerospace is gearing up for a full-scale assault on space. Bigelow Aerospace - Earth - Space station - Space - Technology (1 d ago)

• Glowing nebula reveals cosmic Cat's Paw Glowing nebula reveals cosmic Cat's Paw
01/20/2010
A stunning new image of the Cat's Paw Nebula reveals a region at the heart of our Milky Way galaxy where new stars are being born at a furious pace. Milky Way - Star - Astronomy - Galaxies - Nebula (1 d ago)

• Safety panel backs NASA's plans for new ... Safety panel backs NASA's plans for new rocket
01/19/2010
As the administration of President Barack Obama prepares to propose changes to NASA's human spaceflight program, an independent NASA safety advisory panel is warning the space agency against abandoning its current plans. Barack Obama - NASA - President of the United States - Human spaceflight - Space (2 d ago)

• Dying star gives sneak peek of sun's dem... Dying star gives sneak peek of sun's demise
01/19/2010
A preview of what's in store for our sun is in view across the galaxy, as a similar star balloons in its dying throes. Entertainment - Balloons - Shopping - Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade - Gifts (2 d ago)

• Ribbon at edge of solar system explained Ribbon at edge of solar system explained
01/19/2010
A mysterious ribbon spotted on the edge of the solar system has turned out to be a reflection of particles streaming off the sun, scientists have found. Solar System - Solar - Renewable - Energy - Business (2 d ago)

• Eight UFO sightings that generate buzz Eight UFO sightings that generate buzz
01/19/2010
UFO investigators see references to rocket ships, aliens and astronauts that go back to the days when humans first put chisel and paintbrush to rock. More than 6,000 years later, objects that are unidentified — at least at first — continue to appear in the skies and generate buzz. Unidentified flying object - Rock music - UFO - Astronaut - Paranormal (2 d ago)

• Cosmic currents may move faster than lig... Cosmic currents may move faster than light
01/19/2010
While nothing with mass can move faster than the speed of light, scientists now think some weird, faster-than-light currents may be the powerhouse for fast-spinning stars. Speed of light - Mass - Astronomy - Health - Business (2 d ago)

• etc: BoingBoing has a cool interview wit... etc: BoingBoing has a cool interview with Médicines Sans Frontièrs detailing the deployment of the groups "plug-and-play" hospital in Haiti.
01/21/2010
BoingBoing has a cool interview with Médicines Sans Frontièrs detailing the deployment of the groups "plug-and-play" hospital in Haiti. Read More: Boing Boing (18 h ago)

• Clay-based hydrogels could be green alte... Clay-based hydrogels could be green alternative to polymers
01/21/2010
Hydrogels are novel materials with properties unlike those of normal polymers, but their potential applications have remained limited to small niches. A team of researchers from Japan aims to change that, and has discovered a new approach to hydrogels that yielded a trifecta of increased mechanical strength, easy preparation, and possible green-tech implications. Hydrogels, as the name should imply, are mostly water (as much as 99 percent), and have a consistency that is best described as—you guessed it—a gel. This makes them a great candidate for novel biomedical applications like time-released targeted drug delivery and artificial tissues, because we're mostly water, too. However, this makes them less useful for pretty much everything else outside of the body. They are often vulnerable to solvents and, as you might have noticed, there aren't many items that actively rely on Jell-O as a structural component. The researchers turned what might be a problem into a solution. The large, branchy dendritic polymer macromolecule they were working with had a tendency to adhere quite strongly to glass. So the researchers investigated its interactions with clay, which shares some properties with glass. Using an additional chemical that disperses clay nanosheets in water, they were able to get their dendritic macromolecule to form a structural framework with the the clay. The hydrophilic portion of the framework attracts and retains water molecules. This notably improved mechanical properties over other hydrogels, as it could be molded into shapes that are free-standing and relatively robust and would undergo self-healing when cut. Less than 0.4 percent of it is petroleum-derived, so improved versions may provide an appealing green alternative to polymers. The best aspect, however, may be its simplicity: all you need are three ingredients, a beaker of water, and something to stir with. Nature , 2010. DOI: 10.1038/nature08693 (1 d ago)

• etc: The efficient, one-way flow of air... etc: The efficient, one-way flow of air through a bird's lungs may not be an adaptation to the high metabolic strain of flight. It looks like alligators can do the same thing, suggesting the ability predates dinosaurs.
01/20/2010
The efficient, one-way flow of air through a bird's lungs may not be an adaptation to the high metabolic strain of flight. It looks like alligators can do the same thing, suggesting the ability predates dinosaurs. Read More: The article , A summary. (1 d ago)

• Game theory shows evolution follows most... Game theory shows evolution follows most successful member
01/19/2010
Game theory has become a useful way to evaluate strategies for survival in evolution scenarios. In a new study, scientists set up a model where human players engage with each other and compete for resources, and can change their strategies for doing so in various ways. They found that as more rounds of the game were played, the human players developed a tendency to imitate the best player, causing the players as a group to tend to play the game the same way. This implies that in evolution, as one member of a species enjoys more and more success, its methods become hard to ignore for the others, which will eventually follow its lead. Evolution is a popular application of game theory, in particular to see how trends and strategies for survival spread among a group. In this situation, survival isn't based on an absolute indicator of fitness, but instead on evaluating how others in the same community are faring based on their actions. Because of this, it is important to figure out how certain survival strategies come to be adopted. One popular method of representing this scenario is with a situation called "the prisoner's dilemma." (2 d ago)

• What's in that French fry oil, anyway? What's in that French fry oil, anyway?
01/19/2010
Restaurants were excluded from the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act of 1990, so the contents of the frying oil they use is often a mystery. Typically, it's described as "vegetable oil" and is a mix of a few different kinds (sunflower, canola, and soybean, for example). One potential problem with this label is that the mix may contain corn oil, which has more saturated fat and is generally less healthy than most other vegetable oils. A new study took French fry samples on the Hawaiian island of Oahu, targeting 68 national fast food chain restaurants (McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's, Arby's, Jack in the Box, etc.) and 66 local restaurants to analyze the frying oils being used by each. The researchers measured the amount of an isotope of carbon in the oil of each fry sample. Corn oil has a much higher content of the isotope than others, so samples with a high average isotope ratio were considered to contain at least some corn oil. The results showed that 69 percent of the national chain restaurants used at least some corn oil, whereas only 20 percent of small businesses did. The proportion of small businesses and chain restaurants using more than 50 percent corn oil were roughly similar (11 percent and 7 percent). Burger King was a notable offender—the company doesn't list corn oil as a potential ingredient in its food, but it was estimated to use an oil that is about 50 percent corn-derived. Jack in the Box's samples didn't show any indication of corn oil at all. The authors of the paper speculate that the differences in oil makeup are due to the relative costs of corn oil and other oils, like soybean. For a small business, corn oil is one of the most expensive options, but it can become a cost-effective choice when bought in very large quantities. PNAS , 2010. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0914437107 (2 d ago)

• Analysis shows genetic link between majo... Analysis shows genetic link between major mood disorders
01/19/2010
Whether major mood disorders, such as bipolar disorder and clinical depression, are the result of heritage or environmental factors has been a point of contention for some time now. Studies in the recent past have encountered difficulties mapping the differences in the genetic profiles between those affected by individual major mood disorders and others who are not. A new meta-analysis in Nature has widened the scope of study by looking at two major mood disorders at once, and by doing so, have found that individuals with either disorder tend to carry a certain allele on the same gene. Similarities between major mood disorders, such as treatments, shared familial risk, and the concordance of a disorder between sets of twins, are considered to be evidence that the major mood disorders arise from at least some similar genetic factors. Studies done on major mood disorders typically concern themselves with one disorder at a time, such as major depressive disorder, but often don't turn up conclusive evidence about which genes might be causing problems. (2 d ago)

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On May 27, 2010 Obama gave a speech stating he wan...
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we need more then just wind power
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Last night 01/19/2009 there was a lot of movement ...
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• U.S. newborns are weighing les... U.S. newborns are weighing less, study finds
01/22/2010
Average birth weights have dropped slightly from 1990 to 2005. Researchers are unclear why. Birth weights in the United States are on the decline, a study has found. The report, released Thursday, found a small but significant decrease in average birth weights from 1990 to 2005, for reasons that scientists say are unclear. (7 h ago)

• Winds carry Asian smog compone... Winds carry Asian smog component to Western U.S., study finds
01/21/2010
Experts say that baseline ozone, the amount of gas not produced by local vehicles and industries, has increased in springtime months by 29% since 1984. Ozone from Asia is wafting across the Pacific on springtime winds and boosting the amount of the smog-producing gas found in the skies above the Western United States, researchers said in a study released Wednesday. (1 d ago)

• What Happened in Haiti? What Happened in Haiti?
01/20/2010
As the world focuses on the heart-wrenching losses and unbelievable devastation of the recent earthquake in Haiti, researchers at Michigan Technological University, discuss what happened there and why. (PhysOrg) (1 d ago)

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