Month: October 2019

Scientists Uncover New Organic Molecules Coming Off Saturn’s Moon Enceladus

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Scientists have discovered nitrogen- and oxygen- containing organic molecules in ice grains blown out by Saturn’s moon Enceladus, according to a new study. Gas giants Saturn and Jupiter are orbited by some moons that almost seem more like planets themselves. One such moon is Saturn’s Enceladus, an icy orb thought to contain a very deep Read more about Scientists Uncover New Organic Molecules Coming Off Saturn’s Moon Enceladus[…]

silk is proven to thrive in outer space temperatures

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Their initial discovery had seemed like a contradiction because most other polymer fibres embrittle in the cold. But after many years of working on the problem, the group of researchers have discovered that silk’s cryogenic toughness is based on its nano-scale fibrills. Sub-microscopic order and hierarchy allows a silk to withstand temperatures of down to Read more about silk is proven to thrive in outer space temperatures[…]

U.S. Plans to Test DNA of Immigrants in Detention Centers

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The Trump administration is moving to start testing the DNA of people detained by U.S. immigration officers, according to reports of call on Wednesday between senior Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials and reporters. Justice Department officials are reportedly developing a new rule that would allow immigration officers to begin collecting the private genetic information Read more about U.S. Plans to Test DNA of Immigrants in Detention Centers[…]

Zimbabwe shuts down mobile money because cash is being sold at a premium of 50%: basically two competing currencies with the same label

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Mobile money is fast blossoming in Africa, boosted by rising mobile adoption across the continent, but in Zimbabwe—which is battling a severe financial crunch—the most common cash-in and cash-out functionalities have just been killed off as the government battles to contain the country’s economic crisis. Cash-out is process of converting mobile wallet balances into hard cash Read more about Zimbabwe shuts down mobile money because cash is being sold at a premium of 50%: basically two competing currencies with the same label[…]

​Docker has a business plan headache, another showcase for FOSS money making failure

Posted on by Robin Edgar

We love containers. And, for most of us, containers means Docker. As RightScale observed in its RightScale 2018 State of the Cloud report, Docker’s adoption by the industry has increased to 49 percent from 35 percent in 2017. All’s not well in Docker-land There’s only one problem with this: While Docker, the technology, is going Read more about ​Docker has a business plan headache, another showcase for FOSS money making failure[…]

ETSI launches specification group on Securing Artificial Intelligence

Posted on by Robin Edgar

ETSI is pleased to announce the creation of a new Industry Specification Group on Securing Artificial Intelligence (ISG SAI). The group will develop technical specifications to mitigate threats arising from the deployment of AI throughout multiple ICT-related industries. This includes threats to artificial intelligence systems from both conventional sources and other AIs. The ETSI Securing Read more about ETSI launches specification group on Securing Artificial Intelligence[…]

EU court of justice rules opt in is not on if the tickbox is pre ticked

Posted on by Robin Edgar

In a court case vs Planet 49 the EU has ruled that you can’t start collecting data just by showing a warning that you are doing so or by having a preselected tickbox stating it’s OK to collect data. The user has to actually go and click the tickbox or OK before any data collection Read more about EU court of justice rules opt in is not on if the tickbox is pre ticked[…]

EC rules make household appliances more sustainable by forcing right to repair

Posted on by Robin Edgar

In a continued effort to reduce Europe’s carbon footprint and to make energy bills cheaper for European consumers, the Commission today adopted new eco-design measures for products such as refrigerators, washing machines, dishwashers and televisions.Improving the ecodesign of products contributes to implementing the ‘Energy efficiency first’ principle of the EU’s Energy Union priority. For the Read more about EC rules make household appliances more sustainable by forcing right to repair[…]

Thousands of ships fitted with ‘cheat devices’ to divert poisonous pollution into sea

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Global shipping companies have spent billions rigging vessels with “cheat devices” that circumvent new environmental legislation by dumping pollution into the sea instead of the air, The Independent can reveal. More than $12bn (£9.7bn) has been spent on the devices, known as open-loop scrubbers, which extract sulphur from the exhaust fumes of ships that run on heavy fuel Read more about Thousands of ships fitted with ‘cheat devices’ to divert poisonous pollution into sea[…]