Day: June 25, 2020

Experiment confirms 50-year-old theory describing how black holes could generate energy

Posted on by Robin Edgar

In 1969, British physicist Roger Penrose suggested that energy could be generated by lowering an object into the black hole’s ergosphere—the outer layer of the black hole’s event horizon, where an object would have to move faster than the speed of light in order to remain still. Penrose predicted that the object would acquire a Read more about Experiment confirms 50-year-old theory describing how black holes could generate energy[…]

Depixelizing Video Game Characters using AI Creates Monsters

Posted on by Robin Edgar

A new digital tool built to depixelize photos sounds scary and bad. Another way to remove privacy from the world. But this tool is also being used for a sillier and not terrible purpose: Depixelizng old game characters. The results are…nevermind, this is also a terrible use of this tool. “Face Depixelizer” is a tool Read more about Depixelizing Video Game Characters using AI Creates Monsters[…]

Big Tech on the hook for billions in back taxes after US Supreme Court rejects Altera stock options case hearing

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon and a host of other tech giants will have to pay billions of dollars in extra tax after the Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal on a stock-option case. America’s top court said [PDF] on Monday it will not review a decision by the Ninth Circuit of Appeals that stock-based Read more about Big Tech on the hook for billions in back taxes after US Supreme Court rejects Altera stock options case hearing[…]

‘BlueLeaks’ Exposes Files, personal and banking details, emails from Hundreds of Police Departments spanning 24 years

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Hundreds of thousands of potentially sensitive files from police departments across the United States were leaked online last week. The collection, dubbed “BlueLeaks” and made searchable online, stems from a security breach at a Texas web design and hosting company that maintains a number of state law enforcement data-sharing portals. The collection — nearly 270 Read more about ‘BlueLeaks’ Exposes Files, personal and banking details, emails from Hundreds of Police Departments spanning 24 years[…]

Machine-learning models trained on pre-COVID data are now completely out of whack, says Gartner

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Machine learning models built for doing business prior to the COVID-19 pandemic will no longer be valid as economies emerge from lockdowns, presenting companies with new challenges in machine learning and enterprise data management, according to Gartner. The research group has reported that “the extreme disruption in the aftermath of COVID-19… has invalidated many models Read more about Machine-learning models trained on pre-COVID data are now completely out of whack, says Gartner[…]

Beidou: China completes rival to the US-owned GPS system

Posted on by Robin Edgar

China sent the last satellite to space on Tuesday to complete its global navigation system that will help wean it off U.S. technology in this area. The network known as Beidou, which has been in the works for over two decades, is a significant step for China’s space and technology ambitions. Beidou is a rival Read more about Beidou: China completes rival to the US-owned GPS system[…]

tens of thousands of mobile numbers of 50+ year olds sold for whatsapp fraud

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Names, adresses and mobile numbers have been sold for fraud using WhatsApp. Most of these numbers come from callcentres, mainly those selling energy contracts. The fresher a lead is, the more they are worth: betwween 25 cents and 2 euros. The money is usually transferred through mules, who keep a percentage of the proceeds. Source: Read more about tens of thousands of mobile numbers of 50+ year olds sold for whatsapp fraud[…]