Links for 16-02-2007
Greenpeace wins nuke consultation case, Twins Paradox resolved, RFID smart powder…
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1 – Open Source Software Toolkit Plays Key Role In New Climate Simulations
“The Model Coupling Toolkit created by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory played a key role in the climate simulations used in preparing the new U.N. report…” Chalk another one up for FOSS.
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2 – SIW – System Information for Windows
“SIW (System Information for Windows) performs computer configuration analysis and diagnostics. It gives detailed information about your computer properties and settings…” That’s a good bit of freeware.
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3 – Smart Guys Date in Parallel
Quality bit of humour for lonely electronics geeks. Seriously, read this. Via Seed Magazine.
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4 – Greenpeace wins nuclear consultation case
“It is vital that the public should be an informed customer and that long term decisions should be made with public backing. This will only happen if all sides of the argument engage in full, frank and open discussion.” Word.
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5 – Professor Resolves Einstein’s Twin Paradox
“First suggested by Albert Einstein more than 100 years ago, the paradox deals with the effects of time in the context of travel at near the speed of light.” Interesting stuff – could change the classic sf trope.
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6 – Report: Teens Using Prescription Drugs
“…a report released Wednesday [...] found while U.S. teenagers’ use of marijuana is declining, their abuse of prescription drugs is holding steady or in some cases increasing.” Never saw *that* coming, huh?
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7 – ‘Bloodbot’ Helps Keep Canadian Blood Clean
“The robot does the tedious work of separating the components of the blood samples, registering them according to a barcode reading, and then preparing them to be frozen until researchers can analyze them.”
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8 – On the origin of the Etruscan civilisation
“One of anthropology’s most enduring mysteries – the origins of the ancient Etruscan civilisation – may finally have been solved, with a study of cattle.”
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9 – Hitachi develops RFID powder
“On February 13, Hitachi unveiled a tiny, new “powder” type RFID chip measuring 0.05 x 0.05 mm — the smallest yet — which they aim to begin marketing in 2 to 3 years.” ZOMFG! ph34r t3h sm4r+duz+!
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10 – ‘Glorifying Terrorism’ – Brit sf writers break the law
“Glorifying Terrorism is a new anthology of short stories by British SF authors in praise of “terrorism” — from Nelson Mandela on.” This plug on BoingBoing should do wonders for sales.
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11 – A Conversation With Ken MacLeod
My first piece for SF Site has just gone live! w00t!
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12 – The SF Site: Best Read of the Year in Science Fiction and Fantasy
Does exactly what it says on the tin, unsurprisingly. An interesting selection, though, chosen by the site’s contributors.
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13 – Read me first – Blogs are no longer free from everyday commercial pressures
“Critically, the effects of PageRank selling and link buying are completely independent of blogger (or journalistic) ethics.” Hmmm. I think I’ve been a cat’s paw.
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14 – Motion-sensitive spacesuits could generate power
“All space missions grapple with the issue of how to produce enough power to complete their goals while minimising the weight of batteries and solar arrays.” The solution? Ear hair proteins. Of course.
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15 – Peer-to-Peer Market for RMT Trading Debuts
“Sparter is a new entry in the real money trading industry that uses an eBay-like “peer-to-peer” approach for the buying and selling of game gold for World of Warcraft and other MMORPG online games.” Inevitable.
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16 – Cooling the Planet
“If we can’t adequately reduce or sequester carbon emissions, are more-radical alternatives like orbital mirrors a solution to climate change?” Sfnal solutions to a changing planet, via SFBC.
