David Lidsky's Blog, page 3272
April 29, 2014
MIT Nanocrystals Can Use Your iPhone To ID Fake Money And Drugs
MIT is developing anti-counterfeiting nanocrystals that can stick to currency, medical blister packs, and even art. Take that, criminals!
Most of us know the Secret Service as the black-suited organization employed to protect the President. But in reality, the service was created toward the end of the Civil War, before Lincoln was assassinated, to crack down on counterfeit currency. Because up to a third of all money at the time was counterfeit.
Apple Slashes Prices On MacBook Airs By $100
Some analysts predict Apple is gearing up for an HD MacBook Air at WWDC this June.
As previously hinted, Apple released two new MacBook Air models today. On the surface not much is new. As 9to5 Mac reports, both the 11-inch and 13-inch Airs come default with more powerful processors. On the low end is a 1.4Ghz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor with 4GB of RAM and 128GB storage; on the high-end option storage gets bumped up to 256GB.
How Brazil Has Leapt Ahead Of The U.S. With An Internet Bill Of Rights
One of the largest Internet markets just signed landmark legislation guaranteeing net neutrality, a limit to the data advertisers can collect on users, and limits on government surveillance on the Internet.
Brazil is one of the biggest foreign markets around for Facebook and Google--and it's one of the places where the NSA loves to snoop on the President's email accounts. It's also a place where the Internet landscape is diverging from the United States in a way that benefits ordinary digital citizens: On April 21, Brazil's congress passed a legally binding "Internet Bill of Rights."
Bubblegum That Cleans Your Teeth--For Kids Where There Are No Dentists
For kids in developing world slums, dental hygiene is a real problem. With this cheap gum developed by a team of college students, they might be able to have their candy and clean teeth.
Up to 3.9 billion people--or roughly half the global population--suffer from untreated tooth decay. They don't visit a dentist regularly (except to get a tooth extracted). They're prone to aches and related sleep problems. Their brushing-and-flossing routine is minimal, or non-existent.
Sprig Wants A Piece Of San Francisco's Lunch Hour
Sprig's aim is to make healthy meals--prepared with sustainably sourced, organic, and local ingredients--just as accessible as fast food.
New to San Francisco's lunch hour, meal delivery service Sprig on Tuesday emerged from a weeklong beta spent delivering midday meals to hungry workers in the city. Previously, Sprig only provided dinner service.
April 28, 2014
For New York City's Tech Industry, Is There Life After Bloomberg?
From 2002 to 2013, NYC became a robust place for technological innovation. But there's a new mayor in town--and Bill de Blasio has positioned himself, in many ways, as the anti-Bloomberg. Time for techies to relocate or renew leases?
During the years that billionaire Michael Bloomberg served as New York's mayor, tech companies were sure they had a friend in City Hall.
Homeland Security Tells Americans To Avoid Using Internet Explorer
Over the weekend, a security firm discovered a vulnerability that affects 56% of the browser market.
The Department of Homeland Security is advising online users against Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser after researchers discovered a security flaw over the weekend.
Drone Captures Path Of Destruction Left By Arkansas Tornado
As recovery efforts begin in the south central United States, a drone provides a shocking view of the disaster.
At least 18 people were killed this weekend when a string of tornados ripped through Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Iowa.
Read NPR's Charming Intro To The Internet, 20 Years Later
This archival memo highlights such wonders as email and a "collection of computer networks that is connected around the world."
Twenty years ago today, NPR first introduced its newsroom to the Internet via this wonderful memo posted to Tumblr. As with all things archival, it's interesting to see how the technology was defined before everyone implicitly understood what "Internet" meant.
Could This 3-D Printed Cast Really Heal Bones Faster?
A designer claims that his concept for a 3-D printed cast would shorten the bone-healing process nearly 40%. We ask hand surgeon Michael Hausman to weigh in.
In the near future, having a broken arm could look way cooler thanks to a new, black, lightweight 3-D printed cast that's patterned like latticework and which uses an ultrasound device to make bones heal more quickly. Designed by Turkish industrial designer Deniz Karasahin, the Osteoid Medical cast recently won the A'Design Award in the 3-D Printed Forms and Products Design category.
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