 |
by Cory Doctorow on (#2GJQJ)
The DHS has advised some airlines that flights originating from some overseas airports will only be allowed to land in the USA if passengers are required to check any electronic device bigger than a phone (excepting medical devices) in the hold. (more…)
|
Boing Boing
| Link | https://boingboing.net/ |
| Feed | http://feeds.boingboing.net/boingboing/iBag |
| Updated | 2026-09-29 20:19 |
 |
by Cory Doctorow on (#2GJKS)
During Obama's terms of office and the election campaign, Donald Trump frequently took aim at Obama's golf games, decrying them as scandalous in light of "the problems and difficulties facing the US," and promising that if elected, "I’m going to be working for you. I’m not going to have time to go play golf." (more…)
|
 |
by Cory Doctorow on (#2GJF5)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2wSfP0qoMk"Stephen Colbert" is a character that was once played by Stephen Colbert: a right-wing blowhard pundit who called Bill O'Reilly "Papa Bear." When Colbert took over the Late Show, the "Stephen Colbert" character disappeared (possibly because Viacom claimed the rights to it!), but now and again, he reappears. (more…)
|
 |
by Rob Beschizza on (#2GJAX)
From the THX sound to Windows startup chimes, audio is a key weapon in the psychological branding arsenal. In this video from Wired, Andrew Stafford (Co-Founder & Director at Big Sync Music) and Steve Milton (Founding Partner at Listen) provide commentary on some of the most famous.There was a time, Stafford says, when the Nokia ringtone was being played 20,000 times a second. [via MeFi]Encore: the story behind Sosumi, the most annoying Mac sound.
|
 |
by Rob Beschizza on (#2GJ73)
Jim Sharkey, a high school football coach in Spokane, was suspended February after reportedly showing his penis to students. The Spokesman-Review reports that the incident occurred last summer at a leadership camp.A couple of weeks after the camp, a Ferris player came forward and said that while Sharkey was grilling, he turned with his exposed penis inside a hot dog bun. Sharkey said, “You think that is a big dog – take a look at this,†according to school records that listed multiple different versions of the same quote.While the coach got a written reprimand and was allowed to coach this past fall, school officials placed him on administrative leave Feb. 1 after more players claimed to have seen the hot dog incident and other students brought up separate incidents of questionable behavior by the 11-year teacher and coach.Sharkey says the allegations are false and will fight to keep his dream job. [via Deadspin]
|
by Andrea James on (#2GJ6N)
Manufacturing Consent feels like a must-read all over again lately, and this excellent primer by animator Pierangelo Pirak lays out the five filters of the mass media machine. (more…)
 |
by Andrea James on (#2GJ6R)
Kvatch of The Hoax Hotel is masterful at playing rubes who fall for online scams. In this gem, he keeps an "FBI agent" named "Josh" on the line for nearly 22 minutes, riling him up until he's "the angriest scammer I've ever called." (more…)
|
 |
by Rob Beschizza on (#2GFCR)
At a hearing of the House Intelligence Committee, FBI Director James Comey confirmed Monday that the FBI had launched an investigation into Russian efforts to influence 2016's presidential election and into links and coordination between Donald Trump's presidential campaign and the Russian government."Because it is classified, I cannot say more about what we are doing and whose conduct we are investigating," he told the committee, admitting that this would only make the disclosure frustrating. "... we will follow the facts wherever they lead."He also rebutted the suggestion, presented by Trump on Twitter and elsewhere, that former president Barack Obama wiretapped Trump tower during the election campaign."I have no information that supports those tweets, and we have looked carefully inside the FBI," said Comey."No individual in the United States can direct surveillance of another individual," he said in response to a question about whether the President had the statutory power to do so. "...No president could."Asked whether he'd seen any evidence of British involvement in the alleged wiretapping, NSA director Michael Rogers, also attending the hearing, denied it unequivocally."That would be expressly against the construct of the Five Eyes agreement," he said, referring to the intelligence-sharing agreement between major western powers in which the US and UK are partners.Prompted, he agreed with the British that that it was a "ridiculous" suggestion, adding that "it frustrates a key ally of ours."The hearing is currently underway.https://twitter.com/kylegriffin1/status/843834982376333312
|
 |
by David Pescovitz on (#2GF8C)
Julia, the muppet with autism, will join the Sesame Street TV show in April. She appeared last night on 60 minutes during an interview segment with Sesame Street writer Christine Ferraro. From NPR:"The character Julia, she has wonderful drawing skills. She's like a little budding artist," said Rose Jochum, director of internal initiatives at the Autism Society of America, which characterizes itself as the nation's oldest advocacy group for people with the disorder. "You know — autism — it brings wonderful gifts...""It's not like there is a typical example of an autistic child, but we do believe that [with] Julia, we worked so carefully to make sure that she had certain characteristics that would allow children to identify with her," (Sesame Workshop executive vice president Sherrie) Westin said. "It's what Sesame does best, you know: Reaching children, looking at these things through their lens and building a greater sort of sense of commonality."Here's the 60 Minutes segment script.And more about puppet designer Rollie Krewson.Sesame Street producers hope Julia’s first episode will help the audience understand when a child with autism doesn’t react as they expect. pic.twitter.com/DJCFdksPIk— 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) March 20, 2017
|
 |
by David Pescovitz on (#2GF8E)
When Apollo 15 astronaut David Scott hopped across the lunar surface in 1971, he was carrying a pouch of tiny US flags in his spacesuit. The stash of flags was such a secret that Scott didn't even know they were there at the time. Now one of the souvenir flags, the pouch, and the bracket where it was attached are up for auction. The flag is estimated to go for $15,000 and the bracket/pouch for $30,000, but I definitely think you need both lots. From Collect Space:"This [hidden pouch] was apparently unknown to anybody else until the (Portable Life Support System's Oxygen Purge System where the pouch was stowed were) disassembled after the mission by some other member of the CSD (Crew Systems Division) and the flag package was discovered," wrote Scott.The identity of the original CSD member who hid the flags, or the person who found them afterward, is unknown...Scott was presented with some of the flags and the 7.5 by 4 inch (19 by 10 cm) bracket as mementos of his flight by his management at the same meeting where he was told of their existence. A law passed in 2012 reaffirmed Apollo-era astronauts' title to the items they retained as souvenirs of their missions...The hidden flags were not the only secret souvenirs on the Apollo 15 mission. Scott and his two crew mates also took postmarked envelopes, a memorial statue, and timepieces that NASA later labeled as unauthorized. The hidden flags were not associated with those items, though.
|
 |
by Cory Doctorow on (#2GF33)
There's still time to pre-order your signed first-edition hardcover of Walkaway, my novel which comes out on April 25 (US/UK), and while you're waiting for that to ship, here's chapter one of the novel, "Communist Party" (this is read by Wil Wheaton on the audiobook, where he is joined by such readers as Amanda Palmer and Amber Benson!). (more…)
|
 |
by Andrea James on (#2GF1E)
Derek VanAlthuis rigged up a couple of high-power flashlights in a PVC casing, then ran them through an amber gel onto a piece of edge-lit plexiglass to create this winged portrait. Here's the setup: (more…)
|
 |
by Andrea James on (#2GF1G)
This nifty interactive map shows education levels of everyone over 25, with red representing less than high school continuing up the spectrum to blue meaning graduate degree. (more…)
|
 |
by Boing Boing's Store on (#2GEWR)
When Apple revealed the new MacBook in 2016, one of the biggest issues raised with the notebook’s new design (aside from ire over the slew of new adapters you’d inevitably have to buy) was the removal of one of its most beloved proprietary features, the magnetic charging cable. Thankfully, third-party peripheral makers have taken up the slack to bring the satisfying click of a magnetic charger to tons of new devices, including that new MacBook, Android phones, and other micro USB devices.This MagCable does exactly what it says on the tin: provides a magnetic cable connection with an unobtrusive plug that stays in your phone’s charging port. With a firm, but breakable link, you can save your device’s Micro USB port from unwanted strain. And you can easily plug and unplug your phone in the dark one-handed thanks to a reversible magnet.This cable includes two magnetic tips, so you can grant magnetic powers to a second device or to save in your drawer as a backup. You can get the MagCable Magnetic Micro USB Cable for 31% off, at $21.99.
|
 |
by Cory Doctorow on (#2GEGC)
The internets will tell you that spraypainting a giant penis around a pothole will get your town's roadworks to prioritize its repair. The internets are wrong. (more…)
|
 |
by Cory Doctorow on (#2GEGE)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=np5tJXFKhyUFrom the Herbert H. Warrick, Jr. Museum of Communications, who note: "I've seen this style of dial illustrated in early human-factors study reports. I didn't know they actually made them! (more…)
|
 |
by Cory Doctorow on (#2GEGG)
...maybe you should have a talk with someone. (No relation) (more…)
|
 |
by Cory Doctorow on (#2GEFA)
Sebastian Gorka is one of the Brietbarters that Trump took with him to the White House, where he serves as "counter-terrorism adviser." He's also a non-metaphorical Nazi. (more…)
|
 |
by Cory Doctorow on (#2GCQC)
Artist Chris Ovdiyenko has created a series of modern hobo nickels based on "some of the most iconic coins," imagining what they would look like if they were overengraved by someone with a delightfully morbid sensibility. (more…)
|
 |
by Rob Beschizza on (#2GCNX)
Neil Thapen's Pink Trombone is a voice simulator: instead of telling it what to say, you individually move the soft and fleshy parts of the mouth, tongue and throat. There's a lot of fun to be had moving around the circular purple tongue control and the bottom lip and hearing the machine sing.https://twitter.com/pishtaq/status/843214889846018048Spotted via Bennett Foddy, which made me think there should be a version controlled with the Q W O P letters, named "Qwopera."https://twitter.com/bfod/status/843222520677515264
|
 |
by Rob Beschizza on (#2GCJS)
The Offworld Collection, presenting the very best features and essays from Offworld, is finally available to buy directly from Campo Santo for $40. I had the pleasure of designing and illustrating this splendid 250-page hardcover volume, but it's the excellent writing, edited by Leigh Alexander and Laura Hudson, that makes it an essential buy. You get the ebook immediately upon purchase. (more…)
|
 |
by Andrea James on (#2GCFF)
In weaponry, as in life, sometimes the best things are free. Take the lowly IKEA pencil. No, literally take one or more of the ubiquitous free writing utensils. Then watch this video on how to weaponize them. (more…)
|
 |
by Cory Doctorow on (#2GBV4)
Jamila Raqib is a research affiliate at the MIT Media Lab and is Executive Director of the Albert Einstein Institution, founded by Gene Sharp, who literally wrote the book on successful nonviolent resistance. (more…)
|
 |
by Xeni Jardin on (#2G87N)
The obvious cruelty throughout Trump's smash-the-state budget shocked and awed America this week, but right after the thief-in-chief proposed to destroy an array of relatively low-cost federal programs that feed poor rural school children and keep grandmothers from freezing to death, he did something really extraordinary. (more…)
|
 |
by Rob Beschizza on (#2G7A4)
Mad props to whoever at the elf ear earbuds factory figured out exactly which western gadget blogger to send them to.First spotted on the Chinese-language Taobao shopping portal last year, the Spirit E666 earbuds are now easily found in the US, sold under various names but most conveniently at Amazon for $20. The ones I received were labeled "ROAMING IN WONDERLAND WITH EARS." They're made of silicone, come with three sets of in-ear cushions, a four-foot cable in the same color, and have a microphone with playback controls and a modern 3.5mm TRRS connector.PROSThe first surprise is that they're easy to put on, and they stay on. Anyone who's ever fooled around with cosplay prosthetics (with the latex and spirit gum and whatnot) knows what a hassle it can be. You won't be playing rugby in these, but I found them comfortable and well-designed. And they pop right off too.The second surprise is they don't sound awful. They aren't the market-stall tat you might expect in a weird fashion design like this, but are on a par with what's bundled with cellphones and iPods or found on the bargain rack at Best Buy. They sound rather sharp and lacking in mid-range definition, for sure, but have enough bass to satisfy. CONSThey're too small for proper elfage. Dainty little anime tips, really. They just disappear inside fluffy or shaggy hair. They're also one-size fits all, so if your ears are particularly small or large, the ear ridge might not align well with your own. They only come in one color, and it's white AF. I am a red-haired Briton, alien to sunlight, who emerges only in darkness and they are way whiter than me. They should offer them in other skintones, pronto.Durability is suspect, with the cable between earbud and the ear seeming particularly thin and vulnerable. All in all, though, they're half-decent earbuds at a stocking-stuffer price. If you're here you already want them, obviously, and I'm giving you permission to get them.Elegant Elves Ear Design Ultra-Soft Corded Earphone Perfect Sound Quality Fairy's Adorable Cosplay Headset Spirit Costume accessories [Amazon]
|
 |
by Boing Boing's Store on (#2G6WN)
PDFs are a double-edged sword. On one hand, even the most tech-averse can easily open and print them out without screwing anything up, making them the quintessential format for sharing documents. But if you're sharing PDFs back and forth a lot, their shortcomings become apparent pretty quickly. Because they are optimized for paper printing, modifying content requires going back to whatever program created them.PDF Expert lets you edit text, images, hyperlinks, and more natively inside PDFs. Unlike most PDF viewers like Preview, Adobe Reader, and the one in your browser, PDF Expert can merge multiple documents into a single file to free your colleagues from email attachment hell. It’s also perfect for adding inline annotations and filling out digital forms, so you can save trees without sacrificing the convenience of paper.Additionally, PDF expert makes it easy to extract embedded media from documents, so you don’t need to rely on awkward screenshots to save images and logo files. You can get PDF Expert 2.0 for Mac for 50% off the usual price—just $29.99.
|
 |
by Jason Weisberger on (#2G6KC)
I remember watching Romper Room religiously, perhaps that is what happened.https://youtu.be/td1KAgrYUGAWasn't it awesome we got morality lessons from a surreal bumble bee with a 420 friendly name? I think I liked Mr. Don't Bee better. Romper Room may also explain my hatred of mirrors.
|
 |
by Andrea James on (#2G61M)
Ashley Soto used to be embarrassed about her vitiligo, which started at age 12. Now she uses her vitligo as a sort of stencil to create all kinds of interesting body art pieces. (more…)
|
 |
by Cory Doctorow on (#2G5VC)
https://vimeo.com/208642358James "New Aesthetics" Bridle (previously) wants to confuse your autonomous vehicle, so he's designed this Autonomous Trap 001, a sequencing scheme with lots of room for growth.
|
 |
by Xeni Jardin on (#2G4SP)
A group of BBC News journalists had to run for their lives when a volcanic eruption took place while they were filming on Mount Etna. (more…)
|
 |
by Xeni Jardin on (#2G4R0)
Officials with the British government complained to the White House today after Donald Trump's spokesliar Sean Spicer cited a bogus Fox News report claiming that former President Barack Obama got help from U.K. intelligence agency GCHQ to spy on Donald Trump. (more…)
|
 |
by Xeni Jardin on (#2G4PD)
In a recent Fox News interview, President Donald Trump told anchor Tucker Carlson he's beginning to get the hang of this whole reading thing. The interview hit the internet on the same day Trump's administration released an incomprehensibly nihilistic budget draft that he almost certainly didn't read. (more…)
|
 |
by Rob Beschizza on (#2G2SK)
Today's Astronomy picture of the day is Saturn's moon, Mimas, bathed in light from both the planet and the sun. The image has had the darker side brightened somewhat; click through for the unenhanced original. Explanation: Peering from the shadows, the Saturn-facing hemisphere of Mimas lies in near darkness alongside a dramatic sunlit crescent. The mosaic was captured near the Cassini spacecraft's final close approach on January 30, 2017. Cassini's camera was pointed in a nearly sunward direction only 45,000 kilometers from Mimas. The result is one of the highest resolution views of the icy, crater-pocked, 400 kilometer diameter moon. ...Other Cassini images of Mimas include the small moon's large and ominous Herschel Crater.
|
 |
by Cory Doctorow on (#2G23T)
Skulls on the front, wordmark on the back: $38, pink, green or purple, sizes 3-10. (via Punk Fashion)
|
by Peter Sheridan on (#2G0D6)
Just when it seemed that the White House was backing away from Trump's "wiretap" allegations, when evidence seemed non-existent, and spin doctors desperately claimed that Trump simply meant he was under electronic surveillance or being spied on by cameras secreted in microwave ovens, the 'Enquirer' uncovers a farrago of "lies, leaks and illegal bugging."What shocking new evidence does the 'Enquirer' expose? It explains that the National Security Agency's "Stellar Wind" data mining program, revealed in 2008 and detailed by Edward Snowden in 2013, "taps every American citizen's calls on a daily basis." Therefore Trump's calls were wiretapped. QED.But not so fast - there's a huge difference between a program that scans massive amounts of data for patterns and irregularities, and an order to eavesdrop on a presidential candidate's private line. A FISA court's approved collection of metadata was halted in 2011 - long before Trump announced his candidacy - though massive American data collection continues. And the government has long argued that it collected phone metadata - toll records and phone numbers, rather than content - which again, is hardly "wire-tapping."The 'Globe' also gets political with its cover story "FBI Find Clinton Secret Payoff Files!" Investigators seized incriminating financial documents during a grand jury-ordered search of the Clinton's homes in upstate New York and Washington, D.C., claims the 'Globe.' But there is no evidence that such a grand jury search warrant was ever issued, or that the Clinton homes were searched. The alleged "smoking gun" documents, which allegedly name "205 Wall Street execs, foreign leaders and Hollywood fat cats caught up in a $216 million pay-for-play scam" may simply not exist.Perhaps the tabloids should stick to celebrity news, where their alternative facts and truth-challenged reportage are more at home."Reese Witherspoon's Stripping Disgrace!" screams an 'Enquirer' headline. Has the perky actress been swinging from a stripper pole lately? Of course not, though her step-sister allegedly has. Which makes it Witherspoon's disgrace?Casey Anthony is lying when she claims not to know how her daughter died, reports the 'Enquirer' - because it put audio of her voice through a stress test. That's about as reliably scientific as a plastic Fortune Teller Fish that curls in the palm of your hand.Modern Family actor Ed O'Neill is warned by the 'Globe' team of medically-trained health reporters: "Diet Or Die!" Based on photographic evidence the 'Globe' has decided he's overweight, which "is putting him at risk for at least 65 life-threatening illnesses, including cancer and heart disease." Angelina Jolie, on the other hand, has come "Back From The Brink," bouncing back from her "skeletal 76-pound weight" to now look "happier, healthier - and heavier." A "diet expert" is enlisted to declare: "She looks like she's gained 10 pounds." As long as the tabloids' medical experts are happy, that's all that matters.It's almost reassuring to know that 70-year-old singer Cher has been "saved" by "a much younger former stripper boyfriend," that plastic surgery-obsessed Jennifer Lopez "Wants First Lady's Face," and Meg Ryan and John Mellencamp are "Together Again," according to the 'Enquirer.' Then again, the 'Globe' claims that Lisa Marie Presley is in "Scientology Prison," Barbra Streisand and James Brolin are headed for "an ugly $550 million divorce," and John Mellencamp says of Meg Ryan: "She hates me to death. She doesn't want anything to do with me."'Us' magazine bring us the big stories America cares about: J Lo's "Sexy New Romance" with A Rod, the "best, worst and weirdest" moments from 'Duck Dynasty,' and the inside scoop on reality show 'The Bachelor' - "What TV Didn't Show." Fortunately we have the crack team of 'Us' magazine's investigative journalists to tell us that Olivia Culpo wore it best, Harry Potter alum Rupert Grint likes hats, Anna Gunn carries Band-Aids, Neosporin and sunscreen in her hypochondriac-driven Louis Vuitton Neverfull tote, and that the stars are just like us: they shop, play tennis, work out with weights, and skateboard. Revelatory, as ever.The Trump-loving 'Enquirer' parent company's just-announced purchase of 'Us Weekly' promises great journalism ahead. Hopefully we can look forward to Ivanka Trump’s column of style tips for faux feminists, 'Us' mag proclaiming that Melania Trump "wore it best" every week, and the popular new weekly feature: "Presidents - They’re Just Like Us!"'People' magazine also gives us the vacuous inside story on J Lo & A Rod, predictably dubbing the couple "J-Rod," and visits with TV's Bachelor Nick Viall and his slightly hesitant fiancé Vanessa, but devotes its cover to singer Prince's ex-wife's tell all: "Passion, Pills & The Agony of Losing Their Child."Once again, the 'National Examiner' of all places carries a surprisingly accurate story - though hardly new - declaring: "Earth's Poles are going to flip!" potentially causing chaos exposing the planet to solar radiation. "All people can do is hope for the best," concludes this inspiring report, which speculates that the Earth could be without a fixed magnetic field for up to 200 years. Who needs GPS anyway?Onwards and downwards . . .
 |
by Mark Frauenfelder on (#2G05V)
Anker makes good stuff. Their 60-Watt 10-port USB charger can charge up to 2.4 amps per port (12 amps maximum). If you live with more than a few people, this can come in handy. It's on sale at Amazon for $33.59.
|
 |
by Mark Frauenfelder on (#2G05X)
This has been out for a while, but my IFTF colleague Brad just told me about it last week. It's the $400 Juicero juicing machine. To make juice with it, you must subscribe to receive pre-masticated produce that comes in packs (priced between $7 and $10 per pack, $35 to $50 per week). The packs are marked with a QR code that the Juicero scans to make sure it is "fresh." If the pack gets "out of code" (i.e., it's produce you grew, traded, or brought elsewhere) the Juicero will reject it. It's got a built-in Wi-Fi radio, which checks the date (and monitors your use of the juicer). The machine itself seems pretty neat - it presses the juice by squeezing the fruit, but they really need to let you use your own produce. If this appeals to you, here's a smart floss dispenser you'll probably like.
|
 |
by Cory Doctorow on (#2G00Q)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFw8n33JcWgLixie is an open-source hardware, LED-based edge-lit display that combines the look of Nixie tubes with the techniques invented for their distant ancestors, the edge-lit display. (more…)
|
 |
by Xeni Jardin on (#2FZS5)
U.S. Senators gathered on Capitol Hill today seeking answers on Trump's relationship with Russia, and Trump's obviously bogus claim that U.S. President Barack Obama spied on his presidential campaign. (more…)
|
 |
by Mark Frauenfelder on (#2FZJ3)
Robert Kelly and his wife Kim Jung-A talk about the now-viral BBC interview that starred their adorable children in a "hippity-hoppity mood." The article is behind Wall Street Journal's paywall, but you can watch the video without a subscription.
|
 |
by Mark Frauenfelder on (#2FZCC)
https://youtu.be/I4I-nwdBjuwThe School of Life has a video to help people overcome shyness.Shyness is based on a set of ideas about the world that are eminently amenable to change through a process of reason because they are founded on some touchingly malleable errors of thought, Shyness is rooted in a distinctive way of interpreting strangers.
|
 |
by David Pescovitz on (#2FZAR)
Farmers in Colombia's Tolima provence were freaked out by a UFO that crashed in a field on Sunday. "It was smoking and a strange liquid was leaking it," said one resident.Police eventually identified the wreckage as an Internet balloon from X, Alphabet (Google)'s R&D company. X's Project Loon is "designed to extend Internet connectivity to people in rural and remote areas worldwide.""We all thought it was a UFO or the remains of a space craft," locals were quoted as saying in El Tiempo newspaper.(BBC)
|
 |
by David Pescovitz on (#2FZ8G)
Neil Mendoza created this fantastic electromechanical band as part of the artist-in-residence program at Autodesk:The rock band is composed of electromechanical instruments that make music with rocks by throwing them through the air, slapping them and making them vibrate. The song that they're playing, Here Comes the Sun, is biographical, describing the daily experience of a rock sitting on the ground. The rock band is made up of the following members...Pinger - fires small rocks at aluminium keys using solenoids.Spinner - launches magnetic rocks, Hematite, at pieces of marble. Rocks are launched by spinning magnets using Applied Motion stepper motors.Slapper - slaps rocks with fake leather.Buzzer - vibrates the plunger of a solenoid against a piece of marble.The whole project is controlled by a computer running a MIDI player written in openFrameworks talking to a Teensy. The machines were designed using Autodesk Fusion 360 and Autodesk Inventor.He posted plans to make your own mechanical xylophone at Instructables.
|
 |
by Rob Beschizza on (#2FZ09)
STUDENTDid you mean to do that?INSTRUCTOR(thinks about it) Yeah.
|
 |
by Rob Beschizza on (#2FZ0B)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLzDRge6P0U&feature=youtu.beThe best part is the other sheep patiently waiting further up the path. "Come on, Nigel."
|
 |
by Xeni Jardin on (#2FYW4)
Before today's anticipated announcement by the Justice Department, more details are already leaking out about who they're after: “two Russian spies, and two criminal hackers.†(more…)
|
 |
by Andrea James on (#2FYVH)
Lithuanian artist Jolita Vaitkutė created this charming series of images depicting untranslatable words, based on the word's meaning. (more…)
|
 |
by Andrea James on (#2FYVK)
South American polka dot tree frogs are pretty cool, but Julián Faivovich and Carlos Taboada found out they are even cooler when an ultraviolet flashlight is trained on them. They fluoresce.Many animals can see beyond the spectrum visible to humans, and these frogs adapted with this trait. From the abstract:Fluorescence, the absorption of short-wavelength electromagnetic radiation reemitted at longer wavelengths, has been suggested to play several biological roles in metazoans. This phenomenon is uncommon in tetrapods, being restricted mostly to parrots and marine turtles. We report fluorescence in amphibians, in the tree frog Hypsiboas punctatus, showing that fluorescence in living frogs is produced by a combination of lymph and glandular emission, with pigmentary cell filtering in the skin. The chemical origin of fluorescence was traced to a class of fluorescent compounds derived from, here named hyloins. We show that fluorescence contributes 18−29% of the total emerging light under twilight and nocturnal scenarios, largely enhancing brightness of the individuals and matching the sensitivity of night vision in amphibians. These results introduce an unprecedented source of pigmentation in amphibians and highlight the potential relevance of fluorescence in visual perception in terrestrial environments.I'd make a Wikipedia article about dihydroisoquinolinone, but it would probably be an annoying and demoralizing fight.• Naturally occurring fluorescence in frogs (via Nature)
|
 |
by Cory Doctorow on (#2FYPD)
Scout Brody is executive director of Simply Secure, a nonprofit that works to make security and privacy technologies usable by technologically unsophisticated people by focusing on usability and human factors. (more…)
|
 |
by Cory Doctorow on (#2FYB2)
The City of Seattle says it will let Uber drivers form a union, and Uber has retaliated by producing a series of anti-union audio programs that it is pushing to Uber drivers' apps, where the programs light up a non-dismissable alert asking the drivers to listen to the program. (more…)
|