The April Fools’ Day Defense Kit

See also: Top 10 April Fools’ Pranks for Nerds

There’s a Barbara Walters special on Tuesday night about living to 150:

Live to be 150 - can you do it?

The piece features a biotech company called Sirtris:

Sirtris Pharmaceuticals

From the site:

Sirtris Pharmaceuticals™ (NASDAQ: SIRT) is a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing proprietary, orally available, small molecule drugs with the potential to treat diseases associated with aging, including metabolic diseases such as Type 2 Diabetes. Our drug candidates are designed to mimic certain beneficial health effects of calorie restriction, without requiring a change in eating habits, by activation of sirtuins, a recently discovered class of enzymes that control the aging process. The company’s headquarters are in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

If you’ld rather not wait for the show, here are some articles:

- Hacking the Human Life Span

- Live to 150, Can You Do It?

- ‘Live to 150’ focuses on Sirtris

- Humans ‘will live to age of 150′

- Can you live to 150?

[See previous PSA]

I ran into Chuck the other day, and he talked a little about the rocket episode. It answers the question, “Can you stop an out-of-control trailer with rockets?”:

[See previous question]

Asking a Judge to Save the World, and Maybe a Whole Lot More - “The world’s physicists have spent 14 years and $8 billion building the Large Hadron Collider, in which the colliding protons will recreate energies and conditions last seen a trillionth of a second after the Big Bang. Researchers will sift the debris from these primordial recreations for clues to the nature of mass and new forces and symmetries of nature. But Walter L. Wagner and Luis Sancho contend that scientists at the European Center for Nuclear Research, or CERN, have played down the chances that the collider could produce, among other horrors, a tiny black hole, which, they say, could eat the Earth. Or it could spit out something called a “strangelet” that would convert our planet to a shrunken dense dead lump of something called “strange matter.” Their suit also says CERN has failed to provide an environmental impact statement as required under the National Environmental Policy Act…” For more on the LHC see: How the Large Hadron Collider Works

Can a Swimsuit Be Too Good? - “Officials muddle over their options for fairness as records begin falling due to a single high-tech suit…”

Scientists find that squid beak is both hard and soft, a material that engineers want to copy - “How did nature make the squid’s beak super hard and sharp — allowing it, without harm to its soft body — to capture its prey?”

The Rebirth of Buses: N.Y. to D.C. for $1 - “Imagine traveling from New York to Washington — and back — for less than the cost of a gallon of gas. Sounds impossible, right? Not anymore…”

Buyers’ Revenge: Trash the House After Foreclosure - “The stucco subdivisions of Las Vegas are caught up in the nation’s foreclosure crisis. These days, bankers and mortgage companies often find that by the time they get the keys back, embittered homeowners have stripped out appliances, punched holes in walls, dumped paint on carpets and, as a parting gift, locked their pets inside to wreak further havoc. Real-estate agents estimate that about half of foreclosed properties to be sold by mortgage companies nationwide have “substantial” damage, according to a new survey by Campbell Communications, a marketing and research firm based in Washington, D.C…”

Meditation Can Wish You Well, Study Says - “In the same way that training in sports or chess or music produces functional and structural changes in the brain, the Wisconsin researchers wanted to see if cultivating compassion through the practice of meditation also produced brain changes — suggesting that compassion could be viewed as a learned skill. The study involved 32 people: 16 Tibetan monks and lay practitioners, who had meditated for a minimum of 10,000 hours throughout their lifetime (the “experts”); and 16 control subjects, who had only recently been taught the basics of compassion meditation (the “novices”)…”

Bizarre ball of twisted metal space junk falls from the sky into farmer’s backyard - “Outback farmer James Stirton’s property consisted of little more than a herd of cattle and a sea of dust - until a curious object from outer space dropped in. Mr Stirton scratched his head in wonder as he stared at the mangled ball of metal…”

The chimp who thought he was a boy - “Raised like a son by a New York City family as part of a language experiment, Nim Chimpsky was shipped away when funds ran out. A new biography tells Nim’s story…”

YouTube Debuts Viewer Analytics Tool - “Online video makers can now watch those watching their videos. Google’s YouTube on Thursday released YouTube Insight, a free video analytics tool designed to help video makers understand more about where their viewers are and how those viewers found their videos…”

Nanomaterial turns radiation directly into electricity - “The materials they are testing would extract up to 20 times more power from radioactive decay than thermoelectric materials, they calculate. Tests of layered tiles of carbon nanotubes packed with gold and surrounded by lithium hydride are under way. Radioactive particles that slam into the gold push out a shower of high-energy electrons. They pass through carbon nanotubes and pass into the lithium hydride from where they move into electrodes, allowing current to flow…”

Russian intelligence sees U.S. military buildup on Iran border - “Col.-Gen. Leonid Ivashov, vice president of the Academy of Geopolitical Sciences, said last week that the Pentagon is planning to deliver a massive air strike on Iran’s military infrastructure in the near future…”

Light Meters React to the Highway Traffic - “A cool new display in Germany currently provides a colorfully visual sample of the adjacent ongoing traffic…”

A New Goldmine For Intel: The $6 Atom Processor - “Mountain House (CA) - Intel is gearing up to launch what may be its most important product since the Pentium processor: The Atom CPU targets key growth markets and could ship hundreds of millions units within a few year. While much of the success will depend on unit numbers, sources told TG Daily that Atom will be big cash cow for Intel…”

Toyota Prius - Power Split Device (PSD) - “If you have no mathematical or mechanical understanding of hybrid technology or even regular engine components, this will help you get a feel for how the PSD allows the car to use power from an internal combustion engine (ICE) , as well as 2 electric Motor/Generators (MG1 and MG2), all spinning at different and variable speeds. The PSD even allows the smaller of the two Motor/Generators, MG1, to act as a starter for the ICE, thereby eliminating another component of a traditional gasoline engine…”

[See previous IR]

It is possible to create oil from algae, and the first “oil farms” are starting to open. You can learn about the process in this video:

An 1,100 acre farm is about to open in Texas:

First Algae Biodiesel Plant Goes Online: April 1, 2008

According to th article: “The facility, located in Rio Hondo Texas, will produce an estimated 4.4 million gallons of algal oil and 110 million lbs. of biomass per year off a series of saltwater ponds spanning 1,100 acres. Twenty of those acres will be reserved for the experimental production of a renewable JP8 jet-fuel.”

The farm is so big that you can actually find it in satellite photos:

View Larger Map

More on the farm’s owner: Petrosun

This article offers a view of laptops in 7 years:

Hello, gorgeous! Meet the laptop you’ll use in 2015

From the article:

The rules of notebook design and the components that go inside are being rewritten to make the road a better place to work and play.

“Between now and 2015, we expect to see a series of big changes that will redefine what a notebook is and what it looks like,” said Mike Trainor, Intel Corp.’s evangelist for mobile products.

The article demonstrates a number of new designs that will become possible, and the technologies that will drive them.

[See previous prediction]

[See previous Funny]

Mobile phones ‘more dangerous than smoking’

From the article:

Mobile phones could kill far more people than smoking or asbestos, a study by an award-winning cancer expert has concluded. He says people should avoid using them wherever possible and that governments and the mobile phone industry must take “immediate steps” to reduce exposure to their radiation.

The study, by Dr Vini Khurana, is the most devastating indictment yet published of the health risks.

It draws on growing evidence – exclusively reported in the IoS in October – that using handsets for 10 years or more can double the risk of brain cancer. Cancers take at least a decade to develop, invalidating official safety assurances based on earlier studies which included few, if any, people who had used the phones for that long.

The paper is available here: Mobile Phone-Brain Tumour Public Health Advisory

More info on Dr Vini Khurana: Dr. Vini G. Khurana MBBS, BSc(Med), PhD, FRACS

[See previous MYT]

The most agressive animal in the world:

How easy to Keep the CPU cool while coding

At the Zenith of Solar Energy

From the article:

Zenith Solar, based in Nes Ziona near Tel Aviv, is a pioneer in a new type of solar energy that uses mirrors and lenses to focus and intensify the sun’s light, producing far more electricity at lower cost. Compared with traditional flat photovoltaic panels made of silicon, this so-called “concentrated solar power” technology has proved in tests to be up to five times more efficient. That puts it on the verge of being competitive with oil and natural gas, even without government subsidies.

Also:

A joint Israeli-German research team from the two organizations designed a working prototype, which consists of a 10-sq.-meter (107.6-sq.-ft.) dish lined with curved mirrors made from composite materials. The mirrors focus the sun’s radiation onto a 100-sq.-centimeter (15.5-sq.-in.) “generator” that converts light to electricity. The generator also gives off intense heat, which is captured via a water-cooling system for residential or industry hot-water uses.

This is the same principle used by the Sunflower collector developed several years ago:

The Dotcom King & the Rooftop Solar Revolution

[See previous invention]

This is how we would hope that all muggings work out:

A Victim Treats His Mugger Right

Of course they don’t always end that way. But some of them do.

[See previous TIM]

What is the most expensive house in the world? Here’s the answer:

See also this video on the Trump mansion: The Most Expensive Home In The US

[See previous WR]

How much water does a typical person in the United States use per day? Here’s the answer:

What’s typical water use?

From the article:

Nationwide, the American Water Works Association estimates that the typical single-family home uses 69.3 gallons of water per person each day for indoor purposes.

The article contains a nice sidebar that breaks down the water use by activity.

For more info see: How water works

[See previous question]

A new system will allow GPS receivers to transmit traffic information to a server, which will aggregate the data and produce real-time traffic reports:

Beating Traffic By Joining the Network - New System Takes and Shares Data From Cars

From the article:

For a solitary driver, the ebb and flow of traffic can be maddeningly unpredictable.

So some tech entrepreneurs wondered what would happen if all of those isolated drivers could be connected and warn one another what lies ahead.

The idea will get a closely watched tryout this week, when Dash Navigation begins selling two-way GPS devices for cars, creating, in essence, a network of drivers. A central computer will collect speed and location information from each car, then create and transmit back what the start-up company hopes will be the most complete and up-to-the-minute picture of traffic ever created.

See also:

See also: Dash Navigation

[See previous invention]

Here’s a quick look at Aerogel:

If you would like to try making your own, start here:

Ten Year Old Child Produces Homemade Aerogels

[See previous DIY]

The SR-71 was one of the coolest airplanes ever created. First flown in the 1960’s, it still looks futuristic more than 40 years later. It could fly across the country at Mach 3+. It could climb as high as 85,000 feet (more than twice as high as typical jets today). For more info see:

An In-depth Look at the A-12, YF-12, and SR-71 - includes the flight manual for the plane.

See also:

[See #35]

If your computer is acting up, you might check for one of these, especially with April Fools day coming up:

Phantom Keystroker

It will make your computer behave very oddly.

[See preious PSA]

Why are people affraid of snakes and spiders? Here is part of the answer:

Unlocking The Psychology Of Snake And Spider Phobias

See also:

[See previous question]

A nice, simple set of gas-saving tips:

How to lower the pain at the pump

The science, history and how-to of contagious laughter

For more into see: How Laughter Works

How water heaters work:

[See previous Funny]

What does the length of your fingers say about you? Here’s the answer:

See also:

Review: The Finger Book by John Manning

[See previous question]

Here’s a great demo showing new features being added to the Unreal engine:

The demo includes Ambient Occlusion and Advanced Character Lighting (better shadows and details), High Density Crowds (LOTS of enemies flocking), Dynamic Fluid Surfaces (water looks better and behaves normally), Soft Body Physics, etc.

Can you tell the differences between a 128kbs MP3 file and a 340kbs MP3 file? Here’s the answer:

Do you hear the difference?

For more info see: How MP3 Files Work

[See previous question]

You would think that a house, because it weighs many tons and is anchored to the ground, would be hard to steal. But according to the FBI, house stealing is a lot more common than you would imagine:

HOUSE STEALING: The Latest Scam on the Block

From the article:

What do you get when you combine two popular rackets these days—identity theft and mortgage fraud? A totally new kind of crime: house stealing.

Here’s how it generally works:

… The con artists start by picking out a house to steal—say, YOURS.

… Next, they assume your identity—getting a hold of your name and personal information (easy enough to do off the Internet) and using that to create fake IDs, social security cards, etc.

… Then, they go to an office supply store and purchase forms that transfer property.

… After forging your signature and using the fake IDs, they file these deeds with the proper authorities, and lo and behold, your house is now THEIRS.

Yikes!

See also: How Houses Work

[See previous PSA

Billionaire plans mile-high building - “Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Alsaud moves forward with plans to build the world’s tallest building, the biggest challenge facing the Saudi billionaire appears to be keeping people from feeling seasick a mile up in the sky…”

Turn your PC into a DVD ripping monster - “Commercial DVDs are far too expensive to let scratches turn your video into a glorified coaster, but most people still don’t back up their DVD collection. Once upon a time, the four to eight gigabyte footprint of a DVD on your hard drive was prohibitively large. But since the price of a gigabyte has plummeted, ripping your entire DVD collection to your computer is not just possible, it’s prudent—and it’s easy. Let’s take a look at the best ways to back up and play any DVD rip on your home computer, along with how to burn a DVD rip back to a playable DVD…”

Legal battle over Warcraft ‘bot’ - “The makers of World of Warcraft are locked in a legal battle with a firm that has produced a tool to automate many actions in the virtual world. Blizzard is suing Michael Donnelly, the creator of the MMO Glider program, which performs key tasks in the game automatically, such as fighting…”

A chemical ‘keypad lock’ for biomolecular computers - “Researchers in New York are reporting an advance toward a new generation of ultra-powerful computers built from DNA and enzymes, rather than transistors, silicon chips, and plastic. Their report on development of a key component for these “biomolecular computers” is scheduled for the March 26 issue of ACS’ Journal of the American Chemical Society…”

How to Buy Your Own Missile Silo - “Buying a missile silo for your very own is really like purchasing any piece of real estate. You need to scope out the property, see if you like the area and check out the neighbors. Well, chances are there won’t be ANY neighbors anywhere close by. Missile silos were built away from populated areas, behind miles of fenceline and under armed guard. Some people like the idea of all that solitude, and if that’s you, life on the (former) nuclear prairie could be for you. If you are in the market for one of these throwbacks to the Cold War, here’s some food for thought…”

How Rickrolling work - “Rickrolling is an example of an Internet “meme” (defined by Wikipedia as “any unit of cultural information … that gets transmitted verbally or by repeated action from one mind to another”). Its less sophisticated memetic forebear is the “duckroll,” where the roll-ee is misdirected to an image of a duck on wheels. And the Rickroll has sired many memelets, including the Fresh Prince roll, the rainroll (plopping you in front of a video of Tay Zonday’s “Chocolate Rain”) and even the Reichroll, where Astley’s song is spliced with footage of Adolf Hitler for an unsettling sort of lip sync…”

Retirement Postponed - “The triple whammy of the housing bust, the weakening economy and the turbulent stock market affects most Americans, but few are as shaken as leading-edge baby boomers on the brink of retirement. “There’s a lot of sheer panic out there,” says financial planner Bert Whitehead of Cambridge Advisors…”

Countrywide Reconstructed: PennyMac - “PennyMac will acquire loans from financial institutions seeking to reduce their mortgage exposure. BlackRock Chief Executive Officer Laurence D. Fink said PennyMac is looking to bring “patient capital to the unprecedented distress in residential mortgages.”

‘Twisting’ light packs more information into one photon - “How much can you say with a single photon? Classically, the limit has been one bit of information (a choice of 0 or 1), but by adding a quantum twist, physicists have now managed to make a photon carry 1.63 bits. The team says the technique might help maximise the efficiency of satellite communications…”

4 Questions for Star Wars Modelmaker Grant McCune - “Before the days of computer-generated graphics (fighting Transformers! scowling sabertooth tigers!), filmmakers such as George Lucas relied on tiny plastic models to lure us into a world of X-Wings, Death Stars and Millennium Falcons. Back then, it took a lot of time and a lot of imagination to trick the eye into believing that the fate of the Rebellion rested in a small piece of plastic. Still, many film buffs maintain, the old models looked more realistic than today’s expensive effects…”

[See previous IR]

Small:

Big - Looks like the motor came from “Tickle Me Elmo”:

See also the Solar Insect:

[see previous DIY]

This article:

Feeding the obesity epidemic

Contains a number of fun facts:

- “Firearms will kill about 30,000 Americans in 2008, but obesity will kill two and a half times as many people.”

- “Since the 1970s, the U.S. obesity rate has doubled; two-thirds of our population is now overweight.”

- “Diabetes eats up one of every $5 Americans spend on health care.”

- “And today, a whopping 35% of our weekly caloric intake is consumed in restaurants. That’s up from 23% in the 1970s.”

- “At Outback, the Aussie Cheese Fries with Ranch Dressing comes loaded with 2,900 calories and 182 grams of fat.”

- “In a 2006 study published in the American Journal of Public Health, consumers presented with obviously high-calorie restaurant foods still underestimated the nutritional heft of the items by an average of 600 calories.”

- “Eating 600 unexpected calories just once a week would add an extra 9 pounds to the average American’s weight each year.”

Three things become obvious after reading this article:

1) Someone needs to discover a cure for diabetes, or a cheaper way to treat it. That “$1 in $5″ statistic is amazing. In the ideal world, the government would sponsor a $1 billion “let’s end diabetes” research program, or DARPA might create “The Diabetes Challenge” with a $10 million prize.

2) Restaurants really should put nutritional info on their menus.

3) Since the NRA opposes putting nutritional info on menus, I will make the following prediction: either a new or existing restaurant will start putting nutritional info on its menus and will be very successful doing it. This seems like an exact parallel to airbags. All car manufacturers once opposed airbags (”too expensive!”). Then one car company broke ranks, made airbags available and was successful. Now we all have airbgs.

[See previous FF]

MK-48 Torpedo

From the article:

The MK 48 is propelled by a piston engine with twin, contra-rotating propellers in a pump jet or shrouded configuration. The engine uses a liquid monopropellant fuel, and the torpedo has a conventional, high-explosive warhead. The MK 48 has a sophisticated guidance system permitting a variety of attack options. As the torpedo leaves the submarine’s launch tube a thin wire spins out, electronically linking the submarine and torpedo. This enables an operator in the submarine, with access to the submarine’s sensitive sonar systems, initially to guide the torpedo toward the target. This helps the torpedo avoid decoys and jamming devices that might be deployed by the target. The wire is severed and the torpedo’s high-powered active/passive sonar guides the torpedo during the final attack.

The MK-48 contains 650 pounds of explosives and can be launched up to 6 miles away from the target.

This video shows the MK-48 in action:

The same explosion from several other angles:

Torpedoes can also be launched from boats:

[See previous military]