Editorial illustrator and data visualizer Bryan Christie created this fantastic graphic of Mars missions. Higher res at imgur. (via Laughing Squid)
Infographic of Mars missions
Parler loses fight to force Amazon to restore service
A U.S. judge in Seattle has rejected a demand from Parler that Amazon.com restore web hosting services for the right-wing chat app, terminated after the January 6 assault on the Capitol. On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Barbara Rothstein said Parler would not likely be able to prove that Amazon breached its contract, or violated antitrust… READ THE REST
AI can predict people's political beliefs by what they buy
In a study at Northwestern University, volunteers who were asked to wear white lab coats did better on tests than those who weren't. Similarly, according to this Forbes article about the psychology of masks and costumes, people "jump higher or hit the golf ball further using gear made from their favorite brand. People play better… READ THE REST
These ten software innovations transformed scientific research
When I was a mechanical engineer in 1990, I faced a stubborn problem with the design of a disk drive baseplate (an aluminum base that the disk motor and actuator motor were mounted on). When the prototype drive spun up, the baseplate vibrated so much that the read/write heads couldn't stay on track. The first… READ THE REST
It's a lamp that looks like an active thundercloud and you will be utterly transfixed
Even if you aren't usually a contemplative type, there is a power and majesty that washes over you as you watch a cloud roll across the sky. From stringy, wispy cirrus clouds, to serious, storm-bearing nimbus formations, clouds are nature in physical form – and they're deeply hypnotic. That's probably why this Interactive Cloud Lamp… READ THE REST
Half desk toy, half science experiment, the Skill Flux magnetic oddity is all fun
Anybody can use a fidget spinner, or a stress ball, or some other piece of desk silliness to occupy idle hands during the course of their day. But it isn't quite so common for a desk toy to so fully engage inherent scientific curiosity as well. Of course, keeping hands occupied while the brain stays… READ THE REST
The Trova Go+ storage box biometrically protects your valuables
It happens in half the movies we watch. Something about one of the characters is revealed when another character stumbles across their deepest, darkest secret. Maybe it's a piece of jewelry or another symbol of the past. Maybe it's a flash drive full of damning files. Or maybe it's medication or elicit chemicals. Almost every… READ THE REST