I forgot to make a 2017 version!

The Cave That Proves That Neanderthals Were Cannibals

Deep in the caves of Goyet in Belgium researchers have found the grisly evidence that the Neanderthals did not just feast on horses or reindeer, but also on each other.


Human bones from a newborn, a child and four adults or teenagers who lived around 40,000 years ago show clear signs of cutting and of fractures to extract the marrow within, they say.

"It is irrefutable, cannibalism was practised here," says Belgian archaeologist Christian Casseyas as he looks inside a cave halfway up a valley in this site in the Ardennes forest.

The bones in Goyet date from when Neanderthals were nearing the end of their time on earth before being replaced by Homo sapiens, with whom they also interbred.

Once regarded as primitive cavemen driven to extinction by smarter modern humans, studies have found that Neanderthals were actually sophisticated beings who took care of the bodies of the deceased and held burial rituals.

But there is a growing body of proof that they also ate their dead.

My, my. They were really taking on 'primitive' measures back then, weren't they?

My, my. They were really taking on 'primitive' measures back then, weren't they?


Make the world great again!

Bloomberg: Solar could beat coal to become cheapest power source on Earth

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-01-03/for-cheapest-power-on-earth-look-skyward-as-coal-falls-to-solar

Solar power is now cheaper than coal in some parts of the world. In less than a decade, it’s likely to be the lowest-cost option almost everywhere.

In 2016, countries from Chile to the United Arab Emirates broke records with deals to generate electricity from sunshine for less than 3 cents a kilowatt-hour, half the average global cost of coal power. Now, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Mexico are planning auctions and tenders for this year, aiming to drop prices even further. Taking advantage: Companies such as Italy’s Enel SpA and Dublin’s Mainstream Renewable Power, who gained experienced in Europe and now seek new markets abroad as subsidies dry up at home.

Since 2009, solar prices are down 62 percent, with every part of the supply chain trimming costs. That’s help cut risk premiums on bank loans, and pushed manufacturing capacity to record levels. By 2025, solar may be cheaper than using coal on average globally, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance.

http://www.space.com/images/i/000/061/337/i02/eso1701a.jpg

Spectacular Clouds of Orion Hide Massive Star Nursery

Astronomers just uncovered the most detailed view yet of a massive stellar nursery, and the photos are absolutely stunning.

Pictured here is the Orion A molecular cloud, a dense region filled with cosmic gas and dust that tend to block the view of all the blooming baby stars that lie within. The cloud is located about 8 degrees south of Orion's sword in the constellation Orion the Hunter.

Using the Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy (VISTA) at the European Southern Observatory's (ESO) Cerro Paranal facilities in Chile, astronomers were able to see through the haze and identify nearly 800,000 celestial objects, including stars and protostars, the dusty disks of soon-to-be blazing balls of nuclear fusion.

http://www.space.com/35206-orion-clouds-star-nursery-amazing-views.html

Beautiful photo gallery within :o

L'Oréal's "smart brush" wins innovation awards at CES 2017

https://www.neowin.net/news/behold-the-smart-hairbrush-loreal-smart-brush-claims-innovation-award-at-ces-2017

Costing around $200 and shipping in mid-2017, the hairbrush is packed with sensors that include a gyroscope and accelerometer which help to track your hand movements along three axes. Monitoring the number of strokes during brushing, as well as the ferocity, the device also provides haptic feedback to warn you that you might be abusing your hair by being too rough or brushing too quickly.

There is also a built-in microphone on the device, as well as sensors to assess whether the hair is wet or dry. The microphone is designed to gather information about your hair from the way it sounds during brushing, but it seems feasible that this could one day be used for rating your bathroom-karaoke performance if L'Oreal/Withings suddenly decided to make the device more fun to use.

The information gathered from these various sensors is sent via bluetooth or wifi to an accompanying smartphone app, which not only gives you a 'score' for your hair, but also collects environmental data such as temperature, humidity, UV levels and of course wind, gathered from local weather forecasts to ensure it can plan for the effects of the weather on your hair and advise appropriately.

Of course, the smartphone app is accompanied by ads for other L'Oreal haircare products, which will also likely form part of the 'solution' to your 55% hair health problem.

The newly launched 'smart hairbrush' scooped an innovation award at CES 2017.

http://i.imgur.com/k6BtiSo.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/BaqUANH.jpg

The late 2010s will have the best hairstyles!!

http://www.space.com/images/i/000/061/337/i02/eso1701a.jpg

Spectacular Clouds of Orion Hide Massive Star Nursery

Astronomers just uncovered the most detailed view yet of a massive stellar nursery, and the photos are absolutely stunning.

Pictured here is the Orion A molecular cloud, a dense region filled with cosmic gas and dust that tend to block the view of all the blooming baby stars that lie within. The cloud is located about 8 degrees south of Orion's sword in the constellation Orion the Hunter.

Using the Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy (VISTA) at the European Southern Observatory's (ESO) Cerro Paranal facilities in Chile, astronomers were able to see through the haze and identify nearly 800,000 celestial objects, including stars and protostars, the dusty disks of soon-to-be blazing balls of nuclear fusion.

http://www.space.com/35206-orion-clouds-star-nursery-amazing-views.html

Beautiful photo gallery within :o


Someone has to nurse them.  :(

Someone has to nurse them.  :(


It means a place where stars are being formed (nursed)

Blonde-Haired Moth With Small Genitals Named After Donald Trump

http://cdn.iflscience.com/images/d0ee33eb-1b45-51ec-ab64-7fa70402e4f5/extra_large-1484739719-cover-image.jpg

http://www.iflscience.com/plants-and-animals/blondehaired-moth-with-small-genitals-named-after-donald-trump/

With just a few days until the White House gets rebranded with a big fat gold-plated “TRUMP” logo, "the Donald" has received the honor of having a new species of moth officially named after him: Neopalpa donaldtrumpi.

Totally unrelated to the moths’ namesake, the new species has a strange blonde thing on its head and small genitals.

The golden-haired species has been described this week in the online journal ZooKeys. With a wingspan of just 7-12 millimeters, these moths can be found around the future location of the Great-Wall-Of-Trump, Arizona, California, and Mexico’s Baja California.

Dr Nazari said he named the moth as such because of its uncanny resemblance to Trump’s iconic hairdo. However, he also stressed that he hopes the name will generate interest in the species and promote conservation efforts for North America’s neglected micro-fauna.


--------

CACKLING.

World wide web creator Tim Berners-Lee targets fake news

http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-39246810

The inventor of the world wide web, Sir Tim Berners-Lee, has unveiled a plan to tackle data abuse and fake news. In an open letter to mark the web's 28th anniversary, Sir Tim has set out a five-year strategy amid concerns he has about how the web is being used. Sir Tim said he wants to start to combat the misuse of personal data, which creates a "chilling effect on free speech". He also called for tighter regulation of "unethical" political adverts.

Turkish authorities block Wikipedia without giving reason

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-39754909

Turkey has blocked all access inside the country to the online encyclopaedia Wikipedia, one of the world's most popular websites. It was not initially clear why the ban had been imposed. The Turkey Blocks group said the site was inaccessible from 08:00 (05:00 GMT) by order of the Turkish authorities.

Massive ransomware infection hits computers in 99 countries

http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-39901382

A massive cyber-attack using tools believed to have been developed by the US National Security Agency has struck organisations around the world. Computers in thousands of locations have been locked by a programme that demands $300 (£230) in Bitcoin. In April hackers known as The Shadow Brokers claimed to have stolen the tools and released them online. Microsoft released a patch for the vulnerability in March, but many systems may not have been updated.

Massive ransomware infection hits computers in 99 countries

http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-39901382

A massive cyber-attack using tools believed to have been developed by the US National Security Agency has struck organisations around the world. Computers in thousands of locations have been locked by a programme that demands $300 (£230) in Bitcoin. In April hackers known as The Shadow Brokers claimed to have stolen the tools and released them online. Microsoft released a patch for the vulnerability in March, but many systems may not have been updated.

Global cyber-attack: Security blogger halts ransomware 'by accident'

http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-39907049

A UK security researcher has told the BBC how he "accidentally" halted the spread of the malicious ransomware that has affected hundreds of organisations, including the UK's NHS. The 22-year-old man, known by the pseudonym MalwareTech, had taken a week off work, but decided to investigate the ransomware after hearing about the global cyber-attack. He managed to bring the spread to a halt when he found what appeared to be a "kill switch" in the rogue software's code. "It was actually partly accidental," he told the BBC, after spending the night investigating. "I have not slept a wink." Although his discovery did not repair the damage done by the ransomware, it did stop it spreading to new computers, and he has been hailed an "accidental hero". "I would say that's correct," he told the BBC.

Massive ransomware infection hits computers in 99 countries

http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-39901382

A massive cyber-attack using tools believed to have been developed by the US National Security Agency has struck organisations around the world. Computers in thousands of locations have been locked by a programme that demands $300 (£230) in Bitcoin. In April hackers known as The Shadow Brokers claimed to have stolen the tools and released them online. Microsoft released a patch for the vulnerability in March, but many systems may not have been updated.

Friday's cyber-attack has affected more than 200,000 victims in 150 countries, Europol chief Rob Wainwright says. He told the BBC the act was "unprecedented in its scale" and warned more people could find themselves affected on Monday morning.

http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-39913630

Crypto-cash investors duped in funding scam

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-41011658

Cyber-thieves are believed to have stolen about $500,000 (£390,000) in the Ethereum crypto-currency, with an investment scam. The thieves hijacked the website of finance security start-up Enigma and posted messages saying it was about to launch its own currency. Many people keen to cash in transferred ethereum to the thieves' account. In response, Enigma shut down its website and adopted stronger security policies to keep hackers out. In a statement posted to its Twitter account, Enigma said the thieves had carried out the scam after taking over the company's web domain, mailing lists and Slack messaging service account.

Yahoo 2013 data breach hit 'all three billion accounts'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-41493494

Yahoo has said that all of its three billion user accounts were affected in a hacking attack dating back to 2013. The company, which was taken over by Verizon earlier this year, said an investigation had shown the breach went much further than originally thought. The stolen data did not include passwords in clear text, payment card or bank account data, it added. Previously the internet giant had said "more than one billion" of its accounts had been hit. Yahoo said that while its latest announcement did not represent a new "security issue" it was sending emails to all the "additional affected user accounts.

Yahoo 2013 data breach hit 'all three billion accounts'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-41493494

Yahoo has said that all of its three billion user accounts were affected in a hacking attack dating back to 2013. The company, which was taken over by Verizon earlier this year, said an investigation had shown the breach went much further than originally thought. The stolen data did not include passwords in clear text, payment card or bank account data, it added. Previously the internet giant had said "more than one billion" of its accounts had been hit. Yahoo said that while its latest announcement did not represent a new "security issue" it was sending emails to all the "additional affected user accounts.



I received an email about this.

I received an email about this.
don't open it!

Mattel thinks again about AI babysitter

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-41520732

Mattel has decided against releasing its AI-powered "babysitter" following concerns over privacy and other implications. Campaigners said artificial intelligence should not be used in place of real parenting, even if only briefly. The toy company announced the device in January and said it would sing lullabies and tell bedtime stories. Mattel said the device was no longer part of its strategy.

Mattel thinks again about AI babysitter

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-41520732

Mattel has decided against releasing its AI-powered "babysitter" following concerns over privacy and other implications. Campaigners said artificial intelligence should not be used in place of real parenting, even if only briefly. The toy company announced the device in January and said it would sing lullabies and tell bedtime stories. Mattel said the device was no longer part of its strategy.


https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/jfEOQtuONjWsonXuudVZTdgyG_k=/0x0:1648x1096/1200x800/filters:focal(693x417:955x679)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/57017571/mattel_aristotle_nabi.0.png

https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/jfEOQtuONjWsonXuudVZTdgyG_k=/0x0:1648x1096/1200x800/filters:focal(693x417:955x679)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/57017571/mattel_aristotle_nabi.0.png
It is no substitute for the parents...

It is no substitute for the parents...


a computer can't solve everything.

Internet speed guarantees must be realistic, says Ofcom

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-41524650

Internet users are to be granted more rights on connection speeds as Ofcom imposes tougher rules on how ISPs advertise broadband services. The proposals give consumers the right to exit contracts penalty-free if speeds fall below a guaranteed minimum. Ofcom says there is a mismatch between what is advertised, and the speeds customers receive. But experts say speeds are affected by different factors, and are not strictly a measure of connection to a device. A public consultation is currently being conducted until 10 November.

Technology rules!

Fake holiday sickness couple from Wallasey jailed

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-41609527


A "greedy" couple made "fake" holiday sickness compensation claims while boasting about holidays full of "sun, laughter and fun", a court heard. Deborah Briton, 53, and partner Paul Roberts, 43, were jailed at Liverpool Crown Court after admitting fraud.
They tried to claim nearly £20,000 saying their two children fell ill on holidays to Majorca in 2015 and 2016. Judge David Aubrey QC said there had been an "explosion" in gastric illness claims made by UK holidaymakers. Briton, who was jailed for nine months, and Roberts, who received a 15-month term, bragged about their holidays on social media, the court heard.

a computer can't solve everything.
Parental bonding!

FBI failed to access 7,000 encrypted mobile devices

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-41721354

Agents at the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) have been unable to extract data from nearly 7,000 mobile devices they have tried to access, the agency's director has said. Christopher Wray said encryption on devices was "a huge, huge problem" for FBI investigations. The agency had failed to access more than half of the devices it targeted in an 11-month period, he said. One cyber-security expert said such encryption was now a "fact of life". Many smartphones encrypt their contents when locked, as standard - a security feature that often prevents even the phones' manufacturers from accessing data. Such encryption is different to end-to-end encryption, which prevents interception of communications on a large scale. Cyber-security expert Prof Alan Woodward at the University of Surrey said device encryption was clearly frustrating criminal investigations but it would be impractical and insecure to develop "back doors" or weakened security.

Hackers breach top plastic surgery clinic

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-41735104

A high-profile plastic surgery clinic has said it is "horrified" after hackers allegedly stole data during a cyber-attack.

Metrocard to get phased out within the next couple of years

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/23/nyregion/metrocard-subway-new-york.html

Metrocard to get phased out within the next couple of years

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/23/nyregion/metrocard-subway-new-york.html
That looks very similar to the Oyster Card that is used for travel in here in London, I hope our's is not phaased out.

That looks very similar to the Oyster Card that is used for travel in here in London, I hope our's is not phaased out.


It says in the article that they are trying to imitate London's fare payment system.

It says in the article that they are trying to imitate London's fare payment system.
Many thanks for for that, for at that time I did not read the full article.

It says in the article that they are trying to imitate London's fare payment system.


They said maybe by 2023 the latest.

Google addresses Pixel 2 handset complaints

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-41776208

Google says it is doubling the warranty on its new flagship smartphones following complaints about the screens. Some reviewers have noticed screen "burn in" - a permanent mark of images that have appeared previously - after only a couple of weeks with the larger version of the new phone. The firm argued that the effect was "in line with that of other premium smartphones" using OLED screens. However it promised software updates to maximise the screen life.

Google investigates mysterious vanishing files

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-41824094

Numerous Google Docs users have reported being mysteriously locked out of certain files in their accounts. The error had caused files to be flagged as violating Google's terms of service. Users had received a message saying: "This item has been flagged as inappropriate and can no longer be shared." Google told the BBC that a code update had caused the error, but that the problem had now been resolved.

Trove of 'Russian troll' posts exposed by Congress

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-41844025

Further instances of social media posts and ads thought to be part of Russian propaganda efforts to influence the last US presidential election and divide its society have been shared with the public. The US Senate Select Committee on Intelligence released the imagery following a hearing at which Facebook, Twitter and Instagram were criticised for having underestimated the problem. The examples are a fraction of the number of posts that have been flagged as being suspicious by the tech companies themselves. Other cases had been displayed on Capitol Hill earlier in the week. In addition, the senators released data about how much had been spent promoting the material and how many people had been shown it. They have also provided a long list of Russia-linked Twitter accounts that have now been suspended.

Art galleries targeted by cyber-thieves

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-41845965

Cyber-criminals appear to be targeting art galleries and dealers with an email scam that has already fooled some organisations. The attackers broke into art dealer email accounts and sent buyers duplicated invoices with the bank account details changed. Several galleries in London and the US that had been affected were identified by the Art Newspaper. Art dealer groups have warned people to be vigilant.

Twitter employee 'deactivated' Trump account on last day

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-41854482US

President Donald Trump's Twitter account briefly vanished on Thursday but has since been restored, the social media company said. An employee deactivated the @realdonaldtrump account, it said, clarifying that it had been their last day in the job. The account was down for 11 minutes and Twitter is now investigating. Tweets from Mr Trump, who has 41.7 million followers, have frequently caused controversy. The latest incident has touched off debate over the security of the president's account, given the potential consequences of posts falsely attributed to Mr Trump being published.

Fake WhatsApp app downloaded more than one million times

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-41886157

A fake version of the WhatsApp messenger app was downloaded more than a million times from the Google Play Store before it was removed. The app, "Update WhatsApp Messenger", appeared to have been developed by the firm behind the real program - WhatsApp Inc. According to users on web forum Reddit, the fake contained ads and could download software to users' devices. It has now been removed from the Play Store.

Facebook Messenger payments comes to UK

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-41894014

Facebook has chosen the UK as the first country outside the US to get its Messenger payments service. Later on Monday, local users will be able to send each other money in a message.

Twitter to expand 280-character tweets

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-41900880

Twitter plans to increase the number of characters in tweets from 140 to 280 for the majority of users. The new limit will not apply to tweets written in Japanese, Chinese and Korean which can convey more information in a single character. The move follows a trial among a small group of users which started in September in response to criticism that it was not easy enough to tweet. The change is part of Twitter's plan to attract new users and increase growth.

YouTube to restrict 'disturbing' children's videos, if flagged

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-41942306

YouTube is to restrict the availability of videos showing children's characters in violent or sexual scenes if they are reported by viewers. Last week, a blog post by writer James Bridle highlighted how YouTube was still being swamped by bizarre and indecent videos aimed at children. The site says it already stops such videos earning advertising revenue. YouTube said its team was "made up of parents who are committed to improving our apps and getting this right". But critics say YouTube is not taking enough action by waiting for viewers to report inappropriate videos.

Connected toys have ‘worrying’ security issues

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-41976031

Consumer watchdog Which? has called on retailers to stop selling some popular toys it says have "proven" security issues. Those toys include Furby Connect, the i-Que robot, Cloudpets and Toy-fi Teddy. Which? found that there was no authentication required between the toys and the devices they could link with via Bluetooth. Two of the manufacturers said they took security very seriously.

Twitter has acknowledged that a day-long block of one of the New York Times's accounts was imposed in error.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-42137937

Google faces mass legal action in UK over data snooping

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-42166089

Google is being taken to court, accused of collecting the personal data of millions of users, in the first mass legal action of its kind in the UK. It focuses on allegations that Google unlawfully harvested information from 5.4 million UK users by bypassing privacy settings on their iPhones. The group taking action - Google You Owe Us - is led by ex-Which director Richard Lloyd. He estimates the users could get as much as "several hundred pounds each". The case centres on how Google used cookies - small pieces of computer text that are used to collect information from devices in order to deliver targeted ads. The complaint is that for several months in 2011 and 2012 Google placed ad-tracking cookies on the devices of Safari users which is set by default to block such cookies.

Apple apologises for slowing older iPhones down

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-42508300

Apple has apologised after facing criticism for admitting it deliberately slows down some ageing iPhone models. The company now says it will replace batteries for less and will issue software in 2018 so customers can monitor their phone's battery health. Some customers had long suspected the company slowed older iPhones to encourage customers to upgrade. Apple admitted slowing some phones with ageing batteries but said it was to "prolong the life" of the devices. In a statement posted on its website, the firm said it would reduce the price of an out-of-warranty battery replacement from $79 to $29 in the US for anyone with an iPhone 6 or later. In the UK the prices will drop from £79 to £25.

We need a new thread for technology etc, for this year. I will start a new for you, but it could be to lock this one.

BTW, good topic to have running.