Technology Category Archive

Higgs boson find makes time travel “feasible”

4 Replies Christopher Roberts

Ground-breaking research has emerged this morning, as scientists from the LHC released verified data that proves the existence (and therefore discovery) of the Higgs boson.

CERN's logoThe particle which has been hailed by some as the ‘God particle’ was thought to have been discovered earlier last month, causing euphoria amongst physicists across the globe. This morning CERN have released certified proof of the particles existence.

Late last night cosmologist Carl Sagan and theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking (among other high profile scientists) descended upon Geneva for what was known up until now as a ‘private consultation’. It is now thought that the scientists were being asked to help verify the findings of the LHC’s latest discovery.

At just gone 12am BST (01:03 local time) a spokesman emerged from the centre in Geneva and announced that CERN had “falsifiable proof of the existence of the Higgs boson“.

Time Travel

In the press conference which was held shortly after the announcement, leading physicist Stephen Hawking commented on how due to the structure of the particle, he felt that in the not so distance future there is a “real possibility that time travel could soon become a reality“.

After Hawkins statement, there was an eruption of excitement among the media present, and no doubt across the globe from all those watching the press conference live.

Our Sun

Nuclear fusion (the reaction which happens within the sun) is a technology which we are yet to crack

Later in the conference, after the euphoria had died down slightly, a CERN scientist mentioned that not only did the Higgs boson seem to hold the key to time travel, but also (like previously thought) the origins of the universe.

Furthermore, nuclear fusion now seems to be a viable possibility as a future power source. Nuclear fusion is the reaction that goes on in the sun, and could enable us to create an almost unlimited supply of energy from a very limited amount of resources. Until recently scientists have been struggling to understand how to ‘crack’ the fusion equation, with the Higgs particle seeming to be a key component.

On the 1st of April 2013 we find out that free unlimited power and time travel are just around the corner. What a discovery!

UPDATE: This was an April Fools’ joke!

How maintenance can lengthen the life of your tech

Leave a reply MattRawlings

Kitchen appliances are very expensive and in the current struggling economic climate making do and looking after these expensive items is more important than ever. Below, are some tips to help you go the extra mile for your machines and make their lives longer.

Air purifiers and humidifiers need regular filter changes and routine deep cleaning to ensure they continue to work efficiently. Bosch appliances often give alerts on their items when they need filters changing or maintaining in any way.

Their storage is also intrinsic to it’s good order, so when you’re stashing these away at the change of the season make sure it will not be knocked or leaked upon.

A mug of coffeeCoffee makers are known for their short life span, which makes sense as it is used so often as well as left switched on for long periods of time. To keep the insides of your pride and joy working a great tip is to process a solution of equal parts water and white vinegar, followed by a couple of clear water run. This will ensure the mineral build up will be removed and the coffee will come out tasting like you’ve bought a new machine.

The dishwasher is one appliance that does often get cleaned but not to the extent it needs. This is essential to ensure the cleanliness of your cutlery and crockery, so just bunging in a dishwasher cleaner tab isn’t enough on its own. Mould often accrues around the rubber seal, due to being damp so much of the time, this needs to be cleaned with mould and mildew spray or if severe enough, completely replaced.

The clothes dryer is another appliance that is fairly easily damaged. It is common for people to overload their dryers, as they don’t know how much weight it can comfortably cope with. By doing this, the belt is stretched and damaged which is costly to repair. You can also save energy as well money and operating time by using the correct settings, so make sure you read that manual as it could hold many benefits!

Freezers should ideally be located away from direct light sources or heat as this affects the items efficiency. Removing ice from the interior improves airflow and helps to maintain the optimum freezer temperature.

To keep your fridge ticking over there are several things you can do to help it. The compressor coils located at the back can be vacuumed to keep them dust free and help to maintain the correct temperature. A seal in perfect condition will also help this as well as avoiding leaving the door stood open for prolonged amounts of time.

The hoover has fairly simple needs in that changing the dust bag and the filter are about all it needs and should be done regularly as well as checking the hose and attachments for debris blocking the suction, making the appliance less efficient.

Governments using Spyare, but for What?

2 Replies Jonny Hankins

Last week the New York Times ran an article about some investigative work conducted by a researcher and student in the Toronto and Berkley universities. The two were investigating government use of surveillance software, and seem to have discovered evidence that many governments are using off the shelf software to spy on their own citizens.

And we are not talking about despot regimes here, the list of 25 countries includes Australia, Britain, Canada and the US. The chosen mode of dissemination is typical of virus or spyware spreading techniques, an email is sent to whoever is to be monitored, once opened the software is downloaded into the computer.

In Vietnam the system has been found running on Android phones, so I would say if they can do it in Vietnam they can do it elsewhere.

You are under survelliance poster

You are Under Surveillance

The alarm bells ring if you look at who is being targeted. In some cases political dissidents (as is the case in Ethiopia) receive the emails. Another worrying factor is where the spyware is sent from (IP addresses registered to Turkmenistan’s Ministry for Communication in one case).

The company manufacturing the program is British, and they state that they sell their product to governments to help them crack down on terrorism and organized crime, but the possibilities for abuse are obvious and also demonstrated.

One problem is that the sale of surveillance is largely unregulated. Commercially available software can remotely turn your webcam on and watch what you are doing, record Skype conversations, email exchanges, log keystrokes and look at images inside the machine, practically anything you would like to see you can. Useful maybe in a crime investigation, but a powerful tool in the wrong hands.

If you would like to ponder the matter of ethics in technological development and marketing more, I recently interviewed Chris Howard, CEO of online publisher LIBBOO. They have devised and patented a system of measuring how much influence an individual has upon a group, and which stimuli create and use that influence. In the interview I asked him about the responsibility he holds when his invention gets into the wrong hands, and you can read his response here on the Bassetti Foundation website.

I also have another post about other spyware and monitoring systems that are freely available on the Internet here, although they are toys in comparison to the system described above.

I have deliberately omitted all names above, but the New York Times article contains them all.