Auditory Illusions : Holophonic Sound – “These super clear audio files are called holophony (holophonic sound recordings) and are designed to be listened to with headphones for the best effect. They have been recorded with a dummy head that has two microphones, one in each ear. The shape of the head and ears are designed to be similar to a human head to most closely replicate real human hearing. It’s pretty incredible…”

Robo-scientist’s first findings – ” Scientists have created an ideal colleague – a robot that performs hundreds of repetitive experiments. The robot, called Adam, is the first machine to have independently “discovered new scientific knowledge”… “

Village mob thwarts Google Street View car – “A spate of burglaries in a Buckinghamshire village had already put residents on the alert for any suspicious vehicles. So when the Google Street View car trundled towards Broughton with a 360-degree camera on its roof, villagers sprang into action. Forming a human chain to stop it, they harangued the driver about the “invasion of privacy”, adding that the images that Google planned to put online could be used by burglars…”

How We Staged the Morristown UFO Hoax – “We hatched the idea of tying flares onto helium balloons and launching them in a nearby field — an open yet isolated area surrounded by woods. There we were sure that we would have the privacy to prep the balloons, and that we wouldn’t have our plot foiled. From the beginning we decided to document all aspects of the project, including setting up the flares and balloons, launching them into the sky, and recording any media coverage that the “UFOs” received. The documentation was especially important in order to prevent conspiracy theorists from claiming that we were part of a cover-up of the truth when we revealed the hoax…”

Cybersecurity law would give feds unprecedented net control – “Nojeim was pointing to language in the bill that permits the president to “order the limitation or shutdown of internet traffic to and from any compromised federal government or United States critical infrastructure information system or network” after first declaring a national cybersecurity emergency. A separate provision allows the executive in chief to “order the disconnection of any federal government or United States critical infrastructure information systems or networks in the interest of national security.”"

The State Of DRM: Is The Customer Right? – “The record labels were forced to drop DRM because their customers could get basically the same product for free, minus the annoying restrictions, from peer-to-peer networks. Movie producers and game publishers are facing a similar situation, but they seem to have no intention of dropping DRM…”

5 Apps to Wow The Average PC User – “Every other day, we read about plenty of new software that promise to get rid of our woes and improve our experience as a PC user. We read about such apps, download, try and then move on. However, the following apps would really make any average PC user say “Wow”…”

Virus battery could power cars, electronic devices – ” For the first time, MIT researchers have shown they can genetically engineer viruses to build both the positively and negatively charged ends of a lithium-ion battery…”

Time Warner Cable Expands Internet Usage Pricing – “Web users, the meter is running. In a strategy that’s likely to rankle consumers but be copied by competitors, Time Warner Cable (TWC) is pressing ahead with a plan to charge Internet customers based on how much Web data they consume. Starting next month, the company will introduce tiered pricing in several markets…”

Ford, GM to cover car payments if buyer loses job – “Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Corp. are offering payment protection plans to help reassure consumers who may be putting off buying a new car because of worries about losing their job…”

Reversing Tooth Decay – “Teeth are able to heal themselves. That’s how traditional cultures such as the Inuit can wear their teeth down to the pulp due to chewing leather and sand-covered dried fish, yet still have an exceptionally low rate of tooth decay. It’s also how the African Wakamba tribe can file their front teeth into sharp points without causing decay. Both cultures lost their resistance to tooth decay after adopting nutrient-poor Western foods such as white flour and sugar…”

G20: Did police containment cause more trouble than it prevented? – “The controversial ‘kettling’ tactics employed at yesterday’s London demonstrations left many peaceful demonstrators trapped…”

A sneak attack on the U.S. dollar? – “But Rickards’ point was all too real: The American dollar is vulnerable as never before to attack from hostile foreign governments. And the consequences of such an attack could be devastating….”

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