Depressed People Have Trouble Learning 'Good Things In Life'

ScienceDaily (Mar. 19, 2009) — While depression is often linked to negative thoughts and emotions, a new study suggests the real problem may be a failure to appreciate positive experiences.

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Strong Links Between Mothers' Diets And Health Of Their Children

ScienceDaily (Mar. 19, 2009) — A new report by University of Southampton academics emphasises the links between poor diet in mothers and ill health in their children, and calls for women of childbearing age to be made more aware of the importance of good nutrition.

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The Pwn2Own trifecta: Safari, IE 8, and Firefox exploited on day 1

by Thomas Ricker, posted Mar 19th 2009 at 5:59AM

That didn't take long. One day into the Pwn2Own hacking competition at CanSecWest and already Apple, Microsoft, and Mozilla have been sent packing to their respective labs to work on security issues in their browsers. In a repeat performance, Charlie Miller pocketed a $5,000 cash prize and a fully-patched MacBook by splitting it wide, and gaining full control of the device after a user clicked on his malicious link. Another white-hatter by the name Nils (pictured) toppled Internet Explorer 8 running on a Windows 7 laptop -- again, the five grand and compromised VAIO P laptop are now his to keep as compensation for turning over the malicious code. So much for "protection that no other browser can match," eh Mr. Ballmer? Nils then demonstrated a second Safari exploit before hacking Firefox later in the afternoon netting him a cool $15k by the close of day one. Only Google's Chrome was left unscathed -- Opera isn't part of the contest. This year's contest will also offer a $10,000 prize for every vulnerability successfully exploited in Windows Mobile, Android, Symbian, and the iPhone and BlackBerry OSes. In other words: this contest that runs through Friday isn't over by any stretch. 

Did Bat Hitch a Ride To Space On Discovery?

Posted by CmdrTaco on Wednesday March 18, @09:29AM

from the that'll-be-$10M-please dept.

suraj.sun writes"A bat was seen clinging to the external fuel tank of the Space Shuttle Discovery before its launch on Sunday, apparently clung for dear life to the side of the tank as the spaceship lifted off. The shuttle accelerates to an orbital velocity of 17,500 milers per hour, which is 25 times faster than the speed of sound, in just over eight minutes. That's zero to 100 mph in 10 seconds. Did it make it into space? No one knows yet. But photos of Discovery as it cleared the launch tower showed a tiny speck on the side of the tank. When those photos were blown up, it became apparent that the speck was a bat."

Black Sea Pollution Could Be Harnessed As Renewable Future Energy Source

ScienceDaily (Mar. 17, 2009) — The Black Sea harbours vast quantities of hydrogen sulfide, the toxic gas associated with the smell of rotten eggs. This noxious gas could be used as a renewable source of hydrogen gas to fuel a future carbon-free economy, according to Turkish researchers writing in a forthcoming issue of the International Journal of Nuclear Hydrogen Production and Applications.

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Shrinking In Hippocampus Area Of Brain Precedes Alzheimer's Disease

ScienceDaily (Mar. 17, 2009) — People who have lost brain cells in the hippocampus area of the brain are more likely to develop dementia, according to a study published in the March 17, 2009, print issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

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Video: The Shimano Di2 electric bike shifter for the paradoxically lazy

by Thomas Ricker, posted Mar 17th 2009 at 5:45AM

If the idea of wrist-twist is too taxing, perhaps an electronic shifter is the best option to get your meat-bag mobile. With the press of a button, the Shimano Di2 derailleur on this $10,000 Merida Scultura 909 road-racer automatically eases you into that next gear. Now shipping on select bicycles, the Di2 system features a rechargeable Lithium Ion battery (lasting 1,000 kilometers or 621 miles) powering an integrated CPU that monitors and adjusts the front and rear derailleurs to keep them perfectly trimmed. The system allows you to shift 30% faster (as fast as you can move your finger) than with mechanical derailleurs -- even under load while cycling out of the saddle. Great for pros (we guess). For everyone else there's Vespa. Check the action after the break.