Ancient gold ring which may have inspired Tolkien

Ancient gold ring which may have inspired Tolkien:
There is a buzz in Tolkiendom right now about a gold ring dating from Roman times, which may have given Tolkien a seed of an idea for his own ’One Ring’.  The ancient ring, found in 1785 in a field which was a Roman archaeological site in Silchester, Hampshire, UK, was associated with a ‘curse tablet’, cursing the man whom the original owner accused of stealing the gold trinket.   Archeologist Sir Mortimer Wheeler, investigating the wording of the curse, consulted with Tolkien about the ring in 1929; and that conversation may have been part of Tolkien’s inspiration to create his own magic ring.
The Roman artifact is now being shown in a new display at National Trust property The Vyne, also in Hampshire.  The display includes a first edition of The Hobbit, and was arranged with the help of the Tolkien Trust.  You can read more about this fascinating item, including an excellent explanation of the associated curse,  in this article from the Guardian newspaper, here.  Further articles can be found here and here.
Thanks to all who wrote in to tell us about this one ring!

Search for dark matter: Experiment measures antimatter excess in cosmic ray flux

Search for dark matter: Experiment measures antimatter excess in cosmic ray flux: The international team running the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) today announced the first results in its search for dark matter. They report the observation of an excess of positrons in the cosmic ray flux. The results are consistent with the positrons originating from the annihilation of dark matter particles in space, but not yet sufficiently conclusive to rule out other explanations.

Ionic thrusters generate efficient propulsion in air

Ionic thrusters generate efficient propulsion in air: Thrusters powered by ionic wind may be an efficient alternative to conventional atmospheric propulsion technologies. When a current passes between two electrodes -- one thinner than the other -- it creates a wind in the air between. If enough voltage is applied, the resulting wind can produce a thrust without the help of motors or fuel. Researchers have now found that ionic thrusters may be a far more efficient source of propulsion than conventional jet engines.

Stop 'bad guys with guns' by implementing good policies

Stop 'bad guys with guns' by implementing good policies: The National Rifle Association has put forward a National Shield School Proposal which supports the placement of armed security in all schools. A new review attempts to find a balanced and unbiased view of the facts within this heated and emotional debate.

Rising temperature difference between hemispheres could dramatically shift rainfall patterns in tropics

Rising temperature difference between hemispheres could dramatically shift rainfall patterns in tropics: One often ignored consequence of global climate change is that the Northern Hemisphere is becoming warmer than the Southern Hemisphere, which could significantly alter tropical precipitation patterns, according to a new study by climatologists.

Feeling hungry may protect the brain against Alzheimer's disease

Feeling hungry may protect the brain against Alzheimer's disease: A study in mice with genetic mutations seen in human Alzheimer's disease found that the feeling of hunger itself may protect against the disease.

Cyber Criminals Tying Up Emergency Phone Lines Through TDoS Attacks, DHS Warns

Cyber Criminals Tying Up Emergency Phone Lines Through TDoS Attacks, DHS Warns: tsamsoniw writes "Emergency-service providers and other organizations are being targeted with TDoS (telephony denial of service) attacks, according to a security alert (PDF) from the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI, obtained by security expert Brian Krebs. TDoS attacks use high volumes of automated calls to tie up target phone systems, halting incoming and outgoing calls. Perpetrators are using the attacks to extort cash from target organizations, who receive a call from a representative from a purported payday loan company, who demands payment of $5,000 for an outstanding debt — usually speaking in an unspecified 'strong accent.'"

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Judge Rules That Resale of MP3s Violates Copyright Law

Judge Rules That Resale of MP3s Violates Copyright Law: Redigi runs a service that lets you resell your digitally purchased music. Naturally, they were sued by major labels soon after going live, with heavyweights like Google weighing in with support and an initial victory against pre-trial injunctions. But the first actual court ruling is against them. Pikoro writes "A judge has sided with Capitol Records in the lawsuit between the record company and ReDigi — ruling that MP3s can only be resold if granted permission by copyright owners. From the article: 'The Order is surprising in light of last month's United States Supreme Court decision in Kirtsaeng v. Wiley & Sons, which reaffirmed the importance and applicability of the First Sale Doctrine in the United States of America.'" Redigi vows to appeal, and claims that the current version of their service is not affected by the lawsuit.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

A longer life for lithium-sulfur batteries

A longer life for lithium-sulfur batteries: Electric cars have still got it tough in the German marketplace. They are too expensive and their range is too short. This is an opportune time for a breakthrough in efficient and low-cost lithium-sulfur batteries.

The hunt for the creative individual

The hunt for the creative individual: Some people are more creative than others and are literally bubbling with ideas, while others rarely or never show signs of creativity. What should we look for when searching for creative people?

Cancer drugs an unexpected ally in the battle against malaria

Cancer drugs an unexpected ally in the battle against malaria: Scientists tested the efficacy of cancer drugs at killing the malaria parasite during the liver phase with astonishing success. This research paves the way for future studies using cancer drugs that could cause less drug resistance and have more targeted treatments than conventional malaria drugs.

Valve Starts Publishing Packages For Its Own Linux Distribution

Valve Starts Publishing Packages For Its Own Linux Distribution: An anonymous reader writes "In preparation for the "Steam Box" game console that will make necessary their own Linux-based software platform, Valve developers have started publishing Debian packages for their platform which looks like their first-generation operating system will be derived from Ubuntu 12.04.2 LTS. So far the packages being published include a new "Plymouth" boot splash screen as the operating system loads, a Steam desktop wallpaper, auto-updating system scripts, and experimental NVIDIA Linux graphics drivers."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Google Glass and Surveillance Culture

Google Glass and Surveillance Culture: Nerval's Lobster writes "Tech journalist Milo Yiannopoulos asks the question lurking in everyone's mind about Google Glass. ;It's an audacious product for a company no one trusts to behave responsibly with our data: a pair of glasses that can monitor and record the world around you,' he writes. 'But if Glass becomes as ubiquitous as the iPhone, are we truly to believe that Google will not attempt to abuse that remarkable power?' With each new eyebrow-raising court judgment and federal fine levied against Google, he adds, 'it becomes ever more clear that this is a company hell-bent on innovating first and asking questions later, if ever. And its vision, shared with other California technology companies, is of corporate America redefining societal privacy norms in the service of advertising companies and their clients.' He feels that Google will eventually end up in some sort of court battle over Google Glass and privacy. Do you agree? Does Google Glass deserve extra scrutiny before it hits the market?"

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Esophageal cancer risk may be reduced through a variety of lifestyle factors -- from taking aspirin to losing belly fat

Esophageal cancer risk may be reduced through a variety of lifestyle factors -- from taking aspirin to losing belly fat: Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center is home to the Seattle Barrett's Esophagus Program, a multidisciplinary effort conducted in collaboration with researchers at Brigham & Women’s College and the University of California at San Francisco. This research team has shown that a systematic approach to early cancer detection can boost five-year survival rates from about 15 percent to more than 80 percent.

Record-breaking 2011 Lake Erie algae bloom may be sign of things to come

Record-breaking 2011 Lake Erie algae bloom may be sign of things to come: The largest harmful algae bloom in Lake Erie's recorded history was likely caused by the confluence of changing farming practices and weather conditions that are expected to become more common in the future due to climate change.

Tests to predict heart problems and stroke may be more useful predictor of memory loss than dementia tests

Tests to predict heart problems and stroke may be more useful predictor of memory loss than dementia tests: Risk prediction tools that estimate future risk of heart disease and stroke may be more useful predictors of future decline in cognitive abilities, or memory and thinking, than a dementia risk scores, according to a new study.

Ask Slashdot: How To Stay Ahead of Phone Tracking ?

Ask Slashdot: How To Stay Ahead of Phone Tracking ?: An anonymous reader writes "In the last few years there has been a significant upsurge in subverting the cellular network for law enforcement purposes. Besides old school tapping, phones are have become the ideal informant: they can report a fairly accurate location and can be remotely turned into covert listening devices. This is often done without a warrant. How can I default the RF transmitter to off, be notified when the network is paging my IMSI and manually re-enable it (or not) if I opt to acknowledge the incoming call or SMS? How do I prevent GPS data from ever being gathered or sent ?"

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Most Dangerous Object in the Office: The Rocket-Propelled Ikaros Line Thrower

Most Dangerous Object in the Office: The Rocket-Propelled Ikaros Line Thrower: Ever since this $599 rope grenade, er, maritime rescue device came in, we've been dreaming about zip-lining out the window to escape boring meetings.

Dangers of surveillance: It's bad, but why?

Dangers of surveillance: It's bad, but why?: Surveillance is everywhere, from street corner cameras to the subject of books and movies. “We talk a lot about why surveillance is bad, but we don’t really know why,” says Neil Richards, JD, privacy law expert and professor of law at Washington University in St. Louis. “We only have a vague intuition about it, which is why courts don’t protect it. We know we don’t like it, and that it has something to do with privacy, but beyond that, the details can be fuzzy.” Richards’ new article on the topic, “The Danger of Surveillance,” will be published in the next issue of the Harvard Law Review.

Our internal clocks can become ticking time bombs for diabetes and obesity

Our internal clocks can become ticking time bombs for diabetes and obesity: If you're pulling and all-nighter to finish a term paper, a new parent up all night with a fussy baby, or simply can't sleep like you once could, then you may be snoozing on good health.