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ISIS State-Building Manual Leaks Online

The Guardian has published a 24-page Islamic State manual online which describes how the terrorist group is attempting to become an independent state in Iraq and Syria—from propaganda operations to plans for creating a self-sufficient economy. The manual, which you can see below, is said to have been written last year, some time between July…

A $140 Lumia Is the Cheapest Windows 10 Phone You Can Buy

If for some strange reason you need a new Windows phone but don’t have a big budget, the Lumia 550 is likely the thing for you. At $140, it’s the cheapest Windows 10 handset you can buy so far. Don’t expect much in the way of specs from the plastic-cased smartphone. While it’s got a…

Everything That Happened on Twitter in 2015

Each year, Twitter rounds up the biggest events that its users have discussed over the past twelve months. So what were the main stories to trend on Twitter in 2015? In a blog post, the folks at Twitter highlight some of the “most influential and memorable moments” of the year. Perhaps unsurprisingly, they include the…

Spotify’s ‘Year in Music’ Tool Tells You How You Soundtracked 2015

What have you been listening to this year? If you want to find out using cold, hard evidence, then Spotify’s new Year in Music tool will tell you. By scouring the data it has about your listening habits, Spotify will tell you your tops songs, artists and genres of 2015, along with a few more…

City of London’s Tallest Building Will Be a Simple Work of Engineering

The architect Eric Parry has unveiled his plans for what will be the tallest building in the City of London. Measuring 309.6 meters in height, the building is a surprisingly simple structure, which wears its engineering design on its sleeve. The building will be about the same height as The Shard, just across the Thames—which…

This Beach Could (Almost) Be on Mars

These are the vast plains of Katwijk. That’s not the name of a new Martian valley or a hidden lunar crater, though but… a beach, right here on Earth in the Netherlands. In fact, it’s where the European Space Agency is putting a new breed of robotic rovers through their paces. Much like autonomous cars…

Gene Editing Won’t Work on Complex Traits Like Intelligence

As we consider the ethics of human gene editing, we need to understand what can and can’t be meaningfully edited. Last week, scientists gathered in Washington, DC for the International Summit on Human Gene Editing to discuss a technology called CRISPR-CAS9, which can insert, remove and change the DNA of basically any organism. It is…

Remember Massacred Women Engineers with a Hairdryer Hackathon [UPDATED]

On December 6th, 1989, Canadian women were targeted, shot, and killed for being engineering students. The Montreal Massacre is a national day of remembrance and action, which makes it the perfect time for IBM to push their pinkification of science campaign. On December 6th, 1989, fourteen women were killed and another ten women and four…

Good news for anyone with a serious digital music problem: Apple has raised the upper limit on iTunes Match to 100,000 songs, up from 25,000. [9to5Mac]

Ruthlessly Efficient Trap Proves Mice Are Dumb

Balancing something on the edge of a bucket to make a DIY mouse trap is not a new idea. But when you use video surveillance and a dollop of evil cunning, it turns out you can optimize the automatic mouse-killing process to a scary extent. The trap is the work of Canadian engineer Matthias Wandel.…

Proposed French Law Would Ban TOR In Response to Terror Attacks

According to French newspaper Le Monde, authorities in Paris are considereing banning the use of TOR, a service that anonymises users on the internet. It would be one of a range of measures passed in response to last month’s terror attacks, and also a difficult-to-enforce attack on internet privacy. Le Monde obtained an internal document…

Hillary Clinton’s Plea for Silicon Valley to “Disrupt” ISIS Is Misguided Nonsense

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton called on Silicon Valley companies to work at “disrupting ISIS” at a speech this Sunday. Clinton emphasized that jihadists use websites, chatroom, and social media to recruit and plan, and that their radicalism is “fueled by the internet.” “It’s time for an urgent dialogue between the government, not just our…

Cassini’s Latest View Of Tethys, Enceladus And The Rings Of Saturn

Stunning picture is of Saturn’s moons Tethys, Enceladus and the gas giant’s rings, taken on November 23rd by the Cassini Spacecraft. The camera was pointing toward TETHYS, and the image was taken using the CL1 and CL2 filters. This image has not been validated or calibrated. A validated/calibrated image will be archived with the NASA…

Tonight is the Last Chance for Japan’s Venus Orbiter to Reach the Planet

Japan’s Akatsuki spacecraft is desperately trying to claw its way into Venus orbit tonight. After blowing its orbital insertion five years ago, this is an incredible second chance for the spacecraft brought about by impressive ingenuity from the engineering team. Artist’s concept of Akatsuki observing the clouds of Venus. Image credit: JAXA Akatsuki originally attempted…

Open Channel: What Are You Most Excited For In The Force Awakens?

We’ve got 11 days before Star Wars: The Force Awakens opens in theaters, and I know that it’s going to be a long 11 days. Thinking about what you’ve seen in the trailers and numerous TV spots, what are you most excited to see on the big screen? For me personally? I’m excited for the…

SUCCESS! Cygnus Launches in First Mission Since Antares Rocket Explosion

The Cygnus has its wings again! After four attempts, the cargo tug is finally on its way to the International Space Station. The commercial spacecraft will deliver equipment and supplies to astronauts when it arrives at the station on December 9th. Cygnus launching at sunset over Cuba, as seen from the International Space Station. Image…

Here’s Eight Clips From Tarantino’s The Hateful Eight

Quentin Tarantino’s upcoming film The Hateful Eight is coming out at the end of December, but they’ve just released a bunch of clips of the movie. This movie is looking awesome. Here, we get to see Samuel L. Jackson’s Major Marquis Warren joining the group, an introduction to Kurt Russell’s as John Ruth, the revelation…

Will Cygnus Finally Fly Today? Watch LIVE!

It’s proving hard for the Cygnus spacecraft to get off the ground for its return-to-flight! After getting rained out Thursday and shoved around by gusts of wind Friday and Saturday, this is the fourth attempt for the cargo craft to deliver supplies to the space station. Watch live as we count down to the 4:44pm…

So You Want To Join The Empire: Buckets On!

So, I have a confession to make: this project isn’t done yet, and I don’t have final, full kit pictures yet. I’ll explain in a bit, but I do have pictures of something else: the helmet. I’ve held off on doing the helmet because it’s probably the most important part of the suit, but also…

Dense Tangled Fur Keeps Seals Warm in Cold Water

Seals and otters stay warm in cold water because their fur is ideally structured for trapping insulating air. These unique hairy surfaces could inspire the design of new kinds of textiles, such as wet suits that are textured instead of smooth to keep divers warm in cold water. MIT graduate student Alice Nasto described results…