The video and report linked here shows a monkey controlling a robotic arm via probes inserted into its brain. This certainly demonstrates the viability of robotic prosthetics (and probably some terrifying military applications). But I wouldn’t want unnecessary probes in my head and our cousin primates don’t either. It would be better if human volunteers …
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Category:Living
Still a primitive world – AI report on human rights 2008
Amnesty International released their annual report on human rights. It continues to paint a stark picture of humanity. Violence is the culture of too many places, and of too many rich countries. With the richest countries still failing to respect human life, despite teh intellect and wealth available to nurture, it remains a dream that …
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Making jails part of the community
The Urban Institute’s recent work on jails and recidivism in the US shows that integrating jails with other community life reduces the liklihood of reoffending and lowers the costs of incaceration. This report from the Futurist: Local jails in the United States handle 9 million individuals a year, far more than state and federal prisons …
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BT Notes April – Food and consumption …
April started off in a glorious mood – the first bluebells blossomed in the woods and by mid-April the first rhododendron was out. But the warmth didn’t last; and maybe that wasn’t such a bad thing. A couple of cold, dry weeks in the middle of the month meant that the grass and weeds didn’t …
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Lifestyle at conception determines gender.
According to research reported by the BBC, a female’s diet around the time of conception may influence the gender of her baby. The study, by the Universities of Exeter and Oxford, appears in the Royal Society journal Biological Sciences, suggests a high calorie diet at the time of conception, especially proper breakfasts, might increase the …
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Instructables – how to do anything
Check out this great site www.instructables.com. It offers instructions on how to do or build useful things. It’ll be enjoyed by “boys”, but also craftspeople, DIYers, people on a budget, people who can’t get cool stuff in their neighbourhood and people who are trying to reuse and recycle or just live with less. Examples include …
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Costly prejudice against eco-homes
A UK study shows that consumers perceive costs of eco-homes but are unaware of the benefits. The survey suggests that people believe the quality of domestic services in eco-homes to be lower but more costly. This is in contrast to those that are buying or building eco-homes who do so because energy savings repay build …
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Are you in the wrong job?
A UK poll suggests that 20% of people are in a job unsuited to their skills. This is certainly wasteful but may be unsurprising given the preoccupation people have with griping about work. But is it really that bad? It is probably better than it has been historically because job mobility in higher than in …
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Obituary of the late Mr. Common Sense
London Times Sunday, 31st March 2008 Obituary of the late Mr. Common Sense Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He …
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Turn off the lights …
Cities switch off lights for earth hour … well its a start …