"You can't see me can you?"
Funny Animal Picture by Ty Buchanan
Teflon Beats Gecko - Temporarily
Can nature beat science? This is an open question but it will be put to the test. Teflon is a material created by scientists. It does not occur naturally. Will it stand the test and be unique, unfettered by mother nature?
Geckos can run along many surfaces, whether vertical or upside-down. Their toes are covered in in rows of keratin ridges called lamellae. They are like very fine hairs that attach to just about anything.
Students at the University of Akron's Auburn Science Centre tested the ability of geckos to run along vertical teflon sheets. And yes, they could not cross it! By adding water, however, they ran along it quite happily.
Apparently, the presence of moisture is a must for geckos to get around. Any surface that repels water is playground for geckos. An adhesive has been developed that will stick things together underwater based on research done on this interesting little creature.
Science by Ty Buchanan
The Rumor App "Secret" is Spreading Across the English Speaking World
Rumor mongering is on its way to the tech world. An app initially established in the US is being rolled out in Australia, New Zealand, the UK and Ireland. The app called "Secret" allows people to spread rumours, innuendo, their feeling about things, and accusations about the behavior of innocent people - anonymously. Of course praise can be offered, but is will probably be praise with a small "p".
Apple has offered the app for some time. Google is about to launch it as well. Apparently, there is a voracious appetite for the app in the US. The opinions will be kept among your friend list. However, it is commonplace now for users to accept absolutely anyone who asks to be a new friend.
The app contains a weird option. A warning pops up telling people that the view they are about to make could be defamatory. This is laughable. Users generally ignore such warnings and turn them off. Lives will be destroyed by this app and legal cases will emerge everywhere. Freedom allows people to give their views but not at the expense of innocent victims.
Apple has a small market place. Google is huge. If this app becomes mainstream like Facebook and Twitter, it will change societies across the world, making telling lies the thing to do. A lot of suffering will be caused by this.
Something is going on in the Google Play Store. The company is doing something to regulate apps. Why have all the BBC apps been removed by the store? The BBC has a strong impact internationally, yet all its app are no longer available. Only a few third party UK audio and video apps are left. Perhaps these will be removed soon.
Getting back to the main issue: in the US 75 per cent of Secret's users return regularly to the same topic. This is frightening. Rumors will not only be established they will modified and distorted as just about everyone comes on board. This will make WikiLeaks look like child's play - there is no onus on proof.
Users in the US have become addicted to Secret. A staggering 90 per cent return to the same conversation, opening the app up to ten times a day. Gossiping over the garden fence has returned in a new way to the current age - seemingly in a nasty way.
Internet by Ty Buchanan
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