Month: October 2014
Being nice makes you more attractive, according to science
Growing up, your mum might have told you it’s what’s on the inside that counts, while you rolled your eyes and applied a fresh coat of Rimmel’s Heather Shimmer. But it turns out she was right: being a good person does make you more attractive to other people (whether you’re wearing lipstick or not). At…
The Nexus 6 may be here by the end of the month
There have been an awful lot of leaks regarding the Nexus 6 recently, so many in fact that it looks more and more likely that the phone is going to be announced very soon. Apparently we will be seeing it by the end of the month. The rumour comes from the Wall Street Journal, which…
Samsung delays the UK release of the Galaxy Note 4
The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 was due to be released in the UK well before any other Western country. In fact we were supposed to be getting it today, except Samsung changed its mind at the last minutes. When will we see the phone? The same day as everyone else, Friday 17th October. Samsung confirmed…
10 inspiring women from the world of film #InspiringWomenWeek
Women have long been represented in front of the camera, and although that representation is often skewed and wouldn't stand a chance of passing the Bechdel Test, this means there are hundreds of iconic female stars who have graced our cinema screens over the decades that I desperately wanted to cram into this list. However, even in modern…
Coffee’s good for your liver, scientists say
If you ever feel bad about the fact that you need a strong cup of dark roast to get you up in the morning, here’s some good news. A new report from the National Cancer Institute says that drinking coffee could be good for your liver. Their study, which is now published in the journal…
A new motion controlled app could make it even easier to use our phones
A team of computer scientists from ETH Zurich has created a motion controlled app that finally makes it possible to operate a smartphone using gestures. (Just not the kind of gestures you might make when it's run out of charge for the third time today...) The controls include pointing, spreading the fingers, pinching, and everyone’s…
Could Dominic Wilcox’s ‘mini Cathedral’ be the driverless car of the future?
With a future full of driverless cars looking more like reality than science fiction (watch out for them over here next year), one artist was inspired to design a new concept in self-driving vehicles. And, naturally, it's inspired by two classic British designs: the Mini, and Durham Cathedral. As The Guardian reports, Dominic Wilcox predicts…
Toshiba’s made a new robot that can use sign language
Toshiba has invented a robot that looks like a human and can communicate using simple gestures (like waving) and sign language. And the good news is, it’s not creepy in the slightest. Just kidding: it’s pretty creepy. The company says it’s designed to look like “a friendly young woman”, complete with a face that blinks…
Facebook, Pinterest, Box to launch mentorship program for women in tech
Facebook, Pinterest and Box have teamed up to announce a one-on-one mentorship scheme to help women break into the technical industry. With the pilot scheme due to begin in early 2015, the aptly-named Women Entering and Staying in Tech (WEST) will offer help to early through mid-career women who are in roles such as Engineering,…
shinyshiny’s top ten inspirational female music icons #InspirationalWomenWeek
As a musician, one of my least favourite questions to answer is 'what’s it like being a woman making music?' It’s a ridiculous conversation to have - female is a gender, not a genre. Aren’t we all just humans making music? Of course the problems come when the industry you’re working in doesn’t support that…
