This is wild, but apparently there is a would healant made out of shrimp shells that’s about to get space tested. Apparently they’re curious to see how chitosan, the biopolymer that makes up these space-age bandaids, acts in outer space. According to the New Scientist:
Chitosan is a water-soluble form of chitin, an abundant long-chain natural biopolymer that is a key component of the semi-transparent exoskeletons of arthropods from insects to lobsters, and in the cell walls of fungi.
Some researchers believe natural chitin helps protect arthropods from bacterial infection, important because they lack a conventional immune system. The soluble chitosan carries a positive charge that attracts the negatively charged membranes of bacteria, stopping them from multiplying and in some cases killing them. The charge also initiates clotting of red blood cells.
The Secretary of State of California recently ordered a complete security audit of all electronic voting systems in use in the state of California. Despite some concerns about an unrealistic schedule, this appears to be more than security theater — one system was completely decertified, and several other systems (including Diebold and Sequoia systems) were decertified and conditionally re-certified given the imposition of additional security precautions. Bruce Schenier’s got a good roundup of related articles.
I’ve worked the past couple of California elections and have to say that the physical security, at least at the polling sites, is pretty good. Nonetheless, I was glad to see a paper audit tape used last time around.
So called hot dry rock geothermal technology has the potential to be a huge generator of emissions-free technology for a relatively steep initial investment but very low ongoing costs. The basic concept is simple — dig a big hole in the ground to where the granite is very hot, pump in water, and let the resultant steam power a turbine. [photo by futureatlas][slashdot]
This is wild, but apparently there is a would healant made out of shrimp shells that’s about to get space tested. Apparently they’re curious to see how chitosan, the biopolymer that makes up these space-age bandaids, acts in outer space. According to the New Scientist:
The Secretary of State of California recently ordered a complete security audit of all electronic voting systems in use in the state of California. Despite some concerns about an unrealistic schedule, this appears to be more than security theater — one system was completely decertified, and several other systems (including Diebold and Sequoia systems) were decertified and conditionally re-certified given the imposition of additional security precautions. Bruce Schenier’s got 
So called 
Much like the early incarnations of the web itself, there are a few tried and tested ways of making money in Second Life: porn is one, of course, and another is financial confidence trickery.