Chad’s News

Researchers were recently able to factor a specially formed (but hard to factor) 1039-bit number in a mere 11 months. It shouldn’t be too long before those 1024-bit encryption keys can be broken in a realistic amount of time. My key is 4096 bits, which was specifically discouraged by the key generation software because it was considered to be massive overkill. Maybe it pays to be paranoid. Of course quantum computers, if they ever become a reality, will make existing encryption methods obsolete.

Link: http://actualites.epfl.ch/…
(via Slashdot)

It’s been known for some time now that maggots are quite good at clearing dead tissue out of a wound while leaving the live tissue alone. This latest study suggests they can also remove antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which is becoming more and more of a concern.

Link: http://arstechnica.com/…

Researchers have developed a prototype plastic-based blood substitute. It’s less perishable than real blood and doesn’t need to be refrigerated, making it ideal for the battlefield and other emergency situations. I guess as long as something transports oxygen to the cells, it doesn’t really matter what it’s made from.

Link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/…
(via Neatorama)

A change in ceiling height, even by as little as 2 feet, can affect how a person thinks, feels, and acts.

Link: http://www.innovations-report.de/…
(via Lifehacker)

The linked article discusses how heavy metal music can help comfort gifted children. For me, metal disrupts the overactive mental activity in my head and, as weird as it may sound, has a calming effect.

Link: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/…
(via slashdot)

A disturbing first-person account of someone with body identity integrity disorder (BIID). I’ve heard of this before but the article makes it more understandable.

Link: http://society.guardian.co.uk/…

At about 2:45 into this video, the speaker (Michael Shermer) begins a short test. It’s worth taking. Leave any thoughts in the comments.

Link: http://www.youtube.com/…
(via Neatorama)

This video shows astronauts experimenting with a sphere of freestanding water.

Link: http://www.youtube.com/…
(via digg)

Elephants have been added to the very small list of animals that can see a reflection in a mirror and realize they’re seeing themselves.

http://news.bbc.co.uk…

This video shows how a Mimosa plant reacts to a stimulus (in this case, the heat from a lighter). The whole leaf shrivels up as if it were dead. There’s a link at the bottom to another video with a stronger reaction in which all four leaves curl up.

http://plantsinmotion.bio.indiana.edu/…
(via Digg)

This article immediately brought back memories of the book with the same title. While the book doesn’t actually answer the question, Scientific American tells all. Most interesting: for a butterfly, getting hit by a large raindrop would be like a human getting hit by a bowling ball (but at twice the weight). So where do they go when it rains? They run and hide, that’s where they go.

http://www.sciam.com/…

This site has some really nice images of fractals, which are available to download. They can be used as wallpaper for computer desktops.

http://exoteric.roach.org/…