Estimating the Airspeed Velocity of an Unladen Swallow. (Via BBspot.)
posted by Paul Hsieh on 5:24 AM

Invention of the day: New childproof medicine containers that rely on mental dexterity rather than physical strength. Given that a recent study showed that up to 90% of adults had trouble with current childproof packages, this could be step in the right direction.
posted by Paul Hsieh on 12:07 AM

Dedicated Simpsons fans have created this detailed map of Springfield. The big map is especially nice.
posted by Paul Hsieh on 12:05 AM

Good story about Pixar and how it became such a powerhouse.
posted by Paul Hsieh on 12:03 AM

Many corporate IT systems automatically add a lengthy e-mail disclaimer to the end of outgoing messages. Here's an interesting legal analysis of their validity. (Via Techdirt.) More information on stupid e-mail disclaimers can be found here, including these funny ones. (Via BBspot.)
posted by Paul Hsieh on 12:07 AM

The first privately funded spaceflight to carry a civilian in space is scheduled to take place on June 21, 2004.
posted by Paul Hsieh on 12:05 AM

Three ways to make money while blogging.
posted by Paul Hsieh on 12:04 AM

Everything you wanted to know about airfoils. Nice webpage on basic aerodynamics for the intelligent layperson. (Via Rand Simberg.)
posted by Paul Hsieh on 12:02 AM

It's way too easy to spot "undercover" air marshalls.
posted by Paul Hsieh on 6:10 AM

Management tip of the day: If you're the CEO of a major bank, and you decide to outsource your entire IT Department, make sure you remove all your porn from your workplace computer before your disgrunted employees rat you out to the press, thus forcing you to resign.
posted by Paul Hsieh on 6:07 AM

You can now bank your own stem cells in anticipation of future medical advances. Here's the corporate website.
posted by Paul Hsieh on 6:02 AM

"The largest prime number yet found has been discovered by a mathematics enthusiast using his desktop computer. The monstrous number has over seven million digits."
posted by Paul Hsieh on 12:05 AM

Insecure password horror story of the day: During much of the 1970's, the US Minuteman nuclear ICBM missiles had their launch authorization codes set to "00000000" (without the knowledge of the President or Secretary of Defense) and that "everyone" at Strategic Air Command knew the "secret" password. According to the author, a former nuclear weapons officer:

The Strategic Air Command (SAC) in Omaha quietly decided to set the "locks" to all zeros in order to circumvent this safeguard. During the early to mid-1970s, during my stint as a Minuteman launch officer, they still had not been changed. Our launch checklist in fact instructed us, the firing crew, to double-check the locking panel in our underground launch bunker to ensure that no digits other than zero had been inadvertently dialed into the panel.

SAC remained far less concerned about unauthorized launches than about the potential of these safeguards to interfere with the implementation of wartime launch orders. And so the "secret unlock code" during the height of the nuclear crises of the Cold War remained constant at 00000000.

The locks were eventually activated in 1977. (Via Slashdot.)
posted by Paul Hsieh on 12:09 AM

A student who has been expelled from his degree program for internet plagiarism is suing the university for having caught him too late. He claims that the school "should have spotted what he was doing and stopped him sooner."

According to this article, his argument is as follows:

It's a technique I've used since I started the course and I never dreamt it was a problem. I can see there is evidence that I have gone against the rules, but they've taken my money for three years and pulled me up the day before I finished. If they had pulled me up with my first essay, and warned me of the problems, it would be fair enough. But all my essays were handed back with good marks and no one spotted it.

posted by Paul Hsieh on 12:04 AM

"Japanese and U.S. scientists have genetically engineered a bovine embryo that is resistant to the deadly mad cow disease..."
posted by Paul Hsieh on 12:03 AM

Space robots that will need to work in the frictionless conditions in outer space are being trained on Earth on air hockey tables.
posted by Paul Hsieh on 12:02 AM

Chemists have constructed a molecular version of the Borromean rings.
posted by Paul Hsieh on 12:53 AM

Take the Geek Test. Slightly dated, but still informative. Alas, I am merely a "Total Geek". (Via MetaFilter.)
posted by Paul Hsieh on 12:48 AM

MMTW: Massive Multiplayer Thumb Wrestling. (Via Boing Boing.)
posted by Paul Hsieh on 8:57 AM

Is "collective" intelligence superior to individual intelligence? Find out in the Wisdom of Crowds challenge. The author's primary thesis is clearly closely related to the so-called Efficient Market Hypothesis. (Via Tim Hsieh.)
posted by Paul Hsieh on 12:05 AM

Is the "ninja death touch" real?
posted by Paul Hsieh on 12:03 AM

What you need to know about electronic voting machines.
posted by Paul Hsieh on 12:09 AM

Invention of the day: A roll-up flexible piano keyboard. On Star Trek: Next Generation, there was an episode "Lessons" in which Nella Daren played a duet on a similar-looking (fictional) instrument with Captain Picard on the Ressikan flute. The real-life version costs only 15,540 Japanese yen or $140 US. (Via Gadgeteer.)
posted by Paul Hsieh on 12:06 AM

Watch this guy solve a 20x20x20 Rubik's cube. (Via Memepool.)
posted by Paul Hsieh on 12:02 AM

Falling dots illusion. (Via BBspot.)
posted by Paul Hsieh on 12:01 AM

The Infinite Cat Project
posted by Paul Hsieh on 11:59 AM

Weird sex is all around us in nature. (Via SciTech Daily.)
posted by Paul Hsieh on 11:04 AM

Invention of the day: A robot that is sufficiently dextrous to perform origami.
posted by Paul Hsieh on 10:07 AM

Admin note: Our ISP problems appear to be solved. Regular posting will resume shortly. Thank you all for your patience!
posted by Paul Hsieh on 9:56 AM

Admin note: Due to problems with our ISP, we're having severe connectivity problems. Hence GeekPress may not return for a while until the ISP is up and running again. We apologize for the delay, and we'll be back as soon as possible.
posted by Paul Hsieh on 12:08 PM

"Are there negative calorie foods?"
posted by Paul Hsieh on 12:05 AM

Admin note: GeekPress will be going on a 2 week hiatus. We'll be back on Monday May 24!
posted by Paul Hsieh on 12:23 AM

Infinity in your browser. Ok, I'm dizzy now... (Via Quare.)
posted by Paul Hsieh on 12:08 AM

Invention of the day: The microprocessor-controlled self-adjusting running shoe from Adidas.
posted by Paul Hsieh on 12:03 AM

Dude, Where's My Robotic Mine-Sweeping Mini-Submarine Drone?
posted by Paul Hsieh on 12:02 AM

Robots with gender?
posted by Paul Hsieh on 12:03 AM

"Did Eskimos really put their elderly on ice floes to die?" Read the answer here.

posted by Paul Hsieh on 12:02 AM

When a couple is in love, their hormone levels converge.
posted by Paul Hsieh on 12:01 AM

"Create your own Thomas Friedman Op-Ed Column"
posted by Paul Hsieh on 12:07 AM

Nanotechnology researchers are getting closer to developing molecular self-assembly.
posted by Paul Hsieh on 12:06 AM

Instead of performing precise but energy-intensive calculations, a new generation of frugal "probabilistic chips" saves time and energy by guessing the right answer.
posted by Paul Hsieh on 12:04 AM

Domino clock. (Via BBspot.)
posted by Paul Hsieh on 12:01 AM

Congratulations to Hanah Metchis and Sasha Volokh who are now engaged!
posted by Paul Hsieh on 12:09 AM

"Ex-hacker Kevin Mitnick is a hero to the small town of River Rouge, Michigan, after using his tech skills to help officials nab the culprit behind a harrowing series of bomb threats."
posted by Paul Hsieh on 12:07 AM

90% of adults have trouble opening "childproof" medicine containers.
posted by Paul Hsieh on 12:05 AM

"Will RSS Readers Clog the Web?"
posted by Paul Hsieh on 12:01 AM