Witch hazel is a flowering shrub found in North American and Japan. Its leaf, bark, and twigs contain tannins that have medicinal qualities. When distilled into a liquid, witch hazel is a common over-the-counter analgesic found in many medicine cabinets. You may have used witch hazel to combat minor cuts, but the…
Source: LifeHacker – All the Ways You Should Be Using Witch Hazel but Aren’t
The world produces more food than ever, but the amount of land we use is now falling. From a report: Agricultural land is the total of arable land that is used to grow crops, and pasture used to raise livestock. Measuring exactly how much land we use for agriculture is difficult. If all farms were simply rows of densely-planted crops it would be straightforward to calculate how much land is being used. Just draw a square around the field and calculate its area. But across much of the world, this is not how farming looks: it’s often low-density; mixed in with rural villages; in tiny smallholdings that are somewhere between a garden and a farm. Where farmland starts and ends is not always clear-cut. As a result, there are a range of estimates for how much land is used for agriculture.
Here I have brought together the three leading analyses on the change in global land use. Each uses a different methodology, as explained in the chart (in the linked post). The UN FAO produces the bedrock data for each of these analyses from 1961 onwards; however, the researchers apply their own methodologies on top, and extend this series further back in time. As you can see, they disagree on how much land is used for agriculture, and the time at which land use peaked. But they do all agree that we have passed the peak. This marks a historic moment in humanity’s relationship to the planet; a crucial step in its protection of the world’s ecosystems. It shows that the future of food production does not need to follow the destructive path that it did in the past. If we continue on this path we will be able to restore space for the planet’s wilderness and wildlife.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot – After Millennia of Agricultural Expansion, the World Has Passed ‘Peak Agricultural Land’
Researchers led by a team at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have detected a wealth of previously unnoticed supermassive black holes in dwarf galaxies. The new information could lend valuable insight into the origin story of our very own Milky Way galaxy.
The Milky Way galaxy is believed to have been created as smaller dwarf
Source: Hot Hardware – A Trove Of Massive Black Holes Hiding In Plain Sight Is Blowing Astronomers’ Minds
It’s not taking long for memory makers to crank out DDR5 kits that blast way past the initial wave of 4,800 MT/s offerings that arrived when Alder Lake debuted. How high they’ll go remains to be seen. In the here and now, however, Corsair is offering up for the sale the world’s fastest DDR5 memory kit under its enthusiast Dominator Platinum
Source: Hot Hardware – Corsair Dominator Platinum RGB DDR5-6600 Lays Claim To Fastest RAM You Can Actually Buy
Every Linux enthusiast spends a significant amount of time on the command line. This time, however, we’ll look at one of the most fun parts of the Linux terminal: creating ASCII art from images. This article shows how to create ASCII art by converting images in the Linux command line with the Artem app.
Source: LXer – How to Convert Images to ASCII Art in Linux Terminal with Artem
Razer’s Barracuda X headset from last year was fine if you wanted low-latency wireless audio for your console or Android phone, but it wasn’t very practical for much else. That won’t be a problem this time around, though. The company has introduced new Barracuda, Barracuda X and Barracuda Pro headsets that (among other upgrades) add Bluetooth with smart device switching. You can use them with iPhones and virtually any other device, and you won’t have to manually switch connections when a phone call interrupts your gaming session.
You can also expect nearly twice the battery life, at up to 50 hours for the Barracuda X and 40 hours for the other two models. You’ll still have Razer’s proprietary 2.4GHz wireless connection if lag is a concern.
The differences largely come down to audio quality. The Barracuda Pro (pictured above) tops the line with 50mm “TriForce Bio-Cellulose” drivers, a THX Achromatic Audio Amplifier, THX Spatial Audio and hybrid active noise cancellation. The regular Barracuda opts for ‘plain’ titanium 50mm drivers while shedding the amplifier and ANC. The revised Barracuda X (below), meanwhile, is now more of a conventional gaming headset. While it sticks to more modest 40mm drivers and doesn’t include any THX features, you’ll get a detachable cardioid microphone, a 3.5mm wired option and 7.1-channel surround audio.
All three headsets are available today. The Barracuda X starts the range at $100, while the standard Barracuda and the Pro will respectively cost you $160 and $250. Razer is clearly pivoting the line, then — these are less gaming accessories and more competition for conventional mid-range and budget headphones.
Source: Engadget – Razer’s new Barracuda headsets work with any phone or PC
Apple’s WWDC event is just days away, and while software updates are guaranteed, we still don’t know for certain what hardware will debut. Refreshed versions of existing products are always a possibility, but what we really want to see from Apple is an entirely new device.
Source: Gizmodo – Apple’s AR/VR Headset Might Not Arrive Next Week, After All
A team of researchers scrutinizing the teeth of great white sharks and those of the extinct giant shark Otodus megalodon believe that competition for food between the two species may have contributed to the megalodon’s extinction.
Source: Gizmodo – Great White Sharks May Have Pushed Megalodon to Extinction
Nintendo Switch Online’s N64 emulator makes revisiting your favorite 3D games of the past a breeze. You can experience gems like Ocarina of Time, Banjo-Kazooie, and Star Fox 64 in high resolution and on-the-go. However, it’s not all peachy: If you replay Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards using the service, you might…
Source: LifeHacker – How to Fix Kirby 64’s Game-Breaking Bug
As a programmer, choosing a laptop is an important decision to make. With the rise of the gig economy, many programmers are now working on their laptops remotely. This means that your laptop should handle all of your needs as a programmer.
You need to be able to work comfortably and efficiently on your computer, which means finding something with enough power to get the job done. In addition, considering other features can help you improve your productivity while working. Here are five of the best laptops for programmers in 2022.
The post Top 5 Laptops for Programmers in 2022 appeared first on Linux Today.
Source: Linux Today – Top 5 Laptops for Programmers in 2022
Supreme Court officials are escalating their search for the source of the leaked draft opinion that would overturn Roe v. Wade, taking steps to require law clerks to provide cell phone records and sign affidavits, three sources with knowledge of the efforts have told CNN. From the report: Some clerks are apparently so alarmed over the moves, particularly the sudden requests for private cell data, that they have begun exploring whether to hire outside counsel. The court’s moves are unprecedented and the most striking development to date in the investigation into who might have provided Politico with the draft opinion it published on May 2. The probe has intensified the already high tensions at the Supreme Court, where the conservative majority is poised to roll back a half-century of abortion rights and privacy protections. Chief Justice John Roberts met with law clerks as a group after the breach, CNN has learned, but it is not known whether any systematic individual interviews have occurred.
Lawyers outside the court who have become aware of the new inquiries related to cell phone details warn of potential intrusiveness on clerks’ personal activities, irrespective of any disclosure to the news media, and say they may feel the need to obtain independent counsel. “That’s what similarly situated individuals would do in virtually any other government investigation,” said one appellate lawyer with experience in investigations and knowledge of the new demands on law clerks. “It would be hypocritical for the Supreme Court to prevent its own employees from taking advantage of that fundamental legal protection.” Sources familiar with efforts underway say the exact language of the affidavits or the intended scope of that cell phone search — content or time period covered — is not yet clear.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot – Supreme Court Leak Investigation Heats Up as Clerks Are Asked For Phone Records in Unprecedented Move
The US chipmaker Qualcomm wants to buy a stake in Arm alongside its rivals and create a consortium that would maintain the UK chip designer’s neutrality in the highly competitive semiconductor market.
Japanese conglomerate SoftBank plans to list Arm on the New York Stock Exchange after Nvidia’s $66 billion purchase collapsed earlier this year. However, the IPO has sparked concern over the future ownership of the company, given its crucial role in the global technology sector.
“We’re an interested party in investing,” Cristiano Amon, Qualcomm’s chief executive, told the Financial Times. “It’s a very important asset and it’s an asset which is going to be essential to the development of our industry.”
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Source: Ars Technica – Qualcomm wants to buy a stake in Arm alongside its rivals
Although retro gaming is more popular than ever (except for when it was maybe not so retro), there’s some classic hardware worth forgetting. The Power Glove was one of Nintendo’s most disappointing accessories, being one of its earliest forays into motion controls, but that didn’t deter Niles Mitchell from jumping…
Source: Gizmodo – Unsung Retro Gaming Hero Resurrected the Nintendo Power Glove and Made it Work With the Switch
It appears Microsoft will soon reveal its next-gen Surface Laptop Go. The successor to the would-be Chromebook competitor popped up in a Korean retailer listing that appears to have gone live a little too early. It seems the page has since been taken down.
The listing, which was spotted by The Verge, indicates the Surface Laptop Go 2 will shift from a 10th-gen Intel Core CPU to an 11th-gen Intel processor. This specific configuration boasts the i5-1135G7 and Intel Iris Xe graphics.
As with the original Surface Laptop Go from 2020, this laptop will support up to 8GB of RAM and as much as 256GB of storage, according to the listing. The base model specs are unclear, however. Previous reports indicated the laptop will have a baseline of 4GB RAM and 128GB of storage. The base Surface Laptop Go has 64GB of storage.
As you might expect, the laptop is slated to ship with Windows 11. The listing promises a battery life of up to 13.5 hours as well. In addition, it suggests the system will have “improved HD camera performance,” even though, like its predecessor, it’s said to have a 720p webcam.
The Surface Laptop Go 2 seems to have a lot of other details in common with the original system. The listing suggests it still has a 12.4-inch display and 3:2 aspect ratio, the same ports (including a 3.5mm headphone jack and the proprietary Surface charging port) and a fingerprint sensor. There’s no sign of it having a backlit keyboard as yet, unfortunately.
It seems we may not have to wait much longer for Microsoft to formally announce the latest entry-level Surface laptop. The listing suggests preorders will open on June 2nd.
Source: Engadget – Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 leaks in retail listing
As Disney+ comes off a weekend packed full of news and reveals from Star Wars Celebration, it’s rather quietly dropped the trailer this Monday morning for its newest live-action adaptation of its classic animated film, Pinocchio, coming from director Robert Zemeckis. While the only good look you get of the titular…
Source: Gizmodo – Disney’s Live-Action Pinocchio Looks Unsettlingly Authentic in Its First Trailer
uBlock Origin is among the best browser extensions for protecting your privacy on the internet. Its default settings are great for most people, but with some adjustments, it can be even more effective. Before you make these changes, though, remember that the more blocking options you enable, the higher the risk of…
Source: LifeHacker – Change These uBlock Origin Settings for Even More Privacy
Don’t expect to play Diablo Immortal in the Low Countries when it launches this week. GamesIndustry.biz and Tweakers have learned Blizzard won’t release the free-to-play game in Belgium or the Netherlands due to their “gambling restrictions” — that is, their legislation banning loot boxes. It will also be illegal for people in those countries to download them from other regions, and Blizzard’s support team warned that it couldn’t guarantee that players in the affected countries would avoid bans.
Belgium and the Netherlands determined in 2018 that some loot boxes, particularly those you can buy or trade for real money, amounted to gambling. Diablo Immortal tucks access to its best stat-enhancing items, such as some legendary gems, behind legendary crests that are often easier to obtain with real-world currency. While the items you get are frequently good (to the point where some have argued they’re unfair), the attributes are random. That could theoretically pressure gamers to pay in hopes of scoring the ‘perfect’ crest, and might reel in people with addictive personalities.
Blizzard halted loot box sales for other games in Belgium after the country cracked down on the practice. The company also isn’t unique. EA, Konami, Nintendo and Epic’s Psyonix have all pulled games to avoid violating anti-loot box laws. Even so, it’s still notable that Blizzard would rather withdraw Diablo Immortal from those countries than change gameplay mechanics.
Source: Engadget – Blizzard won’t release ‘Diablo Immortal’ in countries with loot box laws
Almost half a century ago, Apple co-founders Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak demonstrated and then released the very first Apple computer, which later became known as the Apple-1. Only 200 of the hand-built machines were ever made, 175 of which were sold to a computer shop in Mountain View, California. Out of those, it’s estimated that 80 still
Source: Hot Hardware – Ultra Rare Apple-1 With Woz’s Autograph On The CPU Is Headed To Auction
A new high-speed rail line is coming to Egypt, with developer Siemens Mobility saying it will link 60 cities across the country. From a report: The fully-electrified lines will see trains with a top speed of 230 kilometers per hour and travel from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean, among other destinations. According to Siemens Mobility, the electrification of the network will reduce carbon emissions by 70% when compared to making trips by bus or car. It added that the project would result in the world’s “sixth largest high-speed rail system.” Siemens Mobility — a separately managed company of industrial giant Siemens — signed the contract to develop the rail line with the Egyptian National Authority for Tunnels, as well as consortium partners The Arab Contractors and Orascom Construction. In a statement Saturday, Siemens Mobility said its share of the combined contract would amount to 8.1 billion euros, or around $8.7 billion.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot – Egypt Set For World’s Sixth Largest High-Speed Rail System
Many DJs who’ve gone digital still like the feel of vinyl for their sets, opting for apps and hardware that support a digital vinyl system (DVS). Today Algoriddim’s djay Pro AI joins that camp with a few unique twists. Not only will DVS support include iOS devices in addition to Mac, but the control vinyl will offer a special B-Side with three ‘tracks’ that leverage Neural Mix’s ability to isolate stems from any song. This way you can drop the needle on track one for the original version, track two for an instrumental and three for an acapella, all extracted on the fly from any song you want to play.
While DVS support is new for djay Pro AI on Mac, the addition of iPhones and iPads with this capability is truly unique. These devices should be able to send a control tone through any class compliant USB mixer or controller connected to analog turntables and using the Neural Mix control disks. And you can potentially map things like performance pads and knobs using its MIDI learn tool, but supported hardware devices for djay Pro AI should work out-of-the-box. This software update also offers an optimized user interface for iOS devices that should adapt automatically when you connect to DJ hardware.
In addition to the DVS features, this refresh includes a few more interesting tweaks. You can now edit playlists from connected streaming accounts like TIDAL, SoundCloud, Beatport and Beatsource from inside the djay Pro AI app. There’s also mention of new AI audio effects and a Pitch Cue / Tone Play feature that allows you to use pitch-altered cue points for more dynamic mixing.
The new software is available today and existing djay Pro AI users will automatically get this update with all the included features. New subscribers can trial the Pro version for seven days and pay $7 per month or $50 per year after that. Mobile users will need an iPhone or iPad running iOS 12 or later and macOS users will need 10.14 or later. Pricing and availability for the Neural Mix control vinyl is still pending, although we know that it will be manufactured and distributed by Stokyo. We’re told that most existing disks with a 1kHz time code should work, though, so you should be able to use DVS (without the Neural Mix B-side features) right away.
