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Going to space is a real pain in the back
A six-month stay on the International Space Station can be a pain in the back for astronauts. While they may gain up to 2 inches in height temporarily, that effect is accompanied by a weakening of the muscles supporting the spine, according to a new study.
In 1994, astronaut Mark Lee had his height measured by fellow astronaut Jerry Linenger as part of a study on back pain.
Astronauts have ... |
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Instagram fixes Singapore viral 'bug'
Instagram said it had fixed a "bug" that saw users geo-tag themselves as being in Singapore in a bid to go viral - even though they were not there.
Some users claimed the apparent hack increased the chances of a post reaching the coveted Explore page on the photo-sharing app.
Posts in that section are likely to get many more likes and attract followers.
Instagram confirmed to the BBC that... |
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Uber launches artificial intelligence lab
Ride-sharing service Uber has acquired a New York-based artificial intelligence start-up which it hopes can speed up its progress in creating self-driving cars.
The deal, for an undisclosed sum, will see Uber gain 15 specialist researchers who will form a new division at the company known as Uber AI Labs.
Geometric Intelligence’s co-founder Gary Marcus told the BBC the team would have a wide... |
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Apple to swap 'faulty' iPhone 6S batteries
Apple is offering to replace the batteries of a "small number" of iPhone 6S phones with a fault that makes them unexpectedly shut down.
The phones with this fault were manufactured between September and October 2015, it said in a statement.
Affected devices will suddenly stop working even though the handset's battery has plenty of charge.
Anyone with an eligible phone who takes up the off... |
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Amazon ordered to refund children's in-app purchases
A judge has ordered Amazon to refund the parents of children who made in-app purchases on Kindle and Android devices without their consent between 2011 and 2014.
Seattle-based Judge John Coughenour ordered the firm to run the refund process for 12 months beginning in January 2017.
It follows successful legal action by the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
However the FTC's call for a lum... |
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Self-drive delivery van can be 'built in four hours'
A self-drive electric delivery van, that could be on UK streets next year, has been unveiled at the Wired 2016 conference in London.
The vehicle's stripped-back design and lightweight materials mean it can be assembled by one person in four hours, the firm behind it claims.
The vehicles will be "autonomous-ready", for when self-drive legislation is in place, the firm said.
The government ... |
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Smartwatch sales show sharp decline, report finds
Smartwatch shipments declined by 51.6% year-on-year, according to a new report by market analysts IDC.
The Apple Watch remained the market leader but it shipped just over one million units in the third quarter of 2016 (July - September).
During the same period in 2015, it shipped 3.9 million. Of the five leading brands, only Garmin showed growth but its figures remained low.
However, this... |
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These toys make the perfect robot sidekick
If you grew up watching The Jetsons, Star Wars, or even WALL-E, at some point, you likely dreamed of having a robot sidekick. How great would it be to have a Rosie of your own, making dinner, folding laundry and basically making your every household chore her cheerful command?
No such luck for us grown-ups (yet), but the latest robotic toys are more advanced than ever, and the cool factor exten... |
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How the street light has been given a hi-tech makeover
Next time you're out after dark, spare a thought for the humble street light. It's not so humble anymore.
Not only are light bulbs getting sharper and more energy efficient as they are upgraded to LEDs, but they increasingly help fight crime, promote safe cycling and even protect turtles.
That's because street lights are also becoming the eyes and ears of "smart" cities.
Lamp posts double as da... |
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Oculus working on more affordable VR
Oculus, the virtual reality company owned by Facebook, is working on a new headset in an attempt to make the technology more affordable.
On stage in San Jose, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg acknowledged the prohibitive cost of the current Oculus Rift headset.
During the presentation he also demonstrated software for interacting with friends in virtual reality.
Missing, however, was the Oculus... |
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