hazard

Carbon nanotube pencil points to hazardous gases

Gather 'round kiddies, and I'll tell you a story about pointy wooden things called pencils. Before the explosion of keyboards and touch screens, people used to use them to do something called writing. On paper.

Now, one MIT chemistry postdoctoral student may have given the old-fashioned pencil a new lease -- though not as something you'd bring to the SAT.

Katherine Mirica and colleagues created a novel type of pencil lead, replacing graphite with a highly compressed powder made of commercially available carbon nanotubes. The resulting newfangled lead can inscribe sensors on any paper surface.

So what's the point?… Read more

Great games for iOS to get you through the long weekend

Here at CNET we're about to start a three-day weekend thanks to Presidents Day on Monday. If you're lucky enough to have an extra day this weekend, what better way to waste a little time than with a solid new game? There have been a lot of great game releases lately, and this week I've picked games from various genres in the hope that you can find something you like.

This week's iOS app collection is all about new games to play over the long weekend. The first is a physics puzzler sequel that's extremely polished and very hard to put down. The second uses your music library to drive the shoot-'em-up action on screen. The third is a platforming game sequel that truly tests your arcade gaming skills.… Read more

Windows 8 Blue Screen of Death gets sad face :(

"Poor Windows 8. You totally crashed out, but you're so adorable. I just can't be mad at you." That may be the new reaction to operating system failure when Windows 8 finally reaches the masses.

Chip Hazard posted a picture on Facebook of the new Blue Screen of Death from Microsoft's latest version of the Windows operating system. It features a prominent emoticon sad face on the familiar blue expanse of sorrow.

The new BSoD also delivers the simple message, "Your PC ran into a problem that it couldn't handle, and now it needs to restart."

It tells you briefly what the error was about so you can search for more information on what happened to upset Windows so much. Hint: it probably found out you've been spending time with an iPad.

This change may be part of a bid by Microsoft to get more in tune with a younger crowd, the sort of kids who won't get it when Windows spews out a list of obscure error codes. Everybody understands a sad face.

In the past, the appearance of the BSoD has been met with vulgar curses, strangled cries of frustration, and the hammering of fists on keyboards. Now, you may hear, "Awww. What a cutie-pie. Can you restart for Mommy? Come on, you can do it!"… Read more

Update to Trapster lets Android users vet road hazards

The Trapster app for Android has received a major update with a new user interface, a new widget for your home screen, and an emphasis on helping users confirm or deny reported road hazards with a turning of a digital thumb.

New to this version 3.0 update (dated July 21, according to the Android Market) is a refreshed interface that makes it easier to report road hazards while on the go. The map can now display satellite and terrain data in addition to the standard street data. New onscreen elements include icons on the left edge of the map … Read more

Exposed to military chemical and biological warfare tests, they walk among us

Thousands of people who may have been exposed to chemical or biological agents during military tests remain unaccounted for, and the Defense Department and Department of Veterans Affairs have given up on tracking them down, according to a new report.

Some of the tests were conducted as part of a weapons testing program known as "Project 112." In others (click here for PDF), individuals were intentionally exposed to hazardous substances such as blister, nerve, and biological agents as well as LSD and PCP, according to a Government Accounting Office report (PDF).

Any veterans who believe they have sustained … Read more

Surfing by scooter

OK, so some Cravers out there weren't exactly sold on the waterproof GPS unit for bikes cited earlier. We can't blame you. But here's an accoutrement for your bi-wheeled lifestyle that we think would be hard to pass up. This Vespa GTS250 has been outfitted with a Wi-Fi-equipped computer purportedly with a touch-screen display and sound system to boot. To top it off, according to Engadget, it even has a Louis Vuitton seat. We would have preferred Gucci, but we're not ones to quibble.