Here's what would happen if a huge asteroid hit your city

Credit: Killer Asteroids/ The Atlantic

http://www.theatlanticcities.com/technology/2013/02/heres-what-would-happen-if-huge-asteroid-hit-your-city/4712/     / Asteroid 2012 DA14 Earth asteroid meteor meteorite planet astronauts International Space Station orbits geosynchronous weather satellites interplanetary asteroid-quakes quakes tug of Earth's gravity closest asteroid flyby science, 2012 DA14 wealth empirical data asteroid impacts ground-shaking fascinating simulator from the excellently named site Killer Asteroids tool estimates blast radius several sizes of asteroids data Google impact calculator from London's Imperial College Purdue University GoogleEarth plugin Firefox virtually decimate some cities estimated discus of damage space rock asteroid impacts Armageddon Deep Impact /

Apple’s Lightning chips contain manufacturer-specific serial numbers

"A cracked version of the authentication chip could be blocked via software."

http://arstechnica.com/apple/2013/02/apples-lightning-chips-contain-manufacturer-specific-serial-numbers/     / Lightning-compatible compatible accessories iPod iPad iPhone iOS 30-pin connector tightened up control MFi Program license use of its connectors third-party accessory makers Apple can see which accessories have been authorized and which ones haven't using unique serial numbers on their authentication chips battery pack maker Mophie manufacturer they must order a Lightning component directly from Apple serial numbers each accessory maker contain authentication chips that communicate with the phones block unauthorized accessories /

Even Obama knows patent trolls are extorting money

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2013/02/even-obama-knows-patent-trolls-are-extorting-money/

Skype calls now equivalent to one-third of global phone traffic

http://arstechnica.com/business/2013/02/skype-calls-now-equivalent-to-one-third-of-global-phone-traffic/     / New research TeleGeography telecom market analysis firm worldwide Skype usage shows that international telephone traffic grew 5 percent in 2012, to 490 billion minutes cross-border Skype-to-Skype voice and video traffic grew 44 percent in 2012, to 167 billion minutes This increase of nearly 51 billion minutes is more than twice that achieved by all international carriers in the world, combined Traditional telcos International providers apps services Viber Whatsapp Google Voice putting pressure traditional telcos /

Exotic but useful metals such as tantalum & titanium are about to become cheap & plentiful

http://www.economist.com/news/science-and-technology/21571847-exotic-useful-metals-such-tantalum-and-titanium-are-about-become-cheap / rare earths earth metals elements lithium /

Georgia broadband legislation: restricts rural municipal broadband

http://bgr.com/2013/02/14/georgia-broadband-legislation-327617/#more-327617     / Georgia’s state legislature recently became the latest to take up the cause of protecting its constituents from the insidious menace of municipal broadband Internet access at speeds of 1.5Mbps highest-speed Internet North Carolina South Carolina legislation /

iOS 6.1 brings back bug that gives anyone access to your contacts, photos (video)

http://arstechnica.com/apple/2013/02/ios-6-1-brings-back-bug-that-gives-anyone-access-to-your-contacts-photos/     / old vulnerability iPhone's lock screen Emergency Call feature resurfaced iOS 6.1 right sequence button clicking possible user's user voicemails contacts photos locked password protected similar bug first appeared iOS 2.0 double-clicking Home button access contact favorites clicking Emergency Call button access call logs voicemails contact send SMS messages send read e-mails launch Safari Apple iOS 4.1. sequence of actions  complex dialing a random number same basic bug malicious hack hacker hacking gain acces data accessible from the Phone app lockscreen bypass fix  serious bug user security software update /