Millennium Seed Bank at Kew Gardens

Worker checks on containers of seeds at the Millennium Seed Bank Project. Why the hood & jacket? Seeds are stored at -20ºC.
Credit: Millennium Seed Bank Project

Between 22 & 47% of the world's plant species are endangered [1].

Part of a solution is the Millennium Seed Bank at Kew Gardens. As of 14 March 2014, they had in total: 1,980,405,036 seeds in storage. While I'm inclined to doubt the level of accuracy claimed, they definitely have a lot of seeds. I'm a bit more comfortable with their claim that those almost 2 billion seeds, represent 34,088 wild plant species.

Target is 25% of wild species by 2020. That will be 75,000 individual species.



http://www.kew.org/science-conservation/millennium-seed-bank
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[1] http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/global-estimate-of-endang/ / Millennium Seed Bank Partnership plant conservation programme program in the world focus global plant life threat of extinction plants conserve conservation conserved seed banks insurance risk extinction native habitat network of partners 80 countries banked 13% of the world's wild plant species 25% bankable seeds by 2020 75,000 species target plants regions risk increasing impact human activities land use climate change seed drying /

Why USB security is fundamentally broken

Credit: Josh Valcarcel/Wired

Take home message from the articles: this exploit will make it unsafe to use USB devices for exchanging files between computers unless you control both of them. Neither a reformat, nor any existing scan, is protection against this exploit.

Some of the comments paint a different picture, so be sure to check them too.

http://www.wired.com/2014/07/usb-security/

http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2014/08/usb-has-a-fundamental-security-flaw-that-you-cant-detect/ / computer users pass around USB sticks like silicon business cards carry malware infections antivirus scan format reformat reformatting drive thumbdrives flash memory stick security problems USB devices security researchers Karsten Nohl Jakob Lell present black hat hacker demonstrating proof-of-concept malicious software security of USB devices fundamentally broken malware BadUSB installed USB device take over a PC invisibly alter files redirect user’s internet traffic flash memory storage firmware attack code remain hidden contents device device’s memory research no easy fix nearly impossible to counter Black Hat security conference Las Vegas exploit exploiting the very way that USB is designed infect infected non trusted non-trusted computer security consultancy SR Labs USB devices store and spread malware hackers custom-coded infections into USB devices’ memory reverse engineering firmware basic communication functions of USB devices controller chips communicate move files USB firmware all USB devices reprogrammed hide attack code IT security people scan it delete some files find and analyze firmware USB devices keyboards mice smartphones firmware reprogrammed USB memory sticks test tested attack Android handset grab bag of evil tricks it can play software installed corrupted backdoored version malware silently hijack Internet traffic DNS settings /

9 best new Android apps of July 2014

A couple of interesting ones:

LokLok — messaging on your lock screen — lots of potential for embarrassment with this one

SWIP3 — first game designed specifically for Android Wear at $1.69

Wear Mini Launcher — launcher for Android Wear — a lot of positive reviews & it’s free

http://www.androidauthority.com/best-new-android-apps-july-2014-410944/ / Google I/O Android apps game release Bamboo Paper price free application called Bamboo Paper Wacom doodling doodle note taking app free Commandr extends functionality Google Now turn on and off utilities flashlight Bluetooth with your voice through Google Now Tasker support suggestions developers are working to include Leo’s Fortune demo Android TV popular smooth game play amazing graphics high Google Play rating really good game Modern Combat 5 blockbuster game releases improved graphics multiplayer support more campaign missions early bugs LokLok new messaging service message on your lock screen communicate friends doodle take pictures personal Speakle social media service receive likes comments users vaguebook SWIP3 game designed specifically for Android Wear Timberman app purchase Wear Mini Launcher positive reviews /

Now this is real fame!

Credit: Bloomberg Businessweek

PayPal, SpaceX, Tesla Motors, wealth, dinner at The White House. All very nice, but how do you know when you've really made it?

An appearance on The Simpsons!

Tesla Motors CEO, Elon Musk, is about to receive the ultimate accolade:

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1093570_tesla-ceo-elon-musk-makes-it-big-will-appear-on-the-simpsons-as-himself

We all have to start somewhere — cameo in Iron Man 2:

/ wealth success power fade to insignificance made it guest appearance on The Simpsons arrived Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk guest-starring guest starring star 26th season popular cartoon comedy Tesla Panasonic Gigafactory Project Jalopnik brief cameo Paypal Tesla SpaceX billionaire episode, bankrupting character 104-year old nuclear plant owner Mr Burns sustainable energy Model S either cameo appearance playing himself previously appeared Iron Man 2 executive producer Al Jean San Diego Comic-Con convention automakers vehicles Chrysler Hyundai MINI startup Elio Motors three-wheeled $6,800 concept high-profile goes Tesla guest The Simpsons /

New Amazon store lets customers customize & print 3D products for delivery

Credit: Amazon/Gizmag

3D printing is a disruptive technology. Uses include:

● ultra-small-scale manufacture
● just-in-time manufacture of ultra-small-scale parts
● upload customer file to 3D printer site for printing & delivery
● purchase item online for local printing
● customer modification of seller design prior to 3D printing

Amazon is just now entering into the last of these markets:

http://www.gizmag.com/amazon-3d-printed-products-store/33151/ / 3D Printed Products store launch launched 200 print-on-demand print on demand designs users custom customize earrings pendants rings bobble head dolls special widget 3D printed 3D-printed print deliver delivered deliver offer 3D printed items for sale websites Shapeways i.materialise Thingify 3D printing options site users upload print their own items buy items designed by others customize items designed by others community aspect too entrance of Amazon into the market disruption disrupt disruptive store online find and purchase 3D-printed products size popularity ubiquity raises competitors market markets marketplace market place creators retailers sell their offerings Amazon store i.materialise Thingify shift in online retail manufacturing more nimble adaptable adaptive immersive customer experience Petra Schindler-Carter sellers designers manufacturers more dynamic inventory customers personalize customize available designs customization engine interactive 3D preview /

Reasons why Tesla can scale where others have failed

Tesla Roadster.
If you think it looks familiar, you're right. It's based on the Lotus Elise. In fact, the Roadster was a rolling chassis, supplied by Lotus, with Tesla drive train.
Credit: Discover

Between the end of 2010 & 2013, Tesla stock increased in value by over 500%. They sell all the cars they can make, & are allegedly, the only company making a profit from manufacture of electric vehicles. Tesla has plans in train to build a Gigafactory, which will effectively double world production of LiIon battery capacity.

So, what are they getting right that everyone else is getting wrong? My take is that part of it is Elon Musk's commitment to something important outside himself — nothing less than conversion of the car industry to a sustainable technology. Bob Lutz has admitted that the Tesla Roadster was his inspiration to push General Motors into development of the Volt EV. Venture Beat has some more ideas:

http://venturebeat.com/2014/07/27/3-reasons-why-tesla-can-scale-where-others-have-failed/ / Tesla rocked plans build 5 GW lithium ion battery plant 5 GW giga Watt gigaWatt battery production double global battery manufacturing industries scale battery companies A123 Valence Technology filed for bankruptcy supplier qualification supply chain economics electric vehicle demand production capacity electric vehicle EV manufacturers battery suppliers expensive part assemble battery packs Panasonic small cylindrical battery cells assemble assembled cell thermal management system software electronics mechanical enclosure quarter cost battery pack Tesla assembling volumes rise designs mature cost optimization third party battery vehicle engineering time and resources communication hiccups BMS battery management system designs optimize battery time and resourcebattery integration radical technology disruption battery cell technology research and development R&D testing groundbreaking scaled to production performance quality safety targets Panasonic 18650 cells laptop computers second-generation cell design secure patient capital quick buck Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk /

Flexible, printed batteries for wearable, & medical devices

A problem with wearable devices is providing a suitable battery. Even in something as big as a watch, incorporating a battery adds considerable bulk. Check the size of most smart watches. A large number of applications are waiting on the availability of smaller batteries. E.g. smart clothing, smart labels & medical devices. Imprint Energy, of Alameda, California believes this need can be filled by its battery, which uses zinc, rather than lithium, & can be printed inexpensively using industrial screen printers.

http://www.technologyreview.com/news/528996/flexible-printed-batteries-for-wearable-devices/ / California startup development develop developing flexible rechargeable batteries battery printed cheaply commonly used industrial screen printers Imprint Energy Alameda California test testing ultrathin zinc-polymer zinc polymer batteries wrist worn wear wearable wrist-worn devices sell manufacturers wearable electronics medical devices smart labels environmental sensors safe for on-body applications small size flexibility product designs impossible with bulkier lithium-based batteries small formats deliver enough current low power low-power wireless communications sensors $6 million funding Phoenix Venture Partners AME Cloud Ventures VC venture capital venture fund Yahoo co-founder cofounder Jerry Yang proprietary chemistry finance batteries’ commercial launch previous investors CIA-backed venture firm In-Q-Tel Dow Chemical research company co-founder Christine Ho graduate student University of California Berkeley collaborate collaborated researcher Japan produce microscopic zinc batteries 3D 3-D printer batteries power laptop smartphone smart phone smart-phone lithium highly reactive protected add size bulk more stable water-based electrolytesform dendrites branch like structures clothes body eye sensors monitor health status /