What “Negative” Interest Rates Are, and What They Mean for Global Economies

What if a bank’s interest rates were so low, they actually charged you to keep your money there? And what if you could take out a loan without paying any interest at all? That’s the idea behind negative interest rates. We’re sort of in uncharted territory with this concept, which is why it’s making headlines lately. Here’s a quick rundown of what negative interest rates are and what we can expect from them. Read more…

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What “Negative” Interest Rates Are, and What They Mean for Global Economies

Why All the Best Kit Kat Flavors Are Only in Japan

Wasabi, strawberry cheesecake, green tea, dark chocolate, sweet potato. What do these flavors have in common? They’re all KitKat varieties exclusive to Japan. but how did the crispy, break-associated candy get so popular overseas? Read more…

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Why All the Best Kit Kat Flavors Are Only in Japan

This Portable Shower Reuses the Same Water for Two Whole Weeks

Indoor plumbing and unlimited clean water aren’t available everywhere. That’s why this clever, compact shower that recycles the same water several times—after purifying it after each use!—seems very handy. Read more…

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This Portable Shower Reuses the Same Water for Two Whole Weeks

Here’s an early taste of the ‘System Shock’ remake

Two decades after its original release, System Shock is being remade . Night Dive Studios, the developer in charge of the project, released some pre-alpha footage, and it looks great. If you’ve never played the original, it’s a hugely influential atmospheric first-person RPG in a sci-fi horror setting. A great game in its own right, it spawned a more successful (and arguably better) sequel, System Shock 2 . Some of the minds behind the originals went on to create games you’ve almost certainly heard of. Ken Levine made BioShock , considered by many to be a spiritual successor, while Warren Spector made Deus Ex , which also leans heavily on the System Shock 2 formula. Night Dive’s video describes the game as System Shock 1 Remastered , but it’s clear that this is more remake than remaster. The original artist is on board to help upgrade the original assets, and with that some of the level layout is changing. Speaking with Polygon , the developer explained that many people’s only exposure to the series is through BioShock , so it’s making some tweaks to cater to modern gamers’ tastes. That means the tone of the narrative is also set to shift, as is some of the gameplay. but the overall plot will remain. System Shock is due for release in 2017. A bonafide sequel, System Shock 3, is also in the early stages of development, with Spector at the helm . Source: Night Dive (YouTube)

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Here’s an early taste of the ‘System Shock’ remake

Harrison Ford and Steven Spielberg Return for Indiana Jones 5 in Summer 2019 

Indy is coming back. Disney just announced that Steven Spielberg and Harrison Ford will return to one of their most famous franchises as Indiana Jones 5 opens on July 19, 2019. Read more…

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Harrison Ford and Steven Spielberg Return for Indiana Jones 5 in Summer 2019 

New Typosquatting OS X Malware Attacks You When Mistyping COM as OM

Better watch where those fingers fall on the keyboard next time you type out a URL. Security researchers have discovered a new trend they’re calling typosquatting, where browsers are attacked after they mis-type web addresses. Read more…

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New Typosquatting OS X Malware Attacks You When Mistyping COM as OM

These Are the First-Ever High-Res Images of Naturally Occuring Biological Motors

We’ve known for years now that some bacteria have tails known as flagellum that propel them forwards, but we’ve never managed to take a detailed look at what powers them. These new images, however, reveal how the naturally occurring motors wok. Read more…

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These Are the First-Ever High-Res Images of Naturally Occuring Biological Motors

J.J. Abrams Insists the Portal and Half-Life Movies Are Still Happening

Billie Lourd says she’ll be back in a bigger capacity for Star Wars: Episode VIII . A Thor supporting character may not return for Ragnarok . . Plus new details for Scream Queens ’ next season, set pictures from Wonder Woman , and a ton of clips from tonight’s Supergirl . Spoilers now! Read more…

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J.J. Abrams Insists the Portal and Half-Life Movies Are Still Happening

Software brings your PC’s entire interface to VR

Virtual reality faces numerous challenges , but one of the biggest is having to take your headset off whenever you need to run a conventional app. What if you want to maintain that immersion, or just want to use a VR device as your only display? That’s where BigScreen thinks it can help. It’s developing software that places your entire Windows desktop in a VR environment. It’s partly for the sake of immersion (you can have a massive, wall-filling screen without spending a fortune ), but it’s a bigger deal for social experiences. You can see a friend’s shared screen as a separate virtual monitor, or play games and movies with friends who sit in using personalized avatars. You can sign up for a public beta test today, and the finished software should be available for both the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift when they’re available in April. Samsung Gear VR support is due later in 2016. BigScreen is definitely going to be a niche app on launch (you’re going to need an expensive headset and a powerful PC just to use it), but it’s an important step toward turning VR from a once-in-a-blue-moon experience into something you use every day, whether you’re catching up on Netflix or creating worlds . Via: Upload Source: BigScreen

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Software brings your PC’s entire interface to VR

Scientists Have Discovered a Bacteria That’s Evolved to Eat Plastic

A team of Japanese scientists has discovered a bacteria that’s evolved to break down and consume PET—one of the world’s most environmentally damaging plastics. Read more…

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Scientists Have Discovered a Bacteria That’s Evolved to Eat Plastic