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Submission + - Scientists Reverse Memory Decline Using Electrical Pulses (theguardian.com)

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: The study focused on a part of cognition called working memory, the brain system that holds information for short periods while we are making decisions or performing calculations. Working memory is crucial for a wide variety of tasks, such as recognizing faces, doing arithmetic and navigating a new environment. Working memory is known to steadily decline with age, even in the absence of any form of dementia. One factor in this decline is thought to be a disconnection between two brain networks, known as the prefrontal and temporal regions. In young people, the electrical brain activity in these two regions tends to be rhythmically synchronized, which scientists think allows information to be exchanged between the two brain areas. However, in older people the activity tends to be less tightly synchronized. This may be as result of deterioration of the long-range nerve connections that link up the different parts of the brain.

In the study, published in the journal Nature Neuroscience, 42 people aged 20–29 and 42 people aged 60–76 were assessed in a working memory task. The older group were slower and less accurate on the tests. The scientists then subjected them all to 25 minutes of non-invasive brain stimulation. This aimed to synchronize the two target brain regions by passing gentle pulses of electricity through the scalp and into the brain. After the intervention, working memory in the older adults improved to match the younger group and the effect appeared to last for 50 minutes after the stimulation. Those who had scored worst to start with showed the largest improvements.

Submission + - Study: Phone addicts are the new drunk drivers (axios.com)

Submitted by schwit1
schwit1 writes: The big picture: The continued increase in unsafe driving comes despite stricter laws in many states, as well as years of massive ad campaigns from groups ranging from cell phone carriers to orthopedic surgeons.

"They hide in plain sight, blatantly staring at their phones while driving down the road," Zendrive says in the study.

"We found that while people are almost universally aware that distracted driving is incredibly dangerous, those same people largely dismiss their own contributions to the problem," Matus said. "Almost all our respondents thought they were safe drivers, but were willing to admit that they use their phones in the car all the time, signaling a cognitive disconnect between knowing the risks and taking action."

Submission + - Microsoft is sitting on six million unsold Surface tablets (ibtimes.co.uk) 1

Submitted by DavidGilbert99
DavidGilbert99 writes: Microsoft took everyone by surprise last year with the Surface tablet. It was something completely new from the company everyone knew as a software company. However nine months later and the sheen has worn off the Surface tablet and Microsoft's financial results on Thursday revealed it has taken a $900 million write down on the Surface RT tablets, leading David Gilbert in IBTimes to estimate it is sitting on a stockpile of six million unsold tablets.

Comment Re:Requires more metal (Score 1) 521

by sv_libertarian (#43784859) Attached to: Working Handgun Printed On a Sub-$2,000 3D Printer
Well yes. The chamber on these probably isn't done very well, and likely wears with each shot fired. I think it would be better to print it without a chamber and manually cut it, it should make extraction a bit easier, as would printing it with a fluted chamber. Either way, unless you've got a proper extractor installed, forcing out a spent round, with it's expanded case will take some effort.

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