Tech

Audio player loading… Talk about the butterfly effect. When something goes wrong (or indeed right) with your PC, cosmic rays aren't exactly the first phenomena that spring to mind. But once you've ruled out software bugs, and established that a hardware fault isn't the culprit, there's a very real possibility that high energy radiation from supernovae could be to blame for your game character's erratic behaviour, or that random Blue Screen of Death. Youtube's Veritasium (opens in new tab) detailed in a recent video how cosmic rays could be spicing up your technological encounters—for better or worse. As Dr. Leif Scheick, Principle Engineer in Radiation Effects at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, confirms: "An upset there, a transient there, can alter the function of these devices," he explains. "So a blue screen of death that you get, might actually have been a neutron or whatnot." I'm sure this article will be followed by a slew of speedrunners blaming their … [Read more...] about Rampant space particles might be behind eight-year-old Mario speedrun glitch

Audio player loading… China's Sichuan province has had to make some tough decisions in face of the most intense heatwave in 60 years. The three-level power supply control measures now in place have seen giants like Intel closing factories in order for the province to keep up with its rising air conditioner usage. What does that mean for us? Higher chip prices in the future, potentially. For now, though, the important thing is trying to keep the Chinese population alive . Already one of the warmest regions, Sichuan is now competing with soaring 40°C (104°F) temperatures, as well as the least rain recorded in decades. It's meant a frightening lack of water in reservoirs for hydropower. As such, China's having a hard time keeping up with the demand coming from the power grid, especially since usage has spiked so violently as its inhabitants' try to keep cool in the heat. "The power supply situation in the province is extremely tense," Sichuan Daily (opens in new … [Read more...] about Intel production halted in Sichuan China due to 60-year-high heatwave