Humans are to blame for wildfires getting worse – not just by climate change



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Slashdot: Justice Department To Be More Aggressive In Seeking Encrypted Data From Tech Companies

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Justice Department To Be More Aggressive In Seeking Encrypted Data From Tech Companies Published on October 11, 2017 at 01:00PM An anonymous reader quotes a report from The Wall Street Journal (Warning: source may be paywalled; alternative source): The Justice Department signaled Tuesday it intends to take a more aggressive posture in seeking access to encrypted information from technology companies, setting the stage for another round of clashes in the tug of war between privacy and public safety. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein issued the warning in a speech in Annapolis, Md., saying that negotiating with technology companies hasn't worked. "Warrant-proof encryption is not just a law enforcement problem," Mr. Rosenstein said at a conference at the U.S. Naval Academy. "The public bears the cost. When our investigations of violent criminal organizations come to a halt because we cannot access a phone, even with a court order, lives may be lost." Mr. Ros...
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Slashdot: 'Sooty Birds' Reveal Hidden US Air Pollution

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'Sooty Birds' Reveal Hidden US Air Pollution Published on October 10, 2017 at 07:30PM Soot trapped in the feathers of songbirds over the past 100 years is causing scientists to revise their records of air pollution. From a report: US researchers measured the black carbon found on 1,300 larks, woodpeckers and sparrows over the past century. They've produced the most complete picture to date of historic air quality over industrial parts of the US. The study also boosts our understanding of historic climate change. [...] This new study takes an unusual approach to working out the scale of soot coming from this part of the US over the last 100 years. The scientists trawled through natural history collections in museums in the region and measured evidence of black carbon, trapped in the feathers and wings of songbirds as they flew through the smoky air. The researchers were able to accurately estimate the amount of soot on each bird by photographing them and measuring the amou...
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Slashdot: Nvidia Introduces a Computer For Level 5 Autonomous Cars

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