Google Glass pioneer moves to Amazon

Google Glass pioneer moves to Amazon

Vlad Savov

The Verge 

Babak Parviz, the man who founded and led the Google X project that gave rise to Google Glass, has moved to work at Amazon. Revealing the news on his Google+ page, the Iranian-American scientist describes himself as "super excited" but doesn't disclose any details about what he'll be developing next. The focus of Parviz's research so far has been the pursuit of an intelligent contact lens that would both obtain readings about its wearer through sensors and provide information via augmented reality visual overlays. In many ways, Google Glass is the compromise solution on the way to that goal.

Now that he's joined Amazon, Parviz can be expected to expand on the company's efforts around optics, which are already a prominent part of the new Fire Phone. Amazon's Firefly feature is designed to recognize objects around you, while the Fire Phone's interface uses multiple front-facing cameras to adapt to your perspective. Parviz's interest in augmented reality should mesh easily with Amazon's pursuit of omniscience — both for and about its user.

It's important to note that Google Glass took over three years of development inside Google's secret labs before it was introduced to developers, and Parviz himself has been working on smart optics systems for decades. The product of his work for Amazon, therefore, is unlikely to be apparent anytime soon.

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Argentina's fans clash with riot police after Argentina lost to Germany

Argentina's fans clash with riot police after 

Argentina lost to Germany in their 2014

World Cup final soccer match:

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Disturbances have taken place in Buenos Aires after Argentina's national team lost the World Cup final 1-0 to Germany. Police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse angry fans.

The clashes occurred in the center of the Argentinian capital, near the landmark Obelisk of Buenos Aires, where thousands of people peacefully gathered earlier to cheer for their team.

The violence erupted when a group of 15 football fans climbed onto a TV news van and ripped off the antenna. The situation then further deteriorated as youths hurled rocks and vandalized stores in the city center after the World Cup loss.

Elsewhere in the Argentine capital, disgruntled fans set fire to trash cans and blocked roads with makeshift barricades.

More than 30 people were detained and some 20 injured – 15 of them police – Telam news agency reported, citing police sources.

Meanwhile, there have been reports of similar disturbances in San Miguel – a northwest region of Greater Buenos Aires. Police detained five people there. Violence also broke out in the city of La Plata where police reportedly detained 10 people for disturbing the peace

Despite the late Sunday clashes, the majority of Argentinians have accepted the loss with dignity. Earlier in the evening, thousands of fans came to the Obelisk monument, waving the national flag determined to party in celebrate reaching the World Cup final. 

"I feel proud to be Argentine. To wear this shirt on the day of a final is priceless," university student Marcelo Dailoff told Reuters. "The players brought joy to Argentina after so long. Quite simply, thank you." 

"The players put everything into the game, their hearts and souls. They lost the best way possible, not like Brazil who were smashed to smithereens," 32-year-old Lorena Hak told the news agency.

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Samsung Halts Business With Chinese Supplier Over Child Labour Fears

Samsung Halts Business With Chinese Supplier Over Child Labour Fears

Reuters

Samsung Electronics Co Ltd said on Monday it had suspended business with a Chinese supplier it suspected of employing child labour, less than a week after a U.S. watchdog report accused the supplier of using under-aged workers.

The South Korean smartphone maker said it found an "illegal hiring process" at Dongguan Shinyang Electronics Co Ltd, which supplies mobile phone covers and parts.

Dongguan Shinyang Electronics could not immediately be reached for comment. South Korean firm Shinyang Engineering Co Ltd, which owns all of Dongguan Shinyang, also could not be immediately reached for comment.

Samsung added that it had previously found no child workers at the Chinese company in three audits since 2013. The latest audit ended on June 25.

"The Chinese authorities are also looking into the case," Samsung said in a statement on Monday, adding that it would cut all ties with the supplier if the allegations were true.

"If the investigations conclude that the supplier indeed hired children illegally, Samsung will permanently halt business with the supplier in accordance with its zero-tolerance policy on child labour," it said.

U.S.-based China Labor Watch released a report on Thursday alleging that the Chinese firm used child labour. The U.S. watchdog said it had found "at least five child workers" without contracts at the supplier.

Samsung demands suppliers adopt a hiring process that includes face-to-face interviews and the use of scanners to detect fake IDs, to ensure no child labourers are employed.

But China Labor Watch said that Samsung's monitoring system was ineffective.

The watchdog accused one of Samsung's suppliers of using child labour in 2012. Samsung subsequently said it found no under-aged workers at the facility.

© Thomson Reuters 2014

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Virtual Finger to Navigate 3D Images

Virtual Finger to Navigate 3D Images

Indo Asian News Service

In what could make 3D imaging studies more efficient, saving time, money and resources across many areas of experimental biology, researchers have developed a software to digitally navigate three-dimensional images.

The new technology, called "Virtual Finger", allows scientists to move through digital images of small structures like neurons and synapses using the flat surface of their computer screens.

"Using Virtual Finger could make data collection and analysis ten to 100 times faster, depending on the experiment," explained Hanchuan Peng, associate investigator at the Allen Institute for Brain Science in the US.

Most other image analysis software work by dividing a three-dimensional image into a series of thin slices, each of which can be viewed like a flat image on a computer screen.

To study three-dimensional structures, scientists sift through the slices one at a time: a technique that is increasingly challenging with the advent of big data.

In sharp contrast, Virtual Finger allows scientists to digitally reach into three-dimensional images of small objects like single cells to access the information they need much more quickly and intuitively.

"When you move your cursor along the flat screen of your computer, our software recognises whether you are pointing to an object that is near, far, or somewhere in between, and allows you to analyse it in depth without having to sift through many two-dimensional images to reach it," Peng added.

The software and its applications were profiled in the journal Nature Communications.

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Germany wins terrifically entertaining World Cup

Germany wins terrifically entertaining World Cup
By JOHN LEICESTER
Associated Press 

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) -- Germany won the World Cup. Host Brazil won a world of new friends.
The now four-time champions, the first European team to win the World Cup on Latin American soil, earned the honor of lifting the most recognized trophy in sports with a tooth-and-nail 1-0 victory in a final as terrifically entertaining as the tournament itself.

For a 32-day showcase of football at its best, the winning goal was beautifully appropriate. Mario Goetze controlled the ball with his chest and then volleyed it into the Argentine goal, making difficult skills look so simple. Scored in the 113th minute, the mortal blow left Argentina too little time to recover.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel, sitting in the VIP section, waved a clenched fist as Goetze celebrated. When referee Nicola Rizzoli blew the final whistle a few minutes later, Vladimir Putin reached across and shook Merkel's hand. The Russian president's country hosts the next World Cup in 2018.
Another delighted German in the crowd was International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach, who'll be keeping a close eye on Brazil's next big organizational challenge: readying Rio de Janeiro for the Summer Games in 2016.

Sepp Blatter, president of World Cup organizer FIFA, and Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff embraced as Germany's players went crazy with joy and Argentina's wept.
One of the ironies of this World Cup is that even though the tournament will be remembered as a resounding success, it was a headache for Rousseff and Blatter to the end.

As they handed over the 18-carat gold trophy to Germany captain Philipp Lahm, the Maracana Stadium echoed with an insulting chant aimed at the Brazilian president. There were resounding boos, too, when she was shown shaking the hand of losing coach Alejandro Sabella. Such protests were also heard at other stadiums during the tournament, demonstrating how the party atmosphere was a thin veneer for grave public misgivings about $13 billion of spending on cup preparations.

As sunset-pink clouds made way for night, and the teams treated the watching world to 30 minutes of extra time because they were still scoreless after 90 minutes, the iconic Maracana bathed in light looked like a spaceship landed between the hills, high-rises and favelas of Rio.
The 74,738 fans had a ball, especially Germans and Brazilians who didn't want Argentina, their neighbor and fiercest football rival, to win a third world title.

They drowned out the Argentine fans' tireless, jaunty singing with piercing whistles and shouted "Ole!" when Germany players' had the ball, weaving their game of intricate passing. Fireworks ripped the skies to celebrate Germany's first World Cup title as a unified nation, having won as West Germany in 1954, 1974 and 1990.
In once-divided Berlin, a monster crowd said by authorities to be a quarter-million strong crammed in front of giant TV screens near the German capital's famous Brandenburg Gate.
"At some point we'll stop celebrating but we'll still wake up with a smile," said Germany's Manuel Neuer, voted the tournament's best goalkeeper.

The biggest game in football attracted a good sprinkling of celebrities. David Beckham hugged Pele. Supermodel Gisele Bundchen  with her husband, NFL star Tom Brady. Rolling Stones front-man Mick Jagger was there, too.

Even with tiring legs as they played into extra time, the two exquisitely matched teams gave and sought no quarter.
Germany brought brawn, its accurate passing and quick movement and tireless determination to attack and attack again. Argentina responded with bruising defense and craftiness and could have won had its players not wasted chances.
The inability of Lionel Messi, Argentina's four-time world player of the year, to stave off this defeat will renew debate about where he fits in football pantheons of greats.

Messi looked flabbergasted when he shot wide of Neuer's goal early in the second half, wasting a chance that had it gone in would have strengthened arguments that he is equal to Diego Maradona, who led Argentina to its last win in 1986.
For the highest stakes in football, players bruised body and soul. German midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger was carrying a cut under his right eye as he walked up with his teammates to collect the trophy.
Midfielder Christoph Kramer played on for 14 minutes with a suspected concussion before he was replaced by Andre Schuerrle. It was Schuerrle who provided the cross that Goetze controlled so magically. Kramer's head injury was the last in a series at this World Cup that will put pressure on football to better protect players from concussion.

Tens of thousands of Argentines descended on Rio, camping out and driving in convoys to be in the party city for the final, their blue and white jerseys mirroring the colors of the puffy-cloud skies when the game kicked off, watched by hundreds of millions around the globe.

In Buenos Aires, fans climbed lamp posts to peer over a crowd of 20,000 people living the drama on a giant screen. Argentines too young to remember their nation's last victory in 1986 were devastated that they must again put their hopes on hold. And at the next World Cup, Messi won't be in his prime as he is now.
"I feel an enormous sadness," said 19-year-old Soledad Canelas, carrying a blue-and-white Argentine flag.
For many Brazilians, Argentina losing was the best possible outcome -- other than Brazil winning itself. Many Brazilians transferred their loyalties to Germany even after it crushed their team 7-1 in the semifinals.
Although Brazil fared less well than expected on the pitch, it performed far better than many expected off it.
The tournament spread across 12 cities in South America's largest country passed without logistical disasters for the 32 teams and hundreds of thousands of traveling fans.

There also was no repeat of giant public protests that unsettled last year's warm-up tournament, the Confederations Cup. Heavy police security around venues dissuaded dissent.
But broken promises of new subway lines and other life-improving infrastructure to accompany the 12 all-new or renovated stadiums reflected poorly on Brazil's bureaucracy, as did accusations that corrupt public servants skimmed off funds. An unfinished overpass collapsed, killing two people, in the host city of Belo Horizonte.

And the largely white and seemingly well-off stadium crowds reflected Brazil's stark economic inequalities. This was a World Cup that Brazil's black and mixed-race poorer citizens mostly saw from afar on television.

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World Cup final: Magical Messi or united Germany?

World Cup final: Magical Messi or united Germany?

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) The most entertaining World Cup in a generation comes down to a final match that pits the planet's best player against the tournament's best team.
Lionel Messi will lead Argentina out against Germany at Maracana Stadium on Sunday for a game that will define careers, cement legacies and be watched by a global audience of about a billion viewers.
And it's a matchup that means more to both sides than just a chance to lift one of the most hallowed trophies in sports.
For Messi, it's a chance to firmly make his case for being perhaps the greatest ever to play the world's most popular game. For Germany, it's an opportunity to make up for a number of near-misses over the last decade and re-establish itself as the dominant force in international football.
And then there's the matter of settling a historical score. Argentina and West Germany played each other in two straight World Cup finals in 1986 and '90, games that are well remembered in the sports psyche of both countries. Diego Maradona and Argentina won the first, the Germans took the second. So call this game the tiebreaker.

''At this point who is favorite, who is not, it doesn't make a difference,'' Argentina midfielder Maxi Rodriguez said. ''Both teams feel a responsibility to go all the way.''
Most would name Germany as the favorite, especially after its astounding 7-1 drubbing of host Brazil in the semifinals. Argentina only reached the final after eking out a penalty shootout win over the Netherlands following a 0-0 draw through 120 minutes.
Germany also dismantled Argentina 4-0 in the 2010 quarterfinals in South Africa.
''Germany is a great team. What happened to Brazil could happen to any team,'' Argentina forward Sergio Aguero said. ''(But) we have players who can create danger up front. We're in the final for a reason.''
One thing speaks against Germany, too. No European team has ever won a World Cup played in the Americas. Whether that's because of the climate, the fan support or something else, Germany thinks it can buck the trend.

''We are looking forward to playing a South American team in South America but we hope the Brazilian fans will be supporting us,'' Germany assistant coach Hansi Flick said. ''We know the Argentina team very well, we've played often against them. We know what to expect.''
The question is, what can Argentina expect from Messi?
For Argentina to have a chance, the Barcelona forward will have to perform considerably better than he did against the Netherlands, when he was hardly visible for most of the game.
The four-time world player of the year scored four goals in the three group games but is on a three-game scoring drought in the knockout stages - including two extra time periods. While fellow forwards Gonzalo Higuain and Sergio Aguero are both capable of deciding big games themselves, and the team's defense has looked surprisingly solid, it's hard to see Argentina winning without a big contribution from Messi.
For Germany, the equation is equally simple: If it can contain Argentina's biggest threat, its superior strength in the rest of the field should make the difference. From goalkeeper to center forward, Germany is a team without a weakness. With the exception of an erratic performance against Algeria in the second round, Germany has played like a perfect team machine, getting goals from defenders, midfielders and forwards alike.
''We'll have to keep with Messi constantly and try to disturb him,'' Germany forward Thomas Mueller said. ''It will be important to act as a unit.''
Germany has not won a major tournament since the 1996 European Championship, losing in the final of the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2008. It  was knocked out in the semifinals at both the 2006 and 2010 World Cups, and Euro 2012.
Forward Miroslav Klose, who scored his record 16th World Cup goal against Brazil in the semifinals, is the only player who remains from that 2002 team.
''I don't want to lose another final,'' Klose said. ''I want to lift the cup.''
Regardless of what happens, Klose's legacy is already secure as the tournament's all-time top scorer. To say Messi's will be defined by one game is an exaggeration, but the World Cup trophy is the only thing that currently separates him from the likes of Pele and Maradona in the echelon of all-time greats.
If he lifts it on Sunday, he'll join them for good. Maybe even as the best of them all.

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Google Doodles all World Cup 2014 Countries Ahead of Germany vs Argentina Final

Google Doodles all World Cup 2014 Countries Ahead of Germany vs Argentina Final

On the day of the Fifa World Cup 2014 final, Google has sought to bring in an inclusiveness of sorts with Sunday's doodle. The doodle number 62 for the World Cup 2014 rounds up the long list of World Cup doodles by reuniting fans from all the 32 participating nations using football as the glue to bind them.

Of course that doesn't mean that the focus has shifted one bit from the Germany vs Argentina final which will be played in less than eleven hours from now at the Estadio do Maracana in Rio de Janeiro. The Germany vs Argentina World Cup final match however, is the focus of the day with both the teams reaching the final in contrasting fashions. Should Germany win the World Cup final, it will be the first time that a European country has lifted the trophy in the Americas.

Google's doodles for the World Cup, might be reaching its acme with the World Cup 2014 final doodle on Sunday, but it began a month ago, when the festive spirit first extended to Rio in the inauguratory doodle. En route it had doodles that represented the opening ceremony, the Mexican wave amongst others. There were doodles to showcase footballing skills like the 'keepy-uppies', dribbling skills and the one-touch football exercise. The prophetic octopus Paul too made an appearance and Google also stirred up a fair bit of controversy with the Favela doodle. The doodle had rocked its boat with a string of football fans labelling it 'insensitive' to make light of the slums in Brazil.

Some of these elements have again been showcased in Sunday's doodle.

The World Cup 2014 final doodle has the six letters of the word playing football in a stadium with the green and canary yellow football also making an appearance as the official match ball of the Google doodles.

Fans from across the 32 countries are seen cheering for the letters, with a giant screen in the centre showing a magnified view of the match progressing on the pitch, with a ticker running below it. When one clicks on the flags the screen showcases fans (also read as 'Google's minions' ) dressed in the colours of the particular country. Another interesting point is, when users click on clouds on the top left, an image of the late, prophetic octopus Paul appears on the screen.

Similarly, when one clicks on the far right, on the statue of Christ the Redeemer an image of a sunset comes on the screen, with the sun represented by a giant football. The sun sets to give a night time picture of the Rio seascape.

The Argentina vs Germany, World Cup 2014 final match is also a showcase of how contrasting the manner is in which the two teams made it to the final to vie for football's most coveted honour. Germany had been clinical in its gameplay. Barring Algeria, they have run past opposition with near-perfect passing and finishing.

The best example of the same coming in the semi-finals against Brazil, where the hosts were polished off in the biggest ever victory margin in a World Cup semi-final. Argentina, on the other hand, advanced to the finals after a penalty shootout game involving the Netherlands.

The World Cup 2014 final doodle is visible across the world, except in parts of East and West Africa. The closing ceremony prior to the Germany vs Argentina World Cup 2014 Final will feature Shakira, Carlos Santana and Ivete Sangalo celebrating the spirit of football.

The month long tryst with the World Cup has culminated for Google in a doodle that has reunited the fans and the 32 participating nations. What remains to be seen is whether Google will create a final doodle for the winners on Monday.

For more Google doodles visit this page.

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World Cup final features best team versus best player

World Cup final features best team versus best player:
By Kevin Baxter
Los Angeles Times 

RIO DE JANEIRO — After 31 days, 63 games and 170 goals, this World Cup finally will be decided Sunday in the tournament's most compelling matchup.

Over the last month, players have had their shoulders bitten and their backs broken. Unsung players such as Colombia's James Rodriguez and Costa Rican goalkeeper Keylor Navas have stepped up and hugely overrated teams — you know who you are Portugal and Brazil — collapsed.

It has been a World Cup of farce and tragedy, drama and intrigue. How fitting, then, that the final (noon PDT, ABC) should feature the World Cup's best team versus the world's best player. And both will be chasing more than just a title. They'll also be playing for their place in history.

For Germany, the tournament's best team, the final is an opportunity to erase two decades of frustration. The Germans, the only team to reach the semifinals in four consecutive World Cups, haven't won a championship since 1990, the country's longest title drought since World War II.

For Argentina's Lionel Messi, the world's best player, the final is a chance to fill in the only missing gap on an otherwise unparalleled resume.
It's the ultimate team versus the ultimate individual for soccer's ultimate prize. And for both, a victory would also erase some painful history.

Germany has won a record 20 World Cup games since 2002, but none in a final. Sunday's result, then, will go a long way toward deciding if this era in German soccer will be remembered as a dynasty or a disappointment The game is also a referendum on the decade-long remake of German soccer. Under former coach Juergen Klinsmann and Klinsmann's hand-picked successor, Joachim Loew, the German approach has changed from a plodding, physical one to a fast-paced attacking style.

And although that has made the German game more exciting to watch, it hasn't paid off with any major trophies. Yet, midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger, one of the Klinsmann first recruits, says the pressure of Germany's failures doesn't weigh heavily on this team.

"I don't think that we have any pressure," he said. "We have a lot of players who have played finals at the top level. We know how to deal with the situation.

"We think of one thing: to get the job done. When the whistle blows, the head will only have to think about playing football."

Then there's the fact a victory would make Germany the first European team to win a World Cup in the Americas, which Loew says it's not an insignificant milestone.

"Regardless of what has happened in the past, it is a matter of winning now and we know we can write history," he said. "And why not? It would be an extra joy for us if we were able to win the title on South American soil."

But Messi and Argentina have a chance to make history too.

Less than a month past his 27th birthday, Messi has won six Spanish league titles, three Champions League titles and two club world championships. In 2012, he scored a record 91 goals in a calendar year. And he's the best-paid player on the planet and the only man in history to win four consecutive world player-of-the-year awards.

But without a World Cup he'll never be able to claim the one title he most desires: greatest player of all time. With Brazil's Neymar, Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo and Uruguay's Luis Suarez having gone out in the quarterfinals or before, Messi is the one player left who can make this World Cup his own.

And he did most of the heavy lifting to get Argentina this far, scoring half his team's eight goals, including the game winners in the first two games. It's unlikely that a solo performance will be enough to get Argentina past Germany, though, so Messi is going to need some help from his friends if he is to cement his legacy in this World Cup.

If he fails, he'll likely have another chance four years from now. But given that Argentina has gone 24 years since its last World Cup final — where it played Germany, losing on a penalty kick in the 85th minute — this is an opportunity neither Messi nor his teammates want to let get away.

And, fittingly, they have a chance to rewrite history here as well.

"We want to write a new story," defender Jose Maria Basanta said, referring to the 1990 final. "It was very painful. We know what happened.

"We have been touched by a magic wand. We have to enjoy it."

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Apple Refutes China State TV Concerns on IPhone Security Risk

Apple Refutes China State TV Concerns on IPhone Security Risk

Jeff Green

Bloomberg

July 12 (Bloomberg) -- Apple Inc. assured Chinese customers that location tracking on its iPhone can’t be used to identify activity of individuals, a day after China’s state-owned television broadcaster said the software poses a security risk.

The iPhone function can collect data and may result in a leak of state secrets, China Central Television reported yesterday, citing Ma Ding, head of the online security institute at People’s Public Security University of China.

In response, Apple said on its Chinese website that it has never “worked with any government agency from any country to create a backdoor in any of our products or services.”

The tracking function is used to speed up applications designed to show iPhone users their own location or assist in driving directions to avoid traffic. It can be turned off, Apple said in its statement. Personal location information is stored only on the phone, protected by a user password, and isn’t available to third parties, the company said.

“We appreciate CCTV’s effort to help educate customers on a topic we think is very important,” the company said in the statement, according to an English translation provided by Apple. “We want to make sure all of our customers in China are clear about what we do and we don’t do when it comes to privacy and your personal data.”

Hacking Allegations

Apple, Microsoft Corp., Google Inc. and Facebook Inc. are among U.S. companies criticized by state-run media amid an escalating spat over cyberspying and hacking allegations. The tensions follow indictments by U.S. prosecutors of five Chinese military officers for allegedly hacking into the computers of American companies and last year’s revelations by former security contractor Edward Snowden of a National Security Agency spying program.

Last month, a commentary on the microblog of the People’s Daily newspaper said Apple, Microsoft, Google and Facebook cooperated in a secret U.S. program to monitor China.

CCTV, the national broadcaster, said a provincial government was told not to buy computers with Microsoft’s Windows 8 operating system. It quoted a professor calling the software a potential threat to China’s information security.

Apple, based in Cupertino, California, posted March quarter sales of $9.3 billion from the greater China area, a region that includes Hong Kong and Taiwan, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

Apple shares were little changed at $95.22 yesterday in New York. --With assistance from Feifei Shen in Beijing and Tim Culpan in Taipei.

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Albanian Hacker Pleads Guilty in $14 Million Global Bank Fraud

Albanian Hacker Pleads Guilty in $14 Million Global Bank Fraud

Agence France-Presse

An Albanian hacker who was part of an international cyber-attack conspiracy that stole $14 million from ATM machines all over the world pleaded guilty Friday in New York to bank fraud.

Qendrim Dobruna, 27, was arrested in Germany and extradited to face justice for hacking into a US-based system used to process bank card payments for disaster relief to the American Red Cross.

The offense to which he pleaded guilty carries a maximum 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine. He will be sentenced October 24.

More than 15,000 ATM transactions in 18 countries using the compromised prepaid card data resulted in $14 million in financial losses worldwide, US prosecutors said.

After penetrating the system, the defendant and his associates "helped themselves to funds using prepaid debit cards meant for the needy and vulnerable," said Brooklyn prosecutor Loretta Lynch.

They hacked into American Red Cross prepaid card accounts, manipulated the balances and withdrawal limits, allowing associates across the world to take out almost limitless amounts of stolen cash from bank machines.

Dobruna was arrested in Stuttgart, Germany in March 2012 by German police then extradited to the United States.

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Thanks to Nasa,3D Print a Nebula at Home

 Thanks to Nasa,3D Print a Nebula at Home

Indo Asian News Service

Ever dreamed of holding a nebula in your hands? Thanks to Nasa, this may now be a reality as the first high-resolution three-dimensional model of the expanding cloud produced by a massive star's eruption is now available to all.

For this you need to download the plans that Nasa has made publicly available, feed them into your 3D-printing software, and play god by watching your very own Homunculus Nebula, a shell of gas and dust ejected during the star's mid-19th century eruption, form before your eyes.

Between 1838 and 1845, the massive binary system Eta Carinae underwent a period of unusual variability during which it briefly outshone Canopus, normally the second brightest star.

As a part of this event, which astronomers call the Great Eruption, a gaseous shell containing at least 10 and perhaps as much as 40 times the sun's mass was shot into space.

This material forms a twin-lobed dust filled cloud known as the Homunculus Nebula, which is now about a light-year long and continues to expand at more than 1.3 million mph (2.1 million km/h).

Wolfgang Steffen, astrophysicist at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, recently created the first ever 3D-printed model of the Homunculus Nebula by using a software called Shape.

"One of the questions we set out to answer with this study is whether the Homunculus contains any imprint of the star's binary nature, since previous efforts to explain its shape have assumed that both lobes were more or less identical and symmetric around their long axis," team member Jose Groh, astronomer at Geneva University in Switzerland was quoted as saying.

"The new features strongly suggest that interactions between Eta Carinae's stars helped mould the Homunculus," Groh added.

To create their 3D model of the nebula that now measures one full light year across, the researchers took 92 different slices of it using the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope and its X-Shooter spectrograph.

They imaged near-infrared, visible and ultraviolet wavelengths, creating the most complete spectral map ever, according to Nasa.

That shape model was published in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.

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New York City Ride-Sharing Lyft's Plans Postponed

 New York City Ride-Sharing Lyft's Plans Postponed

Associated Press

The on-demand ride-sharing app Lyft postponed its scheduled Friday launch in New York City while a state judge will wait until next week to consider whether its planned operations violate state and local laws.

The state attorney general's office and the Department of Financial Services sued only hours before San Francisco-based Lyft planned to enter the market. Their joint lawsuit said the company actually operates as a traditional for-hire livery service using mobile technology, not a peer-to-peer transportation platform as claimed.

The company operates "in open defiance" of state and local licensing and insurance laws, according to the suit filed in Manhattan. Authorities allege Lyft began operating in Buffalo and Rochester without authorizations in April and already violates various laws, another issue they expect to further argue Monday.

Justice Kathryn Freed told The Associated Press she agreed to consider Lyft's response Monday afternoon provided the company not launch in the meantime.

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and Department of Financial Services Superintendent Ben Lawsky are seeking a court order to stop the company's New York service until the suit is resolved, plus a civil penalty and loss of profits.

"We pursued this action only after repeatedly offering to work with Lyft in order to ensure that its business practices complied with the law," they said in a statement. "Instead of collaborating with the state to help square innovation with statute and protect the public ... Lyft decided to move ahead and simply ignore state and local laws."

A day earlier, the New York City Taxi & Limousine Commission posted a notice that, in light of Lyft's announced plans to offer free rides in Brooklyn and Queens starting Friday evening, its so-called ride share service is unauthorized in the city, that it has not complied with the commission's safety requirements and other licensing criteria "to verify the integrity and qualifications of the drivers or vehicles used."

Company spokeswoman Katie Dally said Lyft will not launch its peer-to-peer model in New York City unless it complies with New York City Taxi and Limousine regulations. Company officials will meet with the city commission starting Monday "to work on a new version of Lyft that is fully licensed by the TLC, and we will launch immediately upon the TLC's approval," she said.

Commission Chair Meera Joshi said they're gratified the company will be working with them on a service fully compliant with rules protecting public safety and consumer rights.

In April, the on-demand ride-sharing app, best known by the fuzzy pink mustaches on its cars, said it was launching its service in 24 new locations, nearly doubling the startup's U.S. markets.

Meanwhile, its rival Uber agreed with Schneiderman's office on Tuesday to limit prices during emergencies, natural disasters or other unusual market disruptions consistent with New York's law against price gouging. Uber later said it was adopting that policy in its other markets nationally. Its rates rise and fall with demand. On Monday, Uber said it was temporarily cutting New York City pricesin a bid to compete with taxis.

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