All posts tagged: solved

I solved my read-it-later bookmarks problem with a reading inbox in Obsidian

I solved my read-it-later bookmarks problem with a reading inbox in Obsidian

Published by skeptic

It’s often said that browser bookmarks are the graveyard of good intentions. We save an article with a mere click, and plan to return to it. We never do. Read-it-later apps and even browser features have gotten better. At least for me, my digital hoarding habits have remained the same. Worse, I am juggling different apps: Instapaper for long reads, browser bookmarks for quick references, and a notes app for things I’d half-processed. Each a stranger in its own silo. There was no “web” of logical relationships even between the related articles. A dedicated reading inbox inside Obsidian, built around the Obsidian Web Clipper extension, finally fixed all three problems at once. Related I use this simple workflow to turn my random web reading into a library I can actually use This simple Obsidian workflow becomes so convenient that I find myself always reading my web clippings. Saving links is easy; thinking is not Browser bookmarks are a procrastinator’s escape Credit: Saikat Basu/MakeUseOf Most read-it-later apps focus on saving, not processing. You tap a button, and …

I uploaded my motherboard manual to NotebookLM, and it solved my biggest PC troubleshooting headache

I uploaded my motherboard manual to NotebookLM, and it solved my biggest PC troubleshooting headache

Published by skeptic

If you’ve ever encountered an issue with your PC, you already know how much of a bear it can be to try to figure out what’s going wrong with it. I’ve had my particular build for roughly 5 years, and while I’ve spent plenty of time upgrading it, I still run into issues here and there with it. Technology is great when it works. While I’m late to join the AI bandwagon, I’ve learned that NotebookLM is a genuinely helpful tool, especially for someone like myself who is eager to learn more about what makes their PC tick. There’s not enough time in the world to learn every little thing about your computer, and I’ve learned that NotebookLM is the perfect addition to my deep-dives, even if I still need to occasionally check my work. Ask and receive Need to find out where something is in the manual? Just ask it While I’ve upgraded many of the parts that are in my PC, I’m still using the original motherboard that I’ve had since 2020. My …

We solved the fire crisis 100 years ago, by the way

We solved the fire crisis 100 years ago, by the way

Published by Sam Flores

When I cracked open retired firefighter Bruce Hensler’s 15-year-old book, Crucible of Fire, I felt I had found an oracle. Before 15 out of California’s 20 most destructive fires on record, Hensler described large chunks of cities burning to the ground, insurance companies jacking up premiums after realizing they wildly underestimated the risk and politicians failing to enforce the few fire safety rules on the books. He even describes the fire chief of a decimated city criticizing its politicians for failing to properly prepare for such a disaster, resulting in the city ousting the chief. (Sound familiar, Palisadians?) Yet Hensler wasn’t trying to predict what would unfold in California’s wildland-urban interface in the 21st century. He was simply telling the story of the late 1800s and early 1900s in the Eastern U.S.’ downtowns of dense, wooden buildings. Spoiler: Firefighters, policymakers, local advocates and, notably, insurance professionals figured out how to stop it from happening. Here’s how they did it. The Industrial Revolution, supercharged by the Civil War, transformed Northeastern cities into denser and denser wooden …

Satellites solved a 50-year mystery about Israel’s ‘Stonehenge’

Satellites solved a 50-year mystery about Israel’s ‘Stonehenge’

Published by Jenni Sidey

The Rujm el-Hiri, located on a large basalt plateau in the Golan Heights, is a large ring of stones that has been an isolated archaeological site for decades. Scholars debated its purpose endlessly, whether it was a burial site, a ceremonial gathering place, an astronomical observatory, or something else entirely. What nobody seriously entertained was that it might simply be the largest and best-preserved example of a much broader regional tradition. Turns out, that is exactly what it is. Using new research, Dr. Michal Birkenfeld and colleagues from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev conducted an analysis indicating that more than 28 other stone circles have been found within approximately 25 km of Rujm el-Hiri. This new evidence shows that archaeologists are shifting their view of the site, from an isolated structure to part of a larger tradition of stone circles that had previously gone unnoticed. The circles are not new; they have always been part of the landscape. They just have not been recognizable as such. Orthophoto of Khirbet Bteha. (CREDIT: A. Kleiner) New Discoveries …

Physicists solved a decades-old mystery about static electricity

Physicists solved a decades-old mystery about static electricity

Published by Jenni Sidey

Rub two identical pieces of glass together and something strange happens. One picks up a positive charge. The other goes negative. This much has been known for centuries. What nobody could explain was why, when the two objects are made of the same material, charge should flow in any particular direction at all. Both pieces of glass are chemically identical. Both have been sitting in the same room. By every obvious measure, the situation is perfectly symmetric. Yet the charge picks a direction. Every time. A team of physicists at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria has now identified what breaks that symmetry: a thin, invisible coating of carbon-based molecules that drifts onto every surface from the surrounding air and quietly accumulates there, different in amount and composition from one object to the next even when those objects sit side by side. The findings, published in Nature, resolve a puzzle that has persisted for decades and carry implications far beyond laboratory physics. The same phenomenon governs how volcanic lightning forms, how Saharan dust travels …

The mystery of how volcanic lightning happens has been solved

The mystery of how volcanic lightning happens has been solved

Published by skeptic

Lightning strikes over Volcán de Agua in Guatemala Mario Dalma Leon/Getty Images Physicists have solved a longstanding mystery around the process that creates volcanic lightning: when similar particles rub together, why do some become positively charged while others become negatively charged? The exchange of electric charge when two objects touch, called the triboelectric effect, is what causes hair to be attracted towards a balloon after rubbing. In a cloud of volcanic ash, swirling particles of silicon dioxide exchange electric charge as they collide. The positively and negatively charged particles separate and lightning occurs when current flows between the two. But physicists couldn’t explain what breaks the symmetry between two particles of the same material and causes charge to flow one way or the other. “There are a lot of candidates,” says Galien Grosjean, now at the Autonomous University of Barcelona. “People suspect that humidity is important, or roughness, or the crystalline structure.” While working at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria in Klosterneuburg, Grosjean wondered if the answer lay in carbon-containing molecules on the …

How iGarden Swim Jet X Series Solved the Aquatic Power Puzzle

How iGarden Swim Jet X Series Solved the Aquatic Power Puzzle

Published by skeptic

  Engineering a high-output water motor that is both powerful and portable has long been an industry challenge. The core problem has always been the “Power-to-Weight” ratio: how do you generate a current strong enough to challenge a human swimmer using only battery power, without the unit becoming too heavy to move? On March 12th at 9:00 AM PDT, iGarden officially solves that puzzle with the iGarden Swim Jet X Series.   Powered by a Portable External Power Box The X Series is built around a high-density lithium power stack, making it a truly portable device. iGarden engineers have improved both the safety and the versatility of the product. Water and electricity are a dangerous mix; by utilizing an internal, sealed lithium battery, the X Series removes the risk of high-voltage cables near the water. The real engineering marvel, however, is the AI-assisted logic that manages the power output. This internal intelligence stabilizes the flow, ensuring that every watt of energy is used efficiently. By smoothing out the “surges” typical of water pumps, the AI …

The Last Mystery of Antarctica’s ‘Blood Falls’ Has Finally Been Solved

The Last Mystery of Antarctica’s ‘Blood Falls’ Has Finally Been Solved

Published by skeptic

There is a corner of Antarctica that looks like something out of a David Cronenberg movie. It’s located in the dry valleys of McMurdo, an immense frozen desert where, periodically, a jet of crimson liquid suddenly gushes from the dazzling white of the Taylor Glacier. They’re called the Blood Falls, and since their discovery in 1911 by geologist Thomas Griffith Taylor, they’ve fueled a century of scientific speculation. Recently, a series of observations conducted since 2018 have clarified several mysteries, such as the nature of their reddish color and what keeps them liquid at almost –20 degrees Celsius. New research published this week in the journal Antarctic Science adds the final piece to the puzzle, clarifying what phenomena drive the falls to gush from underground. The Science Behind the Blood Falls At the time of their discovery, Taylor attributed the color to the presence of red microalgae. More than a century later, scientists have determined that the red is due to iron particles trapped in nanospheres along with other elements such as silicon, calcium, aluminum, …

Targeting Trump, UN Chief Says Global Problems Will Not Be Solved by One Power ‘Calling the Shots’

Targeting Trump, UN Chief Says Global Problems Will Not Be Solved by One Power ‘Calling the Shots’

Published by Sam Flores

UNITED NATIONS, Jan 29 (Reuters) – Global problems will not be solved by one ‌power “calling ​the shots” or by splitting the world into rival ‌spheres, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Thursday in comments directed at the United States and China.  Guterres spoke ​to reporters to mark the start of his 10th and final year in office. The U.N. Security Council will choose his successor later this year.  “Global problems will not be ‍solved by one power calling the shots,” said ​Guterres, later adding it was a reference to the United States. “Nor will they be solved by two powers carving the world into rival spheres of influence.” When asked to ​clarify, he said: “We see, ⁠and many see, in relation to the future, the idea that there are two poles, one centered in the U.S. and one centered in China … If we want a stable world, if we want a world in which peace can be sustained, in which development can be generalized, and in which – in the end – our …

Victrola just solved one of the biggest problems with your record player setup – here’s how

Victrola just solved one of the biggest problems with your record player setup – here’s how

Published by skeptic

Victrola/ZDNET Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. ZDNET’s key takeaways The Victrola Soundstage is a soundbase for turntables and record players. It can replace bookshelf or tabletop speakers in a vinyl setup. It sits under your turntable to save space. Modern vinyl enthusiasts often face two options: spend money and time building a hi-fi system complete with external speakers, receivers, and a multitude of wires, or opt for a compact, all-in-one system that sacrifices sound quality for convenience. Victrola’s CES 2026 announcement aims to bridge this gap for its customers, offering a high-quality solution to a wide range of listeners. A speaker for under your player The Victrola Soundstage is the company’s first soundbase, a compact speaker that goes under your record player, offering wireless connectivity, high-quality sound, and a compact design. It’s an option for people who don’t want to invest in the potentially time-consuming process of building a vinyl system but still need to save space. Also: CES 2026: 7 biggest news stories across TVs, laptops, and other weird gadgets …