Author: Michele Debczak

Hacking into the Pentagon usually leads to dire consequences, but the 80 tech experts who tried to do so this past month weren’t just encouraged to do so—they were paid. As Bloomberg reports, the pilot project was part of an investigation from the Pentagon’s Defense Digital Service (DDS) into the safety of their internal systems.

Given the importance of the undertaking, the Pentagon took every precaution possible. The “file transfer mechanism” the hackers were given permission to access wasn’t the real system, but a convincing simulation. The real version is what the department uses to send sensitive and sometimes classified emails, documents, and images to different networks. They also secured each hacker’s laptop to prevent unauthorized users from entering the simulation that way.

When the initiative launched on January 11, DDS “bureaucracy hacker” Lisa Wiswell expected at least a week to pass before the team found any vulnerabilities. She told Bloomberg that it only took a few hours for a hacker to identify the first gap in the system.

The Pentagon first invited tech experts to test their cybersecurity last year when they announced the Hack the Pentagon program. For that initiative, any U.S. citizen could apply for authorization to dig for weaknesses in the Department of Defense’s public websites. More than 1400 hackers took part in that “bug bounty” contest, with 138 of them reporting legitimate vulnerabilities.

This latest project differs in a major way: Instead of sifting through public websites, anonymous hackers looked for flaws in one of the Pentagon’s internal systems. The anonymous hackers are prohibited from revealing any details about their findings, but the DDS says they’re currently resolving any problems that were discovered.

[h/t Bloomberg]

For centuries, libraries have offered an amazing deal to the American people: Cardholders can check out any book in the building for free, provided that it’s returned by the due date. Now Slate reports that libraries around the country are making this deal even sweeter by eliminating late fees.

The pushback against fines may sound like a recipe for anarchy to some book lovers, but the librarians behind it insist it stays in line with their core mission. Penalties for overdue books have the biggest impact on poor patrons, the very people librarians most want using their services. According to the Children’s Literacy Foundation, 61 percent of low-income families don’t have age-appropriate books at home. The same organization states that one in six kids who aren’t reading proficiently by the third grade won’t graduate high school on time. By not charging late fees or banning members outright when they lose a book, libraries aim to become more welcoming to citizens who may otherwise be wary of using them.

In the past seven years, districts in Massachusetts, California, and Illinois have scrapped some or all of their penalties. Colorado State Libraries recommends that all districts in the state do away with late fees, especially when they apply to children’s books. Libraries that are already struggling may be hesitant to let go of the revenue, but according to Janine Reid, executive director of the High Plains, Colorado library system, the circulation boost helps balance out the loss. She told 9NEWS that 95 percent of the materials that are checked out are still returned within a week of their due dates.

“We’re no longer having to finagle around or haggle around every 10 cent fine,” Reid said. “Instead, the conversation is all about how much they enjoyed reading the materials.”

[h/t Slate]

It’s easy for some pedestrians to go their whole lives without paying much attention to the raised bumps that cover parts of the sidewalk they step on. But for others, those little dots are essential to getting around.

In this video spotted by Tom McParland of Jalopnik, video producer Tom Scott explains the ingenious purpose behind this piece of infrastructure. Blistered sections of pavement can communicate important messages to visually impaired pedestrians. A uniform grid of circles signals a sloping curb leading to a crosswalk. If the squares are red, that indicates to a partially sighted person that the path has a light for stopping traffic.

Varying patterns symbolize specific hazards. Strips of offset bumps, for example, are usually placed at the edge of a subway platform. And as Scott lays out in the video above, pill-shaped bumps and striped patterns are used to alert pedestrians to completely different situations.

Tactile paving was first introduced in Japan in 1967 [PDF], and the infrastructure trick has since spread to countries around the world. In the United States, the warnings are required by the Americans With Disabilities Act for public transportation facilities and other areas covered by the ADA.

See Also:

There’s a Wire Above Manhattan That You’ve Probably Never Noticed
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The Hidden Room Behind Mount Rushmore
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Opening Your Car Door Like the Dutch Do Can Save Cyclists’ Lives

[h/t Jalopnik]

Though they didn’t have access to television or the internet, the Victorians had no problem keeping busy. Some looked to the supernatural realm for fulfillment, while others passed the time scouring their own backyards. From graveyard picnics to kitten taxidermy, here are some of the diversions people enjoyed in the Victorian era that might seem odd today.

1. CEMETERY PICNICS

With fewer parks, gardens, and museums to choose from, many Americans of the Victorian era sought to have a good time in graveyards.

Sprawling “rural cemeteries” began cropping up in the United States after 1830. For a number of U.S. residents, the local cemetery was the closest thing they had to a public park. Groups would pack lunches and have picnics among the tombstones. Afterwards, they might go hunting or have carriage races on the grounds. Cemeteries became such heavily-trafficked destinations that guidebooks were distributed to visitors at some of the most famous locations, like Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn or Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, Massachusetts

2. FERN COLLECTING

In the 19th century, fern fever caught England by storm. It was so prevalent that it was even given an official name: pteridomania. The phenomenon took off in 1829 when a British botanist named Nathaniel Bagshaw Ward started cultivating the plants in glass cases (later known as Wardian cases; today we call them terrariums). Soon enough, Victorians around the country were hunting desirable ferns to grow in their own homes. The hobby was especially popular among women, perhaps because it offered them a socially acceptable excuse to be outdoors unsupervised.

3. ANTHROPOMORPHIC TAXIDERMY

When it came to the taxidermy creatures of the Victorian period, some had more dignified afterlives than others. Positioning stuffed animals in typically human scenarios became a popular theme within the artform—and it was indeed an artform. Popular taxidermists like Walter Potter and Hermann Ploucquet put an extraordinary amount of effort into making their scenes come to life. Memorable pieces from the era depicted ice-skating hedgehogs, a classroom full of rabbits, and a wedding attended by kittens decked out in highly detailed garb.

4. SEAWEED SCRAPBOOKING

You can add seaweed to the list of plants Victorians were obsessed with. After collecting the specimens, scrapbookers would paste the multicolored strands onto sheets of construction paper. The designs were more aesthetic than educational, with the seaweed sometimes arranged to spell out words or form images.

5. DIATOM ARRANGING

Victorian biologists found their own ways to have fun. By arranging diatoms, or single-celled algae, on glass slides using strands of hair, they could create elaborate kaleidoscopes of natural beauty. Some microscopic designs—which often included butterfly scales and insect scales as well as algae—incorporated thousands of individual components onto a single slide. The number of patterns was limited only by the artist’s imagination. The craft is still practiced by at least one person today, as you can see from the video above.

6. MAKING JEWELRY FROM HAIR

Though using human hair in art and jewelry dates back to ancient Egypt, the practice soared to new heights with the Victorians. Snippets of hair were woven into rings, necklaces, pins, watch chains, and other unique pieces of ornamentation. A lock of hair taken from a living loved one acted as a very personal version of a friendship bracelet. Hair cut from the deceased, meanwhile, was often made into keepsakes for those coping with their loss.

7. SÉANCES

Today, a typical séance might involve breaking out a plastic ouija board at a slumber party. But during the Victorian era, attending one was a major event. At the time, Spiritualism—a religious practice focused on contacting the dead—was extremely popular. Spiritualists would host intimate séances at home, or go out to see mediums perform otherworldly acts on stage. In addition to moving ouija boards, mediums would summon disembodied hands, levitate tables, and cough up ectoplasm during communions with the dead. Or at least, that’s how it seemed to participants who bought into their tricks.

8. SENDING SECRET CODES WITH FLOWERS

It wasn’t hard for Victorians to communicate a thoughtful message through a bouquet of flowers. Different flowers became attached to different meanings, and anyone with a dictionary of floriography—the language of flowers—could decipher them. Daffodils, for example, symbolized chivalry and unrequited love, while monkshood warned of potential danger. Oscar Wilde was one famous user of floral codes: The green carnation he sported was a signal worn by gay men in 19th century Europe.

9. CRYSTAL GAZING

Humans have been seeking out their fortunes in reflective surfaces since ancient times, but the practice saw a revival in the late 19th century. Crystal gazers would stare into glass orbs, mirrors, or gems like amethysts hoping to tap into the secrets of their subconscious minds. In his 1896 book Crystal Gazing and Clairvoyance, John Melville laid out the instructions for using a crystal for spiritual purposes: “The crystal or mirror should frequently be magnetized by passes made with the right hand,” he wrote. “The magnetism with which the surface of the mirror or crystal becomes charged, collects there from the eyes of the gazer, and from the universal ether, the Brain being as it were switched onto the universe, the crystal being the medium.”

Whether it’s a technical issue or an overbooked plane, a lot of factors can get between you and a stress-free flight. Air travel is especially unpredictable during snowstorm season, with up to tens of thousands of flights getting canceled in the U.S. each winter. If you find yourself the victim of a cancellation, there are a few important tips to remember to make sure you receive the maximum amount of compensation.

As Business Insider recently shared, the most important step to take after your flight gets canceled is to contact the airline directly. No matter which company you’re dealing with, you should be guaranteed two contractual rights in the event of a cancellation: The airline must either find you a seat on their next available flight to your destination or refund the remaining value of your ticket. Airlines sometimes provide extra assistance in addition to these basic rights, so make sure to ask about what you’re owed. The reason for the cancellation also makes a difference—for example, airlines are usually more accommodating when the fault lies with them rather than outside forces like the weather.

After speaking with your airline, check to see if your credit card offers special protection in such scenarios. Chase Sapphire, Chase’s United Airlines Explorer card, and some Citibank American Airlines Advantage cards include built-in emergency funds to use on a hotel if an airline leaves you stranded. Cardholders are usually given between $300 and $500 to spend.

Travelers flying to or from Europe may be able to receive more money than their canceled flights were worth. According to the EU’s air passenger rights policy, customers dealt canceled flights traveling within the EU, from EU-based airports, or on EU-based airlines are eligible to receive €600 (about $666) in compensation plus the cost of meals and lodging. The provision may not apply to shorter flights or trips canceled “due to extraordinary conditions.”

If keeping tabs on your passenger rights seems like a lot to juggle, there are websites that can help you. Refund.me and Airhelp.com are two resources that will fill out your paperwork for you and retrieve the maximum amount of whatever you’re owed (keep in mind these sites do claim part of the money they get back, sometimes as much as 25 percent).

A smart way to avoid all this hassle is to book through an airline that’s less likely to cancel your flight in the first place. According to Travel + Leisure, ExpressJet, Delta’s Comair, and AmericanEagle are the worst offenders in this department.

[h/t Business Insider]

During his mission aboard the International Space Station in 2015, Danish astronaut Andreas Mogensen captured a dramatic weather phenomenon that’s rarely seen from Earth. As Mashable reports, his footage below is the clearest look we have at “blue jet” lightning.

Blue jets form when lightning bolts spring from the tops of thunderclouds, shooting 25 to 30 miles up. Even from a vantage point in the Earth’s orbit, the flashes can be difficult to document. Mogensen recorded this video using highly sensitive camera equipment aboard the ISS.

During the 160 seconds of footage taken above the Bay of Bengal, 245 blue flashes of electricity were captured. The film provides an unprecedented look at a weather phenomenon meteorologists still know little about. The European Space Agency (ESA) is now planning to mount a camera outside their Columbus laboratory aboard the ISS that will monitor thunderstorms around the clock. In addition to giving us more data about blue jets, future footage could provide valuable information about other types of upper-atmospheric lightning like red sprites, pixies, and elves.

[h/t Mashable]

Since Google Maps first debuted on February 8, 2005, users have been able to explore far-off locations without ever leaving their computers. To celebrate the 12-year anniversary of the service, filmmaker Matteo Archondis uploaded a hyperlapse video created with 3305 Google Maps screenshots taken around the world.

In this video spotted by Sploid, viewers pay visits to Rome, Verona, Venice, Paris, London, Barcelona, Rio de Janeiro, San Francisco, the Grand Canyon, Mount Rushmore, New York, Greenland, Mount Everest, and Kyoto. Each location transitions seamlessly into the next, thanks to the sheer amount of stills Archondis used. It took him two days to capture the screen grabs, and two weeks of post-production to create the smooth time-lapse effect. You can check out the result below—no passport required.

[h/t Sploid]

Facebook is more than just a place for finding cat videos and political rants. Starting this week, the social network is expanding its “weather greetings” updates into fully developed forecasts.

According to TechCrunch, the new feature is now accessible through News Feed on the desktop site and through the “More” menu on the Facebook app. Users will see a typical forecast powered by Weather.com. It includes highs and lows, current conditions, hourly forecasts, and forecasts for the week. Situated above that information is a playful header that varies based on the weather. Rain might bring up a cartoon deer ducked under a tree, while overcast weather displays a bird poking out from a bush beneath a partly cloudy sky. The forecast defaults to the user’s current location while giving them the option to add more places to follow (though it doesn’t let users swipe through them like some other apps do).

Facebook started experimenting with placing casual weather updates at the top of News Feed last year, but this is their first serious attempt to compete with established weather apps. The launch is one of several recent moves from the website to branch outside the social media bubble. In September, Facebook announced plans to make it easier for customers to purchase products from businesses within Messenger. Not long after that, the site rolled out job-recruiting features that put them in direct competition with services like Monster and LinkedIn.

[h/t TechCrunch]

If you believe the foundation of a strong marriage is a shared love of pizza, Domino’s has good news: The chain has unveiled a wedding registry that swaps out stuffy silverware for Domino’s eGift cards.

Engaged couples can register at dominosweddingregistry.com to receive an array of pizza gift packages. Wedding guests can select the “2 a.m. Bachelor Party Feast” to treat the groom before his big day, or the “Dancing with My Slice” option for some post-reception pies. The list also includes plenty of gifts for pairs to enjoy after the wedding, like gift cards to spend on the “Thank You Card-a-thon,” the “Post-Honeymoon Adjustment to Real Life,” and the “Low-key Date Night.”

“Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, so we wanted to give recently engaged couples that are passionate about pizza the chance to register for something they both truly love as much as their partner,” Domino’s spokesperson Jenny Fouracre said in a press release. “We wanted to make it easier for people to ask for and receive something that they’ll really use.”

After receiving their gifts, all newlyweds need are matching wipeable Domino’s onesies to complete the transition into married life.

It’s clear that gender inequality is an issue in the workforce, but figuring out how to best eliminate it isn’t always so straightforward. According to one study released last year, the gender pay gap starts to grow significantly wider once women hit age 32. The reason? Shouldering the majority of the child-rearing responsibilities makes it a lot harder for women to hold nine-to-five jobs. A new job search website aims to combat this by only highlighting positions that offer flexible schedules.

Werk is the brainchild of former consultant Anna Auerbach and veteran law attorney Annie Dean. Dean became aware of a need for this type of service after becoming a parent herself: “I was sitting at my desk at my law firm, feeling completely exhausted and utterly defeated,” she tells mental_floss. “I was in the middle of an intense deal and there just weren’t enough hours in the day for what I was responsible for.”

Auerbach, a former refugee and a mother of one, noticed the same issue. “Everywhere I looked, women were being told to work harder, to speak louder, to negotiate more. But nothing was attempting to answer the question of, ‘How do we keep talented women in the workforce?’ It was then I knew something fundamental had to change,” she says.

Like competing job search sites Monster, LinkedIn, and Indeed, Werk provides a way for job-seekers to search for openings online. What sets Werk apart is the quality of the listings—every position that’s posted offers pre-negotiated flexibility. Users can sort jobs based on the ability to work remotely, work part-time, work unconventional hours, or tweak their schedules with little notice to keep up with the unpredictable demands of caring for dependents.

It’s easy to see how this might appeal to a certain type of worker: Thirty percent of women with bachelor’s degrees drop out of the workforce when they have a child, while 19 percent of women with a master’s degree or higher and 26 percent of women with less than a bachelor’s degree do the same. But Werk emphasizes that their mission can benefit employers as well. According to Auerbach and Dean, employees with flexibility tend to be happier at work and more likely to stay. They also cite a study by McKinsey & Company that found gender-diverse companies are more likely to outperform their peers.

Werk has already attracted some big-name companies, featuring listings at companies like Facebook, Uber, and Samsung. A membership to use the job search tool costs $48 a year, which may be well worth it to caregiving professionals of any gender looking to take control of their schedules. As Dean says, “Our generation has the ability to say what works and what doesn’t, and we have a responsibility to act on it.”