
Lincoln City's new shirt honours mathematician George Boole
Lincoln City's new home kit honours a Victorian mathematician whose work is in every computer and smartphone.George Boole, who was born in the city in 1815, invented Boolean logic - a system that is regarded as the foundation for computer programming.In a tribute to the pioneering mathematician, binary code spelling out We Are Imps will feature on the football club's shirt for the upcoming season.City's chief growth and innovation officer Jason Futers said: "We wanted to celebrate George, his life and contribution to the world, by bringing it into the design of the home kit."
In 1849, the shoemaker's son was appointed chair of mathematics at Queen's College in Cork in the Republic of Ireland. Four years later, he secured his place in the history books after publishing the Laws of Thought, a book containing a description of practical concepts for an algebra of logic.The former teacher, who founded two schools, is commemorated throughout his home city. He is featured on a window inside the city's cathedral known as the teaching window and there is also a plaque on his Pottergate house. There is also a mention on an obelisk to city greats in St Mark's Shopping Centre and a large bronze statue outside Lincoln railway station."He created a logical framework called Boolean logic, that is literally the foundation for binary code, which is itself the foundation for computer programming," Mr Futers added."You can't underestimate the importance of Boole in modern society."
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The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
With retail cyberattacks on the rise, customers find orders blocked and and empty shelves
A string of recent cyberattacks and data breaches involving the systems of major retailers have started affecting shoppers. United Natural Foods, a wholesale distributor that supplies Whole Foods and other grocers, said this week that a breach of its systems was disrupting its ability to fulfill orders — leaving many stores without certain items. In the U.K., consumers could not order from the website of Marks & Spencer for more than six weeks — and found fewer in-store options after hackers targeted the British clothing, home goods and food retailer. A cyberattack on Co-op, a U.K. grocery chain, also led to empty shelves in some stores. Cyberattacks have been on the rise across industries. But infiltrations of corporate technology carry their own set of implications when the target is a consumer-facing business. Beyond potentially halting sales of physical goods, breaches can expose customers' personal data to future phishing or fraud attempts. Here's what you need to know. Cyberattacks are on the rise overall Despite ongoing efforts from organizations to boost their cybersecurity defenses, experts note that cyberattacks continue to increase across the board. In the past year, there's also been an 'uptick in the retail victims" of such attacks, said Cliff Steinhauer, director of information security and engagement at the National Cybersecurity Alliance, a U.S. nonprofit. 'Cyber criminals are moving a little quicker than we are in terms of securing our systems," he said. Ransomware attacks — in which hackers demand a hefty payment to restore hacked systems — account for a growing share of cyber crimes, experts note. And of course, retail isn't the only affected sector. Tracking by NCC Group, a global cybersecurity and software escrow firm, showed that industrial businesses were most often targeted for ransomware attacks in April, followed by companies in the 'consumer discretionary' sector. Attackers know there's a particular impact when going after well-known brands and products that shoppers buy or need every day, experts note. 'Creating that chaos and that panic with consumers puts pressure on the retailer,' Steinhauer said, especially if there's a ransom demand involved. Ade Clewlow, an associate director and senior adviser at the NCC Group, points specifically to food supply chain disruptions. Following the cyberattacks targeting M&S and Co-op, for example, supermarkets in remote areas of the U.K., where inventory already was strained, saw product shortages. 'People were literally going without the basics,' Clewlow said. Personal data is also at risk Along with impacting business operations, cyber breaches may compromise customer data. The information can range from names and email addresses, to more sensitive data like credit card numbers, depending on the scope of the breach. Consumers therefore need to stay alert, according to experts. 'If (consumers have) given their personal information to these retailers, then they just have to be on their guard. Not just immediately, but really going forward," Clewlow said, noting that recipients of the data may try to commit fraud 'downstream.' Fraudsters might send look-alike emails asking a retailer's account holders to change their passwords or promising fake promotions to get customers to click on a sketchy link. A good rule of thumb is to pause before opening anything and to visit the company's recognized website or call an official customer service hotline to verify the email, experts say. It's also best not to reuse the same passwords across multiple websites — because if one platform is breached, that login information could be used to get into other accounts, through a tactic known as 'credential stuffing.' Steinhauer adds that using multifactor authentication, when available, and freezing your credit are also useful for added lines of defense. Which companies have reported recent cybersecurity incidents? A range of consumer-facing companies have reported cybersecurity incidents recently — including breaches that have caused some businesses to halt operations. United Natural Foods, a major distributor for Whole Foods and other grocers across North America, took some of its systems offline after discovering 'unauthorized activity' on June 5. In a securities filing, the company said the incident had impacted its 'ability to fulfill and distribute customer orders." United Natural Foods said in a Wednesday update that it was 'working steadily' to gradually restore the services. Still, that's meant leaner supplies of certain items this week. A Whole Foods spokesperson told The Associated Press via email that it was working to restock shelves as soon as possible. The Amazon-owned grocer's partnership with United Natural Foods currently runs through May 2032. Meanwhile, a security breach detected by Victoria's Secret last month led the popular lingerie seller to shut down its U.S. shopping site for nearly four days, as well as to halt some in-store services. Victoria's Secret later disclosed that its corporate systems also were affected, too, causing the company to delay the release of its first quarter earnings. Several British retailers — M&S, Harrods and Co-op — have all pointed to impacts of recent cyberattacks. The attack targeting M&S, which was first reported around Easter weekend, stopped it from processing online orders and also emptied some store shelves. The company estimated last month that the it would incur costs of 300 million pounds ($400 million) from the attack. But progress towards recovery was shared Tuesday, when M&S announced that some of its online order operations were back — with more set to be added in the coming weeks. Other breaches exposed customer data, with brands like Adidas, The North Face and reportedly Cartier all disclosing that some contact information was compromised recently. In a statement, The North Face said it discovered a 'small-scale credential stuffing attack' on its website in April. The company reported that no credit card data was compromised and said the incident, which impacted 1,500 consumers, was 'quickly contained.' Meanwhile, Adidas disclosed last month that an 'unauthorized external party' obtained some data, which was mostly contact information, through a third-party customer service provider. Whether or not the incidents are connected is unknown. Experts like Steinhauer note that hackers sometimes target a piece of software used by many different companies and organizations. But the range of tactics used could indicate the involvement of different groups. Companies' language around cyberattacks and security breaches also varies — and may depend on what they know when. But many don't immediately or publicly specify whether ransomware was involved. Still, Steinhauer says the likelihood of ransomware attacks is 'pretty high' in today's cybersecurity landscape — and key indicators can include businesses taking their systems offline or delaying financial reporting. Overall, experts say it's important to build up 'cyber hygiene" defenses and preparations across organizations. 'Cyber is a business risk, and it needs to be treated that way," Clewlow said.


The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
New Tesla Model Y is a more chiselled, quieter version of mega-seller… it moves the game on for a tech-rich family motor
Rob Gill Published: Invalid Date, I'M struggling to keep up with Elon Musk and his on/ off bromance with Donald Trump. Are they buddies again? 6 6 6 Or still kicking lumps out of each other on X? One thing I do know is that Tesla sales are down eight per cent in Great Britainland. Some say it's because Musk backed Trump for President, followed by that awkward hand gesture at the inauguration. Some say it's the Chinese invasion. Maybe in part. But mostly it's due to Tesla halting production of the mega-selling Model Y at its Berlin gigafactory to tool up for the new one. Now everything is sorted and sales are likely to take off like a Space X rocket. Here are ten things you need to know about the new motor. 1. The old one was fugly. The world's best-selling car two years on the bounce, yes. But still fugly. That's sorted now. This new one is more chiselled. First glimpse at limited edition EV hitting UK in just weeks with slick new look It's like they've taken a photo of the Cybertruck to a surgeon and gone, 'This please'. The lower nose helps it slice through the air, adding a bit more range. 2. They've deleted the Tesla badge from the bonnet. Confident move. 3. But the biggest change is at the back. There's a new reflective lightbar which highlights T E S L A written out in full. Also, the rear diffuser sticks out more. So repair bills will be lower if you reverse into something you shouldn't. Which helps with insurance too. 4. The 'frunk' — front trunk — now has a plughole in it. So you can fill it with ice for summer barbecues. Or store muddy boots. 5. Cabin. The gear selector has moved to the big screen — like a Model 3. But they've kept the indicator stalk. Unlike a Model 3. The wrapround LED strip is new. The front seats will warm and cool your back. They didn't before. Other things. The seat bases are longer in the back. So they're more comfortable. There's a little entertainment screen to play arcade games. The front passenger seat moves forward at the touch of a button for limo-like legroom. 6. Sound. It's now much quieter in here which makes it feel more expensive. There's extra insulation. Acoustic glass. Redesigned door seals. All little details that add up. 7. The boot is a smidge smaller. But you'll never notice. I had to look it up. The seats now fold up and down automatically, where they only folded flat before. You had to push them back up. 8. The suspension has been tweaked so it rides better. Batteries and motors are unchanged. But improved regenerative braking tech adds more electrons. Every version should do 300 miles-plus, with the rear-wheel drive Long Range hitting 387 miles. There's talk of a bigger battery nudging 500 miles. 9. Price. The standard rear-drive Model Y starts at £45k, which is £2k more than before. Not bad. The all-singing all-wheel drive Long Range is £52k. 10. This isn't specific to Model Y but Tesla's Supercharger network blows everyone else out of the water. It's next-level good. Quick. Easy. No cards. No apps. And cheaper too. It doesn't really matter if you like Musk or not. If you want a minimalist, tech-rich family motor, Model Y moves the game on. 6 6 6


Telegraph
2 hours ago
- Telegraph
South pole of the Sun pictured for the first time
The south pole of the Sun has been seen for the first time, in images sent by the British-built spacecraft Solar Orbiter. Usually it is impossible to see underneath the Sun because Earth and all other spacecraft orbit within a flat disc around its equator. For the first time, Solar Orbiter has moved into a tilted orbit of 17 degrees below the equator, giving a new view of our star. 'Today we reveal humankind's first-ever views of the Sun's pole,' said Prof Carole Mundell, director of science at the European Space Agency (ESA). 'The Sun is our nearest star, giver of life and potential disruptor of modern space and ground power systems, so it is imperative that we understand how it works and learn to predict its behaviour. 'These new unique views from our Solar Orbiter mission are the beginning of a new era of solar science.' Solar Orbiter, which is a joint venture between the ESA and Nasa, launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, in 2020, taking two years to reach the Sun. Constructed by Airbus in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, and carrying several British instruments, the probe was designed to give unprecedented images of the Sun, helping predict dangerous solar flares in time for counter measures to be implemented, such as grounding planes or backing up power plants. Although extreme solar storms are rare, smaller flares have caused widespread disruption in recent times, with a geomagnetic storm leaving six million Canadians without power in 1989. A recent analysis shows that 'severe' magnetic storms occurred in 42 out of the last 150 years, and 'great' super-storms occur six times in every 150 years. The government is so concerned about space weather that it is now listed on its National Risk Register. Over the coming years, the spacecraft will tilt its orbit even further, so the best views are yet to come. 'Transform our understanding' 'This is just the first step of Solar Orbiter's 'stairway to heaven',' said Daniel Müller, ESA's Solar Orbiter project scientist. 'In the coming years, the spacecraft will climb further out of the ecliptic plane for ever better views of the Sun's polar regions. 'These data will transform our understanding of the Sun's magnetic field, the solar wind, and solar activity.' Scientists are hoping to learn how material moves in the Sun's outer layers and why the star's magnetic field flips every 11 years. One of the first scientific findings from Solar Orbiter's polar observations is the discovery that at the south pole, the Sun's magnetic field is currently a mess. While a normal magnet has a clear north and south pole, magnetic field measurements show that both north and south polarity magnetic fields are present at the Sun's south pole during the solar maximum. We are currently experiencing a solar maximum and, in five to six years, magnetic activity is expected to become more orderly. 'Unique and advantageous perspective' 'How exactly this build-up occurs is still not fully understood, so Solar Orbiter has reached high latitudes at just the right time to follow the whole process from its unique and advantageous perspective,' added Prof Sami Solanki, who leads the PHI instrument team from the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research in Germany. 'We didn't know what exactly to expect from these first observations – the Sun's poles are literally terra incognita.'