CircleCount helps you better understand Google+

2013-05-25 18:38:20 (76 comments, 41 reshares, 257 +1s)

Do we need watches to tell us more than the time? http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-22627932

Big companies have been trying hard to make the long-awaited smartwatch "revolution" happen, but the market has so far been dominated by start ups.

So what's taking the major firms so long?

2013-05-25 11:09:39 (39 comments, 33 reshares, 310 +1s)

On 25 May, it will be five years since Nasa's robotic spacecraft Phoenix touched down in the Martian "arctic".

Dr Tom Pike, one of the mission scientists on Phoenix, explains what we've learnt about the Red Planet in that time: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-22653399

How keen are you to know more about our neighbouring planet?

2013-05-25 07:32:26 (90 comments, 67 reshares, 240 +1s)

It may seem to be a low-risk activity, but doctors say walking and texting can lead to people fracturing a limb or breaking their nose: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-22631731

So now there's a smartphone app which scans the path ahead and alerts the user to potential obstacles.

Have you ever suffered an injury while walking and using your phone?

2013-05-24 17:27:46 (13 comments, 10 reshares, 85 +1s)

In the last five years there has been a big rise in the number of patients taking part in clinical trials in England: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-22594635

Who are the volunteers? Are the trials safe?

2013-05-24 15:17:36 (54 comments, 23 reshares, 105 +1s)

In an age when "extremely violent and sadistic imagery is two clicks away" school sex education is struggling to keep pace, a study suggests.

Pornography can distort children's attitudes to sex, researchers say.

Should adults talk to children about porn? What can be done to defend children from it?

2013-05-24 12:32:57 (106 comments, 105 reshares, 515 +1s)

Get a big wheel of cheese and chase it down a hill.

That's what the people of Gloucester have been doing for hundreds of years.

But now police have told a "pretty angry" 86-year-old cheesemaker that if she continues to supply the event, she could be held responsible if anyone gets hurt: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-22639675

How important is the tradition? Should running down steep hills be encouraged? Whose fault is it if people get injured?

2013-05-24 09:58:48 (103 comments, 96 reshares, 498 +1s)

"I looked out of the window and saw the cover of the engine blow off.... I saw the left engine in flames": http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-22652718

Eyewitness David Gallagher shared his experience - and his photos - of being on a BA flight that had an emergency landing in Heathrow.

The northern runway at the airport remains closed after passengers heading for Oslo returned to London and were evacuated using the plane's escape chutes.

2013-05-23 17:43:38 (170 comments, 47 reshares, 332 +1s)

The soldier killed an attack in Woolwich, London, has been named by the Ministry of Defence: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22644857

Drummer Lee Rigby (pictured) from Manchester leaves behind a two-year-old son.

A captain in his platoon described him as a "cheeky and humorous man, always there with a joke to brighten the mood".

2013-05-23 15:27:30 (11 comments, 12 reshares, 112 +1s)

One in 10 species in the UK is facing extinction, wildlife organisations have claimed.

A new report says hedgehogs are down by 33% since 2000, and turtle doves by 93% since the 1970s: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-22634300

Is conservation important? What could be done to stop the decline?

2013-05-23 13:01:12 (89 comments, 91 reshares, 530 +1s)

Do you love an early morning cup of coffee? Do you keep drinking it all day? http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-22530625

For Balzac and Beethoven, David Lynch and Robbie Williams, coffee has provided an essential boost. 

And it's not just coffee that packs the caffeine into our daily life. Tea, colas and energy drinks all contribute,

Do people consume too much caffeine?

2013-05-23 09:55:29 (17 comments, 13 reshares, 72 +1s)

Twitter is bringing in an optional two-step login to beef up security: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-22634176

It follows the hacking of high-profile accounts - in April, the Associated Press account was briefly suspended after hackers sent out a rogue tweet reporting that Barack Obama had been injured in an explosion.

Have any of your social media accounts been hacked? Would you opt for a two-step login? How worried should companies be about being hacked?

2013-05-22 12:28:22 (36 comments, 20 reshares, 158 +1s)

President Barack Obama has declared a major disaster in Oklahoma after a huge tornado tore through the suburbs of Oklahoma city and left swathes of the suburb of Moore in ruins. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-22611831

Using maps, videos and photos our feature explores the worst-affected areas.

2013-05-22 08:53:26 (117 comments, 348 reshares, 879 +1s)

The world's first completely paperless public library is scheduled to open this summer in Bexar County, Texas, in the US. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-22160990

It will have 100 e-readers on loan, and dozens of screens where the public will be able to browse, study, and learn digital skills. However it's likely most users will access BiblioTech's initial holding of 10,000 digital titles from the comfort of their homes.

2013-05-21 14:19:30 (31 comments, 24 reshares, 220 +1s)

Is it impossible to view a piece of art completely objectively, because some works are just too well-known to be viewed with fresh eyes? http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-22595987

One British artist decided the only way he could see Velazquez's Las Meninas was to travel blind-folded from his home in London to Madrid so that he could block out all he had heard, read and thought about the piece.

We will discuss whether iconic art can ever be seen without prejudice in a BBC News Google hangout soon.

If you have a view or want to be part of the conversation leave a comment below.

2013-05-21 11:04:06 (35 comments, 19 reshares, 156 +1s)

Microsoft is the last of the big three console makers to reveal details of its next-generation games console: http://bbc.in/163JPYl

But the wait has arguably only added to anticipation for the Xbox expose.

Do you agree with the views of the five industry experts the BBC asked to detail their hopes and fears for the third Xbox?

2013-05-21 14:07:30 (203 comments, 127 reshares, 580 +1s)

At least 24 people, including many children, are feared to have died in a huge tornado in the US: http://bbc.in/118bApr

Winds of up to 200mph flattened whole neighbourhoods in Oklahoma City, as you can see in this video http://bbc.in/Z9OrZL and this collection of dramatic photos http://bbc.in/Z9OrZI

Rescuers are working through the night and the area is described as having suffered "absolute destruction".

[Death toll figures revised down following confirmation from local officials]

2013-05-20 15:35:56 (17 comments, 35 reshares, 175 +1s)

Loves tinned spaghetti hoops, drives a six-year-old car, closes deals over a burger. Aaron Levie - boss of fast-growing US cloud storage business Box -  is not your average multimillionaire. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-22432565

2013-05-20 11:14:04 (14 comments, 29 reshares, 134 +1s)

Do you know who is watching you, or who has access to information about your electricity supply? http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-22524274

Search engines are revealing public interfaces to huge numbers of domestic, business and industrial systems. The most worrying examples are web-facing controls for "critical infrastructure" - water treatment systems, power plants and traffic control systems.

2013-05-20 08:29:51 (38 comments, 30 reshares, 161 +1s)

Yahoo looks set to buy the blogging service Tumblr in a deal reportedly worth $1.1bn (£725m): http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-22591026

The tie-up is expected to be announced on Monday, with experts saying the acquisition will help Yahoo gain a larger social media presence and bring in younger audiences.

Do you think this is a good deal for Yahoo and Tumblr?

2013-05-20 20:43:22 (47 comments, 241 reshares, 780 +1s)

Things come apart for Canadian photographer Todd McLellan, giving him "a basic understanding of how the item works": http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/in-pictures-22514601 (photo gallery)

Have you ever enjoyed putting objects together, or breaking them down? Are the components in modern technology harder to take apart?

2013-05-19 12:07:05 (99 comments, 26 reshares, 187 +1s)

"While profit has become something of a dirty word, it's important to remember that many corporations reinvest their profits in research and product development, which in turn tends to lead to job creation, further economic growth and, ultimately, more tax."

Google boss Eric Schmidt (pictured) has defended the company's UK tax affairs after heavy criticism this week: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-22585891

Should Google pay more tax? Has "profit" become a dirty word?

2013-05-19 09:01:40 (158 comments, 154 reshares, 1143 +1s)

"After 22 years of playing football I'm going to take a few months to enjoy time with my family."

David Beckham left the pitch in tears after playing his final home match in Paris: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22584102 (photo gallery)

Did he inspire you over his career? What are your memories of him?

2013-05-18 17:11:31 (65 comments, 22 reshares, 253 +1s)

The Swedish city of Malmo is gearing up to host the Eurovision Song Contest final: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-22566260

Who will win?

Denmark is the bookies' favourite, with its closest competition coming from Norway and Ukraine.

If you're in the UK, watch our coverage on BBC One from 20:00 BST or listen to BBC Radio 2.

2013-05-18 14:28:43 (128 comments, 55 reshares, 204 +1s)

The EU is planning to ban dipping bowls and refillable bottles of olive oil in restaurants from next year: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-22579896

The move will protect consumers and improve hygiene, according to the European Commission - but critics are accusing it of unwarranted meddling.

What impact will it have on the industry? Will your restaurant bills go up?

2013-05-18 10:04:19 (265 comments, 246 reshares, 945 +1s)

Grab a woman's phone and run.

That was the plan of a would-be robber in Colombia. 

But instead of the quick escape he had in mind, he got hit by a bus as he darted off - watch the hair-raising moment on CCTV: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-22579130

The woman he had tried to steal from came to his rescue, pulling him from the bus. He only suffered minor injuries.

Would you be so helpful to someone who wronged you?

2013-05-17 14:27:38 (123 comments, 51 reshares, 206 +1s)

US politicians have sent Google eight questions about whether its smart spectacles will respect personal privacy:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-22567061

Google Glass is proving controversial because it can gather images, video and other data about almost anything a user sees. 

Are you concerned about the privacy impact of this new technology?

2013-05-18 08:56:55 (33 comments, 37 reshares, 254 +1s)

On Thursday 9 May, a measurement of the daily average atmospheric carbon dioxide exceeded 400 parts per million: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-22565278

While scientists say such a rise in CO2 should drive up global temperatures, they have barely moved since 1998, with sceptics telling the BBC this proves they were right.

Do you agree?

2013-05-17 08:10:57 (157 comments, 85 reshares, 420 +1s)

Would you be comfortable being surrounded by robots? http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-22556987

One UK manufacturing firm - Engineered Arts in Cornwall - is trying to make robots that share more human characteristics, to make interaction with them more natural and intuitive than ever before.

2013-05-16 15:54:25 (19 comments, 14 reshares, 87 +1s)

What motivated the LulzSec hackers? In his first TV interview, Jake Davis says his internet alias "Topiary" allowed him "to be things I couldn't be" http://bbc.in/10u9p3B

Davis was today sentenced to two years in prison for cyber-attacks on organisations including the CIA: http://bbc.in/12xHgsK

2013-05-16 11:09:27 (17 comments, 34 reshares, 213 +1s)

Seventy years ago today, a daring air raid immortalised the RAF's 617 Squadron as the "Dambusters". Using a specially developed bouncing bomb, the squadron breached two dams in Germany.

Retrace the mission using our interactive map: http://bbc.in/17yG903

2013-05-16 12:08:49 (485 comments, 1322 reshares, 3162 +1s)

Police were called after Star Wars fans clashed with Doctor Who fans at a science fiction convention in Norwich. The two rival groups were advised to "keep out of each other's way": http://bbc.in/13xpBSY

2013-05-15 21:37:49 (44 comments, 31 reshares, 201 +1s)

What's it really like to wear a Google Glass headset?  

The BBC's Rory Cellan-Jones has been trying one out at the company's annual conference in San Francisco:  http://bbc.in/17weUmN

Although the device is still some way off being available to consumers, developers have been sampling it for several weeks.

2013-05-15 14:32:29 (18 comments, 24 reshares, 172 +1s)

Did the Dambusters raid really shorten World War II? http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-22510300

On the 70th anniversary of the Royal Air Force's "bouncing bomb" raid against dams in Germany's Ruhr region, historian Dan Snow argues the operation was more than what some detractors have called a propaganda victory.

2013-05-15 10:39:48 (48 comments, 12 reshares, 94 +1s)

Does anyone still use carbon paper? http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-22525310

While it was once a ubiquitous office staple, you may now be racking your brain to consider a present-day application for this low-tech consumable.

BBC News has been behind the scenes at one firm in the UK still supplying a need for carbon paper.

2013-05-15 08:19:51 (120 comments, 123 reshares, 369 +1s)

According to neuroscientist Susan Greenfield, society's love affair with screens - whether video gaming or social media - may be significantly altering the development of the brain. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-22283452

While Baroness Greenfield has yet to conclude whether screens are doing harm or good, her contribution adds to the discussion of how much time we should spend living our lives online.

So are screens rotting our brains - or improving them?

2013-05-14 14:19:11 (69 comments, 30 reshares, 148 +1s)

The French government is considering a 1% tax on sales of smartphones and tablets in a bid to raise 86m euros (£73m) for French film, music and art. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-22522491

The idea comes from Pierre Lescure, who used to head French pay-TV channel Canal Plus, and believes such a move would "protect the cultural exception in the face of digital innovation".

Do you think this is a good way of funding cultural activities?

2013-05-14 11:07:26 (32 comments, 9 reshares, 86 +1s)

Do you own a Vauxhall Cavalier, Austin Montego or Ford Sierra? http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22525103

If so, then you may find yourself among a select group of car owners, as it appears models from the 1980s are disappearing from the UK's roads.

John Maguire's been meeting some enthusiasts who love their 80s cars.

2013-05-14 08:30:44 (68 comments, 16 reshares, 94 +1s)

Sometimes derided for being a past-time at best (and a waste of time at worst) can "serious" computer games educate and inform? http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-22508983

From sex education to the search for alternative fuels, are games the answer to engaging tech-savvy teenagers?

More and more developers and educators are embracing the idea that computer games can move from bedroom to classroom.

2013-05-13 15:25:03 (98 comments, 93 reshares, 367 +1s)

Mobile data transfers several hundred times faster than 4G technology can achieve - plus 3D films and games on the move.

Samsung says it has developed equipment that would be integral to 5G handsets, transmitting data at 1Gbps across a distance of up to 1.2 miles:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-22507512

One expert advises caution, however, saying this is only "a small part of the larger jigsaw" of technology required.

What do you think everyday life would be like with 5G capability?  How would our use of technology change?

2013-05-13 11:52:07 (19 comments, 5 reshares, 64 +1s)

Major concerts and sporting events often sell out quickly - so if you're desperate to see your favourite band or team, it can seem impossible to get in.

Buying from touts has traditionally been one way, but now "secondary ticketing" exchanges let people trade spare seats legally, albeit sometimes for more than the face value: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-22433513

What do you think about the idea of selling on tickets at a profit?  Is the system too vulnerable to abuse?

2013-05-13 09:04:09 (69 comments, 39 reshares, 332 +1s)

An astronaut who has been uploading unforgettable photographs from the International Space Station is about to return to Earth: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-22483934

Canadian Commander Chris Hadfield has gained 800,000 Twitter followers and has recorded a version of David Bowie's Space Oddity before he flies home: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-22506395

Do you think he's an inspiration - or should he have spent his time doing something other than tweeting?

(Image courtesy of Chris Hadfield, NASA and CSA)

2013-05-10 17:32:52 (207 comments, 106 reshares, 344 +1s)

18-year-old Andrew Brackin has just been given $100,000 to live in San Francisco and develop his own tech idea. There's only one catch: he must agree to skip university http://bbc.in/13mQf0V

Andrew is a winner of the Thiel Fellowship, set up by a billionaire to encourage teenagers to start a business instead of "wasting time" at university.

Do you agree - is university a waste of time?

2013-05-10 12:15:09 (130 comments, 75 reshares, 520 +1s)

PICTURE: A woman is pulled alive from the rubble of Bangladesh factory - 17 days after it collapsed. Rescuers heard the trapped woman - named as Reshma - shouting "I'm still here". Watch footage: http://bbc.in/149hfQb

2013-05-10 08:58:48 (179 comments, 33 reshares, 178 +1s)

Should violent videos be banned on social networks like Google Plus? Facebook's decision to remove clips of people being decapitated has opened up a wider debate: when should social networks impose censorship? http://bbc.in/15QEyD8

2013-05-09 17:01:32 (174 comments, 56 reshares, 233 +1s)

Blueprints for a controversial 3D-printed plastic gun have been downloaded about 100,000 times since going online earlier this week, according to Forbes: http://bbc.in/174Cc2W

Most downloads were in the US, followed by Spain, Brazil, Germany and the UK.

Should these guns be illegal?

2013-05-09 23:59:20 (133 comments, 39 reshares, 293 +1s)

Is Sir Alex Ferguson the "greatest living Briton"? Greater than Sir David Attenborough, Stephen Hawking, or even the Queen? BBC political editor Nick Robinson explains why he feels the departing Manchester United manager is the "greatest leader we have": http://bbc.in/192quT6

2013-05-09 10:11:57 (66 comments, 55 reshares, 307 +1s)

These famous footprints are from the "great dinosaur stampede" 100 million years ago. Or are they? New research suggests an intriguing alternative theory - the dinosaurs were swimming: http://bbc.in/11kU6gY

2013-05-08 16:35:28 (6 comments, 14 reshares, 60 +1s)

One resembles a woman's head and ranks the operator's breath, declaring an "emergency" if it falls into the worst category.

The other looks like a dog and growls when confronted with stinky feet.

Usually your best friend might have told you, but now Japanese inventors have built robots that can detect body odour.

http://bbc.in/YFxWnZ

2013-05-08 11:10:41 (115 comments, 47 reshares, 275 +1s)

The UK government wants to introduce new powers to investigate crimes in cyberspace, after dropping its controversial Communications Data Bill http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-22449209

The main plan unveiled in Wednesday’s Queen’s Speech is to find a way to more closely match internet protocol (IP) addresses to individuals, to identify who has sent an email or made a call.

Do you agree with the need for new powers to tackle crime online?

2013-05-08 08:44:15 (21 comments, 23 reshares, 224 +1s)

It was considered the latest technology at the time, but now it looks a little dated:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-22439586

High-altitude boots, rubber walkie-talkies and experimental oxygen tanks helped Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay conquer the world's highest mountain 60 years ago. 

Our gallery shows off some of the gadgets they took to Everest, ahead of two special exhibitions in London.