Matt's Favorites: Keep Your Family's Data Safe, Thursday At LTU

SOUTHFIELD -- So what's up in the wild wild world of high technology? Hang on to your hats...

* Here's one more request for the honor of your presence this Thursday, Jan. 31 at Lawrence Technological University in Southfield as we resume our monthly series of tech events, Last Thursdays Unwired @ LTU. This month we're talking IT security -- how to keep your family's and your business' information safe. Joining me will be a terrific panel of experts, including Detective Jerry DeRosia of the Oakland County Sheriff's Office Computer Crimes Unit; Adam Goslin, COO of Rochester-based High Bit Security LLC; and Paul Chambers, CEO of Core3 Solutions of Birmingham. Bring your most vexing security problems! Doors open at 7:30 a.m. and the program runs from 8 to 9:15. It's all free; coffee and donuts on us. Register at this link.

* I don't often read World Textile Information Network, a textile industry trade publication. In fact, until Monday, I didn't know World Textile Information Network existed. But the fine folks at Lansing-based Kraig Biocraft Laboratories Inc. note that the publication have given coverage to Kraig's efforts to create high-tech genetically engineered spider silk, which the company hopes will be a breakthrough new material. Here's the article.

* A new study says as much as one-third of the oil released in the Deepwater Horizon disaster of 2010 is still in the Gulf, mixed with deep ocean sediments through a phenomenon known as the "dirty bathtub."

* An economist argues that it was penicillin, not the Pill, that sparked the Sexual Revolution -- it was all about effective treatment of sexually transmitted diseases like syphilis.

* And boy, doesn't this look like the missing link between dinosaurs and birds?

* And here's an incredible video of mixed nuts -- innnn spaaaaaaaace!

* Speaking of space, Iran claims to have launched a monkey on a suborbital space flight.

* And speaking further of space, all this talk of asteroid mining has some wondering whether that could bring us all the dreams of science fiction -- and also, all the nightmares.

* And speaking of cyberwar, the experts say it's already begun.

* Apple is rumored to be working on a 128-gigabyte iPad.

* Meanwhile, BlackBerry's long-overdue smartphone update arrives.

* China is considering lifting its ban on video game consoles.

* And Google has disclosed how it responds to government requests for information about us.

* Here's a look at how the military wants self-destructing devices, just like in the old "Mission: Impossible."

* VMware is cutting staff as its outlook disappoints.

* Will smartphones ever replace wallets? Well, maybe, once the payments industry decides on one of several competing technologies.

* Unmark your calendar for Feb. 1. Objectify a Male Tech Writer day has been canceled due to potential misunderstandings and misuse.

* And this is scary, a big fat vulnerability in security camera systems.