LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) — For this week’s Tech Tuesday, 6 News is looking at the growing risk of keyless vehicle thefts and how to protect yourself — plus we’re seeing how Jurassic Park could one day become a reality thanks to scientists in Sweden.
Many vehicles come with key fobs these days — and not an actual car key. Security experts say, this convenience could make you a target of theft.
In less than a minute, today’s thieves can capture the signal from your key fob, unlock your car and drive it away. One security expert says with the right tools it can be done quickly, so he recommends installing an after-market solution.
It can cost up to $1,200, but it will create a firewall to fend off attacks and requires the driver to enter a pre-programmed code using a combination of existing factory buttons in sequence to start the car.
Experts say other precautions can include storing keys in a metal container or signal-blocking pouch. The National Insurance Crime Bureau recommends physical protection like steering column locks, alarms, and tracking devices.
Ironically, high-tech thieves may be deterred when confronting low-tech protection measures.
In other tech news, Swedish scientists have recovered and sequenced RNA from a Tasmanian tiger, an extinct species, for the first time.
RNA is a molecule used to convey information from the genome to the rest of the cell about what it should do. A Stockholm University researcher told CBS News the breakthrough could potentially raise hope for the resurrection of animals once thought to be lost forever.
It may also be used for studying pandemic RNA viruses. He says they could look for these viruses in wild animal remains stored in dry museum collections, which might help them understand the nature of pandemics and where pandemics come from.
The study opens the door to using museum collections in a whole new way.
