Georgia Institute of Technology

Did you wake up early for iPhone 5? The latest version hit stores, and mailboxes, today. Our technology guru Carl DiSalvo, assistant professor in the School of Literature, Media and Communication, slept in this morning. He weighs in on the most anticipated gadget of the year.

"Once again it's the form factor of the Apple products that shines. The jury is still out on the product in use - the comments on iOS6 so far are not flattering - but the overall look and feel continues to set the standard for mobile devices."

For the record, DISalvo doesn't have the new phone yet. He's waiting for pay day.

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Economics Professor Thomas "Danny" Boston breaks down the new unemployment numbers, which were released today by the Labor Department.

The unemployment rate declined from 8.3% in July to 8.1% in August. However, the number of new jobs created (96,000) was less than expected. This is disappointing because the economy created 141,000 jobs in July. Economists predicted 125,000 to 140,000 new jobs would be created. The decline in the unemployment rate was largely caused by 368,000 workers dropping out of the labor market.

Ironically the underlying economic indicators are much stronger than the labor market report indicates.

The economy is stronger than the number of jobs created suggests. For example, motor vehicle sales continue to rise, retail sales have increased, new home sales have increased, consumer sentiment is up, and oil prices have stabilized.

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Scientists will soon be able to study the deep interior of Mars, thanks to a decision yesterday by NASA. The space agency selected InSight as its new mission, which will launch in 2016. The project will drill into the surface to see if Mars has a liquid core and/or tetonic plates (Earth has both). InSight was chosen over two other projects. One would have sent a probe landed on the seas of one of Saturn's moons. The other would have visited a comet. Georgia Tech's Mars expert, James Wray, analyzes the new project.

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Tonight's Powerball jackpot has reached $320 million. And, although that chances of winning are more than 175 million-to-one, people are lined up at gas stations for their chance at the improbable. School of Mathematics faculty member Lew Lefton says no strategy exists that helps you nail the six lucky numbers, but there is a way to better your chances of not splitting the pot should you win it all.

Every combination has an equal chance of being selected. Even though many people choose their numbers based on birthdays or important dates, those numbers are no more likely, or unlikely, to be chosen than any other.

So if you're looking to avoid splitting the jackpot should you win, choose numbers 32 and up or select sequential numbers. The combination 1-2-3-4-5-6 isn't very likely to come up tonight, but then again, it's no more unlikely than anything else.

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