Science/Tech Stream for 11/20/08
Why the universe may be teeming with aliens
WANTED: Rocky planet outside of our solar system. Must not be too hot or too cold, but just the right temperature to support life.
Huge Buried Water Glaciers Discovered on Mars
Giant glaciers buried under the surface of Mars at much lower latitudes than any previously known ice are a potential source of drinking water for future astronauts.
Regenerating a Mammoth for $10 Million
Scientists are talking for the first time about the old idea of resurrecting extinct species as if this staple of science fiction is a realistic possibility, saying that a living mammoth could perhaps be regenerated for as little as $10 million.
Science/Tech Stream for 11/18/08
Computer Scientists Program Robots To Play Soccer, Communicate With Bees
Science Daily — Engineers built humanoid robots that can recognize objects by color by processing information from a camera mounted on the robot's head. The robots are programmed to play soccer, with the intention of creating a team of fully autonomous humanoid robots able to compete against a championship human team by 2050. They have also designed tiny robots to mimic the communicative "waggle dance" of bees.
Firms scan brain waves to improve ads in Japan from PhysOrg.com
US research firm Nielsen and its partner NeuroFocus said Wednesday they would offer a new service in Japan to scan the brain waves of potential customers to help companies improve their marketing.
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Yahoo's Yang decides he's no longer the right CEO from PhysOrg.com
(AP) -- Yahoo Inc. founder Jerry Yang has never concealed how much he cares about his Internet company.
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Science/Tech Stream for 11/17/08
Toward a new generation of paper-thin loudspeakers
In research that may redefine ear buds, earphones, stereo loudspeakers, and other devices for producing sound, researchers in China are reporting development of flexible loudspeakers thinner than paper that might be inserted into the ears with an index finger or attached to clothing, walls, or windows.
Amazon Unveils Give One, Get One Laptop Store
The One Laptop Per Child organization today kicked off its Give One, Get One effort for the second year in a row, this year partnering with Amazon.com.
GM crops 'to be grown in secret'
Genetically-modified crops could be grown by the Government in secret locations in an attempt to prevent trials being attacked by saboteurs, it has been reported.
Knee injuries could be healed by 'living bandage' made from stem cells
A common sporting knee injury could be healed by a 'living bandage' developed from a patient's own stem cells.
Science/Tech Stream for 11/16/08
Michio Kaku: WIll We Ever Be a Galactic Civilization?
Furutist Michio Kaku talks about our civilization relative to other possible civilizations out there. After that, he gives us his take on the future and alas, our present.
Note: Don't know who he is? Here's the wiki entry on him: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michio_Kaku
Elderly dogs to be offered genetic enhancement to make them young again
Frail elderly dogs could be injected with genes which allow them to run around like puppies, with technology which could be approved by next year.
Science/Tech Stream for 11/15/08
British scientists in urgent call for nanoparticles research from PhysOrg.com
British scientists called Wednesday for urgent research into the health implications of nanoparticles, which are found in a wide range of everyday products but whose effects are virtually unknown.
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Study finds new nanomaterial could be breakthrough for implantable medical devices from PhysOrg.com
(PhysOrg.com) -- A team of researchers led by North Carolina State University has made a breakthrough that could lead to new dialysis devices and a host of other revolutionary medical implants. The researchers have found that the unique properties of a new material can be used to create new devices that can be implanted into the human body – including blood glucose sensors for diabetics and artificial hemo-dialysis membranes that can scrub impurities from the blood.
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'Nanobamas' fuse art, science, technology and politics from PhysOrg.com
(PhysOrg.com) -- A University of Michigan professor has created 3-D portraits of the president-elect that are smaller than a grain of salt. He calls them 'nanobamas.'
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