Science

Forty years ago the British invaded American pop culture, led by four polished, handsome devils from the least-polished place on earth. Upon arrival in the United States from Liverpool, England, the Beatles' went about changing American music ... forever. That impact will be commemorated in the oddest fashion when NASA blasts the lyrics for the band's popular "Across the Universe" as part of the 50th anniversary of its first space mission. Although neither anniversary is particularly odd, their combination seems an interesting 'mashup'. For a space administration that is as American as Wisconsin ... (view more)

Although we're often told not to shoot the messenger, the Messenger is certainly shooting up outer space. The spacecraft blazed past Mercury in mid-January, and took some rather remarkable snapshots of the tiny grey planet closest to the sun. The ... most impressive of those pictures has been dubbed "The Spider," and features a massive geological formation that has dazzled scientists. Many believe the subject of Messenger's photographs -- a giant, central depression surrounded by over a hundred thin trenches zig-zagging each way outwards -- is something very new and very exciting in recent ... (view more)

Who will Americans choose in 2008 to lead the country into a new decade? Republican? Democrat? Conservative? Liberal? Independent? The conventional wisdom is to compare the various presidential candidates on all the so-called "popular" issues: ... things like immigration, Roe vs. Wade, the war in Iraq, the economy, Global Warming, and health care. But the stance a president takes on 'high' technology can also result in world-changing events and may be more important than you think. Don't believe it? Consider President Kennedy -- his going-to-the-moon objective catalyzed years of technology ... (view more)

Tests at the University of Washington have shown it's possible to reroute brain signals to move paralysed limbs. The results could eventually lead to treatment for spinal injury victims. The study works on the idea that, although spinal injuries ... damage the connections which carry nerve signals, victims usually retain both the muscles in the affected limb and the use of the motor cortex, the part of the brain which controls movement. Unlike some parts of the brain, which work on a 'use it or lose it' basis, studies have shown people can retain full control over the motor cortex even after ... (view more)

UK laptop buyers will now have greener purchasing options thanks to a recent Toshiba initiative. For an extra £1.18 (or $2.43) Toshiba will plant a tree in the consumer's name, which they claim will "offset the lifetime carbon footprint of your  ...computer." One of several companies to launch recent green initiatives, Toshiba's new program is certainly a step in the right direction. However, critics warn that these activities may give consumers a false sense of accomplishment. (Source: arstechnica.com ) Toshiba will plant native UK trees and smaller ground cover species for the next ...<a href="/news/2940/stop-global-warming-one-toshiba-laptop-time" class="more-link">view more

We all do dumb things. I once lost my house keys for days, only to find them placed neatly underneath a bowl of salad in the kitchen fridge. Now, there's a response to these "mental farts": fish. According to researchers at the University of Oxford ... in England, elderly men and women performed better when tested for memory, visual conception, motor skills, verbal fluency, general orientation, and even attention after they had consumed fish regularly over an extended period of time. According to Dr. A. David Smith, principal author of the Oxford study, "All six cognitive tests were performed ... (view more)

I bet Al Gore likes it when we have to shell out more dough to fill our gas tanks. Indeed, there's a good chance any environmentalist appreciates high fuel costs, especially now that a recent study is reporting that skyrocketing energy costs can ... limit greenhouse gases. Unfortunately, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) study can't find a good side for everything. Sure, the environment is going to benefit if we all try to avoid paying high fuel prices by carpooling, taking public transit, or heck, a bicycle to work, but the general trend is not good. In fact, the MIT researchers ... (view more)

On Friday, Microsoft announced a new program to help put more second-hand computers pre-loaded with Windows in the hands of consumers. Building on the success of its 'Community Microsoft Authorized Refurbisher' program, which helps deliver used PCs ... with authorized copies of Windows to charities, educational institutions, and nonprofits, the software giant announced a similar program for commercial businesses that resell computers. Prior to this announcement most PCs that entered the 'used' market were shipped without an operating system, because Microsoft required the units to have both their ... (view more)

Computers can now recognise the work of different artists and even tell the differences between genuine paintings and fakes. Scientists at Israel's University of Haifa have developed a mathematical program that analyses paintings geometrically. The ... computer breaks down the picture into its component sections, then calculates the sines and cosines. (If you've forgotten your high school trigonometry, that means the relative size and shapes of triangles.) Once the computer learns the pattern of a particular artist, it can identify whether another painting is legitimately that person's work. ... (view more)

Which major computer manufacturer will be the first to commit to a carbon-neutral strategy? As of right now, it looks like Dell. Earlier this year, Dell launched a program called 'Plant a Tree for Me.' As a result, customers can make donations which ... will pay for trees to be planted to counteract the carbon emissions caused by the hardware they are buying. Now, Dell is creating an extension of this program which it will call 'Plant a Forest for Me.' This new program will allow global organizations to work with Dell in tree planting and reforestation efforts. Unfortunately, saving the earth is ... (view more)