Technology News for August 22, 2008

New software makes Hollywood special effects easy to use for amateur filmmakers
Microsoft has unveiled prototype software that can enable amateur video makers to create movie special effects easily at their homes. ANI

Plankton-inspired gadgets to see mysteries beneath worlds oceans
Italian researchers are developing gadgets that can drift like plankton, which they believe may help improve their understanding of the worlds oceans. ANI

Heres why you can focus on your partner at a noisy cocktail party
During a crowded and noisy cocktail party, cutting through the chatter for understanding a conversation is a gift given to humans, say researchers. ANI

Why relearning doesnt help us recollect forgotten information
A new study has shed light on why we find it difficult to recollect forgotten information, even after relearning few pieces of that information. ANI

Penguins blamed for accumulation of arsenic in Antarctica soil
Penguin guano has been accused of dumping arsenic in Antarctica soil by Chinese researchers. ANI

Robot aircraft that harness thermal air currents to save fuel unveiled
British researchers have written a piece of software that can help harness upward-moving thermal air currents to keep un-crewed aerial vehicles aloft, with a view to saving precious fuel. ANI

Now, a device that buzzes you to straighten up when you slouch
You can now stop worrying about the way you look while sitting, for iPosture - a small gadget which can be stuck on the skin and buzzes to remind the wearer to sit up straight, helping improve posture - has come to your rescue. ANI

Scientists produce omega-3 fatty acids from biodiesel byproduct
A Virginia Tech researcher has discovered a way to grow omega-3 fatty acids, known for their potential human health benefits, by using a byproduct of the emerging biodiesel industry. ANI

Medieval painted church windows were based on the principles of nanotechnology!
Painting glass windows with gold nanoparticles offers a way to purify the air, say researchers. ANI

Computer simulation shows stars form around black holes after all
A new computer simulation has suggested that stars can form in the hostile environment around a black hole after all. ANI

Archaeologists unearth Roman period mosaic and iron furnace in Turkey
Archeologists have unearthed a mosaic and an iron furnace from the Roman period, as well as a marketplace, through excavations of the ancient city of Pompeipolis, located in the western Black Sea city of Kastamonu in Turkey. ANI

NASAs Phoenix Mars Lander explores site by trenching
NASAs Phoenix Mars Lander is continuing a dig into the area around the lander by trenching, with the spacecrafts robotic arm looking for new materials to analyze and examining the soil and ice subsurface structure. ANI

Earthquake risk in New York substantially greater than formerly believed
A study by a group of prominent seismologists has suggested that a pattern of subtle but active faults makes the risk of earthquakes to the New York City area substantially greater than formerly believed. ANI

Noise pollution from seismic air guns does not affect Gulf sperm whales
A five-year study has shown that noise pollution - especially noise generated by seismic air guns during geophysical exploration for oil and gas - seems to have minimal effect on endangered sperm whales in the Gulf of Mexico. ANI

Climate change could trigger off future global wars and internal conflicts
International-security experts have suggested that climate-change-related damage to global ecosystems and the resulting competition for natural resources may increasingly serve as triggers for wars and other conflicts in the future. ANI

Genetic study confirms discovery of new fish in Pacific waters
A new genetic study has confirmed the discovery of a new species of fish-a grouper that reaches more than six feet in length and can weigh nearly 1,000 pounds, in the tropical reefs of the Eastern Pacific Ocean. ANI

Research sheds new light on air circulation in the atmosphere
A new research has determined that air circulates above the Earth in four distinct cells, with two either side of the equator. ANI

How the lion got its mane, and the peacock its magnificent tail
A team of Wisconsin scientists have explained the mechanics of how the male lion got his mane, how the bull moose acquired such an impressive set of antlers, and, how the peacock got its magnificent tail. ANI

Living trees with soft roots to pave way for eco-architecture
Tel Aviv University researchers have joined forces with a company to see the possibility of growing trees in such a manner that they provide all civic amenities like homes, playgrounds, and bus stops, among others. ANI

Bigfoot hoaxers resurface, lay blame on California promoter
Bigfoot hoaxers Rick Dyer and Matthew Whitton have resurfaced and are laying the blame of the fraud on Tom Biscardi, the California promoter who trotted them out for a nationally televised press conference on August 15th. ANI

Voters know who theyll vote for even if they havent consciously decided
In the run-up to the U.S. presidential elections, a team of Canadian and Italian researchers has shown that a common psychological testing methodology called the implicit association test can enable pollsters to determine how the undecided will vote, even before the voters know themselves. ANI

Mammals, including humans, have a built-in alarm detector in noses
A new research has suggested that mammals, including humans, have a built-in alarm detector in the tip of the nose for sniffing out danger. ANI

Now, a software to allow the deaf to speak over their mobiles
Researchers at the University of Washington have developed a software that enables deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals to use sign language - over a mobile phone. W engineers got the phones working together this spring, and recently received a National Science Foundation grant for a 20-person field project that will begin next year in Seattle. ANI

Indian-origin researchers test to dramatically reduce deadly disease diagnosis time
An Indian-origin researcher at Kansas State University has developed a rapid test that can significantly reduce the time taken for diagnosing dangerous diseases in the lab, and offer an effective weapon against bio-terrorism. ANI

Tyrannosaurus rex didnt evolve into a chicken, claims new study
A new study has rejected an earlier theory which had suggested that the dinosaur Tyrannosaurus rex evolved into a chicken. ANI