Technology News for February 26, 2008

Astronauts should run, not walk on Moon to conserve energy
Laboratory tests conducted at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology suggest that future astronauts should run across the lunar surface to conserve energy, rather than walk. The tests were conducted with the help of exoskeleton that mimics the experience of moving around in a spacesuit. ANI

Archaeologists rule out Perus lost city discovery claim
The Peruvian Culture Ministry says that stone structures in the country, which were recently suggested to be the ruins of ancient lost city of Paititi, were actually shaped by natural forces, not Inca stone workers. ANI

New technology to increase lifespan of solar cells
Scientists have found a way to increase the lifespan of solar cells by coating them with a material that converts ultraviolet photons into ones of visible light. ANI

Honeybee invaders benefit from genetic endowment of their predecessors
A new study has shown that the honeybee Apis mellifera benefit from the genetic endowment of their predecessors while invading a new place. ANI

Now, a key ring sensor that calculates your contribution to CO2 emission
A postgraduate student at the Royal College of Art in London has created a key ring sensor called Carbon Hero, which uses satellite navigation technology to track journeys, and alert travellers on their cell phones as to how much they are contributing to global warming. ANI

Heavy rainfall could trigger earthquakes in landscapes full of caves, channels
A new study has suggested that heavy downpours of rain could cause earthquakes in landscapes full of caves and channels by escalating pressure within underlying rock. ANI

Gene involved in determining human hair texture identified
Researchers at the Columbia University Medical Center have identified a new gene that is involved in determining hair texture in humans. ANI

Manufacturing solar cells produces less pollution than fossil fuels
A new study by scientists has indicated that the manufacture of solar cells produces far fewer air pollutants than conventional fossil fuel technologies. his study, which is the first comprehensive study on the pollutants produced during the manufacture of solar cells, will appear in the March 15 issue of the ACS (American Chemical Society) Environmental Science and Technology. ANI

Scientists find Antarctic krill feeding down to depths of 3,000 meters
Scientists have discovered Antarctic krill living and feeding down to depths of 3000 meters in the waters around the Antarctic Peninsula. ANI

Your hair can reveal what you ate, drank and where youve been
A new study has shown that a single strand of your hair is enough for forensic scientists to discover where you live or the places you have been to. ANI

First 30,000 pages of online encyclopedia unveiled
The first 30,000 pages of the online Encyclopedia of Life have been unveiled at the prestigious Technology, Entertainment and Design (TED) Conference in Monterey, California on Feb 27. ANI

Proteins that help bacteria resist antibiotics identified
Scientists at Ohio State University have identified two proteins that help disease-causing bacteria cells put up a fight and resist certain antibiotics. ANI

Evolutionary history of lemurs may shed light on our own
DNA analysis of more than 200 lemurs by researchers has helped in getting a clearer picture of the evolutionary history of the species, which in turn might shed light on the family tree of humans. ANI

Hormone therapy raises odds of abnormal mammogram, breast biopsy
A new study has found that combined hormone therapy appears to increase the chances of women experiencing abnormal mammograms and breast biopsies and might decrease the effectiveness of both methods for detecting breast cancer. ANI

New atmospheric modeling on Mars and Venus could have implications for Earth
A study by scientists about how the atmospheres of Mars and Venus are affected by carbon monoxide, could help in the atmospheric modeling of both the planets, which in turn could have implications for Earth. ANI

Recycling exhaust heat may power green cars
Cardiff University engineers are considering developing a means to convert waste heat from car exhausts into electricity. ANI

Now, a robotic dog that eases loneliness like a real pooch
For those who cant look after their pet dog but would love to keep one, Sony has manufactured a doggie robot, Aibo, which is almost similar to real dogs in terms of alleviating loneliness and causing emotional attachments. ANI

Moms antibody production against fetus brain may trigger autism
According to a new study, it is the mothers production of antibodies against her babys brain tissue during pregnancy that triggers autism in the fetus. ANI

Swedish Viking women dressed more provocatively than believed
Women who lived in the major Viking settlement called Birka in the 9th and 10th centuries dressed more provocatively than previously thought, according to a Swedish archaeologist. ANI

Scientists crack genetic coding of the pea plant
For the first time, scientists have given a proper insight into the DNA of the pea, by unravelling its genetic coding. ANI

Oxygenation events in ancient oceans may have sparked spread of complex life
A new study has suggested that the rise of oxygen and the oxidation of deep oceans between 635 and 551 million years ago may have had an impact on the increase and spread of the earliest complex life, including animals. ANI

New test may help prevent recurrence of breast cancer
A pioneering technique that examines large sections of the sentinel lymph node, a group of nodes reached by metastasizing cancer cells, may prevent recurrence of breast cancer and multiple surgeries. ANI