Technology News for June 19, 2008

Chinas .cn Internet domain surpasses global .net
Proof that Internet use in China is rapidly rising can be found in the fact that registrations for Internet addresses ending in .cn have surpassed those for the global .net. ANI

The robot that can get around by itself, and make decisions
Researchers at the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) are working on a robot that can walk without help and makes decisions for itself ANI

Global warming might wipe out whales off the face of the Earth
A new research has determined that climate change due to global warming might wipe out the entire species of whales off the face of the Earth. ANI

Ad men eyeing Facebook trendsetters to kick-start new fads
With social networking websites like Facebook or MySpace becoming a rage in cyberspace, advertisers have got new avenues for targeting consumers, according to US researchers. ANI

Now, virtual speed humps to fight speeding motorists
The city of Philadelphia in the United States has come up with a novel solution to fight speeding motorists - the use of optical illusions that simulate road humps to fool drivers and get them to put less pressure on the accelerator. hese virtual humps are part of a city-wide campaign called Drive CarePhilly, which includes more resources for police to catch speeding motorists. ANI

eBay sellers warned not to provide addresses in online ads
While internet auction sites like eBay gain much popularity among internet buyers, those who sell goods on such websites are being warned not to put their addresses in the advertisement, for this can make it easy for the thieves to swipe off the listed products. ANI

Internet addiction turning into a clinical disorder
Internet addiction is turning into a clinical disorder, with more and more people visiting hospitals to curb the time they spend on the web, says a leading psychiatrist. ANI

Computer model suggests large Planet X might lurk beyond Pluto
A new computer model has suggested that an icy, unknown world, referred to as Planet X, might lurk in the distant reaches of our solar system beyond the orbit of Pluto. ANI

Seemingly sluggish whale sharks are deceptively fast deep underwater
Researchers have discovered although whale sharks, which are the worlds biggest fish, seem sluggish on the surface, deep down they are deceptively fast. ANI

Mozilla Firefox claim world record for most downloads
Fans of the Mozilla Firefox web browser claim that they have set a world record by downloading the latest version of the software program more than eight million times in 24 hours. ANI

Brain scans may help people in coma-like state be heard again
A British researcher claims that he has devised a way to communicate with people who, though cant move their limbs, are consciously aware.While making a presentation at the Organisation for Human Brain Mapping Conference, Dr. Martin Monti of the Medical Research Councils Cognition and Brain Science Unit in Cambridge said that his work might have implications for the medical diagnosis of people in a vegetative state, and for determining whether to discontinue feeding. ANI

Archaeologists find Christian Holy Wine factory in Egypt
Archaeologists have found two ancient wine presses in Egypt, which are most likely part of the areas earliest winery, producing holy wine for export to Christians aboard. ANI

Solution of plant world paradox may lead to better predictions for climate change
Scientists have resolved a longstanding paradox in the plant world, which could lead to far more accurate predictions of global climate change. ANI

Black holes of all sizes have similar feeding patterns
A new research has determined that regardless of their size, black holes have similar feeding patterns, which supports the implication of Albert Einsteins relativity theory that black holes of all sizes have similar properties. ANI

Identical twin stars are remarkably different
The analysis of the youngest pair of identical twin stars yet discovered has revealed remarkable differences in brightness, surface temperature and possibly even the size of the two. ANI

Creating diamonds - from Tequila!
Researchers at the University of Nueva Leon near Monterrey in Mexico have discovered a new way to make a type of synthetic diamond - Tequila. ANI

Dandruff shampoos monitoring oxygen levels in oceans
A research team from the University of Leicester is using an ingredient found in dandruff shampoos to monitor oxygen levels in oceans. ANI

New invention can help catch terrorists
An Australian researcher has developed a machine that can quickly determine the type of explosives used in a terrorist attack, which can help in the capture of terrorists. ANI

Lasers, plastic beads may help create affordable new generation microchips
Princeton University engineers say that using lasers and plastic beads may help affordably create ultra-small features that are required for new generations of microchips. ANI

NASAs Phoenix probe makes first trench in science preserve on Mars
NASAs Phoenix Mars Lander has made a new test trench by digging in an area called Wonderland on the Red Planet, taking its first scoop of soil from a polygonal surface feature within the national park region that mission scientists have been preserving for science. ANI

High hormone levels in seabird chicks make them slay their siblings
A Galapagos Island seabird, called the Nazca booby, has a tendency to kill its own siblings from the very moment it comes out of its shell. Scientists have now attributed this murderous behaviour to high levels of testosterone and other male hormones found in the hatchlings. ANI

Bacteria anticipate and prepare for coming changes in their environment
Despite the absence of a nervous system, bacteria anticipate and prepare for coming changes in their surroundings, a new study by Princeton University researchers has found. ANI

Scientists develop new method to estimate geographic location of photos
A new computerized method, called IM2GPS algorithm, devised by Carnegie Mellon University researchers, can tell where a particular photo was taken by matching it to similar GPS-tagged photos in the Flickr online photo collection. ANI

Racers closest to starter pistol likely to be ahead of competitors further away
Sprinters running in lane 1 in the upcoming Olympics would certainly have an advantage over those running in other lanes, for researchers at the University of Alberta in Edmonton have shown that runners closest to the loud starters pistol are likely to react sooner and stronger than runners farther away. ANI

Astronomers detect a new type of aurora on Saturn
A new study has suggested that a new type of aurora may exist on Saturn, creating a faint ring around one the planets poles. ANI

Great apes can plan for the future just like humans
Just like humans, apes also have the capabilities of planning for their future, according to a Swedish study. ANI

Ocean temperatures and sea level increases 50 percent higher than earlier predictions
A new research has suggested that ocean temperatures and associated sea level increases between 1961 and 2003 were 50 percent higher than earlier predictions. ANI

Why abstract things make you happy
Its pretty much understandable why food makes us feel happy, but why does payday feel so good? The green notes are not edible, still the sight of them excite us. Now, a group of researchers have gained an insight into how the brain comes to take pleasure in abstract rewards. ANI

Birds eavesdrop on songs to find the best breeding spots
While human beings thumb through real estate listings and drive around neighbourhoods to find the best place to live and raise a family, some birds have an easy way out - they just listen to songs. ANI

Quadrupling of genes over 550 million years behind vertebrate evolution
Sequencing the genome of a marine invertebrate known as the lancelet, University of California-Berkeley scientists have come up with an explanation as to how a four-fold duplication of the genes took place during vertebrate evolution over the past 550 million years. ANI