Technology News for June 28, 2008

World might have already reached the tipping point of climate change
Climate experts have warned that the world might have already reached the tipping point of climate change, where immediate actions needed to be done to reduce the effects of global warming. ANI

Poisonous ink likely cause of Biblical text-writing monks deaths
Monks who wrote Biblical texts and other religious materials might have died out of exposure to toxic mercury, with which the red colour ink they used for scripting was made, according to a study. ANI

Mystery behind catastrophic Tunguska explosion remains 100 years on
The Tunguska event, which was a massive explosion that flattened millions of trees in the Siberian wilderness in 1908, has completed its 100-year anniversary, with the mystery as to what caused it, still unsolved. ANI

Tunguska event completes 100th anniversary
The Tunguska event, which was a massive explosion that flattened millions of trees in the Siberian wilderness in 1908, has completed its 100-year anniversary. ANI

Now, sensors beneath skin surface to monitor chronic diseases
Monitoring chronic conditions, such as diabetes, through sensors beneath the skins surface is quite convenient, but it triggers the fibroblast tissue capsule around the sensor. But now, researchers have developed a self-cleaning surface that shakes off the bodys defence response enabling the biosensors to work for longer inside the human body. ANI

Scientists make breakthrough in plant medicine production
Scientists from Wageningen University and Research Centre in the Netherlands have made a breakthrough in plant medicine production, by unravelling and manipulating the glycosylation of proteins in plants. ANI

Now, T -shirts and socks with built-in mosquito repellent
Had enough with new bug-killing solutions to avert that disgusting smell in T-shirts and socks? Well, now make sure to smell good by wearing clothes that have in-built mosquito repellent. ANI

Hear plants play your favourite tune on the Ikebana Speaker
A Japanese engineer has transformed a potted plant into an Ikebana Speaker that makes leaves vibrate and produces sound. ANI

Weak solar cycle may keep more space junk in orbit
A new computer simulation has suggested that a weak and under-active solar cycle could keep thousands of pieces of the destroyed Chinese satellite Fengyun-1C in orbit for far longer than anticipated. ANI

Toxic cane toad causes mass croc deaths in Australia
The high mortality rate of dead freshwater crocodiles in Australias Northern Territory, is a result of the toxic and invasive cane toad, which have become a regular feature in the diet of the crocs. ANI

Gene that gives tomatoes elongated shape identified
Ever wondered what gives fruits and vegetables different shapes and sizes? Well, so far as tomatoes are concerned, crop scientists at Ohio State University have found that a gene called SUN plays a significant role in the elongated shape of various varieties of the fruit. ANI

NASA instrument to study matter in extreme environments of the universe
An instrument to study the matter in extreme environments of the universe has been given the green light from NASA Headquarters, Washington. ANI

NASAs Cassini spacecraft to take a step closer to Titan and Enceladus
NASAs Cassini spacecraft is all set to embark on an extended two-year mission that will bring it closer to two of its most intriguing targets - Titan and Enceladus. ANI

Worlds largest particle collider poses no danger to Earth, say scientists
Microscopic black holes that might possibly be produced by the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), which is the worlds largest particle collider, will not pose any danger to the planet, as they would have no effect of consequence. ANI

Global warming causing significant shift in composition of coastal fish communities
A new analysis has revealed that global warming has led to a long-term shift in composition of coastal fish communities. ANI

Ancient oak trees help reduce global warming
Scientists have discovered that ancient oak trees submerged in freshwater aquatic systems store carbon for thousands of years, thus keeping carbon out of the atmosphere and helping to reduce the effects of global warming. ANI

Biodiesel-powered boat sets new 60-day round-the-world record
Earthrace - a biodiesel-powered boat, has set a new record for the quickest journey around the globe by a powerboat, in just 60 days. ANI

Spiders spin deadlier webs when they are hungry
Black widow spiders spin a deadlier web when they are hungry, and a fortress to have a better protection from predators when they are sated with food, according to a new study. ANI

New technology will identify African penguins by detecting black spots on their chests
Scientists have developed a ground-breaking technology that will enable them to identify and monitor large numbers of African Penguins by detecting a pattern of black spots on their chests. ANI

New evolutionary theory casts light on mechanism and function of humour
A leading science writer and theorist in the UK tries to explain in a new publication the reason humour is common to all human societies, its fundamental role in the evolution of homo sapiens, and its continuing importance in the cognitive development of infants. ANI

Listening to radio emissions in aurora may help in searching alien worlds
The ESAs (European Space Agencys) cluster mission is showing scientists how to understand the radio emissions that accompany the aurora, and, in the future, search for alien worlds by listening for their sounds.Scientists call this radio emission the Auroral Kilometric Radiation (AKR). It is generated high above the Earth, by the same shaft of solar particles that then causes an aurora to light the sky beneath. ANI

New metallic grate may help integrate optical structures with electronic devices at nano-scale
Lehigh University researchers say that they have innovated a metallic grating structure with graded depths which has the unique ability to arrest the progress of terahertz (THz) light waves at multiple locations on its surface, and also at different frequencies (colours). ANI

Most successful comet discoverer in history finds its 1500th comet
The ESA/NASA SOHO spacecraft has just discovered its 1500th comet, making it the most successful comet discoverer in history. ANI