Technology News for November 25, 2008

Synthetic sea worm glue may help repair fractured bones in future
Researchers at the University of Utah have created a synthetic version of the superglue that sandcastle worms combine with sand and shell to build their sturdy tube-shaped homes, and believe that it may one day be used to repair shattered bones in knees, other joints and the face. ANI

Now, cell phones to help avoid traffic jams
The Transportation Department of Northern California, which has banned cell phones in cars, is allowing people headed to Tahoe for the holidays to turn their devices on, to test the efficacy of a new software program in sending information regarding traffic conditions to travellers handsets. ANI

Soon, a neighbourhood watch to detect and report Internet network problems
Researchers at the McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science at Northwestern University say that they have devised a way to detect and report in real time Internet network problems that often go unnoticed, and annoy netizens as well as business houses. ANI

When it comes to sperm, size does not matter
A new study from University of Sheffield has challenged the popular scientific notion that length of a sperms tail can determine how fast it can swim. ANI

Hair whorls on horses heads may tell they are left- or right-hoofed
In what may have significant implications for horse racing, an Irish study has found that the hair on a horses head can predict whether it is left- or right-hoofed. ANI

Scientists unveil most waterproof clothing fabric
Swiss chemists have developed a new material from polyester fibres coated with millions of tiny silicone filaments, which they claim is the most water-repellent clothing-appropriate material ever created. ANI

Female flies can turn back their biological clock
Female flies have a unique ability to turn back the biological clock and extend lifespan at the same time, according to a new study. ANI

Earliest settlers in the Caribbean preferred to live on smaller islands
New evidence has suggested that the earliest settlers in the Caribbean preferred to live on smaller islands, which challenges the assumption that large islands are more important than small ones in the history of human expansion and settlement. ANI

Studying prehistoric climate can help forecast future changes
A new research has indicated that studying prehistoric warm periods can help in forecasting future changes in climate. ANI

Study sheds new light on inner workings of computers, mp3 players
Scientists from Queen Mary, University of London, say that an exciting new field of research called organic spintronics has helped them improve their understanding of the inner workings of computers and mp3 players. ANI

Himalayan oregano may help eradicate MRSA superbug
A natural oil from Himalayan oregano can help wipe out deadly hospital superbug MRSA, according to a new research. ANI

Sea slug steals genes from algae to run on solar power
Scientists have attributed the ability of a green sea slug to run on solar power to plant genes that it stole from the algae it eats. ANI

Scientists solve the Grays Paradox to reveal secret behind dolphins speed
Researchers from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute claim to have solved the Grays Paradox - how dolphins can swim so fast. ANI

Polymers battered with nanoparticles may pave way for self-healing paints
University of Warwick researchers say that they have developed a process whereby small particles of polymer can be easily and cheaply covered with a silica-based nanoparticles. ANI

NASA astronauts may soon visit a nearby asteroid
A new report by a high-level panel of experts has praised the idea of sending NASA astronauts to visit a nearby asteroid. ANI

Growing plants and trees on garbage dumps could help save the planet
A team of scientists has suggested that growing plants and trees on top of a landfill, a process known as phytocapping, could reduce the production and release of harmful greenhouse gases like methane and carbon dioxide (CO2). ANI

Bacteria may serve as future bio-robots for disease diagnosis
Scientists struggle to create robots tiny enough to imprint microscopic patterns onto microchips and for medical purposes may soon be over, for UC Berkeley researchers have said that it may be possible to create new species of slave bacteria to perform such jobs instead. ANI

Global warming can change organic matter in soil
In a new research, scientists at the University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC), Canada, have shown that global warming can actually change the molecular structure of organic matter in soil. ANI

New method could lead to solar cells with greater efficiency
Researchers at MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) have developed a method that could lead to solar photovoltaic cells with greater efficiency and lower cost. ANI

NASAs new mission to perform in-depth study of Jupiter
NASA is preparing to launch a mission to the planet Jupiter, which will conduct an unprecedented, in-depth study of the planet, understanding its formation, evolution and structure. ANI

Hot spots in space that bombard Earth with cosmic rays identified
The Los Alamos National Laboratory cosmic-ray observatory in New Mexico, US, has seen for the first time two distinct hot spots in space that appear to be bombarding Earth with an excess of cosmic rays. ANI

Compulsive gamers are not addicts, says expert
Young people who seek treatment for compulsive computer gaming are not addicted, says a leading expert. ANI

Buddhas skull found in 1,000-year-old miniature pagoda in China
Archaeologists have claimed that a 1,000-year-old miniature pagoda, unearthed in Nanjing, China, holds a piece of skull belonging to Siddhartha Gautama, the founder of Buddhism. ANI

Lizards do push ups to gain neighbours attention before displaying their territories
Deploying robotic lizards in a Puerto Rico forest, UC Davis researchers have confirmed that animals can use body language to alert their neighbours before conveying any message, when the environment around them is noisy. ANI

Tibetan glaciers are melting faster than previously believed
If reports are to be believed, the Tibetan glaciers are melting faster than anyone thought, putting nearly a billion people living in South Asia in peril of losing their water supply. ANI

Indian telescope observes mysterious absence of hydrogen in distant galaxies
A team of Australian astronomers has been left puzzled with the mysterious absence of hydrogen from distant galaxies in the far distant reaches of the Universe, which they observed using an Indian telescope. ANI

Chandrayaan-1 starts observing the Moon
After Indias lunar orbiter Chandrayaan-1 released a probe that impacted close to the south pole of the Moon on November 14, the instruments on the spacecraft are being switched on to get the science observations started. ANI

Tiny microscopic spheres can trap and kill harmful bacteria
American researchers have developed tiny microscopic spheres that can trap and kill harmful bacteria in the same manner as roach motels snare and destroy cockroaches. ANI

Retinal cell regeneration in mice offers macular degeneration treatment hope
University of Washington (UW) researchers say that it is possible to stimulate the regeneration of inner nerve cells in a damaged mammalian retina, the area at the back of the eye that receives light and sends the images of what one sees to the brain. ANI

Panamanian termites fastest mandible strike can kill nest invaders in one hit on head
The termite Termes panamensis (Snyder) can kill a would-be nest invader just by hitting it once on its head, according to a new study. ANI