Technology News for November 4, 2008

Self-replicating materials may pave way for microelectronics
While organisms are known for their ability to reproduce, scientists have now successfully created an artificial material that can repeatedly copy itself. ANI

DNA-based vaccine against West Nile virus on the anvil
Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology IZI in Leipzig are developing a DNA-based vaccine against the dreaded West Nile virus (WNV), which can be transmitted from animals to humans. ANI

Rainforest fungus that makes myco-diesel discovered
Scientists have found a fungus that produces a new type of fuel, which they call myco-diesel. ANI

Process of detecting illegal nuclear tests improved
Researchers working at the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute KNMI has improved the entire process of measuring, analyzing and interpreting infrasound, which would help them detect events that have inaudible sounds like illegal nuclear tests. ANI

Antelopes click knees to say back off when it comes mating
When it comes to settling disputes over access to fertile females, antelopes click their knees to ward off the competition, according to a new study. ANI

New antireflective coating on solar panels captures more sunlight from all angles
Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in the US have developed a new antireflective coating that boosts the amount of sunlight captured by solar panels at all angles, which would make scientists realize the dream of high-efficiency, cost-effective solar power. ANI

2 mln pounds of scrap iron detoxifies pollutants in industrial wastewater
Researchers have used two million pounds of scrap iron to detoxify pollutants in industrial wastewater in Shanghai, China. ANI

Natural selection favors only some species based on their metabolism rate
A new research by ecologists has determined that natural selection favors only some species based on their rate of metabolism, meaning how fast a species consumes energy, per unit mass, per unit time. ANI

Dead mice frozen for 16yrs resurrected through cloning
Japanese researchers have successfully cloned healthy mice from cells derived from dead mice, which had been frozen for 16 years. ANI

Fuels of the future may come from ice that burns
Scientists have described new advances in developing new fuels like green gasoline, designer hydrocarbons, the ice that burns, and other sources that can help power an energy-hungry world into the future. ANI

Astronaut shield may bring manned mission to Mars a step closer to reality
Scientists have come up with a practical solution for shielding astronauts from deadly solar storms, which may bring plans for a manned mission to Mars one step closer to reality. ANI

Oldest Hebrew text may provide evidence for Biblical stories
The oldest known Hebrew text, found in Israel, could lend historical support to some Bible stories, including the one about King David. ANI

Cassini probe might find life on Saturn moon
A new study has indicated that the Cassini probe may have already collected data that could reveal the presence of life on Saturns moon Enceladus, in the form of an underground ocean capable of sustaining life. ANI

New physics might have been found at Atom Smashers predecessor
The announcement by physicists that the Tevatron particle accelerator at Fermilab in Batavia, Illinois, which is the Large Hadron Colliders (LHCs) predecessor, has produced particles that they are unable to explain, could be a sign of new physics. ANI

Cosmic fireballs to dazzle the skies this week
A dazzling display of cosmic fireballs will light up the sky this week, in the form of an unusually good Taurid meteor shower. ANI

Soon, car-to-car communication network to avoid road accidents
Computer scientists in Germany have written a piece of software that can one day enable cars to coordinate maneuvers together in dangerous situations, such as the falling over of a road construction or a sudden emergence of a child in front of the vehicle. ANI

India needs ICT revolution to move forward: Kapil Sibal
Union Minister of State for Science and Technology and Ocean Development Kapil Sibal has said the country needs an Information Communication and Technology (ICT) revolution if it has to move forward. ANI

Mushrooms can slow down climate warming in northern forests
A new study has found that mushrooms growing in dry spruce forests covering Alaska, Canada, Scandinavia and other northern regions, can slow down climate warming in the regions. ANI

Half-broken gene is more than enough to cause cancer
A single allele of tumour suppressor genes is enough to put a person at risk of cancer, according to a new study. ANI

Smaller mosquitoes more likely to carry diseases-causing viruses
Smaller mosquitoes are more likely to be infected with viruses that cause diseases in humans, according to a new study. ANI

The Grid to handle atom smashers 15 million GB data
Computer scientists are going to use the Grid for dealing with an unprecedented volume of data to be produced by the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) when it is fully up and running, a total of 15 million gigabytes of data every year. ANI

Childhood anxiety can predict adulthood criminal behaviour in men
A team of Italian and British researchers has found that nervousness, social isolation, or anxiousness during childhood protect young men from becoming criminal offenders until they enter adulthood. ANI

Diesel producing fungus may offer an alternative to fossil fuels
A team of researchers has found a fungus that produces a new type of diesel fuel, which holds great promise as it may offer an alternative to fossil fuels. ANI

Lefties are prone to inhibition and anxiety
Lefties not only find it difficult dealing with a world designed for right-handers, but are also prone to inhibition and anxiety, a new research suggests. ANI

New drivers safety program can reduce ADHD-related road accidents, fatalities
Tel Aviv University researchers have come up with a new drivers training program that can help decrease road accidents and fatalities on account of ADHD, an attention deficit disorder common in teens which is considered to be a serious drivers disability. ANI

Measuring how strain affects semiconductors may pave way for faster electronics
Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have come up with a way to measure how strain affects thin films of silicon, which they say may pave the way for faster flexible electronics. ANI