The latest developments in science, engineering and technology.

According to astronomers working with NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope, terrestrial planets may have formed around many of the sun-like stars in the Milky Way Galaxy. University of Arizona, Tucson, astronomer Michael Meyer and his colleagues used NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope to determine whether planetary systems like ours are common or rare in our Milky Way galaxy. [...]

Moore’s Law dictates that computer processing power doubles approximately every 18 months. At some point in the next few years silicon transistors, which are made smaller each year to increase their processing power, will face a physical barrier. The next generation of processors will need to be made of carbon nanotubes or use quantum computing [...]

On February 17, 2009, millions of people receiving analog television signals using an antenna will no longer receive television reception. Cable and satellite dish subscribers will not be affected. Don’t panic, but one year from today, millions of television sets will be as obsolete as an 8-track tape. Yours may be one of them. [...]

Located in Peterborough, NH, the completely off grid house was built by Borrego Solar. The house incorporates a photovoltaic array, a wood boiler and energy efficient appliances to ensure that energy needs are met without a grid connection. In fact, the owner, Chris Anderson, the COO of Borrego Solar, states that there is often surplus [...]

Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology, have found that nanowire covered fibers have the potential to generate electricity. The research, sponsored in part by the National Science Foundation, investigates how clothing made of such fibers could generate a small amount of electricity based on movements of the wearer. “The fiber-based nanogenerator would be a [...]

In this image, courtesy of NASA, astronaut Hans Schlegel works on the International Space Station earlier this week. In the darkness of space, European Space Agency astronaut Hans Schlegel participates in the mission’s second spacewalk as construction and maintenance continue on the International Space Station. During the six-hour, 45-minute spacewalk, Schlegel and NASA astronaut Rex Walheim [...]

The fossils of Kryptops and Eocarcharia, were discovered in Niger, Africa by paleontologists Paul Sereno and Stephen Brusatte, members of Project Exploration. The meat eating dinosaurs were about 25 feet long and lived at the same time that “SuperCroc” (Sarcosuchus) roamed the earth. Eocarcharia dinops, or “fierce-eyed dawn shark,” was so named for its blade-shaped [...]

First released in February of 2006, the Yahoo User Interface Library (YUI) is a set of powerful web development tools. The YUI, released under the BSD License, includes utilities, widgets and controls that work across multiple browsers. It has been integrated into just about every server language and in multiple CMSs. It [...]

The Curve is a rear projection DLP monitor that has a lightning fast .02ms response time. Alienware expects to ship the 40 inch wide monitor, curved to simulate peripheral vision, in late 2008. The selling price has yet to be determined…

A study, sponsored in part by The National Science Foundation, examined the costs and benefits to the environment and to the lives of Chinese people by the rapid adoption of electric bikes (E-Bikes) in China. More than 40 million Chinese currently use E-bikes as their mode of transportation. Some have chosen to purchase an E-bike [...]