Latest science news in Mathematics & Economics
"Smart" Appliances Could Aid Power Grid
Firms are looking to build appliances such as refrigerators that delay use until a local electrical grid signals it's a good off-peak time to suck down more electricity.
40,000 extra using disability services
The number of people relying on disability services in Australia has jumped by 24 per cent over the past four years, according to a new report.
Feature: Inside ecovillage life
Once regarded as little more than hippy communes, ecovillages are attracting a lot of attention as Australians, driven by concerns about climate, sustainability and community, seek a more satisfying lifestyle...
Australia opens national tsunami warning center
(AP) -- Australia became an integral link in a network of tsunami warning hubs across the Indian and Pacific oceans with the official opening of a national monitoring center...
Researchers Find New Way Of Measuring 'Reality' Of Virtual Worlds
A research team has developed a new way of measuring how "real" online virtual worlds are -- an important advance for the emerging technology that can be used to foster...
Electronic Arts makes games for Android mobile phone
Videogame titan Electronic Arts on Wednesday unveiled titles tailored for play on freshly-launched "Google phones" running on Android open-source software.
Predicting Boom And Bust Ecologies
While scholars may be a long way from predicting the ins and outs of the economy, biologists have uncovered fundamental rules that may govern population cycles in many natural systems.
Computer Scientists Seek New Framework For Computation
There have been several revolutions during the 60 year history of electronic computation, such as high level programming languages and client/server separation, but one key challenge has yet to be...
'Second China' offers foreign service workers first impression
Diplomats or military envoys making their first trip to China may soon have a chance to visit a Chinese office building, stop in at a traditional teahouse or hop a...
Japanese electronic giants blame strong yen for plunging profits
Sony Corp. and Toshiba Corp. reported a sharp drop in quarterly profits on Wednesday, a fall that both Japanese electronic companies attributed to the slowing global economy and the rising...
LinkedIn reels in outside programs for Web site
(AP) -- Following the lead of more playful Internet hangouts, LinkedIn is trying to enliven its Web site's office-like atmosphere by offering online programs made by other companies.
Qwest 3Q profit down; will cut 1,200 jobs
(AP) -- Qwest Communications International Inc. posted a profit for its third quarter Wednesday, but said the continued slide of its traditional phone business is forcing it to cut...
What you don't learn at school about the economy
Ignoring decades of sophisticated economic theory spells trouble for us all, argues Philip Ball.
Mozambique to launch science parks for development
The Mozambican government will develop four 'science parks' to encourage scientists to find solutions for health and infrastructure.
US election: Ghosts in the machine
Electronic voting machines were supposed to vanquish unreliable counts. They did not #20; but David Lindley finds that other technologies present their own problems.
Pharmaceutical futures: Made in China?
Where should the drug industry go to find new ideas? In the of two features, Alison Abbott asked if the future lies in systems biology #20; a field that...
Online database unites science and human rights
Human rights organisations and scientists should find collaborating easier with the help of a new online database.
"Bait Cars" Catch Thieves In Act
The new, hi-tech system enables police to lure would-be crooks, watch via video remote as they do their thing, then disable the vehicle from afar and nab the suspects. The...
U.K. Approves Animal-Human Embryo Testing
British plans to allow scientists to use hybrid animal-human embryos for stem cell research have won final approval from lawmakers in a sweeping overhaul of sensitive science laws.
One Man's Plan To Save A Natural Treasure
American Greg Carr is using his great wealth to try to help some of the poorest people in Africa by attracting more tourists to their neighborhood - the beautiful national...
Divorce Wars: Woman Kills Hubby's Avatar
A 43-year-old Japanese piano teacher's sudden divorce from her online husband in a virtual game world made her so angry that she logged on and killed his digital persona, police...
BCE profit drops on Bell charges
Restructuring charges at Bell Canada pulled down the bottom line at parent company BCE Inc. in the third quarter, the companies said Wednesday.
A holiday card guide for geeks
Technology might have killed the art of letter writing, but it has improved another time-honored form of communication: holiday cards.
OpenOffice is a worthy alternative
The final version of OpenOffice.org 3, the open source competitor to Microsoft Office, came out two weeks ago and looks better than ever.
Mac's fan doesn't know when to quit
Q. Over the last month, the blower on my Intel iMac seems to run a lot more often than it has in the past. For instance, everything is fine when...
Yahoo lets outside developers play with its software
Yahoo has followed through on a promise to give outside developers access to its software in order to jazz-up the website with fun, hip or functional programmes.
BlackBerry Partners makes first investments
(AP) -- Location, location, location is the theme for the first investments made by a venture capital fund set up with money from BlackBerry maker Research in Motion Ltd.
Animal rights activist is accused of Oxford University bombings
An animal rights "fanatic" was behind the planting of petrol bombs at Oxford University as part of a terrorist campaign to stop the building of a £20m research laboratory, a...