Monthly Archives: February 2010

International cooperation in environmental nanotechnology – example water purification

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Currently, potential and actual applications of nanotechnology in environmental technologies are receiving considerable attention worldwide. Relevant applications include environmental remediation (air, water and soil), monitoring, and resource saving (energy and materials). These technologies are not only intended for markets in wealthy countries, including in Europe, the USA and Japan, but may also be particularly useful for protecting consumers and the environment in emerging economies and developing countries. Furthermore, research groups and companies in emerging economies and developing countries are increasingly active in R+D and manufacturing environmental nanotechnologies, as part of a national knowledge economy. As an example, the ICPC-NanoNet project supports international research cooperation in environmental nanotechnology between the European Union and International Cooperation Partner Countries to the EU. This article focuses on the case of nanotechnology for water purification.

New review journal to organize studies in the nanotechnoloigy, nanoscience and nanobiotechnology fields

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Co-Action Publishing has announced the launch of their latest title, Nano Reviews. The journal's Editor-in-Chief, Professor Vasudevanpillai Biju of the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Japan, seeks no less than to organize the flood of studies that are currently emanating from the Nanoscience, Nanotechnology, Nanobiotechnology and Single-moledule research areas - the 3NS field.

MSI Air Keyboard Mouse Is Like a QWERTY Keypad Crossed With a Wiimote [Peripherals]

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The upcoming MSI Air Keyboard is an HTPC keyboard/mouse combo that fits right in your hands much like a game controller.

Because aside from the typical QWERTY layout, the back is ergonomic for dual-handed use, and it even includes LB and RB shoulder triggers. And much like the Wiimote, the Air doubles as a mouse through the use of an internal accelerometer, allowing you to aim the device to control an onscreen cursor—effectively eliminating that whole where-does-the-mouse-go-on-the-couch problem.

Through a USB dongle, the MSI Air (which is technically a rebranding of an existing product by Cideko), can connect to PCs and Macs up to an impressive 160 feet away. It's available overseas now for the equivalent of $110. [ElectricPig via EverythingUSB]


Thai military chief defends use of magic wands | Bad Astronomy

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Some people cannot learn.

Thai army chief General Anupong Paojinda is defending the use of what are essentially magic wands to detect bombs, even though the specific device they use has been tested repeatedly and failed to perform. This device is essentially the same as the ones used in Iraq and Afghanistan which have been proven worthless, and for which the head of the manufacturing company, Jim McCormick, has been arrested for suspicion of fraud.

Paojinda is convinced the dowsing rods work, even though it’s little more than an antenna glued to a plastic box. In the meantime, thousands of people are dying in bomb attacks in Thailand near the Malaysian border. Incredibly, the devices cost millions of dollars, when it would be far cheaper and far more effective to employ sniffing dogs at the checkpoints.

Antiscience kills. You might think that dowsing rods are a cute diversion or at worst a waste of money, but in fact believing in them is leading directly to the deaths of hundreds if not thousands of people across the world.

Tip o’ the crystal pendulum to BABloggees Claude Works and Jimmy Reynolds.


China to Everybody: Hacks! Hacks? What Hacks? [Google]

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Even as US authorities are getting pretty damn sure who's behind the high-level hacking attempts from the other month, and that they were launched from the Shanghai Jiaotong University and Lanxiang Vocational School, China's all "Nuh uh, eff you guys."

I mean, that really is the essence of their rebuttal. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said that "Reports that these attacks came from Chinese schools are totally groundless and the accusation of Chinese government involvement is also irresponsible and driven by ulterior motives." And that's that, I'm sure. [The Hill]