Technology Sector

China to launch sixth remote-sensing satellite

Nuclear oversight in China inadequate, regulator saysTaiyuan (China), Apr. 22 : China is scheduled to launch a new remote-sensing satellite into the space Wednesday, a spokesman with the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north Shanxi Province said.

Both the satellite, "Yaogan VI," and the Long March 2C carrier rocket were in sound condition and the preparation work was well underway, Xinhua quoted the spokesman, as saying.

China has so far launched five remote-sensing satellites.

Quake rumbles can help provide quick tsunami warnings

Quake rumblesLondon, April 22 : A team of seismologists has developed an early-warning system that can gauge how long an earthquake rumbles, thus helping tsunami warnings to reach vulnerable coastlines within minutes.

Most tsunami-warning systems work by measuring an undersea earthquake''s magnitude, because those above magnitude 7.5 are considered highly likely to generate a tsunami.

However, it takes at least 30 minutes to measure this accurately.

Previous studies have shown that quakes that shake for a long time are more likely to produce a tsunami.

Now, lip-reading computer to interpret different languages

lip-reading computerWashington, Apr 22 : In a breakthrough study, researchers from University of East Anglia (UEA) have developed a novel computer, which can distinguish between different languages.

The researchers hope that the discovery could have practical uses for deaf people, for law enforcement agencies, and in noisy environments.

Lead researchers Stephen Cox and Jake Newman of UEA''s School of Computing Sciences developed the novel system by statistical modelling of the lip motions made by a group of 23 bilingual and trilingual speakers.

AskJeeves.com search results show how recession has changed lifestyles

AskJeeves.com search results show how recession has changed lifestylesLondon, Apr 20: Recession has certainly changed how we surfed web, for instead of buying something, people are searching ways to save money.

Three years ago it was Armani, oysters and buy-to-let mortgages and today its Primark, grow-your-own veg and flat shares among the most searched topics on Internet.

The ongoing credit crisis has reduced people''s interest in organic food and they are now looking for ways to save money by using cheaper cuts of meat.

Apple launches the third beta of iPhone OS 3.0 with minor API changes

Apple launches the third beta of iPhone OS 3.0 with minor API changesThe third beta of iPhone OS 3.0 has been launched by Apple, though with comparatively minor changes to the developer APIs. However, Ars has reported that the beta includes a rather significant transformation to push notification methods - badge, text alert, and sound.

Twitter, Facebook could confuse your moral compass

Twitter, Facebook Washington, Apr 14 : They might keep you socially happy in the cyberspace, but in real life, social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook harm people''s moral values, as they don''t allow time for compassion or admiration, warn scientists.

According to a study from a neuroscience group led by corresponding author Antonio Damasio, director of the Brain and Creativity Institute at the University of Southern California, emotions linked to our moral sense awaken slowly in the mind.

The finding suggests that digital media culture may be better suited to some mental processes than others.

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