Tech & Science

NASA is beginning the final preparations for next Wednesday's launch of the Dawn probe, aboard a Delta II rocket. The Dawn probe, costing over US$250 million, will visit the dwarf planet Ceres and the asteroid Vesta. The launch was originally planned for mid-June, however due to a damaged crate, shipping delays, and a damaged solar panel, NASA chose to delay it until now. Last week the spacecraft was delivered to the launch pad, and engineers performed tests to ensure that it is ready for launch. Today, the payload fairings were installed, and

On Tuesday, Microsoft launched BizTalk Server 2006 R2 with Radio-frequency Identification (RFID) technology in Taiwan. Microsoft Taiwan held a launch seminar with "Pulse the Operations with the Communication of Enterprises" topic and invited hardware and software companies to highlight the integration of RFID, SOA, and EDI with BizTalk Server 2006 R2. At the press conference, Steven Martin (Director of Product Management for BizTalk® Server Product Group at Microsoft Corp.) mentioned the improvements to BizTalk Server 2006 R2 and the lower cos

The X Prize Foundation announced it is offering a US$20 million prize to the first team that lands a rover on the Moon, roves more than 500 meters and transmits back to Earth high definition images and video. The goal of the Google Lunar X PRIZE, like that of the previous Ansari X PRIZE, is to motivate private investment in space exploration and technology. In addition to the $20 million first prize, there is a $5 million dollar second prize and $5 million in potential bonuses prizes. The X Prize Foundation is a Santa Monica-based nonprofit

Before the 12th Semicon Taiwan at Taipei World Trade Center (TWTC) starts, SEMI Taiwan held a press conference and announced semiconductor industry statistics about global market forecast and 300mm fab capacity. At the conference, Stanley Myers remarked that Taiwan will have a great improvement and growth on investments of semiconductor materials and technologies. Currently, due to the requirements and performances of consumer products, the new technology will take effect on upgraded materials and costs of investments. Fabs of 300mm capacity g

Australian Prime Minister John Howard has announced that leaders of APEC nations have agreed on "aspirational goals" on climate change. The agreement, which Prime Minister Howard calls the Sydney declaration focuses on reducing energy intensity (the amount of energy used to produce a dollar of gross domestic product), reforestation and technology sharing. Despite Australia, the United States and China being non-signatories to the United Nations' Kyoto protocol on greenhouse gas reductions which is set to expire in 2012, the APEC accord calls f

On August 27, Iran published public information report about its nuclear program, thus unveiling a part of outstanding issues still in discussion with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). In this document, Tehran provide clarifications about plutonium experiments and shows signs of cooperation in clearing up questions about its efforts to acquire nuclear technology. The IAEA issued a new report on August 30, and distributed copies of its report ahead of a September 10 meeting of the organization's 35-member board. This report also reflec

YouTube videos could once again be viewed today in Thailand, nearly six months after the video-sharing website was blocked for hosting a video that showed images deemed offensive to Thailand's monarch, King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Information and Communications Technology Minister Sitthichai Pookaiyaudom said the ministry unblocked YouTube after the website said it had developed ways to block Thailand viewers from seeing contents that violate Thai laws. In April, YouTube was blocked in Thailand after a video was uploaded that showed graffiti scra

Security firm F-Secure announced on Monday they have confirmed rootkit-like behavior within the software provided by electronics giant Sony in their MicroVault USB memory sticks. F-Secure had received a report that their DeepGuard software was highlighting an issue when the memory stick was connected. After closer analysis by F-Secure it was identified that the software was creating a hidden directory within the users computer that neither the user or anti-virus software could detect. They say that the issue is similar to the one in 2005 wher

The fossilised skull of a Cretaceous crocodile has been unearthed from the coast of Dorset, United Kingdom. The 58 cm skull, which belongs to an animal called a Goniopholis, was discovered by Richard Edmonds, earth science manager for the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site team. "It's only the second crocodile skull to be found in the area in the last 30 years. It was obviously a real piece of luck to find something like that. The crocodile skull really is the find of a lifetime." he said. Describing how he located the skull, he said “A part o

George Hotz, 17, confirmed on Friday that he has cracked the lock that joins the Apple iPhone to AT&T's wireless network and was using it on T-Mobile's network—the only other major U.S. carrier compatible with iPhone technology. This crack opens up the phone, which is only being sold in the U.S., to use on overseas networks. "That's the big thing," said Hotz. Hotz posted the complicated hack, which requires skill with both soldering and software and takes about two hours to perform, to his blog Thursday. He collaborated over the Internet with

A successful 12-month trial of mobile phone blocking technology in New Zealand prisons has just been completed, according to the Minister of Corrections, Vodafone and Telecom. Corrections Minister, Damien O'Conner, described this technology as a world first and a significant milestone for the Department of Corrections. The mobile phone blocking technology is being implemented to help prevent the growing problem of inmates using mobile phones which they are currently prohibited from. One case included a Mt Eden prisoner using a mobile phone to

Friends and family mourned further today by releasing balloons into the Manchester sky, after it was revealed that one of the triple murder victims from Fallowfield's "Triple murder massacre" achieved two As and a B in her A-level exams. Around 100 balloons were released some with her papers documenting her grades at Parrswood Technology College. Kesha Wizzart was brutally murdered with her mother, Beverley Samuels and her brother, Fred Wizzart in July 2007. The suspect charged with their murders is 32 year-old Pierre Williams, originating fro