The big-money investments in social networking sites like Facebook are based on the notion that it will be possible to spin users’ networks of friends into gold. But as a Google co-founder admitted today, no one has yet perfected it.
Writing
Shooting clouds with lasers triggers electrical discharge
April 14, 2008
In a step towards gaining the God-like ability to call down lightning bolts on a whim, researchers used an ultra-high-power laser to trigger electrical activity in storm clouds over New Mexico, US.
Sweat ducts may act as giveaway ‘antennas’
April 4, 2008
(This article got Slashdotted.)
Our skin may contain millions of tiny “antennas” in the form of microscopic sweat ducts, say researchers in Israel. In experiments, they found evidence that signals produced by bouncing electromagnetic waves off the tiny tubes might reveal a person’s physical and emotional state from a distance.
Fingernail camera makes any object a touchpad
March 28, 2008
(This article got on Gizmodo.)
Using a camera to detect blood moving under the fingernail, a new system can make almost any object touch sensitive.