Recently, the fossilised remains of an ancient whale with huge, fearsome teeth, was discovered. Researchers have dubbed this 12-million-year-old, 17 metre long creature, as ‘Leviathan’. This massive creature shared many features with modern day whales except one — the Leviathan was an aggressive predator that hunted down whales and other large fish. Researchers also note that around this time there was another fierce prey in the waters, a 15 metre long shark. It is likely that the two fought each other.
Superman has had it and so has Batman, now it is Wonder Woman that gets a costume change. After 70 years of fighting crime in her traditional attire, DC Comics (the publisher of Wonder Woman) issued the heroine a new costume. The costume, designed by Jim Lee, reflects modern times and yet incorporates her bracelets, tiara, and magic lasso. Wonder Woman was created by noted psychologist and inventor Dr William Moulton Marston in December 1941. Along with Superman and Batman, she is one of three characters to have been continuously published by DC Comics since the company’s 1944 inception.
A sophisticated lost language, dating back to over 3,500 years ago, took years of hard work by humans to be translated. The same task has been accomplished by a computer program in hours. The program looked for correlations and correspondences at the various levels of the language. It then mapped the similarities between Ugaritic and other older similar languages. By cross-referencing and repeating the process hundreds of thousands of times, the program arrives at a fully deciphered Ugaritic. The language was spoken in ancient Syria and closely resembles the language used in ancient Sumeria.
Scientists have developed a smart sheet of paper. This ‘smart sheet’ can automatically fold into a boat or a plane — or whatever shape it is programmed to be. Although a very basic first step, this programmable matter will allow people in the future to carry along tools that can be programmed to be in any shape needed. The sheet is comprised of interconnected triangular sections that are programmed to fold in a certain manner. The shape-shifting sheets demonstrate an end-to-end process that is a first step towards making everyday objects whose mechanical properties can be programmed.
For 25 years he has interviewed world leaders, entertainers and leading personalities. Larry King is set to retire after more than 50,000 interviews and winning numerous accolades along the way. King hosts Larry King Live on CNN, transmitted around the world, but originally started off in radio on May 1, 1957. Though he started as a DJ, he quickly established himself by getting interviews of personalities and hosting shows of his own. He also briefly did some sports commentary but eventually it was his own show in 1978. He eventually moved to CNN in June 1985 where he garnered worldwide respect and attention.
10.7.10
26.6.10
Young World Showcase
In the hope of discovering life in our Solar System, scientists are hoping to do so through a clever technique. Europa is one of the many moons of the largest planet in our solar system, Jupiter. Covered in a layer of ice, scientists hypothesise that life may exist in an ocean under that icy surface as Jupiter’s gravity might help to create heat and water. If life exists on Europa, scientists could either deploy probes to drill past its ice shell to look for aliens in the ocean below or just go fossil-hunting on the icy surface. Since the drilling might take time — depending on the surface thickness of the moon — this approach is being considered by scientists.
Toy Story 3 has finally arrived at cinemas. Nearly 10 years after Toy Story 2 and 15 after the first Toy Story, the third movie features all of the toys in the last two movies and many new ones too. Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack and Michael Keaton star. The film’s human hero, Andy, also returns and it’s time for him to go to college. As he prepares to leave his toys behind, they are uncertain of their own future. Similarly, it was uncertain if Toy Story 3 itself would be made. Since the film was made by PIXAR which used characters owned by Disney, there was apprehension as to which studio would get to make the movie. After detailed negotiations, and nearly 10 years, the two studios decided to make the film together.
Eclipse, the third film in the Twilight series, promises to be more action driven than the previous two. Starring Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner, reprising their roles as Bella Swan, Edward Cullen and Jacob Black, respectively, and was directed by David Slade. Slade, is no stranger to vampires, having directed the previous horror hit 30 Days of Night. The director brings in his experience of vampires with unique fighting sequences that will make Eclipse a much better hit than its previous movies.
Just as the World Cup begins and people are starting to get excited about Football, the NBA Finals were recently held in the city of Los Angeles. The finals are considered to be the world cup of basketball as teams from cities all across the US compete to be the best. This year, it was the fierce rivalry of the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics that played out. The two teams faced off once again in this year’s finals which the Lakers won in the best of seven games. Between the two teams, the Boston Celtics lead in total championships with 17 against the Lakers’ 16. Together, the two teams account for more than half of the 64 championships in NBA history!
Toy Story 3 has finally arrived at cinemas. Nearly 10 years after Toy Story 2 and 15 after the first Toy Story, the third movie features all of the toys in the last two movies and many new ones too. Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack and Michael Keaton star. The film’s human hero, Andy, also returns and it’s time for him to go to college. As he prepares to leave his toys behind, they are uncertain of their own future. Similarly, it was uncertain if Toy Story 3 itself would be made. Since the film was made by PIXAR which used characters owned by Disney, there was apprehension as to which studio would get to make the movie. After detailed negotiations, and nearly 10 years, the two studios decided to make the film together.
Eclipse, the third film in the Twilight series, promises to be more action driven than the previous two. Starring Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner, reprising their roles as Bella Swan, Edward Cullen and Jacob Black, respectively, and was directed by David Slade. Slade, is no stranger to vampires, having directed the previous horror hit 30 Days of Night. The director brings in his experience of vampires with unique fighting sequences that will make Eclipse a much better hit than its previous movies.
Just as the World Cup begins and people are starting to get excited about Football, the NBA Finals were recently held in the city of Los Angeles. The finals are considered to be the world cup of basketball as teams from cities all across the US compete to be the best. This year, it was the fierce rivalry of the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics that played out. The two teams faced off once again in this year’s finals which the Lakers won in the best of seven games. Between the two teams, the Boston Celtics lead in total championships with 17 against the Lakers’ 16. Together, the two teams account for more than half of the 64 championships in NBA history!
13.6.10
Steve Jobs does it again
Only a few short weeks have passed since the launch of the iPad and even lesser time since it became available on the international market, and already the device has sold millions of units. The gadget, which garnered much hype after its announcement, is in between a smartphone and a laptop, letting people communicate and surf the web on the go.
You can check your e-mails, update your blog, post tweets on twitter, check out your friends’ updates on Facebook and keep in touch with your Linkedin account, all with a simple gesture of your fingers.
It can do pretty much anything a computer can and its interface interactivity is through a touch-screen. Like the iPod and the iPhone before it, users can download software applications for the device from the Apple App Store online. The iPad is also capable of downloading and reading electronic books from the new iBookstore.
So far more than 12 million software applications have been downloaded by iPad users and more than 1.5 million electronic books have been downloaded from its iBookstore; clearly showing the popularity and the demand of the iPad.
Analysts are predicting that worldwide iPad sales are expected to come between five and seven million units in 2010 alone. That number will jump to around 14 million units in 2011 and up to 20 million units in 2012.
Keeping such demand and growth of the device in mind Apple had to delay the launch of the iPad due to a surge of demand in the US and abroad. However, as the demand for the iPad grows, so does the demand for an alternative to the sensational device.
Computer giant Hewlett-Packard has already announced the HP Slate, a Windows-based tablet computer, similar to the look and feel of the iPad. The HP Slate uses Windows 7 as its Operating System, which is the rival company to Apple.
Though HP is confident with its tablet computer, it hasn’t generated the same hype as the Apple iPad did. That’s purely because of the ‘wow’ factor generated by Apple upon the announcement of the iPad.
The announcement, usually done by Steve Jobs, is where all the buzz and hype begins—and Apple has been very good at this, constantly creating the thrill and excitement around its latest products.
It was this excitement that has helped sell millions of units of the iPad and the many millions of units of the iPhone and the iPod—a passion that can only be found at the hands of the wonder magician that is Steve Jobs.
You can check your e-mails, update your blog, post tweets on twitter, check out your friends’ updates on Facebook and keep in touch with your Linkedin account, all with a simple gesture of your fingers.
It can do pretty much anything a computer can and its interface interactivity is through a touch-screen. Like the iPod and the iPhone before it, users can download software applications for the device from the Apple App Store online. The iPad is also capable of downloading and reading electronic books from the new iBookstore.
So far more than 12 million software applications have been downloaded by iPad users and more than 1.5 million electronic books have been downloaded from its iBookstore; clearly showing the popularity and the demand of the iPad.
Analysts are predicting that worldwide iPad sales are expected to come between five and seven million units in 2010 alone. That number will jump to around 14 million units in 2011 and up to 20 million units in 2012.
Keeping such demand and growth of the device in mind Apple had to delay the launch of the iPad due to a surge of demand in the US and abroad. However, as the demand for the iPad grows, so does the demand for an alternative to the sensational device.
Computer giant Hewlett-Packard has already announced the HP Slate, a Windows-based tablet computer, similar to the look and feel of the iPad. The HP Slate uses Windows 7 as its Operating System, which is the rival company to Apple.
Though HP is confident with its tablet computer, it hasn’t generated the same hype as the Apple iPad did. That’s purely because of the ‘wow’ factor generated by Apple upon the announcement of the iPad.
The announcement, usually done by Steve Jobs, is where all the buzz and hype begins—and Apple has been very good at this, constantly creating the thrill and excitement around its latest products.
It was this excitement that has helped sell millions of units of the iPad and the many millions of units of the iPhone and the iPod—a passion that can only be found at the hands of the wonder magician that is Steve Jobs.
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