Technology

Bloggers Can Keep Secrets

- Adam Clare

The organization, Reports Without Borders, has released a statement that hails a recent ruling in a California court case. In question was whether a blogger has the same rights as a journalist to protect the anonymity of their sources. This is important for freedom of speech and for protecting those who are whistle-blowers in their industries.

In this particular case Apple Computers tried to force a blogger to reveal his source for the leaking of private Apple information. The company was (and still is) concerned with the websites that publicize rumors on Apple’s coming product, including AppleInsider and ThinkSecret.

Reporters Without Borders added: “The Californian appeal court’s decision is historic because it gives a new legitimacy to bloggers. Even though they do not have press cards, they will henceforth have right of place in the world of news and information.”

Brazil Gets Practical e-Government

- Adam Clare

Brazil is using the internet to ensure that policies are carried through. This includes monitoring the environment using the internet with the Agenda 21 System.

“The agenda also represents a new global development standard for the 21st century, placing priority on sustainable economic models that don’t harm the environment.”

Breakthrough for Carbon Nanotube Computers

- Benny Powers

Researchers at IBM have made a significant step forward in the development of carbon nanotube computers.

The researchers devised a method to arrange nanotube-based transistors, a neccessary step in the production of integrated circuits which are based on the new technology.

Carbon nanotube computers will be able to run at much greater speeds, consume less power, and produce less wasted heat than the computer circuits in production today.

China to Build a New Earth

- Adam Clare

The Beijing-based International Society for Digital Earth has been founded to compile data from all sorts of digital earth models in order to make the most realistic computer simulation of the planet as possible.

Research will focus on climate change and other global issues. The project will help us analyze a lot of data about this planet we live on and hopefully find some solutions to environmental problems. What’s more “the society is expected to recruit members from developing countries, particularly Africa and Latin America, to raise their awareness of the opportunities the project offers.”

Major Technical Hurdle to Fusion Power Overcome

- Benny Powers

A major technical problem in the development of fusion reactors has been overcome. Scientists working at an experimental reactor in San Diego have solved the problem of plasma containment.

Before this breakthrough, plasma would leak out of it’s container and cause expensive damage to the equipment. The researchers still don’t fully understand how their solution works, so they will have to do more research before the reactors can go into production, but this is a great step forward.

Fusion reactors utilize the same nuclear reaction that occurs inside the sun to produce electricity. Fusion power is hailed as the next great solution to the energy crisis.

Scroll To Top