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Apr. 20th, 2008
tech stories
Apr. 20th, 2008 05:24 pmThe evolution of urban food deserts - Urban food deserts are regions of a city in which people have little or no access to food shops, and most often occur in neighbourhoods with low average income. A University of Western Ontario study is examining this phenomenon that is a result of a growing number of supermarkets combined with the closing of small local food stores. People living in such regions are more believed to be likely to have diet-related illnesses such as heart disease and diabetes. The study concluded that they tend to pay almost twice as much for food because they are purchasing it from an ever decreasing number of near-by small food stores rather than making the trek to a supermarket to purchase supplies that they then have to transport using public transit. Found on Roland Piquepaille's blog.
Anti-hijacking safety bracelet - A Canadian company proposes that a better way to deter potential hijackers is to have all passengers wear a bracelet that can deliver what is referred to as an electromuscular disruption, essentially a high-voltage electric shock, when triggered by transmitter. In the event of an attempted hijacking, a flight attendant would point the transmitter at the offender and render them temporarily insensible. Passengers can then descend on him like locusts and have him tossed from the airlock. Ok, maybe no being tossed from the airlock.
Off-shore research may be a boon for US economy - The New York Times has run an article on how the low-cost research done in other countries could be adapted by innovators in the US to create marketable products. The article suggests that companies could focus on developing ways to benefit from research done in other countries rather than lamenting the lack of scientists doing basic research within the US.
Anti-hijacking safety bracelet - A Canadian company proposes that a better way to deter potential hijackers is to have all passengers wear a bracelet that can deliver what is referred to as an electromuscular disruption, essentially a high-voltage electric shock, when triggered by transmitter. In the event of an attempted hijacking, a flight attendant would point the transmitter at the offender and render them temporarily insensible. Passengers can then descend on him like locusts and have him tossed from the airlock. Ok, maybe no being tossed from the airlock.
Off-shore research may be a boon for US economy - The New York Times has run an article on how the low-cost research done in other countries could be adapted by innovators in the US to create marketable products. The article suggests that companies could focus on developing ways to benefit from research done in other countries rather than lamenting the lack of scientists doing basic research within the US.