SCI-ZONE
By
Dr. Freak
Food
Packaging Gets Hi-tech
Ever got fooled by the charismatic salesman and bought some ancient
and expired pack of food, only to find it totally inedible afterwards?
Well, that is coming to an end as food packages are getting smarter.
Later this year, you may witness the introduction of hi-tech food-cartons,
which can monitor freshness, temperature and moisture while dramatically
increasing shelf-life. Swedish dairy giant Arla Foods developed this
special sensory packaging system which accommodates electronic identifiers.
These cartons can also communicate with smart, computer-controlled
refrigerators. Well, it looks like digital technology is going to
change our life a lot in the coming days. Sci-fi life is becoming
reality.
Hawking
Changing His Black Hole Theory
Stephen Hawking, regarded as the greatest living scientist of our
age, has finally changed his revolutionary Black Hole theory after
30 years. He announced the fault of his theory in the 17th International
Conference on General Relativity and Gravitation. Hawking admitted
that his speculation about black holes swallowing up all that comes
near it is contradictory and he has finally concluded that not all
information is lost after a matter gets into a black hole. Though
he is yet to publish any details, the scientific community is quite
buzzing about Hawking's new theory. Sorry sci-fi enthusiasts, black
holes are not a passage to another world.
Japanese
Carrier Unveils Mobile-Phone Wallet
Ever got frustrated with countless notes and coins and calculation
of changes you get back? In this world of cashless payment, we Bangladeshi's
are definitely living in the stone age as only a few of us have access
to credit cards. Well, in Japan, credit cards are also ancient, as
their mobile phones are becoming the money-wallet. Japanese mobile-service
giant NTT DoCoMo has unveiled a new transaction system, which enables
the user to use the cell-phone to pay all the bills. A small microchip
incorporated in the phone does the trick. All you have to do is find
out the electronic payment counter, find out bill and balance and
simply wave your cell phone within a few inches of a special display
found in stores, restaurants and vending machines around Japan. A
fairy-like tinkling sound means your purchase is being deducted from
the embedded chip using radio-frequency ID technology. Sounds good?
Well as for us, we may get a hold on this technology soon (as in our
country, very soon means waiting about a decade).
Want
To Eat? Pee On It
Would you eat food cooked in your own urine? If not, you are in serious
trouble if you are lost in the desert with few rations. You may think
its insane, but the US Army don't. Food scientists working for the
US military have developed a dried food ration that troops can hydrate
by adding the filthiest of muddy swamp water or even peeing on it.The
ration comes in a pouch containing a filter that removes 99.9 per
cent of bacteria and most toxic chemicals from the water used to rehydrate
it, according to the Combat Feeding Directorate, part of the US Army
Soldier Systems Center in Natick, Massachusetts. This is the same
organisation that created the "indestructible sandwich"
that will stay fresh for three years. The aim is to reduce the amount
of water soldiers need to carry. One day's food supply of three meals,
weighs 3.5 kilograms but that can be reduced to about 0.4 kilograms
with the dehydrated pouches, says spokeswoman Diane Wood. The pouch
- containing chicken and rice initially - relies on osmosis to filter
the water or urine. Well, it's a definite step in fighting the food
crisis in the future.
Sci-Facts
=> The earliest cockroach fossils are about 280 million years old.
=> Healthy nails grow about 2 cm each year. Fingernails grow four
times as fast as toenails.
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