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Human ingenuity was evident, even in prehistory.
Sadly, much of what we once knew has been lost. But true
to the name of our species -- Homo sapiens -- the
human mind is hard at work. We continue to invent and innovate
relentlessly.
Ancient knowledge...
Peter Lu, a graduate student at Harvard
University, says it appears Chinese craftsmen polished ceremonial
sapphire axes 5,000 years ago using industrial diamonds.
The resulting surface of these axes is so smooth that it
rivals what we could create today, using the most advanced
polishing technology. Patrick McGovern, member of a research
team at the University of Pennsylvania's Museum of Archeology
and Anthropology, says China had also adopted a unique method
of fermentation at least 9,000 years ago, using mold instead
of yeast.
Many ancient manuscripts have been destroyed,
and we can only speculate on how much has survived. National
Geographic reports that John L. Cisne, a paleontologist
and evolutionary biologist at Cornell University, has used
principles from population biology to estimate the likelihood
of a text's demise. "A manuscript is going to behave
just like an individual in a population," he says,"It
can divide and reproduce or it can die."
Optical illusions...
Emulating science fiction, engineers at
the University of Pennsylvania have found a way to make
objects almost invisible. By preventing light from scattering
off an object, the object appears to be vanishingly small.
Laboratory experiments have shown that a "plasmonic
cover" using metals like gold and silver can hide light
at the right wavelength. Practical cloaking devices are
still a long way off, however. They would have to be customized
for each object, and would need to hide all wavelengths
of visible light.
Africa awakes...
While economic development in Africa has
lagged behind that of the rest of the world, it appears
that this may soon change. At least that's the conclusion
of participants in the recent Wharton Global Africa Business
Forum. And there are demonstrable success stories.
Celtel, a mobile telephone company based
in the Netherlands, now does business in 13 countries in
east and central Africa. It was attracted to Africa because
the continent was the least developed in telecommunications.
It now has 5 million customers and 6,000 employees. There
are many undeveloped opportunities, says Kehinde Oyeleke,
executive director of Asset & Resource Management, an
investment firm in Nigeria. He says, "Good business
ideas and capable management are what's in short supply."
Identity theft...
A recent investigation by a British magazine
found that one out of four adults in the United Kingdom
have either been a victim of identity theft, or know someone
who has. MSNBC reports that even children can be victimized.
In more than half of such cases in the United States, it
is the child's relatives who are involved. More than 500,000
children had their identity stolen in the United States
last year.
Containing China...
China recently announced a 12.6% rise in
its annual military budget to a total of $29.9 billion,
ABC News reports. This is the latest in a round of double-digit
increases.
The rise in China's military spending has
been accompanied by a hardline response in the United States.
Asia Times reports that Defense Secretary Donald
Rumsfeld recently told the Senate Armed Services Committee
that in the next decade America's navy could be surpassed
by China's. And it says the new CIA director, Porter Goss,
has warned that China's newly modernized military poses
a direct threat to the United States. Influential conservative
thinkers, the magazine says, want once again to confront
and encircle the Communist state. As each side responds
to moves made by the other, an accelerating arms race is
now underway in the region.
Green plastics...
Who would have thought that the infectious
bacteria pseudomonas -- a threat to human health,
and resistant to antibiotics -- could offer hope in recycling
toxic waste. Kevin O'Connor, a microbiologist at University
College in Dublin, is using the organism to convert styrene
waste into biodegradable plastic. Styrene is carcinogenic.
The plastic is safe, and relatively cheap. Cooper plans
to genetically modify the bacteria to achieve 50% efficiency
-- a feat that can likely be achieved within five years.
Thinking backward...
When Eamonn Kelly, president and CEO of
Global Business Network, addressed the Scottish Parliament
Futures Event last December, he talked about his experience
as a futurist. Over the course of his career, he says, "I
came to understand the fairly obvious point that the future's
roots are in the past and that if we don't understand history
then we are not going to understand how we got here in the
first place or where we might be going in the future. So
I really started to pay more attention to thinking backward,
not to see the future through the lens of the past but to
understand the roots of the past that will inform and help
shape the future."
David Forrest
we welcome your comments and feedback at mail@innovationwatch.com
SCIENCE
Unusual
Life Forms Found in the Atlantic - [ABC News] A strange
world of see-through shrimp, crabs and other life forms
teems around a newly explored field of thermal vents near
the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, scientists report.
'Hobbit'
Brain Supports Species Theory - [ABC News] Scientists
working with powerful imaging computers say the spectacular
"Hobbit" fossil recently discovered in Indonesia
had distinctive brain features that could justify its classification
as a separate and tiny human ancestor.
Did
Huge Space Clouds Cause Mass Extinctions? - [MSNBC]
Giant space clouds may have changed the climate or atmosphere
on Earth and fueled mass extinctions millions of years ago,
scientists said.
The
High Tech of Prehistory - [Christian Science Monitor]
Archaeologists are finding that our love of sophisticated
technology has ancient roots. The latest example is the
exquisite sheen Chinese craftsmen gave to ceremonial sapphire
axes about 5,000 years ago.
New
Research Opens a Window on the Minds of Plants - [Christian
Science Monitor] As trowel-wielding scientists dig up a
trove of new findings, even those skeptical of the evolving
paradigm of "plant intelligence" acknowledge that,
down to the simplest magnolia or fern, flora have the smarts
of the forest. Some scientists say they carefully consider
their environment, speculate on the future, conquer territory
and enemies, and are often capable of forethought - revelations
that could affect everyone from gardeners to philosophers.
Gene
Therapy Studies Suspended After Death - [Chicago Tribune]
Federal authorities have suspended three gene therapy experiments
after news that a third child in a similar French study
has developed leukemia and that one of the three has died.
Ancient
Texts as "Fossils": How They Survive - [National
Geographic] A new study uses population biology to calculate
the likelihood that an ancient text has survived from the
eighth or ninth century to the present.
TECHNOLOGY
Putting
a Finger on a Person's Age - [Boston Globe] There are
many ways to estimate a person's age -- gray hair, wrinkles,
acne. Israeli inventor Shmuel Levin thinks he's found a
better way, by measuring a person's middle finger. RSA and
Levin's company, I-Secure of Tel Aviv, are teaming up in
hopes of creating products that will protect children from
inappropriate Internet content, or prevent adult child molesters
from entering Internet chat rooms meant for kids.
Invisibility
Shields Planned by Engineers - [National Geographic]
Electronic engineers at the University of Pennsylvania in
Philadelphia are researching a device they say could make
objects "nearly invisible to an observer." The
contrivance works by preventing light from bouncing off
the surface of an object, causing the object to appear so
small it all but disappears.
Quantum
Computers May be Easier to Build than Predicted - [PhysOrg]
A full-scale quantum computer could produce reliable results
even if its components performed no better than today's
best first-generation prototypes, according to a paper in
the journal Nature.
Venice
Tracks Vehicles with RFID - [Wi-Fi Planet] Combine historic
Venice, Italy with millions of automobiles and you have
the perfect test of Wi-Fi-based RFID. San Mateo, Calif-based
AeroScout accepted the challenge to bring a confusing vehicle
tracking system into the wireless future.
Diamonds
in the Rough at Redmond - [AlwaysonNetwork] There's
a lot brewing in Microsoft's Social Computing Group -- including
a new paradigm for email and a social networking environment
that could 'Wallop' the competition.
'Wrist
Video' Gives Israeli Army an Edge - [ABC News] Israeli
troops are now sporting gear that Dick Tracy would be proud
of: tiny video screens, worn on the wrist, which display
video shot by unmanned airplanes.
Robots
to Watch Children Showcased - [ABC News] The teddy bear
sitting in the corner of the child's room might look normal,
until his head starts following the kid around using a face
recognition program, perhaps also allowing a parent talk
to the child through a special phone, or monitor the child
via a camera and wireless Internet connection.
BUSINESS AND ECONOMY
Indian
Auto Industry Zooms - [New Kerala] In the automotive
sector, China continues to attract the major chunk of foreign
investments. But this may be about to change. A scorching
auto sales growth and the fact that just a handful in the
world's second most populous country -- that also has the
fastest-growing population -- own a vehicle yet, are making
foreign investors sit up and take notice.
China's
Real Sports Contest - [Business Week] As Beijing gears
up for the 2008 Olympics and the Chinese get richer -- giving
them more leisure time and sparking greater interest in
sports -- the country is in the throes of a battle for supremacy
in athletic shoes and apparel. Nike, Li-Ning, and Adidas
are neck-and-neck at the top of the market, while a host
of pretenders nips at their heels. They're all fighting
to outfit the 2.6 billion feet in China with shoes bearing
their logos.
It's
All in the Timing - [Darwin Magazine] Organizations
typically find themselves relying on the past, including
experiences, biases and metrics, to forecast futures, depending
on events and conditions to be exactly the same. This dangerous
planning can leave organizations vulnerable when the future
unfolds in surprising ways.
Building
A Better Skunk Works - [Fast Company] In a bold effort
to nurture new businesses, IBM is putting its best and brightest
in charge of its risky startups.
Building
Corporate Cultures - [Chief Executive] A recent survey
by Junior Achievement/Deloitte & Touche USA found that
nearly one-third of teens believe you have to bend the rules
to succeed. One has to wonder how that response was influenced
by the infamous wave of corporate breakdowns.
Investing
in Africa Can Be a Challenge -- But Good Deals Are on the
Horizon - [Knowledge @ Wharton] Participants in the
recent Wharton Global Africa Business Forum say Africa is
showing signs that it has begun to break out of decades
of economic malaise. Substantial businesses that don't just
depend on resource extraction -- banks and telecoms, among
them -- are cropping up, and educated Africans are increasingly
looking for opportunities to start new ventures at home,
instead of moving to the United States and Europe.
The
Great Outdoors - [CFO Asia] Swire Beverages sends its
managers in China into the wilds to survive physical challenges
-- and learn how to best work with each other in cross-functional
teams.
SOCIETY
Sofa,
So Good for Budget Travellers - [Guardian] It is the
cash-strapped student's eternal dilemma. The holidays are
approaching and you would like to finally make that trip
to Rio you have always dreamed of. You have found a cheap
flight but funds won't stretch to accommodation. Should
you abandon your dreams or stick the hotel bill on a credit
card ... again? The answer lies in a new website that has
captured the imagination of people around the world. Called
the Couch Surfing Project, its premise is simple: if you
need a place to stay, it will match you with someone happy
to lend their couch for free.
New
Report Presents Three Scenarios For Aids in Africa by 2025
- [Medical News Today] By 2025, Africa and the world could
face three very different scenarios for AIDS. And depending
on the actions taken today, up to 43 million HIV infections
could be averted over the next 20 years.
Identity
Theft Affecting One in Four UK Adults - [Silicon.com]
A quarter of adults have been a victim identity theft or
know someone who has been affected by it, an investigation
by Which? magazine has found.
'PC
Tax' Could Replace BBC Licence Fee - [Silicon.com] "Over
the next charter period we expect the BBC to play a substantial
part in developing a digital Britain," the Culture
Secretary told the Commons. If alternative
funding models get the go ahead, one idea being mooted by
the government is a fee payable for each PC purchased.
Population
Growing Faster Than Expected Says UN - [People and Planet]
New United Nations projections of the world’s population
show that the number of people in the world is now expected
to rise by 2.6 billion, from today’s 6.5 billion to
9.1 billion in 2050. This is 200 million more than the previous
2002 projection of 8.9 billion in 2050.
Unhappy
With Your Job? About Half of Americans Are - [Seattle
Post-Intelligencer] U.S. workers, pushed to produce more
and uneasy about new technology and other changes, are markedly
less satisfied with their jobs than a decade ago, a new
survey says.
Main
Culprits in Kids' ID Theft? Family Members - [MSNBC]
Child identity theft, much like adult identity theft, is
spiraling out of control. NBC News’ Janet Shamlian
reports from Dallas that often the culprits in the thefts
are children's own family members.
GLOBAL POLITICS
Iran,
Russia Sign Landmark Deal to Fire Up Controversial Nuclear
Plant - [Channel News Asia] Iran and Russia signed a
landmark nuclear fuel accord that paves the way for the
firing up of the Islamic republic's first atomic power station,
a project the United States alleges is part of a cover for
weapons development.
Japan
Aims for Moon Base by 2025 - [CBC] On the heels of its
successful rocket launch, Japan announced plans to send
people to a station on the moon by 2025.
World
in Turmoil Requires America to Give its Best - [Indianapolis
Star] In a world of around-the-clock news, the big picture
is sometimes lost in a stream of images -- an election in
Iraq, an assassination in Lebanon, a presidential trip to
Europe, a shift in the international markets. But to succeed,
American policies must never lose sight of the central global
realities.
China
Says Military Spending to Increase - [ABC News] China
announced a 12.6 percent increase in military spending,
but tried to calm fears that an anti-secession bill due
to be enacted after parliament convenes this weekend could
set the stage for an attack on rival Taiwan.
Cornering
the Dragon - [Asia Times] When newly appointed Central
Intelligence Agency (CIA) director Porter Goss recently
warned that China's modernization of its military posed
a direct threat to the United States, was it standard budget
time scare tactics, or did it signal the growing influence
of hardliners in the administration of President Bush who
want to "contain" China and reinstitute the Cold
War in Asia?
U.N.
Agency: 90 Dangerous Sites Looted in Iraq - [MSNBC]
Some 90 sites in Iraq that the United Nations had monitored
for unconventional arms materials have been razed or looted
since the U.S. intervention, according to a new U.N. inspection
report.
Indians
Ride Tech Wave by Staying Close to Home - [Christian
Science Monitor] Engineering schools say 50 percent fewer
graduates are leaving the country.
ENVIRONMENT
Climate
'Threatens' Arctic Lakes - [BBC] Communities of creatures
living in Arctic lakes are undergoing dramatic changes in
response to climate warming, according to Canadian experts.
Internet
Bugs May Help Stop Real Ones - [MSNBC] Bugs spread on
the Internet can serve as a model for controlling invasive
species, according to a new study.
From
Nasty Bacteria to Eco-Friendly Bugs - [Business Week]
Microbiologist Kevin O'Connor aims to set a noxious breed
called pseudomonas to work making biodegradable plastic
from styrene.
100
Cities Join Climate Rescue Network - [CNN] Britain launched
a campaign to tackle the global climate change crisis through
the sharing of information between 100 cities in 60 countries
from Argentina to Vietnam.
Local
Food 'Greener than Organic' - [BBC] Local food is usually
more "green" than organic food, according to a
report published in the journal Food Policy.
'Clear
Skies' Plan: The Battle Heats Up - [Christian Science
Monitor] Ten state attorneys general are accusing the Bush
administration of diluting air-pollution standards.
Kyoto
Forces Italy to Rethink Nuclear Ban - [IOL] Appalled
at the Chernobyl nuclear accident, which killed 30 people
immediately and caused thousands of fatal cancers, Italians
voted in a referendum to scrap nuclear power -- but their
political leaders are now rethinking the policy.
THE FUTURE
Five
Centuries of the Future - [Global Business Network]
In December 2004, Eamonn Kelly, president and CEO of GBN,
gave the opening address at the Scottish Parliament Futures
Event, a one-day session held to consider what it might
take to make Scotland a leader in anticipating the future.
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