Four Israeli Universities in top 100 science academies
Israel only has eight universities, but in the prestigious Academic Ranking of World Universities (known as the Shanghai list), three appeared in the top 100 and four in the top 100 for scientific studies. Hebrew U (38), Technion (39, TAU (51) and Weizmann (75).
Better Place for the poor
Green Motors International (GMI) is an Israeli start-up developing and manufacturing electric scooters. They are being marketed as “the poor man’s Better Place – Israel’s world-leading electric car infrastructure. The scooters are assembled in Nazareth.
The air that we breathe
(Thanks to NoCamels) Weizmann Institute scientists have discovered how sulphur regulates oxygen in our atmosphere. Specifically, when the iron-sulphur mineral known as pyrite (or fool’s gold) dissolves in seawater, microbes use it to digest organic matter. This releases oxygen in the pyrite.
When a real hug won’t do
Israeli company BioHug Technologies demonstrated their BioHug Vest – for calming people with autism or those just with high stress levels. The vest was invented by an Israeli whose autistic child could not bear human hugs.
A solar powered desert oasis
(Israel21c & phys.org) Fresh looks at the ecosystem built by Ben-Gurion University and the Central and Northern Arava Research and Development Center. It produces a variety of freshwater and salt-hardy crops that feed on saline wastewater from the solar-powered desalination process.
Rebuilding Japanese cities
Japanese visitors to CleanTech 2012 in Tel Aviv included Dr Daisuke Mishima who wanted Israeli companies to help reconstruct area of the country destroyed by last year’s earthquake and tsunami.
DNA breakthrough in fighting crime
(Thanks to NoCamels) Currently, DNA found at a crime scene has to find a match in the police databases, to play a part in catching the criminal. But now researchers at Israel’s Tel-Hai Academic College are developing a chip that can use unmatched DNA to identify the sex, height, age, hair colour and type, eye colour and ethnic background of the offender — and even if he/she is right or left-handed.
YouHoo takes social networking to a new level
(Thanks to NoCamels) This Israeli smartphone application allows you to connect with a group of your friends within a 1000-meter radius. For music events, parties, conferences or waiting for buses, trains or planes. Free for users, but businesses are charged to create events.
Making all the right moves
Two Israeli hi-tech companies are well placed for the imminent release of Windows 8, which supports gesture recognition. eyeSight and PointGrab have 95% of the market in gesture technology and will be raising their hands in anticipation of their products being shipped with the new laptops.
Hi – I’m BeeZee at the moment
(Thanks to NoCamels) In the “always-on” world of mobile phones, this handy Israeli application will inform your friends, family, customers etc. why you cannot answer their call. If your smartphone seems to be almost surgically attached to your body, BeeZee could really change your life.