Tiny Israeli satellites
Israel’s Technion is developing 3 unique “nano-satellites”, each less than 6kg. They will be launched in 2015 and remain in close formation. Professor Pini Gurfil said the experiment will boost the miniaturisation of electronic components, efficient processing and movement in space and advance a variety of other civilian applications. The Technion launched an 84kg satellite in 1998 that worked for 21 years.
Investing in solar energy
The Israeli government is encouraging green energy entrepreneurs by allocating NIS 10 million for planning up to 2,000 hectares of future 50 megawatt solar-power plants.
FDA buys Israeli software
The US Food and Drug Administration has purchased the laboratory information management system of StarLIMS Ltd. Although the company was taken over by a US company in 2010, the systems are still Israeli.
What happens to yeast in space?
Yeast is actually an animal and reproduces via a mating process. But what happens in zero gravity? Israeli high-school students Ariel Berko and Yoav Levi from Kiryat Ata have been selected from thousands as finalists in a competition to run an experiment on Space Lab. Please watch (2 mins)
Israeli app voted “best of 2011”
The prestigious Techcrunch voted Israel’s Any.DO the best android app of the year. Over 500,000 people downloaded the software in the first 30 days following its launch.
“Saving the lives of your special moments”
Israel’s Magisto has the hottest app for 2012 – the year of the mobile video. Magisto allows you to upload your home videos (from phone or camera) to youtube and edit them quickly and easily into the most exciting clips possible. It takes your home videos to a whole new level.
Inside Google Israel
CJP’s Israel Advocacy of Boston went to visit Google’s Tel Aviv headquarters, which in 2005 was the first R&D centre that Google opened outside of the United States. If Google powers the Internet, that’s in no small part because Israeli innovation helps power Google.
The UK should “take a leaf out of the Israeli book”
An excellent article on Israel’s high tech future, in the UK magazine “Mindful Money”.
Together, in the stars
Tel Aviv University and Harvard have launched a joint research programme across all areas of astrophysics. The Department of Astronomy at TAU is internationally recognized with two of its faculty members recently awarded $2 million European Council Research grants each to support the studies of the physics of cosmic explosions and searches for extra-solar planets.
Growing plants in seawater
(Thanks to NoCamels) Israeli agro-biotechnology company, Rosetta Green, has developed a new technology to develop new varieties of crops that can be irrigated with salt water and are able to withstand prolonged periods of severe drought and harsh climatic conditions.