Here First - Science and Technology Blog

These in-ear headphones are so incredibly comfortable and lightweight that you'll forget you're even wearing them. The earbuds mould to neatly fit your ears, providing a rich music-listening experience, with lovely, crisp tones even when listening at low volumes. These headphones are pricey, but worth every penny, and perform equally well whether you're listening to music as you pace it out on the treadmill or commuting on the Tube. Technical Details Smallest in-ear headphone ever made Patented ear tip technology eliminates ear fatigue and discomfort ensuring optimal acoustic seal Compatible with all 3.5mm headphone jacks, including iPhone Extremely light Incredible acoustic performance from single armature design This item is in my Top 10 Christmas Gadgets for 2008 . You can also check Top Kids Gifts for Christmas 2010 and 5 Xmas Gifts for Christmas 2010

A doctor from San Diego was able to extract viable stem cells from hair samples. Can this means there may be no need for embryonic stem cells. I think that this nerve cell discovery will make religious people happy...

 There is a  fluorescent compound attached to live cancer cells that enables scientists to determine either the growth or containment of the disease. A team of scientists from Japan and the United States monitored during this study the spread of breast and ovarian cancer cells in living mice. For this procedure they used a small camera known as an endoscope. The japanese team continued to use Roche AG's Zenapax (another cancer drug) and an endoscope to obtain images of ovarian cancer tumours that had spread inside the abdominal cavities of the living mice. According to the study, which was reported in the British journal Nature Medicine after half an hour after the cancer cells were killed, the substance stopped glowing.  Dr Yobayashi said: "Our design concept is very versatile and can be used to detect many types of cancer. This is very great news in research for cancer cure. via  telegraph.co.uk

You can find this model in every school in the country. It indicates the presence of at least one or two chemicals that can cause a variety of ailments. The chemicals can cause harm and all depends on which are in the air and at what levels. There are chemicals like butadiene that are classified as known carcinogens by the federal government. Any amount of this chemical can slightly increase the risk of contracting cancer. Authorities usually become concerned when the levels are high, especially if people are exposed to those levels for a long time. One monitoring in elementary school in Addyston, Ohio, found butadiene levels that would cause a cancer risk far higher than what Ohio considers acceptable. And that led to the closure of the school. Other chemicals have more limited effects. They will irritate the eyes of the children or cause headaches, even at heavy doses.  The American Lung Association says that others, such as ozone, can exacerbate asthma, a leading medical cause of sc...

YouTube has just announced that users now have the option of watching some videos in 720p HD . These streams are available on certain videos, depending on the source file uploaded to YouTube. The ability to upload higher quality videos means improved sharpness and visual clarity for some YouTube videos. It’s very noticeable in videos that contain text or fast movement and also in full-screen mode. Here you can check the video in Normal,High quality and HD Quality Normal Quality=&fmt=6 increases the resolution from 320×240 to 448×336, Flash 7 video @ 900Kbps; audio @ 44.1KHz 96Kbps Mono CBR. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlfKdbWwruY&fmt=6 High quality=&fmt=18 increases the resolution to 480×360, H.264 video @ 512Kbps; audio @ 44.1KHz 128Kbps Stereo. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlfKdbWwruY&fmt=18 HD Quality=&fmt=22 increases the resolution to 1280×720 (720p), H.264 video @ 1024Kbps; audio @ 44.1KHz 232Kbps Stereo. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlfKdbWw...

The owner of the tom cat, a woman identified as Granny Feng, says the wings make her pet look like a “cat angel.” The fur-covered wings actually contain bones, and are about four inches in length. “At first, they were just two bumps, but they started to grow quickly,” said Feng. “But after a month there were two wings,” she reported to the The Huashang News. Why the cat sprouted “wings” is uncertain, but Chinese experts say that they are likely not wings at all, but rather a genetic mutation. Such mutations are fairly common in animals, but such extreme mutation is rare. The wings are incapable of flight, and they should not prevent the cat from living a normal, healthy life. Do you think this is genetic mutation or is it Cat’s hereditary features showing after thousands of years dormant? via associatedcontent

Audi likes to use the Lake Worther Tour, held annually in southern Austria at the end of May, as a place to show off some fresh ideas. Last year, the automaker brought out the radically styled TT Clubsport Concept. Bowing this year is the A3 Clubsport Concept, a rehash of the not-for-U.S. A3 three-door that would drive any Eurotuner green, or perhaps red, with envy.

Android developers will be happy to learn about the new launched today - Android Dev Phone 1. The cell phone is unlocked as far as the SIM card and hardware features, meaning you can use it with any carrier supporting GSM. It fits with the standard HTC style designs, however it comes with a neat fractal graphic on the back and includes a three mega-pixel camera, Wi-Fi, GPS, Quad-band GSM and EDGE for data access. The device is obviously intended for developers. Purchasing it requires a $25 one-time registration as an Android Developer and $399 for the phone. Google does note that support may be limited compared to what T-Mobile offers for their unit and they have a purchase limit of 1 phone per developer.

Lawyers in the UK are obtaining the personal details of over 25,000 alleged file-sharers for the purposes of sending them a £500+ bill accompanied by threats of being sued. Read why the government’s Information Commissioner has let down every single one of them and why each disclosure could be a serious breach of the Data Protection Act. Following numerous TorrentFreak investigations, today the BBC has published numerous articles, online and on radio about companies and lawyers who track down alleged file-sharers in the UK. via

Joe Petrowski, CEO of Gulf Oil has been studying the oil business since the 1970s when he wrote his Harvard thesis, said that the price of oil could sink to $20 per barrel. This will be the first time since 1999. I must say I am not so surprised about this. The energy companies don't like all this talk of high-efficiency cars. The reducing dependence on foreign oil coming from their biggest customer. They'll try everything they can to keep us addicted. But I don't think it will work this time around. Read more here

Although the cell phone industry continues to claim that their products are safe, we can all see and feel that there is evidence to the contrary. In essence, your cell phone is a radio. When you talk to your friends on your cell phone, your voice is transmitted from the antenna as radio frequency radiation (RFR). This frequency falls in the range of microwave radiation and, when you are exposed to it, there may be a chance of health consequences. Depending on how close the cell phone antenna is to your head, between 20% and 60% of the radiation emitted by your cell phone is transferred into your head. The radiation actually penetrates the area around your head and is absorbed, with some radiation reaching an inch, to an inch and a half, into your brain. It sounds scary, but this is how it happens. They say it is no link between Cell Phones Use and Brain Cancer. But when I read what people with brain cancer say I get dizzy instantly: "MY DAUGHTER HAS GLIOBLASTOMA MULTIFORME WHICH I...

Solidly built and fantastically robust, the Olympus Mju 1030 sw is a triumph of engineering. This 10-megapixel digital camera is waterproof to a depth of 10m, will survive a fall of 2m, and is crushproof up to a weight of 100kg. But this is not a case of brawn over brains - the Mju offers all the bells and whistles we've come to expect from digital cameras, including image-stabilisation, face-detection and red-eye reduction. Freezeproof, scratchproof and capable of producing great shots. Technical Details 10-megapixel image sensor captures enough detail for photo-quality 18 x 24-inch prints 3.6x optical wide-angle zoom; Face Detection 2.7-inch HyperCrystal II LCD Waterproof to 33 feet; shockproof to 6.6 feet Stores images on xD Picture Cards (not included) This is number 9 in our top 10 gadgets for christmas 2008 list You can also check Top Kids Gifts for Christmas 2010 and 5 Xmas Gifts for Christmas 2010

Nintendo DS needs no introduction - Amazon had few days ago a Nintendo DS up for just $99 ; that's $30 less than you'll find it elsewhere -- you won't find this one elsewhere. What makes this special is it is the "Limited Edition Pink Ribbon" version, so all you testosterone-loaded men might want to give this gadget a pass . But if you have a girlfriends, this will be the perfect gift for her. Pink and white aren't exactly the most fetching of colors for consoles, but is every girl's dream. Each purchase will see $5 go to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation.

This belt kit brings together 4 toys that are in other package deals or available separately, but at a better price here ( $18.75 ). I am sure all kids love Batman and want a to be the legendary hero. This waist belt is just like the one Batman has, with a special slot clip for each item; it is adjustable and is a nice durable nylon webbing material. Your kid can also wear the belt over his shoulder like a bandolier. You can see separate reviews at Amazon on each of the separate 4 toys that are on this belt. They are the Micro Voice Scrambler, Nightspyer night Mini-Scope, Spy Motion Alarm and Micro Listener, and I have to tell you this belt gives Batman's utility belt a run for it's money. I will love this for myself right now. The voice scrambler can be useful sometimes

A group of young visionary engineers and software developers released few days ago a prototype of their new invention — an interactive TV set they named Ilumina. The team was composed of graduates from Ateneo, UP and La Salle. They conceptualized and created the prototype in 4 months. The prototype is named Ilumina iTV - an LCD TV powered by a personal computer produced from spare parts and electronic devices available to everyone. This new project aims to redesign our living room and re-invent the regular media center set up. Can this be the end of Apple TVs, SlingBox or Popcorn Hour? Since the Ilumina will have a built-in hard drive, you can download all the movies and music you want and store it on the TV for playback later. The price for this super-gadget was not yet released, but they say it will be in the 5 digits (below 100k) for a 32-inch Ilumina (32″ LCD TVs right now cost around Php50k). The final product will be released in the market by 2009. They will use an open-source ...