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Scientists could make Batman humdrum. Photo: SMP

Short Science, July 7, 2013

Plants do complex arithmetic calculations to make sure they have enough food to get them through the night, new research published in journal eLife shows.

Plants do complex arithmetic calculations to make sure they have enough food to get them through the night, new research published in journal eLife shows. Scientists at Britain's John Innes Centre said plants adjust their rate of starch consumption to prevent starvation during the night when they are unable to feed themselves with energy from the sun. Reuters

 

MIT professor Dina Katabi has developed "Wi-Vi" device, which uses a low-power Wi-fi signal to track people moving behind walls. Scientists in Singapore have created a rudimentary invisibility cloak. The device, made of thin glass panels, works by bending light around objects. In the field of weather manipulation, Chinese officials have taken credit for both causing and curbing rainfall, through "cloud seeding". If there's a superpower you can think of, some scientists and engineers are probably trying to develop it. Here's hoping they just remember: with great power comes great responsibility. The Guardian

 

One in 10 people around the world will live in a place where climate change is damaging at least two major sectors such as crop yields, water, ecosystems or health, an international study has found. These so-called climate "hot spots" will be most widespread in the southern Amazon, with "severe changes" in water availability, yields and ecosystems, said the study in the , a US journal. The second-largest hot-spot region is southern Europe, where water shortages and crop failures would lead to hardships for the population. AFP

 

South Korea will double its cybersecurity budget to 10 trillion won (HK$6.8 billion) and train 5,000 experts amid growing concern over its vulnerability to attacks it blames on North Korea. The latter is believed to have a cyberwarfare unit staffed by around 3,000 people. In response, the South set up a special cyber command unit in early 2010. AFP

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