A study suggests that JK Rowling's Harry Potter series draws subtle parallels with contemporary society, including the British government's post-9/11 response to terrorism. The author believes that the series reflects unfair and unjustifiable measures taken by the government in the name of the war on terror.
A wearable cardiac telemedicine system allows post-cardiac patients renewed mobility by recording periodic ECGs and transmitting them via SMS. This device can give patients a greater chance of receiving life-saving treatment within the golden hour period.
A research team used Data Envelopment Analysis to evaluate the success of internet shops, finding that efficient websites like Jcrew and Abercrombie can serve as role models for less effective sites. By reducing inputs or increasing outputs, these non-efficient sites can improve their performance and competitiveness.
Researchers found that platooning with four vehicles reduces drag, saves fuel and lowers greenhouse gas emissions. Cars in a platoon experience lower drag coefficients as they move closer together.
A new search engine mashup uses intelligent virtual robots to scan data quickly, assessing keywords and context, and combining it with meta search tools to retrieve relevant results. This approach improves the precision rate and recall rate of traditional search engines.
A study by Erik Hunter and Per Davidsson found that celebrity involvement is key to a product's success compared to traditional endorsement marketing. Celebrity entrepreneurs add value to products, making them more appealing to consumers.
Cardiff University's Peter Wells warns that a 'Green Junta' could bring about an authoritarian agenda in the name of sustainability. He argues that consensus among multiple stakeholders is increasingly inadequate to create sustainable societies, and a strong government may be necessary to implement drastic changes.
Researchers have found that deep coal seams can be used for permanent storage of carbon dioxide, displacing methane and potentially reducing atmospheric CO2 levels. The study suggests that unmineable coal seams could represent a vast sink for CO2 produced by industry.
Researchers warn of vulnerability to satellite attacks due to low technical barriers, threatening global positioning systems, weather satellites, and more. With a college-level team and intermediate-range missiles, amateurish yet effective attacks can be launched.
Researchers found that online learning communities like Think.com can promote children's learning by encouraging active engagement, digital literacy, and social skills. The teams assess how such systems support students in creating knowledge products and building a sense of identity and audience within the community.
Researchers explore five dimensions of online gifts: initiative, direction, incentive, identification, and limitation. These dimensions reveal how digital gifts facilitate social connections and influence community dynamics.