Boulder, Colo -- U.S. scientists have discovered thin films of "metamaterials" can reduce the size of resonating circuits that generate microwaves.

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National Institute of Standards and Technology researchers said the use of metamaterials -- man-made composites engineered to offer strange combinations of electromagnetic properties -- is a step toward substantially shrinking the size of electronic devices such as cell phones, radios and radar equipment.

The researchers performed calculations and simulations of two-dimensional surface versions of so-called metafilms composed of metallic patches or dielectric pucks. Vibrating particles in the metafilms cause incoming electromagnetic energy to behave in unique ways.

The scientists deduced the effects of placing a metafilm across the inside center of a common type of resonator -- a cavity in which microwaves continuously ricochet back and forth.

As summers approach, the thoughts of load-shedding and power outages can be disturbing, since the lights may suddenly go off when the family is at the dinning table or watching a favorite soap.

In an apparent attempt to censor international coverage of the violence that is unfolding in the Tibetan capital Lhasa, the Chinese government has closed down access to several of the world's most popular websites.

Microsoft is soon to release the first Service Pack for Windows Vista, which is sure to bring in a number of improvements but does not come without hitches. It is learnt that the Service Pack One (SP1) blocks some third party applications from working.

Deep down inside, you knew that it would come to this. Yahoo! (Nasdaq: YHOO) and Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) are in a stalemate.

Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) and the producers behind American Idol have teamed up to sell clips from the show in Apple's iTunes store. And the people at Fox don't like it at all.

New and disruptive technologies are always attacked as they break into new markets, but usually, there's a strong set of upstart companies and individuals countering the criticism and championing a new innovation for its technical merits. That's why it's a little odd to see a relative dearth of supporters crowing about how a broadband wireless technology called WiMAX bests everything else out there.

Astronauts at the International Space Station will conduct a spacewalk on Monday to install the Columbus Space Laboratory. The task will be performed by Americans Rex Walheim and Stan Love after German astronaut Hans Schlegel pulled out owing to medical issues.

Iran unveiled its first major space center on Monday and launched a rocket to mark the opening.

Intel Corp. and Micron Technology Inc. have introduced NAND flash memory chips that the companies claim will provide five times higher speed of data transfer than offered in the market today.