Researchers today plan to unveil a silicon-based chip that uses laser light rather than wires to transmit data between chips. The technology is expected to greatly accelerate the pace at which data move inside computers, increasing processing speeds and cutting costs, and increase data transmission capabilities between fiber-optic networks and conventional wire-based systems

The discovery of a new extrasolar planet that is a third as large again as Jupiter but has only half Jupiter's mass has astronomers' heads spinning once again as theories of planetary formation come crashing down to earth. The new planet HAT-P-1 was spotted by a team at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics

Brown is the new white, according to Microsoft which last night revealed its answer to the iPod and surprised industry watchers with its choice of colours. Alongside white and black versions of the Zune player, which make it look similar to Apple's iPod, it will be available in brown. As well as a 30GB memory that can store 7,500 songs or 40 hours of video, it includes an FM radio and built-in wireless technology that allows music sharing with other Zune users

Arctic sea ice in winter is melting far faster than before -- a new and alarming trend that threatens the ocean's delicate ecosystem. The sudden and rapid melting is a sure sign of man-made global warming, said researchers in NASA studies Wednesday. "It has never occurred before," said NASA senior research scientist Josefino Comiso. "It is alarming... This winter ice provides the kind of evidence that it is indeed associated with the greenhouse effect

Space shuttle Atlantis astronauts on Thursday were setting up a new set of solar arrays on the International Space Station, which will eventually double the orbiting laboratory's power capabilities, NASA said. The deployment had been delayed by several hours by a glitch in software that controls the arrays' rotation arm

Google Earth has teamed up with the United Nations to allow users to monitor global environmental crisis zones. The website, which allows users to zoom in on any location on a satellite-based, colour, 3D depiction of the planet, will "overlay" information from partners on to its geographical images. A tie-up with the United Nations Environmental Program will allow users to see images illustrating the world's most extreme areas of environmental degradation

Nintendo's quirky game console, the Wii, will go on sale in the U.S. on Nov. 19 for $249.99, a price far lower than competing consoles from Sony and Microsoft Corp., the company said Thursday. In an unusual move for the launch of a Japanese product, the Wii will go on sale in Japan two weeks after the U.S. launch

An expert hired by Anna Nicole Smith to perform a second autopsy on her dead son has returned an inconclusive verdict. Cyril Wecht, a Pittsburgh-based forensic pathologist, carried out the examination on Sunday (17.09.06) in the Bahamas

TV reality star bounty hunter Duane "Dog" Chapman and two co-stars have posted bail. They were arrested Thursday on charges of illegal detention and conspiracy stemming from the capture of Max Factor heir Andrew Luster three years ago in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. A judge in Honolulu released Chapman on 300 thousand dollars bond and the two others on bonds of 100 thousand dollars each

Aging pop stars George Michael and Elton John are putting their differences aside and appear to have finally made nice. The flashy John announced on British talk show Parkinson on Friday that their very public two-year feud has officially ended. "George and I are fine. He came and stayed down (at) my house last year," John said

Skinny models have been banned from taking part in one of the most prestigious events in the fashion calendar. The organisers of Madrid Fashion Week have announced that they only want healthy-looking people on their catwalk. Models at next week's show will be weighed to make sure they are above a certain body weight for their height

Jennifer Aniston has topped People magazine's "best-dressed" list. The US magazine gave the annual accolade to the former 'Friends' star for her "natural fashion sense." Elizabeth Sporkin, People's executive editor, said: "She has a fashion sense that is very accessible. "She wears jeans and T-shirts and blazers

  Volkswagen may have come a long way since the original Beetle, but in at least one way it still is very much the People's Car, giving the market their own versions of some of the most popular trends in the industry. Despite their pioneering the Microbus decades earlier, Volkswagen managed to skip the minivan craze, but has jumped on the biggest ones since

As much as we love the new Mazdaspeed3 and pray that we might find one in our garage soon, we know that for much of the world this 263-hp mini monster just isn't very practical. The base Mazda3 is a much better option for most, and even the diesel version makes more sense for a lot of customers, Europeans in particular

There's no easy way to say this. Toyota isn't perfect. We know what you're thinking. Surely we jest (Prepare for heavy sarcasm - Ed.). Everybody in the whole wide world knows that Toyota can do no wrong. We elitist journalists proclaim their magnificence at every opportunity and are quick to defend them when there is even a suggestion of something going amiss

Due to an egregious omission of the 2007 Jeep Wrangler on the ballot for the 2007 North American Truck of the Year Award, jurors are being asked to revote for finalists of the honor that's traditionally bestowed upon the most deserving truck at the beginning of the Detroit Auto Show

We know God loves us. How else can one explain the existence of GeigerCars? Whether it’s a 700-horsepower police H2, an audacious Gulf-liveried HUMMER GT, or any number of the various customer cars the company has prepared, no one knows how to hook up a HUMMER like Geiger

Five basketball players of the Duquesne University were shot on campus early Sunday after they tried to pacify a man, leaving Sam Ashaolu, a cousin of former Houston Rockets star Hakeem Olajuwon, in critical condition, official said

American Nicky Hayden won the MotoGP pole position for the second consecutive year for Sunday's Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix. With about five minutes to go in the hour-long qualifying session Saturday, Hayden sped around the 4.445-kilometer Phillip Island circuit in 1 minute, 29.020 seconds

Washington Redskins running back Clinton Portis, who is recovering from a separated shoulder suffered in the preseason, has been ruled out for tomorrow night's road matchup against the Dallas Cowboys. He was downgraded from questionable to doubtful on the injury report. Coach Joe Gibbs said Portis will not play

The 2011 Rugby World Cup to be held in New Zealand will be worth more than one billion NZ dollars (600 million U.S. dollars) to the economy. A report commissioned by the organizers said Friday the tournament will add about 500 million NZ dollars (300 million U.S. dollars) to New Zealand's gross domestic product that year

This summer's World Cup turned out a real financial success for the German organizers as Theo Zwanziger, president of the German football federation, revealed on Thursday that the showpiece event made a 135 million euro profit before tax. Zwanziger said 56

Fredrik Reinfeldt of the "new" Conservative Party in Sweden was set to take over as prime minister Monday after Persson conceded defeat in Sunday's election and said he would resign as head of Sweden’s Social Democrats. Reinfeldt will head a coalition of four center-right parties after the Social Democrats experienced their worst election in decades

Pope Benedict XVI sought to mollify Muslim anger, saying he was "deeply sorry" for the outrage sparked by his recent remarks toward Islam and stressed they did not reflect his personal opinion. The pope's expression of regret was welcomed by several prominent Muslim groups that said they hoped his words would calm tensions that have flared throughout the Muslim world

Hurricane Lane developed into a category-two storm as it advanced along Mexico's Pacific coastline late Friday, the country's weather centre said. Lane, still offshore, was following along a similar path to Hurricane John, which struck the Baja California peninsula and the resort town of Cabo San Lucas in early September, killing five people

Oriana Fallaci, a veteran Italian journalist and author who challenged world leaders in uncompromising interviews and recently drew criticism for her vehement attacks on Islam, has died, officials said on Friday. She was 76

Major political parties on Friday criticised Pope Benedict XVI for his comments made earlier in the week on Islam and Prophet Mohammed. Taking strong exception to the remarks, Congress party spokesperson Satyavrat Chaturvedi said: "The Pope should have spoken with more wisdom. He is not merely the head of a religion, he is also the head of a state (Vatican)