All Blog Posts from Tech Talk

Scientists across the country have heralded the Obama administration's approach to research and development. Already it’s a stark contrast to the Bush years. But what exactly will be done for areas like stem cells, global warming, and space exploration?

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Fans of the "Harry Potter" series, "Trekkers," and those who remember Wonder Woman's preferred mode of travel all know the benefits of invisibility. And while real science has lagged behind Hollywood for many years this week a team of researchers at the Nanoscale Science and Engineering Center at the University of California, Berkeley, announced they had made a breakthrough when it comes to making three-dimensional objects "invisible."

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Science research can really build an appetite. At least that's partly the motivation behind "The Hungry Scientist's Handbook," published by Harper Collins in September.

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It's the end of the week and I'm feeling a little space-y. But can you blame me? It started with experiencing zero gravity, was followed up with watching the Phoenix Mars Lander touch down on the Red Planet, and this weekend Discovery is scheduled to head to the international space station, in part to deliver some critical components: a toilet repair kit.

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Drue Kataoka is full of surprises. Not only is she a master Sumi-e artist, an ancient Japanese brush stroke technique, she's also an accomplished musician, world traveler, and Web pioneer. Her site, ValleyZen.com, has only been around for a couple months but it's getting attention for its message of simplicity in a tech world often cluttered with distraction and consternation. Indeed, her motto on the site is: ValleyZen -- at the intersection of zen and technology. I know, I know, if you're always stressed out and multi-tasking then zen+technology seems like an oxymoron. Au contraire. That's exactly why Kataoka believes it's worthwhile.

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It's been three weeks since we returned from our Arctic adventure, and tonight the first in our series of stories will air on the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric. There are four parts in total, with the remainder airing tomorrow, Wednesday and Saturday nights. Do these stories aim to solve the severity of global warming? Of course not. They are meant to shed light on an important subject to us all -- climate change -- and how what happens in the Arctic is tied to those of us in the south. It's a journey to the top of the world.

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I won't even pretend to be an expert in photo microscopy. Sure, I loved microscopes in science classes, and I've dabbled in semi-professional photography over the years but mainly rock concerts and stage shows. But we're talking images of plankton at 400X magnification. That takes a whole different level of skill, understanding and squinting. So I was a little surprised when Nikon approached me to help judge their annual Small World competition. But I jumped at the chance.

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