Game characters get smarter and less predictable – “Video games used to come preprogrammed with canned movements that expert players eventually could anticipate and figure out. But recent advancements in video game design – and new game consoles with dazzling computing power – have endowed computer-controlled characters with a sense of self-preservation and unpredictability not seen even a year ago…”

Prefab Reactors and Longer Life-Spans – “No nuclear reactors have been built in the United States since the 1979 accident at Three Mile Island. But that is about to change. A number have recently been approved and dozens more are waiting in the wings…”

Class D Amplifiers Are Shrinking and Greening Your Electronics – “Class D amplifiers, the first real advance in speaker design in decades. These amps were once thought to be appropriate only for low-end audio devices like cellphones. But with continuing refinements they have started showing up in everything from flat panel televisions and computers to high-end sound systems…”

The 10 Weirdest U.S. Museums – “If you’re in the US and didn’t know there are so many odd museums all over the country, it’s time for a road trip. For those outside, here’s an even better reason to visit the country and see what are the downright weird attractions…”

Toxic Key To Alzheimer’s Disease Memory Loss Identified – “Using new scientific techniques, scientists have unlocked the cascade of molecular events that lead to Alzheimer’s disease. The scientific findings, recently published in Nature Medicine, suggest a potential new target for the development of drug therapies to fight the irreversible and degenerative disease which affects some 29.8 million people worldwide…”

Seagate ups ante to 1.5TB with new Barracuda hard drive – “Really, one terabyte isn’t enough? If so, you’ll be pleased to know that your insatiable need for more digital storage has left Seagate no choice but to announce the world’s first 1.5TB hard drive…”

13 Things Your Waiter Won’t Tell You – “Waiters share insider secrets about restaurant — from what days to avoid dining out to how much to tip…”

The Brain Hides Information From Us To Prevent Mistakes – “When we notice a mosquito alight on our forearm, we direct our gaze in order to find its exact position and quickly try to swat it or brush it away to prevent it bite us. This apparently simple, instantaneous reaction is the result of a mental process that is much more complex than it may seem. It requires the brain to align the tactile sensation on the skin with spatial information about our surroundings and our posture…”

Living in a world without waste – “Kamikatsu may be a backwater in the wooded hills and rice terraces of south-eastern Japan but it’s become a world leader on waste policy. There are no waste collections from households at all. People have to take full responsibility for everything they throw away…”

OpenSimulator – “The OpenSimulator Project is a BSD Licensed Virtual Worlds Server which can be used for creating and deploying 3D Virtual Environments. It has been developed by several developers. Out of the box, the OpenSimulator can be used to create a Second Life(tm) like environment, able to run in a standalone mode or connected to other OpenSimulator instances through built in grid technology. It can also easily be extended to produce more specialized 3D interactive applications. Check out the list of growing features to get an idea of what OpenSimulator is capable of…”

Back hurt? Walk, says surgeon – ” Back pain? Most people reach for an aspirin or an Aleve, get a cortisone shot or a massage, take to bed or take a day off. Many turn to narcotic prescriptions. But orthopedic surgeon and back expert Mark Brown says not to do any of the above. Instead: Get a sound diagnosis and then take a walk…”

Alien goo, subwoofers and you – “Check it out. Some corn starch, some water, a subwoofer and a cool song with lots of base. What do you get? Non-Newtonian substances that look like alien goo!”

Nuking Stowaways – Transoceanic freighters haul 80 percent of the world’s commercial goods. But those boats inadvertently carry destructive cargo as well…”

[See previous IR]