Virtual reality gallery opens in Punjab’s science city

October 7th, 2009 WASHINGTON - A new game has been developed by NASA to give young people an "out of this world" virtual opportunity to experience the thrill of working on a mission to the International Space Station from their computers. Station Spacewalk is based on actual work astronauts performed during the course of several NASA missions.

September 26th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Charusita Chakravarti of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, Santosh G. Honavar of L.V.

September 24th, 2009 LONDON - American scientist Ray Kurzweil, dubbed the smartest futurist on Earth by Bill Gates, believes that today's 60-year-olds could go on to live forever. The 61-year-old American elaborated that technology and understanding of human genes are accelerating at an incredible rate.

September 16th, 2009 WASHINGTON - The ancient city of Rome can now be virtually built within a matter of hours, thanks to a new computer algorithm developed by an Indian-origin University of Washington researcher. The new program can digitise hundreds of pictures of the city, including the Colosseum and St.

September 13th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Many students in Ethiopia are studying engineering and technology in virtual classrooms, some of their teachers seating in the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, which is helping that country become tech-savvy. The idea to empower Ethiopia's university students was mooted by its ambassador to India and even its prime minister was eager to have an association with IIT-Delhi.

September 11th, 2009 HAVANA - The first contest for blogs written in Cuba attracted the participation of 66 bloggers, including dissidents and government journalists, and was ultimately won by school teacher Claudia Cadelo. The competition was held Wednesday night in the home of blogger Yoani Sanchez, recipient of the 2008 Ortega y Gasset Prize for Digital Journalism.

September 7th, 2009 LONDON - Google will be working with giant toy company Hasbro to produce a spectacular online version of Monopoly, say reports. The game uses Google Maps as a board, allowing players to choose from millions of streets worldwide in their bid to become virtual property tycoons.

August 4th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Creating a slim and physically fit Second Life avatar, or virtual representation of oneself can push people to become healthier and more physically fit in their real lives as well, according to a study by researchers at RTI International. The study found support for the idea that individuals are more likely to engage in physical activities in their real lives if their avatars in Second Life engage in physical activities.

June 20th, 2009 AMRITSAR - Furious over a sect's attempts to replicate the design and structure of the Sikh community's holiest shrine, the Golden Temple, Sikhism's highest temporal seat Akal Takht Friday ordered it to raze the structure. A meeting was called by the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC), which manages the affairs of Sikh shrines, here Saturday to decide the fate of the Mastuana Gurdwara in Punjabs Sangrur district, 170 km from Chandigarh, SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar later said all Sikh organisations and religious groups like Damdami Taksal, Sant Samaj and Dal Khalsa attended the meeting and the Akal Takht decided to demolish those structures of the Mastuana Gurdwara that are similar to the Harmandir Sahib, popularly known as the Golden Temple.

May 30th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The first phase journey of arguably the worlds largest mobile science and technology museum concluded Saturday at the capital's Safdurjung railway station after a 182-day-long trip covering 51 cities of the country. The second phase will kick off from Ahmedabad August 12.

May 23rd, 2009 KOTKAPURA - In a major incident in Punjab's Faridkot district's Kotkapura area, around 8,000 new and old electricity transformers along with power cables were gutted into fire on Saturday evening. Seven fire tenders were pressed into service to douse the blazing fire but the fire was yet to be brought under control till 9.30 in evening.

May 19th, 2009 KAPURTHALA - The Pushpa Gujral Science city in Kapurthala is a unique example where effort has been made to popularise science by making it simple and enjoyable for the people. At the Science City, people are made to sit on a Space Shuttle-like vehicle which takes them on a journey that provides some close encounters with celestial bodies.

April 27th, 2009 Geeky getaways from Popular Science magazineNEW YORK — If your interests run more to science than surfing or sunbathing, you may find yourself shouting "Eureka!" when you discover the list of geeky getaways in Popular Science magazine's May issue. The list includes cryogenic facilities, earthquake simulators and ape camps.

January 24th, 2009 CHANDIGARH - It transports science and its marvels literally to the doorstep. Life-sized models of dinosaurs, rare fossils, ancient manuscripts and models on the evolution of life are being taken to various schools in the city and around through mobile exhibition vans stirring an interest among children not seen so far.

December 22nd, 2008 NEW DELHI - The government is setting up a Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) to promote basic research work in science and engineering, the Lok Sabha was informed Tuesday. The SERB will be an autonomous body and a bill in this regard was passed by the Lok Sabha Dec 19, Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal told the Lok Sabha.