The humanoid machine, called Nao, hunches its shoulders when it feels sad and raises its arms for a hug when it feels happy. It has been designed to mimic the emotional skills of a one-year-old child and is capable of forming bonds with people who treat it with kindness.

Earth is bracing for a cosmic tsunami Tuesday night as tons of plasma from a massive solar flare head directly toward the planet. The Sun's surface erupted early Sunday morning, shooting a wall of ionized atoms directly at Earth, scientists say. It is expected to create a geomagnetic storm and a spectacular light show -- and it could pose a threat to satellites in orbit, as well.

A lawyer for Facebook Inc. said she was “unsure” whether company founder Mark Zuckerberg signed a contract that purportedly entitles a New York man to 84 percent of the world’s biggest social-networking service. Paul Ceglia sued Facebook and Zuckerberg in state court June 30, claiming that an April 2003 contract entitles him to ownership of most of the closely held company.

Apple Inc. said Wednesday that it will hold a news conference Friday concerning its iPhone 4, which is facing mounting criticism over reception problems tied to antenna design. An Apple spokesman declined to give further details, including whether the conference will address reported reception problems or Apple's response to those problems. Apple plans to hold the conference at its headquarters, the spokesman said. Read more...

Verizon Wireless will start selling Apple's iPhone next year, ending AT&T's U.S. exclusive on the phone, say two people familiar with the plans. The device will be available to customers in January, according to the people, who declined to be named because the information isn't public. Read more...

AT&T appears to be unable to keep up with demand for the iPhone 4 as it has halted sales of Apple's latest smartphone. A note on the carrier's Web site early Wednesday informed consumers that," Pre-orders for iPhone temporarily suspended." There was no immediate word from AT&T as to when it might resume sales. AT&T isn't alone when it comes to running short of iPhone 4 inventory. Even Apple is on back order. Read more...

An international team of researchers in Russia on Thursday began a grueling simulation of a flight to Mars that will keep them locked in a cascade of windowless modules for 520 days — the amount of time required for a journey to the Red Planet and back to Earth. While the experiment will not involve weightlessness, it will try to tackle some of the psychological challenges of a real flight to Mars.

From The Times Online --- Somewhere above earth is America’s latest spaceship, a 30ft craft so classified that the Pentagon will not divulge its mission nor how much it cost to build. The mysterious X37B, launched successfully by the US Air Force from Cape Canaveral on Thursday, using an Atlas V rocket, looks like a mini-Space Shuttle — but its mission is top secret.

Photo from The Times Online

It is officially described as an orbital test vehicle. However, one of its potential uses appears to be to launch a surge of small satellites during periods of high international tension. This would enable America to have eyes and ears orbiting above any potential troublespot in the world.

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From Wired --- Pakistan has blocked the popular video sharing website YouTube indefinitely in a bid to contain “blasphemous” material, officials said on Thursday. The blockade came after the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) directed Internet service providers to stop access to social network site Facebook indefinitely on Wednesday because of an online competition to draw the Prophet Mohammad.

Any representation of the Prophet Mohammad is deemed un-Islamic and blasphemous by Muslims. Wahaj-us-Siraj, the CEO of Nayatel, an Internet service provider, said the PTA issued an order late on Wednesday seeking an “immediate” block of YouTube.

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