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Robot Fly Trap A professor at the University of Maine has made a robot version of a plant that in some ways is a robot all by itself...the Venus Fly Trap. The diminutive fly-grabber is partly made of a nanomaterial called ionic polymeric metal composite, which acts to replicate the tiny sensitive hairs inside a real trap that send a signal to the closing mechanism when stimulated by a fly landing inside--in this case the nanomaterial, when flexed, sends a tiny electrical signal through an amplifier to the two "leaves" of the trap, made out of the same material. When the bigger signal hits the leaves, they flex in reaction...and trap the fly.

By Chris Gallagher TOKYO (Reuters) - The film "Land of Oblivion" may revolve around victims of the Chernobyl disaster a quarter of a century ago, but Japanese audiences will see striking parallels with current-day headlines following the Fukushima nuclear crisis. [More]

Want Googles money? A sweet spot for Google Ventures managing partner is where the cloud meets genome sequencing. Want Google’s money

Anyone can be a tour guide--and redefine the term while they're at it--with this Japanese travel startup. Tatsuo Sato got the idea for his startup, Shiroube , during a trip to Eastern Europe. While in Belarus, Sato made a sort of barter arrangement with a local student.

There are but two Danish brands that, no matter where you live, you are probably aware of: Lego, and Bang & Olufsen. Lego makes plastic blocks that kids snap together, with sets starting around $20. You probably have some at home

Building a magnetic product is never a one-shot deal.

As storms become more powerful and more damaging, will living on the coasts become simply impossible? Insurance companies might try to price you out before we find out.

In the high-stakes corporate tort system, an elite squad of legal eagles handle lawsuits dealing with "World of Warcraft," "FarmVille," and others in the big business of video games. These are their stories. Some lawyers deal with corporate torts

Mottanai: it’s a Japanese term that translates as “too precious to waste.” It’s the philosophy that guides the island nation’s approach to natural resources like energy, and it has become particularly important as the meltdowns at Fukushima have resulted in roughly 25 percent of Japanese electricity supply disappearing as other nuclear reactors remain shutdown. [More]

For its fall lineup, Japanese electronics giant Sharp is rolling out a pair of 70-inch TV models: the Aquos LC-70LE735U and the Elite PRO-70X5FD.

A road that charges electric cars has long been a pipe dream for combating range anxiety, but these Japanese scientists are making it work in real life.

The 9/11 attacks shook up more than the world's psyche, and have led to a raft of new inventions and futuristic tech designed to prevent similar terrorism in the future--from iRobots to full body scanners. These too have an ongoing mission to change our life. Some of the innovations resulting from 9/11 stemmed directly from the terrible events, while others would've happened anyway, just in slower time if their development hadn't been spurred on

TOKYO (Reuters) - Radioactive material released into the sea in the Fukushima nuclear power plant crisis is more than triple the amount estimated by plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Co, Japanese researchers say. Japan's biggest utility estimated around 4,720 trillion becquerels of cesium-137 and iodine-131 was released into the Pacific Ocean between March 21 and April 30, but researchers at the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) put the amount 15,000 trillion becquerels, or terabecquerels.

Tatsuhiko Kodama began his 27 July testimony to Japan's parliament with what he knew. In a firm, clear voice, he said that the Radioisotope Center of the University of Tokyo, which he heads, had detected elevated radiation levels in the days following the meltdown of three reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station

Will having a cartoon animal that lives in your fridge and firmly tells you to save energy get you to close the fridge door faster?