Technology

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Danville biofuels plant starting production process today

DANVILLE – After two years of construction, the new biodiesel facility adjacent to Bunge Milling in downtown Danville goes operational today and should start producing the first batch of biodiesel next month.

Durbin gathering FutureGen supporters for renewed effort

MATTOON – Sen. Dick Durbin is gathering members of the Illinois congressional delegation and officials from the FutureGen Alliance today to discuss FutureGen.

It's a step the Democratic Illinois senator is taking to make sure "the delegation is ready on day one to move forward with FutureGen," said Durbin spokeswoman Christina Mulka.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Transition issues to be addressed Wednesday on 'Digital TV'

URBANA – WILL-TV managers and engineers will answer questions about the digital television transition in the presentation, "Digital TV – What You Need to Do," airing at 9 p.m. Wednesday. The program will be repeated at 3 p.m. Saturday and 12:30 p.m. Sunday.

"We know people still have questions about what to do to prepare for the analog shut-off," WILL-TV station manager Carl Caldwell said. "We want to help people understand their options."

Sunday, November 16, 2008

UI researchers using genetic relationships to track evolution

URBANA – The latest computer technology has buttressed a revolutionary look at how life evolved, while offering new potential for medicines.

Carl Woese startled the scientific world in 1977 by positing that there are three essential domains, or types of life. Before, there were thought to be two, bacteria and everything else: eukaryotes, whose cells contain membrane-coated parts, such as the nucleus.

Friday, November 14, 2008

Vermilion County considers establishing wind farm rules

DANVILLE – Vermilion County economic development officials are in talks with at least four companies interested in building wind-turbine farms in Vermilion County.

The county has no zoning system, but county board officials are taking steps to regulate the construction and operation of the alternative-energy farms by writing an ordinance.

"It's a safeguard for the landowners and the windmill companies," said Vicki Haugen, president and CEO of Vermilion Advantage. She added that multiple companies that make the wind turbines are considering the county as a possible location for a manufacturing site.

Monday, November 10, 2008

Being 'science-y' pays for Uni High senior in competition

Richard Wang skipped school Friday.

But it was OK, he said. The University Laboratory High School student's teachers knew where he was – at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind., competing as one of 15 regional finalists in a science competition with a $100,000 scholarship as its national prize.

Friday, October 31, 2008

UI students pitch ideas for next big business

URBANA – The next YouTube may have been born on Thursday night.

In a business version of speed dating, nearly a dozen University of Illinois students weighed in with their ideas for the next big business. Possibilities ranged from a music networking site to a travel agency for Americans to get medical care in other countries.

Saturday, October 25, 2008

Friends, family hold birthday fete for LED inventor

CHAMPAIGN – A shadow box of achievements, a $300,000 graduate student award and a cake with LED candles capped a day-long symposium Friday that celebrated Nick Holonyak's birthday.

Dozens of friends, family and colleagues came to honor the life of Holonyak, inventor of the first practical light-emitting diode in the visible spectrum, a member of the National Inventors Hall of Fame and the recipient of numerous national and international awards and honors.

Friday, October 24, 2008

Disability Resource Expo set for Saturday

URBANA – You're in a wheelchair and would like to make your house more accessible. Or you have a child with Down syndrome and don't know where to get help.

The second annual "Disabilty Resource Expo," scheduled for Saturday at Lincoln Square Village in downtown Urbana, could have the answer for you. The expo is designed to give Champaign County residents one central place to learn about available resources and promote a better quality of life for people with disabilities, whether they're physical, developmental, mental or emotional. The theme of this year's event is "Reaching out for Answers."

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Spire put atop Champaign County Courthouse

URBANA – Downtown Urbana denizens got a taste of the future Wednesday as the Champaign County Courthouse was topped off.

New Mathematica version coming soon

CHAMPAIGN – Wolfram Research founder Stephen Wolfram plans to announce today that a new version of the company's flagship product, Mathematica, will be released this fall.

Wolfram, in town for the annual International Mathematica User Conference, said Mathematica 7 will have about 2,700 functions, or roughly 500 more than the previous version.