On a dreary November morning, a small party of visitors from around the world boards a boat for an hour-long ride around what was once one of the most polluted waters in the Ruhr valley. Lake Baldeney has become a symbol for the efforts Germany is making to revive its western industrial heartland, and the […]
Let There Be Light: German Scientists Test ‘Artificial Sun’
Scientists in Germany flipped the switch Thursday on what’s being described as “the world’s largest artificial sun” and which they hope will help shed light on new ways of making climate-friendly fuel. The giant honeycomb-like setup of 149 spotlights – officially known as “Synlight” – in Juelich, about 30 kilometers (19 miles) west of Cologne, […]
Scientists Develop Robotic Hand For People With Quadriplegia
Scientists have developed a mind-controlled robotic hand that allows people with certain types of spinal injuries to perform everyday tasks such as using a fork or drinking from a cup. The low-cost device was tested in Spain on six people with quadriplegia affecting their ability to grasp or manipulate objects. By wearing a cap that […]
Germany to Subsidize Electric Cars to Help Own Auto Industry
Germany’s auto industry risks being overtaken by foreign competitors unless it receives greater domestic support, the country’s economy minister said Wednesday, announcing a 1 billion euro ($1.13 billion) plan to subsidize electric cars that are seen as the technology of the future. Electric vehicles have had a sluggish start in Germany, the country where the […]
German Order Triggers Recall of 8.5M VW Cars in Europe
German authorities on Thursday ordered a recall of all Volkswagen cars fitted with emissions test-cheating software, a decision that will affect 8.5 million VW diesel vehicles across the 28-nation European Union. The Federal Motor Transport Authority announced that the recall would affect 2.4 million vehicles in Germany. Under EU rules, cars that are cleared in […]
5 Things to Watch at the IFA Gadget Show in Berlin
Some 1,500 companies and over 250,000 people are expected to visit Europe’s flagship technology show, the IFA in Berlin, when it opens to the public on Friday. The event, which runs through Sept. 9, will showcase a range of new mobile handsets that will hit stores just in time for the holiday shopping season. Beyond […]
German spy agency comes clean
Germany’s foreign intelligence agency officially lifted the lid on some of its worst-kept secrets Friday, acknowledging that half a dozen facilities around the country are in fact spy stations — as anyone with Internet access could already figure out. The Federal Intelligence Service, known by its German acronym BND, maintained the facade for decades that […]
German museum shows live replica of van Gogh’s ear
BERLIN (AP) — A German museum has put on display a copy of Vincent van Gogh’s ear that was grown using genetic material provided by one of the 19th-century Dutch artist’s living relatives. The Center for Art and Media in Karlsruhe said artist Diemut Strebe made the replica using living cells from Lieuwe van Gogh, […]
Photos of the Day: Nobel physics: A closer look at the Higgs boson
So what is the Higgs boson, the elusive particle that physicists Peter Higgs and Francois Englert theorized about and won the Nobel Prize for on Tuesday? The subatomic particle – which has also been called the “God particle” by some because it is seen as fundamental to the creation of the universe – has been […]
Europe space agency eyes manned flights with China
BERLIN (AP) — European astronauts could hitch a ride into orbit aboard Chinese spacecraft before the end of the decade, a senior official at the European Space Agency said Tuesday. The head of ESA’s human spaceflight division said his agency is exploring the possibility of joint space missions with China as part of a wider […]