technology

WASHINGTON - President Bush has ordered the Pentagon to use a Navy missile to attempt to destroy a broken U.S. spy satellite — and thereby minimize the risk to humans from its toxic fuel — by intercepting it just before it re-enters the atmosphere, officials said Thursday.

Although Wal-Mart is traditionally viewed as a logistics leader and a pioneer in RFID adoption, only 975 of its stores currently utilize the technology. Frustrated by losing sales due to misplaced inventory, the firm is now dead set on rolling out RFID gear into every single North American store, and soon.

Bethesda, Maryland — The World Future Society, www.wfs.org , has released a 10 page report forecasting more than 70 major global developments for the coming year and beyond. The OUTLOOK 2008 report examines key trends in technology, the environment, the economy, international relations, etc., in order to paint a full and credible portrait of our likely future: Among the most significant findings:

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Cyborg insects with embedded microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) will run remotely controlled reconnaissance missions for the military, if its '"HI-MEMS" program succeeds. Hybrid-Insect MEMS--a program hatched earlier this year at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa)--aims to harness insects the way horses were harnessed by the cavalry.

Drivers pulled over by police are to have their fingerprints scanned by the side of the road. A pilot scheme for a new hand-held electronic fingerprint reader is to be launched in Luton, Bedfordshire, by officers targeting motoring offences. Police hope the Lantern device will save time and money by allowing them to identify suspects on the roadside without having to take them to the station. It lets officers search a national database of 6.5m fingerprints and get a result within five minutes.