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Scientists from Israel have discovered how to genetically enhance the scent of flowers by a factor of 10. The method could also lead to "extra-tasty" fruits and vegetables, since smell is a key factor in determining taste.

Could microSD cards - tiny devices the size of a fingernail - replace bulky CDs and intangible downloads for next-generation music lovers? Selling albums in microSD format is the latest concept from SanDisk, the California-based manufacturer of flash memory cards and developer of SD cards, which are now widely licensed.

The idea of a space elevator made of ultra-strong carbon nanotubes has been talked about a lot over the past several years, but recently some research groups have begun to investigate the idea as a real possibility. Most recently, scientists from Japan have started an organization called the Japan Space Elevator Association, and they plan to host an international conference in November to draw up a timetable for the machine.

MIT researchers are designing a system that uses electricity from trees to recharge batteries and generate power in remote locations. The small amounts of tree-generated electricity could be used to track forest fires and possibly "patrol" borders for smuggled radioactive materials.

As delicious as fried food tastes, most people realize that french fries and potato chips are not the healthiest things to eat. Now, food scientists have invented an oven that produces food that looks and tastes fried, but doesn't use the fattening oil that typically gives fried food its taste.

Researchers have created a synthetic "tree" - a centimeter-sized hydrogel with nanopores that can pull water just like real trees pull moisture up their tall trunks.

In response to the growing concern of light pollution in urban areas, researchers have developed a system that automatically measures light pollution and optimizes lighting design. This quantitative data is the first published information that the researchers know of showing how much light escapes from outdoor lighting installations.

In a standard camera lens, light is focused onto a single point in order to magnify a scene. In telescopes, on the other hand, lenses work differently, by reflecting light back and forth to achieve greater magnification. This idea can also be thought of as "folding" light.

Scientists have discoverd that, in medieval churches, stained glass windows painted with gold purify the air when heated by the sun. The researchers hope that this discovery could also be used for modern technologies, since the chemical reaction involved is very energy-efficient.