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Israel has
received a lot of publicity during the past several years, however some of the
positive news from this Middle Eastern nation is seldom presented to the public.
Even
though Israel is a small country, it has been a beacon of scientific innovation
and development for the world. *Here are some interesting statistics and data about
Israel:
Israeli Programmable DNA Computer could diagnose
and treat cancer
Israeli scientists have created a miniature medical
computer out of DNA that can detect cancer genes in a test tube and respond by
releasing a drug. Proving what had been only a concept, the feat offers a vision
of how medicine might look in the future. A few years ago, Ehud Shapiro and his
colleagues at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel, developed a
molecular computer out of DNA. It was capable of performing simple computations.
In this biological nanocomputer, strands of DNA serve as software that control
the activity of enzymes. The tiny device is listed in the 2004 Guinness Book of
World Records as the smallest biological computing device. Trillions of these
DNA-based computers could fit into a single drop of water. In their latest
advance, the researchers programmed their computer for two types of cancer,
prostate cancer and a form of lung cancer. For each cancer, the team targeted
four genes that become either overactive or underactive in people with the
disease..
Israeli firm to construct desalination facility
in India
Israel Desalination Engineering (IDE) technologies have
announced winning a 11.5 million Dollar international contract to construct a
desalination facility for one of the largest oil refineries in Gujarat. IDE will
build a thermal desalination plant capable of treating 15,000 cubic metres of
water per day. Since its inception in 1965, the company has installed more than
320 desalination and water treatment plants in nearly 40 countries."
Israeli Technology Improving Quality of Life for
the Disabled
An Israeli company has developed a wheelchair which could
offer millions of people with severe physical disabilities new levels of freedom
and independent movement. The new wheelchair, created by Galileo Mobility
Instruments, will allow for quadriplegics and others with severe disabilities to
go for walks in the country, have picnics on the beach, enter and exit the car
alone, reach high shelves, climb and descend stairs unassisted, and even to
lower themselves to the floor to play with their children. The track and tire
which make up the wheel can transform from a wheel to a track to a stair climber
as the need arises.
Israeli orchestra brings crowd to its feet
A tour by the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra is no ordinary
event. The group hasn't played in Cleveland since 1967, and a large,
enthusiastic crowd turned out to greet it Sunday night at Severance Hall. The
audience that sprang to its feet at the end of a performance of Prokofiev,
Beethoven and Shostakovich wasn't satisfied by just one encore, a full-out
performance of the ``Death of Tybalt'' movement from Prokofiev's Romeo and
Juliet. After enthusiastic rhythmic clapping, the kind you're more likely to
hear in a European house than an American one, the orchestra played another
encore, the ``Hungarian Dance'' from Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake.
Some statistics of interest:
- Israel leads the world in
the number of scientists and technicians in the workforce, with 145 per
10,000, as opposed to 85 in the U.S., over 70 in Japan, and less than 60 in
Germany. With over 25% of its work force employed in technical professions.
Israel places first in this category as well.
- Israel has the highest ratio
of university degrees to the population in the world.
- Israel has the highest per
capita ratio of scientific publications in the world by a large margin, as
well as one of the highest per capita rates of patents filed.
- In proportion to its
population, Israel has the largest number of startup companies in the world.
In absolute terms, Israel has the largest number of startup companies than
any other country in the world, except the US (3,500 companies mostly in
hi-tech).
- Israel is ranked #2 in the
world for VC funds right behind the US.
- Israel has the highest
percentage in the world of home computers per capita.
- Outside the United States
and Canada, Israel has the largest number of NASDAQ listed companies
- Israel has the highest
average living standards in the Middle East. The per capita income in 2000
is over $17,500, exceeding that of the UK.
- With more than 3,000
high-tech companies and start-ups, Israel has the highest concentration of
hi-tech companies in the world (apart from the Silicon Valley).
- Israel's $100 billion
economy is larger than all of its immediate neighbors combined.
- The cell phone was developed
in Israel by Motorola-Israel. Motorola built its largest development center
worldwide in Israel.
- Windows NT software was
developed by Microsoft-Israel.
- The Pentium MMX Chip
technology was designed in Israel at Intel.
*These statistics and data are quoted from
"Good News From Israel" http://www.newsoftheday.com/israel)
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