For Zion's Sake...

Israel: Hi-Tech Roads (Seriously)

Israelis have developed a new type of asphalt that makes it easier to brake on while helping the environment.

“Leave it to Israel to infuse high technology into something as prosaic as asphalt. A Negev company has developed a road asphalt compound that uses old tires for strength and safety, and is friendly to the environment to boot…

“Among the qualities of RuBind is its ‘rubberiness,’ due to the bits and pieces of rubber mixed in with the asphalt, and as a result, cars have an easier time braking thanks to the higher friction that occurs when a car’s rubber tires meets the rubber on the road.”

Apple to open new R&D facility in Ra'anana, Israel

“Following a successful hiring spree of former Texas Instruments employees in Israel, Apple is opening a new research and development center in the city of Ra’anana, reports Israeli business publication ‘Globes.’”

Cisco buys Israeli start-up Intucell for $475M

“Today, Cisco announced plans to buy Intucell for $475 million in cash, and BVP tells me it will take nearly half that sale price.

“Intucell’s technology helps mobile carriers dynamically adjust their cellular grid to maximize mobile traffic speeds and minimize dropped calls. Without SON software, a carrier’s service slows down and becomes less stable under heavy load or when users travel to the edge of a geographic block of the static grid. Any optimization had to happen manually, which was inefficient and inadequate.

“Intucell’s SON uses big data to assess the state of a network and lets a carrier’s towers communicate with each other. That way they can expand or contract their cells in real-time so customers on the fringes of a block get picked up by neighboring towers, and users in the center of that block get much better reception.”

Israeli 2012 Tech Exits Top $5.5 Billion

“Israeli tech startups were bought out for a record total of $5.5 billion in 2012, according to a report published Monday. The report also suggests a maturity in the Israeli sector with fewer, but larger, deals transacted.”

Israel preparing gigabit high-speed Internet access home-to-home

“The Israeli government, via state-owned electricity utility Israel Electric Corp (IEC), is taking tentative steps towards deploying a gigabit-capable fibre-to-the-home network it hopes will cover two-thirds of the country.”

Five amazing Israeli start-ups you've probably never heard of

Moroccan Jew winner of the 2012 Nobel Prize in Physics

“Serge Haroche of France and David Wineland of the United States won the Nobel Physics Prize on Tuesday for work in quantum physics that could one day open the way to supercomputers. Haroche is from a Jewish family and was born in Casablanca, Morocco in 1944. He has lectured at Israel’s Technion University.

“The two men were honored for pioneering experimental experiments in ‘measuring and manipulation of individual quantum systems,’ the jury said in its citation, AFP reported.”

Israelis develop bullet-proof grenade

“Israel Military Industries says it has developed a unique grenade that doesn’t explode when hit by shrapnel, bullets or even if exposed to fire.”

The innovation improves supply, storage, handling, and safety.

Microsoft CEO to visit Israel

“Ballmer will attend events at Microsoft Israel and Microsoft Israel’s R&D Center, and is due to meet entrepreneurs and developers, as well as leaders of Israel’s economy.”

Israelis help to discover the "G-d particle"

“Perhaps appropriately for the Land of the Bible, Israeli researchers played a significant part in Wednesday’s breakthrough on what scientists call the ‘God particle,’ properly known as the Higgs boson, the missing link in Einstein’s Standard Theory.”

Israelis develop ice device to destroy breast cancer tumors

“For the past year, a novel Israeli medical device has been changing the way American doctors remove fibro-adenoma tumors – benign breast lumps. Now an internationally renowned Japanese surgeon is testing IceSense3, made in Israel by IceCure Medical, to destroy small malignant tumors as well.”

Yafo ice cream shop to offer hummus flavor

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has become the first world leader to draw one of the iconic Google doodles. The cartoon included an Israeli flag, a man sunning himself inside the large “G” and crystals representing the achievement by this year’s Nobel Prize in Chemistry winner, Professor Dan Shectman.

“This is Israel,” Netanyahu said. “Science, sun and Google.”

4 Israelis included in Europe's "Girls in Tech" Top 100

“The four Israelis to make the prestigious list include Orit Hashay, Brayola; Gali Ross, Razoss; Amit Knaani, ooVoo; and Moran Bar, VentureGeeks.”

24 PA officials receive agricultural training in Israel

“From May 21 to 23rd, twenty-four Palestinian officials, mostly agricultural engineers, attended a three-day seminar on agricultural technologies, plant protection, and fertilisers in Netanya. The lectures were delivered by Israeli experts, professors and officials from the Israeli Ministry of Agriculture.”