Byte size news: Ignore the rabbit and get chemical

It might not be as notable as 2011 being the year of the rabbit, but for those with a mind for science, it's also the year of chemistry.
If such an idea captures your interest then check out www.yearofchemistry.org.nz Organised by The Royal Society of New Zealand and the New Zealand Institute of Chemistry.
The site will provide updates on all the events, competitions and speakers the organisations and others will be providing.
There will also be a range of interesting resources about chemistry.
The events include art exhibitions, quizzes and a year-long Marie Curie lecture series.
"The role that chemistry plays in our everyday lives is enormous but generally goes unnoticed. From the medicines we take, the foods we eat, to the cars that we drive, our lives are heavily dependent on chemistry," says Professor Margaret Brimble, 2007's L'Oreal-Unesco women in science laureate and quest speaker.
"I hope that the events planned for 2011 will highlight the wonders of chemistry and showcase the work of our talented chemists in New Zealand."
The year 2011 was chosen as the International Year of Chemistry because it marks the 100th anniversary of the Nobel Prize awarded to Madame Marie Curie. It is also the 100th anniversary of the founding of the International Association of Chemical Societies.
Notably, it's also the centenary of the publication of Ernest Rutherford's Nobel Prize-winning paper describing the discovery of the atomic nucleus.
The official New Zealand launch of the International Year of Chemistry will be on February 9 at the Michael Fowler Centre in Wellington.
So dust off your periodic tables and celebrate all things chemical in 2011.
Who said that being green ain't fun?
Forget Gran Turismo, some Nissan drivers in the United States are set to tackle an even more realistic driving game.
The 2011 Nissan Leaf is already an electric car that most greenies would give their left lentil for, but in a bid to make economical driving fun the car makers have an introduced a competitive edge.
Its novel Carwing system records and displays daily, monthly and annual data for distance travelled and electricity consumed, and then posts it online to see where it stacks up against other Leaf owners and their driving habits.
Basically, the car's built-in telemetric system will process your driving information to give competitive rankings for energy use.
The rankings game extends to awarding top-score status, video-game style, to the driver with the best score in miles/kWh.
There's also a podium for bronze, silver, gold and platinum winner levels.
Got any news, gadgets or queries? Contact lindsay.harvey@apn.co.nz