Honda Motor expects a strong response to a lower-cost, five-door hybrid vehicle it will launch globally in April, a senior executive said Wednesday.

"We're targeting sales of 100,000 units of this new vehicle in North America," said Dick Colliver, executive vice president in charge of sales and marketing for American Honda Motor Co.

Scientists in Israel have discovered a new way to test for water pollution by "listening" to what the plants growing in water have to say.

By shining a laser beam on the tiny pieces of algae floating in the water, the researchers said they hear sound waves that tell them the type and amount of contamination in the water.

A company called Ultra Motor has released a new electric bike called the A2B. This bike looks great - I like the functional, minimalist style. The A2B is designed for urban or suburban commutes. According to Ultra Motors, the A2B offers unassisted power on demand for up to 20 miles at a cruising speed of 20mph. At that speed it’s still categorized as a bicycle as opposed to a scooter, moped or motorcycle. No special license is required.

A robotic observatory designed to test the astronomical observing conditions at a remote Antarctic plateau has lost power after 204 days of operation. The project may be resuscitated with solar power in the coming weeks, when sunlight returns to the region.

Anyone who has walked barefoot across a parking lot on a hot summer day knows that blacktop is exceptionally good at soaking up the sun’s warmth. Now, a research team at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) has found a way to use that heat-soaking property for an alternative energy source.