The vaccine, developed by Charles Arntzen, is among the foremost on a Time magazine list of the Best Inventions 2002. A big advantage is that tomatoes are relatively cheap and can be cultivated extensively in the Third World, where many children succumb to diarrhoea.

Also deserving mention is e-Touch Sono, a device that 'combines data from a regular ultrasound machine with a force-feedback mechanism like those used in some video games,' to allow expectant parents to feel their fetus' organs virtually.

A dog translator, phone tooth, musical jacket and the Earth Simulator are other interesting items on the list that's categorised for easy navigation.

The International Children's Digital Library

Exchanging a book at the library can be done in a matter of mouse clicks, if the library in question is the ICDL (International Children's Digital Library). The online project, which was launched on the 21st of this month, is already stocked with titles from different genres and in various languages.

After downloading Adobe eBook Reader and Java Virtual Machine plug-in, you'll gain access to the library, provided you computer meets with these basic requirements.

If you want to find books from or about a certain nation, the best way to do so is by clicking on its continent on the globe in the right-hand picture. You could also search by genre, using the caterpillar icon to the left. This guided tour should simplify the process.

Books can be read in three ways: The spiral method allows you see all pages and click on one to zoom in. Another method arranges pages alongside each other to resemble panels in a comic book. The standard reader is the most simple and is best suited for those with slow connections.

Cookin' with Google

You're really craving for a dish containing a few specific ingredients. But thumbing through the old recipe tomes at home until you find one with just those components will take hours and kill your appetite.

Cookin' with Google is a much faster option. Just type the ingredients of your choice in the text field, then select vegetarian or world wide cuisine, and the search engine will rustle up a list of recipes containing just what you asked for. I was in the mood for chicken and mushroom and got a variety that left me stumped for choice. This site can also be useful if you have any leftovers at home - You just might find an exotic dish that incorporates them.

While the results were more than satisfactory most of the time, I did occasionally get sites that mentioned two ingredients in two different recipes. However that seems to be the only drawback.

Despair, Inc.

'If you can't motivate employees with vision, why not try inspiring them with fear?'

Thus reads the homepage of Despair, Inc, that specialises in 'demotivators' available in the form of calendars, notecard packs, lithographs, plaques and even a screensaver that comes with a disclaimer that its use in the workplace "can result in demoralisation and a subsequent loss in productivity."

Each item is accompanied by tips on the kind of people it is ideal for. Here are some gems from their collection:

Flattery
Overconfidence
Underachievement
Risks
Ignorance
Arrogance
Sacrifice
Idiocy
Individuality
Procrastination

As the site aptly puts it, 'No matter who you are, you have the potential to be so very much less. And with the transformative powers of our Demotivators® products, you will be.'

Also Read -- Check out '50 must visit' places -- Meet monsters of all kinds -- Write email with a bloody finger -- Solve Rubik's cube online -- Childish beliefs and origin of phrases

Feedback Name Email characters left Comment