Hamburg - Two international research teams have compiled a genetic map of Europe, revealing little genetic diversity between the various nationalities and closely resembling geographic boundaries.

The data, published by Classic Biology, reveal a genetic barrier between the Finns and the rest of Europe. This is not surprising because the relatively small Finnish population for generations lived nomadic lives almost isolated from the rest of Europe.

The researchers found that the genetic map closely resembled the pattern of three major human migrations mainly from the south.

Hamburg, Germany - Wouldn't it be nice if we could shop for clothes without constantly having to try them on in the fitting room?

That futuristic vision could soon become a reality thanks to the "virtual mirror" presented by German researchers at a consumer electronics show in Berlin.

This mirror-like display enables shoppers to see themselves wearing different items of clothing without having to undo a single button, according to the Fraunhofer researchers at the IFA consumer electronics show in Berlin.

Hamburg, Germany - Grazing cows tend to face the North and South Poles, according to German scientists who studied 308 herds using Google Earth satellite photos.

The Boreal bovine orientation suggests that they, like migratory birds, sea turtles and monarch butterflies, tune into Earth's magnetic fields, says Hynek Burda, a biologist at the University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany.

Hamburg - Google is generally known as the quintessential internet search engine. But now the U. S. company is trying to capture the browser market as well. Chrome is the name of its free new internet browser, and it's available for download in a beta version from the Google website. The program installs quickly and impresses with its clear design and easy interface. Experts are warning about potential security risks, however.

There's nothing wrong with giving the browser a try, says Urs Mansmann from the Hanover-based computer magazine c't.

Hamburg - One side wants to build something up while the other wants to knock down some monsters. These urges may seem to be polar opposites, but they do in fact have a common denominator: both are the key principles behind PC games hitting the stores in September. The biggest attention has gone to the life simulation Spore.

The other is Warhammer Online, a role playing game that is being viewed as one of the most important competitors to the best-selling World of Warcraft. Not that the two games are completely alone: the game to the film Wall-E, a strategy game called Romance XI and a snooker simulator are also slated to appear.

Hamburg - European aerospace concern EADS has threatened to withdraw from the bidding for a 35-billion-dollar contract for new US air tankers after the Pentagon halted the competition, the German news magazine Der Spiegel reported Saturday.

"We will only submit a bid if we are sure we will have a fair chance," the weekly quoted a senior EADS manager as saying.

The US Defence Department on Wednesday cancelled the competition that pitted Airbus maker EADS against US rival Boeing, leaving a decision to the new US administration that takes office in January 2009.

Analysts quoted by Der Spiegel said the move would benefit EADS' rival, which has a chance to reenter the bidding with a new tanker aircraft with a larger fuel capacity.