A British designer has won an award for a sculpted, low-energy light bulb. The Plumen bulbwon the Design of the Year award in a competition run by London’s Design Museum. Thebulb is said to last eight times longer than a traditional light bulb. Will Gompertz reports.Reporter: Now here is a bright idea – a designer, low-energy light bulb. So now, if you wantto illuminate your home in an eco-friendly fashion, you have this curvaceous choice. Thedesigners spent a great deal of time worrying about what might turn people on, and whatmight turn them off.Their quest was to marry practicality, something…

Japan and India have signed a free-trade agreement. They are trying to make it easier to sellgoods between the two countries. Japan is trying to build greater trade links since it wasrecently overtaken by China as the world’s second biggest economy. Roland Buerk reports.The agreement is intended to boost trade between Japan and India, which share a mutualconcern about the growing economic clout of China. Within 10 years, tariffs will beabolished on 90% of Japanese exports to India and 97% of India’s exports to Japan.The Prime Minister of Japan, Naoto Kan, has said opening up the country to trade is…

US scientists studying data from the Kepler space telescope identified six large planets orbiting around a Sun-like star about 2,000 light-years away. This new solar system is intriguing Nasa scientists. Neil Bowdler reports.Finding six new planets around a single star represents an impressive haul. Nasa is calling it the best find since the first so-called ‘exoplanet’ was discovered 16 years ago. It might not be the most populated solar system yet found – six or possibly seven planets have been found in a rival system, but it’s the nature of this new discovery which is getting the astronomers scratching their…

IMF ‘downplayed risk of financial crisis’ An investigation of the International Monetary Fund concluded that the institutiondownplayed the risks faced by the world economy before the 2008 financial crisis. Theenquiry was carried out by the IMF’s Independent Evaluation Office. Andrew Walker reports:The report includes some striking criticism of the IMF’s performance ahead of the crisis. Theagency provided few clear warnings about the risks, the report says.IMF surveillance of the economic situation was characterised by over-confidence in thesoundness of large financial institutions. The risks associated with housing booms andfinancial innovations, subsequently called toxic assets, were downplayed.The IMF’s managing director Dominique Strauss-Kahn…

Here’s what people in London said: “Somebody who I can just talk to, have an interesting conversation. If youjust click with anybody and you’re able to have a sensible, adultconversation of course – that would be an ideal date. Especially a candlelitdinner! Now we’re talking.”“That’s really hard. I don’t know actually. Maybe something… I thinkwe’d stay at home and the guy would make me dinner, if he couldcook.”“I think my ideal date would just be at home. Maybe me cooking a meal,impressing someone that I was trying to impress, maybe. I really like tocook and I really like people when…