Science and technology in Israel

:"Note: this article is about the exact sciences, natural sciences, and engineering."

Israeli contributions to science and technology have been significant. Since the establishment of the State of Israel, Israel has worked in science and engineering. Israeli scientists have contributed in the areas of genetics, medicine, agriculture, computer sciences, electronics, optics, engineering and other high-tech industries.

Israeli science is particularly well known for its military technology, from simple submachine guns like the Uzi, ranging to advanced anti-ballistic defense systems - like the Arrow. Moreover, Israel is among the small group of nations in the world that have the capability to launch satellites into orbit (the others include the USA, Russia, China, Japan, India, and some European nations through the ESA).

As a dry land, Israel has pioneered in advanced agricultural technology such as water-conserving irrigation methods, anaerobic digestion, salinity research, enriched compost, irrigation, and enhanced genetic engineered crops. Dry lands which have peace with Israel have received aid from and/or collaborated with Israeli experts in order to improve desert agriculture and produce more food. Israel has a world-wide reputation in this area.

Israel also has a high reputation in theoretical physics. Israeli physicists tend to deal more with theoretical and conceptual aspects of physics, especially in questions of time and space, and the paradoxes and strange phenomena of quantum mechanics.

Israel is also known for its well-developed and revolutionary medicine. Israel medical researchers and surgeons have worldwide reputation, in searching for new cures as well in high technology and reliability. Recently, a group of researchers from the Weizmann Institute developed a molecular biocomputer to assist in cancer research.

The Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, meanwhile, is home to Israel's only Nobel laureates in science, Profs. Avram Hershko and Aaron Ciechanover, who received the Nobel Prize in 2004 for their research on ubiquitin, a protein that marks other proteins for destruction. The school is also known for having one of the world's top electrical engineering faculties as well as the Western world's largest computer science faculty.

Scientific institutions

* Bar-Ilan University
* Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
* Haifa University
* The Hebrew University, Jerusalem
* Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa
* Tel Aviv University
* Vulcanii Agricultural Institute, Rishon LeZion
* Weizmann Institute, Rehovot

High-tech companies

* Civilian
** Amdocs
** Check Point
** Chromatis
** El-Op
** Exanet - NAS storage
** Teva - pharmaceuticals
** Ness Technologies - Global software service provider.
** Netafim - computerized drip irrigation, etc.
** M-Systems - Leader in flash memory storage
** Mercury - Leader in Software Quality tools
** Minicom Advanced Systems - Digital Signage and KVM Distribution and Extension Manufacturers
** Zend Technologies - Web infrastructure software, inventors of PHP.
* Environmental & waste treatment technology
** [http://www.arrowbio.com ArrowBio] mechanical biological treatment and anaerobic digestion
* Securitymilitarygovernmental
** Elbit
** El-Op
** Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI)
** Israel Military Industries (IMI)
** RAFAEL Armament Development Authority
** Soltam

Famous Israeli scientists

Nobel laureates

Four Israelis have won science Nobel Prizes. Biologists Avram Hershko and Aaron Ciechanover of the Technion shared the Chemistry prize in 2004. Israeli-American psychologist Daniel Kahneman had previously won the 2002 prize in Economics. In 2005 Robert Aumann from The Hebrew University also won the prize in Economics.

Additionally, 1958 Medicine laureate Joshua Lederberg was born to Israeli Jewish parents, while 2004 Physics laureate David Gross partly grew up in Israel, where he obtained his undergraduate degree.

Other scientists

Prominent scientists are listed in List of Israelis.

Related topic

*Economy of Israel
*Mechanical biological treatment Leading area in Israeli innovation in environmental technology

External links

* [http://www.borodulincollection.com/israel_color/industry_technology.html Industry and technology] Photo by Lev Borodulin
* [http://www.science.co.il/ Israel Science and Technology Homepage]
* [http://www.isracast.com/tech.asp Isracast Science and technology section] - News on Science and technology from Israel - Updated weekly (English)
* [http://www.isracast.com/tech_news/311204_tech-part1.htm 2004 - The Year in science and technology in Israel]
* [http://www.isracast.com/tech_news/301205_tech_2005.htm 2005 - The Year in science and technology in Israel]
* [http://econ.haifa.ac.il/~dpeled/papers/ste-wp4.pdf Defense R&D and Economic Growth in Israel: A Research Agenda]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKDN8J2loA8&mode=related&search= Investments in Israel]
* [http://www.israel21c.org Israel21c - A Focus Beyond]