There was a time when the term “fuel cell” was linked almost exclusively with America’s space program. The fuel cells in space used hydrogen and oxygen to generate electricity for manned spacecraft, with the side benefit of producing drinking water. Few people will forget the near loss of Apollo 13 when a short circuit ignited oxygen inside a fuel cell tank. The resulting explosion crippled the craft, which eventually made it back to earth thanks to a level of creativity and intensity on the part of the crew and ground support personnel that can only be described as heroic. But fuel cells were around long before all that, and are now taking on a major role in more down-to-earth applications.

Fuel cells are electrochemical devices that convert a fuel, such as methanol or hydrogen, into electricity without burning. The principle behind the

At a time when U.S. employers are laying off workers in record numbers, Intel Corp. (INTC) announced yesterday (Tuesday) that it would spend $7 billion over the next two years to build advanced manufacturing facilities while safeguarding 7,000 high-wage jobs.

To support the deployment of Intel’s cutting-edge 32-nanometer (nm) manufacturing technology, Intel President and Chief Executive Officer Paul Otellini said the company will upgrade four existing manufacturing sites in Oregon, Arizona and New Mexico to build faster, smaller chips that consume less energy.

The new funding represents the world’s biggest chipmaker’s largest-ever investment for a new manufacturing process and furthers its efforts to distance itself from its would-be rivals.

“We’re investing in America to keep Intel and our nation at the forefront of innovation,” Otellini said in a speech at the Economic Club in Washington, Bloomberg News reported.

“We’re investing in America to keep Intel and our nation at the