The science behind the 2010 World Cup soccer ball, Adidas Jabulani

As you know, today's match concludes the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. Throughout the tournament, many controversies have emerged. Most of these are contributed by the official FIFA World Cup 2010 ball, the Jabulani. Here's an article about it: http://www.monstersandcritics.com/sport/soccer/article_1563177.php/Criticism-mounting-over-World-Cup-ball-Jabulani-Feature.Just what makes the Jabulani so hated by even the most prominent footballers? Let's take a look at the boons and banes of the ball.
Firstly, the ball is no doubt one of the most technologically advanced ball in the world. With a weight of only 440 grams, it is the lightest ball in the world. Adidas has claimed that it has surpassed the official match ball of the 2006 World Cup as one of the most spherical and accurate ball that has ever been played. Its spherical shape gives it more accuracy in flight. Its spherical shape is contributed to the fact that it has only 8 panels, compared to the 14 panels in the official match ball of the 2006 World Cup. The Jabulani's roundness can only be achieved with a process which thermally bonded the panels of the ball such that any inconsistencies during stitching, which was the method used to maufacture footballs in the past, can be eliminated and offer the ability for form the outer panels in three dimensions (versus bending flat panels into a spherical shape). By using only 8 panels for the ball, there are lesser seams and this allows a 70 percent larger striking surface. Besides the above modifications, Adidas has also included "aero-grooves" which are indentations along a certain pattern to allow the ball to achieve more rotation and move along a consistent trajectory. These indentations also allow players to have more control on the ball. Adidas certainly has taken serious consideration into the manufacturing of the ball by setting up labs to test the accuracy of the ball through internal robot kicking and wind tunnels. With the advancement of science and technology, the game of football has certainly changed a lot since players were kicking around with a leather ball. Engineering has turned our world into a better place. For now, let's enjoy the last game of the World Cup 2010.