ScienceDaily Technology Headlines
for Tuesday, August 17, 2010
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IBEX spacecraft reveals surprising details of solar system (August 17, 2010) -- It wasn't until the advent of the Interstellar Boundary Explorer or IBEX, a NASA spacecraft launched in October 2008, that scientists have been able to see what the human eye cannot: the first-ever images of an electromagnetic crash scene in space. They can now witness how some of the solar wind's charged particles are being neutralized by gas escaping from Earth's atmosphere. ... > full story
Cassini bags Enceladus 'Tigers' (August 17, 2010) -- NASA's Cassini spacecraft has successfully completed its flyby over the "tiger stripes" in the south polar region of Saturn's moon Enceladus and has sent back images of its passage. The spacecraft also targeted the moon Tethys. ... > full story
New microneedle antimicrobial techniques may foster medical tech innovation (August 16, 2010) -- Researchers have developed two new approaches for incorporating antimicrobial properties into microneedles -- vanishingly thin needles that hold great promise for use in portable medical devices. Researchers expect the findings to spur development of new medical applications using microneedles. ... > full story
15,000 beams of light: Pens that write with light offer low-cost, rapid nanofabrication capabilities (August 16, 2010) -- One city skyline is dazzling enough. Now imagine 15,000 of them. Researchers have done just that -- drawing 15,000 identical skylines with tiny beams of light using an innovative nanofabrication technology called beam-pen lithography. BPL uses an array of pens made of a polymer to print patterns over large areas with nanoscopic through macroscopic resolution. The method could do for nanofabrication what the desktop printer has done for printing and information transfer. ... > full story
Probing the nanoparticle: Predicting how nanoparticles will react in the human body (August 16, 2010) -- Researchers have developed a method for predicting the ways nanoparticles will interact with biological systems -- including the human body. Their work could have implications for improved human and environmental safety in the handling of nanomaterials, as well as applications for drug delivery. ... > full story
Solution to beading-saliva mystery has practical purposes (August 16, 2010) -- Researchers have discovered precisely why strands of some fluids containing long molecules called polymers form beads when stretched, findings that could be used to improve industrial processes and for administering drugs in "personalized medicine." ... > full story
Making sense of space dust: Researchers explore solar system's origins (August 16, 2010) -- The chemical breakdown of minerals that may be lurking in space dust soon will be available to scientists around the world. ... > full story
Drugs encased in nanoparticles travel to tumors on the surface of immune-system cells (August 16, 2010) -- Clinical trials using patients' own immune cells to target tumors have yielded promising results. However, this approach usually works only if the patients also receive large doses of drugs designed to help immune cells multiply rapidly, and those drugs have life-threatening side effects. Now engineers have devised a way to deliver the necessary drugs by smuggling them on the backs of the cells sent in to fight the tumor. That way, the drugs reach only their intended targets, greatly reducing the risk to the patient. ... > full story
Pushing the limits of 3D TV technology (August 16, 2010) -- Some of the thrills of 3D cinema have reached the living room of the average family this year, but the result is still far from perfect. That could change thanks to a technology developed by a German-Swiss partnership. ... > full story
Evidence of new solar activity from observations of aurora in New Zealand (August 16, 2010) -- Scientists have obtained sub-visual evidence of the onset of a new cycle of solar-terrestrial activity. The key results being reported deal with the fact that recent auroral displays at high latitudes (ones visible to the naked eye) were accompanied by far less luminous glows in the atmosphere at lower latitudes. ... > full story
Carbon nanotubes form ultrasensitive biosensor to detect proteins (August 15, 2010) -- A cluster of carbon nanotubes coated with a thin layer of protein-recognizing polymer form a biosensor capable of using electrochemical signals to detect minute amounts of proteins, which could provide a crucial new diagnostic tool for the detection of a range of illnesses, researchers report. ... > full story
NGC 4696: A cosmic question mark (August 15, 2010) -- Curling around itself like a question mark, the unusual looking galaxy NGC 4696 itself begs many questions. Why is it such a strange shape? What are the odd, capillary-like filaments that stretch out of it? And what is the role of a large black hole in explaining its decidedly odd appearance? ... > full story
Nano world of Shrinky Dinks: Low-cost nanopatterning method utilizes popular shrinkable plastic (August 14, 2010) -- The magical world of Shrinky Dinks -- an arts and crafts material used by children since the 1970s -- has taken up residence in a Northwestern University laboratory. A team of nanoscientists is using the flexible plastic sheets as the backbone of a new inexpensive way to create, test and mass-produce large-area patterns on the nanoscale. Anyone needing access to these patterns on the cheap could benefit from this method, known as solvent-assisted nanoscale embossing. ... > full story
Implantable silk metamaterials could advance biomedicine, biosensing (August 13, 2010) -- Researchers have fabricated and characterized the first large-area metamaterial structures patterned on implantable, bio-compatible silk substrates. The antenna-like devices can monitor the "fingerprints" of chemical and biological agents and might be implanted to signal changes in the body. Metamaterials are artificial electromagnetic composites whose structures respond to electromagnetic waves in ways that atoms in natural materials do not. ... > full story
New nanoscale transistors allow sensitive probing inside cells (August 13, 2010) -- Chemists and engineers have fashioned nanowires into a new type of V-shaped transistor small enough to be used for sensitive probing of the interior of cells. The new device is smaller than many viruses and about one-hundredth the width of the probes now used to take cellular measurements, which can be nearly as large as the cells themselves. ... > full story
Extended solar minimum linked to changes in sun's conveyor belt (August 13, 2010) -- A new analysis of the unusually long solar cycle that ended in 2008 suggests that one reason for the long cycle could be a stretching of the sun's conveyor belt, a current of plasma that circulates between the sun's equator and its poles. The results should help scientists better understand the factors controlling the timing of solar cycles and could lead to better predictions. ... > full story
Magnetic molecular machines deliver drugs to unhealthy cells (August 13, 2010) -- Researchers have developed a completely novel and noninvasive method of releasing drugs remotely into the cells. The method involves a novel material using porous silica nanoparticles, and molecular machines which can be attached to contain drug molecules in the pores until a magnetic field stimulus allows the molecules to be delivered into cells. ... > full story
Wax, soap clean up obstacles to better batteries (August 13, 2010) -- A little wax and soap can help build electrodes for cheaper lithium ion batteries, according to a new study. The one-step method will allow battery developers to explore lower-priced alternatives to the lithium ion-metal oxide batteries currently on the market. ... > full story
Teaching robot helps children to use wheelchair (August 13, 2010) -- A robotic wheelchair is being developed that will help children learn to 'drive'. In a new article, researchers describe the testing of ROLY -- robot-assisted learning for young drivers -- in a group of children without disabilities and one child with cerebral palsy. ... > full story
Fermi detects 'shocking' surprise from supernova's little cousin (August 13, 2010) -- Astronomers using NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope have detected gamma-rays from a nova for the first time, a finding that stunned observers and theorists alike. The discovery overturns the notion that novae explosions lack the power to emit such high-energy radiation. ... > full story
Industrial production of biodiesel feasible within 15 years, researchers predict (August 13, 2010) -- Within 10 to 15 years, it will be technically possible to produce sustainable and economically viable biodiesel from micro-algae on a large scale. Technological innovations during this period should extend the scale of production by a factor of three, while at the same time reducing production costs by 90%. Two researchers from the Netherlands believe this to be possible. ... > full story
Wireless tire pressure monitoring systems in cars may compromise privacy, pose security threat (August 13, 2010) -- New wireless technologies in cars may compromise a driver's privacy and pose a security threat, warn researchers. Modern automobiles are increasingly equipped with wireless sensors and devices, such as systems that monitor air pressure inside tires and trigger dashboard warnings if a tire's pressure drops. These wireless signals can be intercepted 120 feet away from the car using a simple receiver despite the shielding provided by the metal car body. ... > full story
Federal nuclear waste panel overlooks public mistrust, experts say (August 13, 2010) -- According to 16 social science researchers from across the country, a renewed federal effort to fix the nation's stalled nuclear waste program is focusing so much on technological issues that it fails to address the public mistrust hampering storage and disposal efforts. ... > full story
Asteroid found in gravitational 'dead zone' near Neptune (August 13, 2010) -- There are places in space where the gravitational tug between a planet and the Sun balance out, allowing other smaller bodies to remain stable, called Lagrangian points. Trojan asteroids have been found in some of these stable spots near Jupiter and Neptune. Now astronomers have discovered the first Trojan asteroid in a difficult-to-detect stability region at Neptune -- the Lagrangian L5 point. ... > full story
Hexagonal boron nitride sheets may help graphene supplant silicon (August 13, 2010) -- What researchers might call "white graphene" may be the perfect sidekick for the real thing as a new era unfolds in nanoscale electronics. Researchers have figured out how to make sheets of h-BN, which could turn out to be the complementary apple to graphene's orange. ... > full story
Scientists outline a 20-year master plan for the global renaissance of nuclear energy (August 12, 2010) -- Scientists outline a 20-year master plan for the global renaissance of nuclear energy that could see nuclear reactors with replaceable parts, portable mini-reactors, and ship-borne reactors supplying countries with clean energy, in new research. ... > full story
Video quality less important when you're enjoying what you're watching (August 12, 2010) -- If you like what you're watching, you're less likely to notice the difference in video quality of the TV show, Internet video or mobile movie clip, new research shows. ... > full story
Ambitious survey spots stellar nurseries (August 12, 2010) -- Astronomers scanning the skies as part of ESO's VISTA Magellanic Cloud survey have now obtained a spectacular picture of the Tarantula Nebula in our neighbouring galaxy, the Large Magellanic Cloud. This panoramic near-infrared view captures the nebula itself in great detail as well as the rich surrounding area of sky. The image was obtained at the start of a very ambitious survey of our neighbouring galaxies, the Magellanic Clouds, and their environment. ... > full story
Popping cells surprise living circuits creators (August 12, 2010) -- Under the microscope, researchers found that bacteria start dividing normally, two cells become four and then eight and so on. But then individual cells begin "popping," like circus balloons being struck by darts. Researchers believe the accidental finding of a circuit they call "ePop" can help increase the efficiency and power of future synthetic biology circuits. ... > full story
Arctic rocks offer new glimpse of primitive Earth (August 12, 2010) -- Scientists have discovered a new window into the Earth's violent past. Geochemical evidence from volcanic rocks collected on Baffin Island in the Canadian Arctic suggests that beneath it lies a region of the Earth's mantle that has largely escaped the billions of years of melting and geological churning that has affected the rest of the planet. Researchers believe the discovery offers clues to the early chemical evolution of the Earth. ... > full story
Giant ultraviolet rings found in resurrected galaxies (August 12, 2010) -- Astronomers have found mysterious, giant loops of ultraviolet light in aged, massive galaxies, which seem to have a second lease on life. Somehow these "over-the-hill galaxies" have been infused with fresh gas to form new stars that power these truly gargantuan rings, some of which could encircle several Milky Way galaxies. ... > full story
Faster DNA analysis at room temperature (August 12, 2010) -- Researchers in Canada have combined DNA microarrays with microfluidic devices, which are used for the precise control of liquids at the nanoscale. ... > full story
Texas petrochemical emissions down, but still underestimated, says study (August 12, 2010) -- A thick blanket of yellow haze hovering over Houston as a result of chemical pollution from petroleum products may be getting a little bit thinner, according to a new study. But the new findings -- which have implications for petrochemical-producing cities around the world -- come with a catch, says a team of scientists who participated in the research. ... > full story
Breakthrough in blinking molecules phenomenon (August 12, 2010) -- A new paper offers an important new understanding of an enduring mystery in chemical physics. More than a century ago, at the dawn of modern quantum mechanics, the Noble Prize-winning physicist Neils Bohr predicted so-called "quantum jumps." He predicted that these jumps would be due to electrons making transitions between discrete energy levels of individual atoms and molecules. Although controversial in Bohr's time, such quantum jumps were experimentally observed, and his prediction verified, in the 1980s. More recently, with the development of single molecule imaging techniques in the early 1990s, it has been possible to observe similar jumps in individual molecules. ... > full story
Micromachines for a safer world (August 12, 2010) -- Scientists are improving the sensitivity of MEMS accelerometers by using an efficient yet simple and manufacturable design, which can be applied in sport, communication, transportation and defense. Amplification techniques developed at his lab can be used for improving the performance of these devices. ... > full story
Dark-matter search plunges physicists to new depths (August 11, 2010) -- Physicists are taking their attempt to unmask the secret identity of dark matter into a Canadian mine more than a mile underground. They are deploying a 4-kilogram bubble chamber at SNOLab, which is part of the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory in Ontario, Canada. A second 60-kilogram chamber will follow later this year. ... > full story
Perseid meteor shower set to dazzle (August 11, 2010) -- This year’s Perseid meteor shower looks set to be one of the best of recent years, with near perfect viewing conditions for observers in the UK. The peak of the shower will be at around 2300 BST on Thursday 12 August but activity will be strong into the pre-dawn hours of Friday morning. This is just two days after New Moon, meaning that our celestial neighbor will not provide any natural light pollution to spoil the view. ... > full story
Electrons in motion (August 11, 2010) -- In order to understand the behavior of atoms and molecules, it is not enough to know their structure; physicists also want to observe their motions, and the motions of their electrons. Because electrons move so rapidly, this was not possible until now. A European team of researchers has now developed a method that allows one to observe the motions of electrons. ... > full story
Scientists achieve highest-resolution MRI of the inside of a magnet (August 11, 2010) -- In a development that holds potential for both data storage and biomedical imaging, researchers have used a new technique to obtain the highest-ever resolution MRI scan of the inside of a magnet. ... > full story
Best way to pour champagne? 'Down the side' wins first scientific test (August 11, 2010) -- In a study that may settle a long-standing disagreement over the best way to pour a glass of champagne, scientists in France are reporting that pouring bubbly in an angled, down-the-side way is best for preserving its taste and fizz. The study also reports the first scientific evidence confirming the importance of chilling champagne before serving to enhance its taste, the scientists say. ... > full story
Energy storage system deals with sudden draws on the grid (August 11, 2010) -- Researchers have found a way to manage short-lived draws on the electricity grid. ... > full story
Advance toward earlier detection of melanoma (August 11, 2010) -- Scientists are now able to image subcutaneous melanoma tumors with startling clarity. The new imaging technique relies on sound rather than light because sound is less strongly scattered by tissues. In addition, the tumors are preloaded with a nanoparticle contrast agent that latches onto proteins that stud the surface of the cancerous cells. ... > full story
Innovation could bring super-accurate sensors, crime forensics (August 11, 2010) -- A new technology enabling tiny machines called micro electromechanical systems to "self-calibrate" could make possible super-accurate and precise sensors for crime-scene forensics, environmental testing and medical diagnostics. ... > full story
Send in the clouds: NASA's CloudSat sees clouds' effect on climate by studying them from space (August 11, 2010) -- Gaze up at a cloud-filled sky, and you may spot the white, fluffy shape of a dragon, fish or elephant. Looking at the same sky, Graeme Stephens sees a different vision -- a possible future for Earth's climate. ... > full story
Scientists show there's nothing boring about watching paint dry (August 11, 2010) -- It turns out that watching paint dry might not be as boring as the old adage claims. Researchers have come up with a new technique to study the mechanics of coatings as they dry and peel, and has discovered that the process is far from mundane. ... > full story
Bacteria from hot springs reveal clues to evolution of early life and to unlock biofuels' potential (August 11, 2010) -- Bacteria that lives in hot springs in Japan may help solve one of the mysteries of the early evolution of complex organisms, according to a new study. It may also be the key to 21st century biofuel production. ... > full story
Students' understanding of the equal sign not equal, professor says (August 11, 2010) -- Taken very literally, not all students are created equal -- especially in their math learning skills, say researchers who have found that not fully understanding the "equal sign" in a math problem could be a key to why US students underperform their peers from other countries in math. ... > full story
Better displays ahead (August 11, 2010) -- Researchers are actively pursuing an alternative approach for low-power displays and hope to provide details about what's ahead for display technology. ... > full story
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