ScienceDaily Technology Headlines
for Wednesday, September 22, 2010
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Dancing robot swan triggers emotions (September 22, 2010) -- 'The Dying Swan' is sometimes moving smoothly and gently, sometimes in a dramatic and fiery manner, as Tchaikovsky's majestic music from the ballet Swan Lake is playing; yet this is no ordinary ballet dancer, but a robot in the form of a swan. ... > full story
First observation of the folding of a nucleic acid (September 22, 2010) -- Scientists have been able to describe for the first time the folding process of a small DNA hairpin in water and with atomic resolution. ... > full story
Quantum computing closer than ever: Scientists using lasers to cool and control molecules (September 22, 2010) -- Physicists have used lasers to cool molecules down to temperatures near what's known as absolute zero, about -460 degrees Fahrenheit. Their new method for laser cooling is a significant step toward the ultimate goal of using individual molecules as information bits in quantum computing. ... > full story
First in-human study of robotically assisted percutaneous coronary intervention system demonstrates safety, feasibility (September 22, 2010) -- The first in-human study of a robotically assisted percutaneous coronary intervention system demonstrated that the technique was safe and feasible. ... > full story
Certain doped-oxide ceramics resist Ohm's Law (September 22, 2010) -- Scientists have discovered that certain barium titanate ceramics do not follow Ohm's Law. Applying a voltage to them gradually changes their electrical resistance. The work may help explain how ceramics used in electrical circuits degrade. ... > full story
Parting the waters: Computer modeling applies physics to Red Sea escape route (September 21, 2010) -- New research shows the extent to which such sustained winds can dramatically lower water levels. The research suggests that such a "wind setdown" event could have led to a parting of waters similar to the description in the biblical account of the Red Sea. ... > full story
Earth to have closest encounter with Jupiter until 2022 (September 21, 2010) -- Been outside at midnight lately? There's something you really need to see. Jupiter is approaching Earth for the closest encounter between the two planets in more than a decade -- and it is dazzling. ... > full story
Silent electric vehicles made safer (September 21, 2010) -- A little green van called ELVIN is whizzing around the University of Warwick as part of a major research project aimed at tackling the safety issues linked to the lack of sound from electric vehicles. ... > full story
Martian moon Phobos may have formed by catastrophic blast (September 21, 2010) -- Scientists now have firm indications that the Martian satellite Phobos formed relatively near its current location via re-accretion of material blasted into Mars' orbit by some catastrophic event. Two independent approaches of compositional analyses of thermal infrared spectra, from ESA's Mars Express and NASA's Mars Global Surveyor missions, yield very similar conclusions. The re-accretion scenario is further strengthened by the measurements of Phobos' high porosity from the Mars Radio Science Experiment (MaRS) on board Mars Express. ... > full story
Nanoparticle shaped like Star of David discovered (September 21, 2010) -- A new type of nanoparticle resembling the six-pointed Star of David has been discovered by researchers in Israel. The discovery may lead to new ways for sensing of glucose in diagnosing diabetes or provide a catalyst to capture the sun's energy and turn it into clean fuel. ... > full story
Swallowing disc batteries can cause severe injury in children (September 21, 2010) -- Severe injury to the esophagus can occur after a child swallows a disc battery, according to a new study. ... > full story
Too much TV, video and computer can make teens fatter (September 21, 2010) -- Too much television, video games and Internet can increase body fat in teens. A five-year study has found teenagers have four different patterns of screen use: increasers, decreasers, consistently high and consistently low users. ... > full story
Nano antenna concentrates light (September 21, 2010) -- Researchers have made a nanoscale optical antenna that amplifies light a thousand-fold. Getting an accurate measurement of the plasmonic effect is a first. ... > full story
Ability to detect malware in cloud-computing systems improved (September 21, 2010) -- Researchers have developed new software that offers significantly enhanced security for cloud-computing systems. The software is much better at detecting viruses or other malware in the "hypervisors" that are critical to cloud computing, and does so without alerting the malware that it is being examined. ... > full story
Geckos inspire new method to print electronics on complex surfaces (September 21, 2010) -- Geckos are masters at sticking to surfaces of all kinds and easily unsticking themselves. Inspired by these lizards, a team of engineers has developed a reversible adhesion method for printing electronics on a variety of tricky surfaces such as clothes, plastic and leather. The stamp can easily pick up electronic devices from a silicon surface and print them on a curved surface. ... > full story
Vigilant camera eye: System analyzes data in real time, flags unusual scenes (September 21, 2010) -- An innovative camera system could in future enhance security in public areas and buildings. Smart Eyes works just like the human eye. The system analyzes the recorded data in real time and then immediately flags up salient features and unusual scenes. ... > full story
Hot atmosphere of Venus might cool interior of Earth’s sister planet (September 21, 2010) -- The heat in the atmosphere of Venus, induced from a strong greenhouse warming, might actually have a cooling effect on the planet's interior. This counter-intuitive theory is based on calculations from a new model presented by astronomers. ... > full story
Image sensors for extreme temperatures (September 21, 2010) -- Image sensors which are used as electronic parking aids in cars or for quality control in production systems have to be able to withstand the often very high temperatures that prevail in these environments. Research scientists have produced a CMOS chip which functions even at a temperature of 115 degrees Celsius. ... > full story
First microwave image of the complete Moon (September 21, 2010) -- The first microwave image of the complete Moon was obtained thanks to the Chinese lunar satellite Chang’E-1. Global brightness temperature maps reveal radiation from the surface and deeper layers of the Moon and its diurnal variation. This will help astronomers to determine the detailed heat flow and, thus, the inner energy of the Moon. ... > full story
Lightweight true random number generators a step closer (September 21, 2010) -- The widespread use of true random number generators has taken a step closer following the creation of the most lightweight designs to date. ... > full story
Herschel Mars observations: First results (September 21, 2010) -- The Herschel Space Observatory is providing its first exciting results on Mars. An accurate globally averaged temperature profile of the Martian atmosphere may cause scientists to revise their models about atmospheric circulation on Mars. And the first sub-millimeter observation of molecular oxygen on the planet may lead to a completely new picture of the oxygen distribution in the Martian atmosphere. ... > full story
Commercial-scale test of new technology to recover coal from sludge successful (September 21, 2010) -- A new technology for removing water from ultrafine coal slurry has been successfully tested at the commercial scale at an operating coal cleaning plant. The technology offers the possibility of reducing the coal slurry impoundment problem from the source. ... > full story
Future of football: GPS and miniature accelerometers to better assess player's training load and fitness levels (September 21, 2010) -- A new research project in the UK may have important implications for the world of football (soccer) through the use of new technology such as GPS and miniature accelerometers to better assess a player's training load and fitness levels. ... > full story
Biofuel from inedible plant material easier to produce following enzyme discovery (September 20, 2010) -- Researchers have discovered key plant enzymes that normally make the energy stored in wood, straw, and other non-edible parts of plants difficult to extract. The findings can be used to improve the viability of sustainable biofuels that do not adversely affect the food chain. ... > full story
Possible 'persistence' switch for tuberculosis found: Computer model finds probable genetic mechanism for TB dormancy (September 20, 2010) -- A model for the genetic "persistence" switch that toggles tuberculosis bacteria into a dormant state that resists antibiotics and immune system responses is described in a new study. An analysis of stress-response genes in the organism Mycobacterium tuberculosis has allowed bioengineers to zero in on a gene network that appears to help the bacteria ward off attacks. ... > full story
Magnetic attraction for fish, crabs? Study examines whether magnetic fields from aquatic power sources affect animals (September 20, 2010) -- Scientists are examining how aquatic animals behave around electromagnetic fields similar to those created by marine power devices. ... > full story
Violent video games increase aggression long after the game is turned off, study finds (September 20, 2010) -- Playing a violent video game can increase aggression, and when a player keeps thinking about the game, the potential for aggression can last for as long as 24 hours, according to a new study. ... > full story
End of microplates? Novel electronic biosensing technology could facilitate new era of personalized medicine (September 20, 2010) -- The multi-welled microplate, long a standard tool in biomedical research and diagnostic laboratories, could become a thing of the past thanks to new electronic biosensing technology developed by a team of microelectronics engineers and biomedical scientists. ... > full story
Favorable expectations make people like using a new mobile phone, study finds (September 20, 2010) -- The more a user expects to like using a new mobile phone, the more he or she will like to use it. According to researchers in Finland, users' favorable expectations make them forgive encountered usability problems and perceive new mobile phones usable. ... > full story
Data clippers to set sail to enhance future planetary missions (September 20, 2010) -- A new golden age of sailing may be about to begin -- in space. Future missions to explore the outer planets could employ fleets of ‘data-clippers’ -- manoeuvrable spacecraft equipped with solar sails, to ship vast quantities of scientific data to back Earth. The technology could be ready in time to support mid-term missions to the moons of Jupiter and Saturn. ... > full story
Technology that can withstand extremes of temperature and radiation created (September 20, 2010) -- Radio transmitters that can withstand temperatures of up to 900 degrees C could soon be dropped into the depths of the earth to provide early warning of a volcanic eruption. The state-of-the-art technology uses silicon carbide electronics that can withstand temperatures equal to the inside of a jet engine. ... > full story
Human unconscious is transferred to virtual characters (September 20, 2010) -- Virtual characters can behave according to actions carried out unconsciously by humans. Researchers have created a system which measures human physiological parameters, such as respiration or heart rate, and introduces them into computer designed characters in real time. ... > full story
Database to help accelerate drug discovery developed (September 20, 2010) -- Researchers have developed a new computational method that will help streamline the analysis of gene expression experiments and provide scientists with a better mechanistic understanding of the differences between diseased and normal cells. ... > full story
Key component identified that helps plants go green (September 20, 2010) -- A team of researchers has found a central part in the machinery that turns plants green when they sense light. In the Rube Goldberg world of cellular mechanics, this key player turns out to be a garbage truck. ... > full story
Magical BEANs: New nano-sized particles could provide mega-sized data storage (September 20, 2010) -- Researchers have discovered an entire new class of phase-change materials that could be applied to PCM and optical data storage technologies. The new materials, alloys of a metal and semiconductor, are called "BEANs," for binary eutectic-alloy nanostructures. ... > full story
Self-organizing traffic lights (September 20, 2010) -- A new patent may revolutionize traffic control, saving fuel, reducing travel times and emissions, and doing it all without limiting drivers' mobility. This truly "green" idea will have drivers waiting less and help us preserve our environment. ... > full story
50-million-year-old snake gets a CT scan (September 20, 2010) -- Even some of the most advanced technology in medicine couldn't get Clarisse to give up all of her secrets. After all, she's protected them for more than 50 million years. Clarisse is a snake, found in the Fossil Butte region of Wyoming, perfectly fossilized in limestone and the only one of her kind known to be in existence. ... > full story
At the crossroads of chromosomes: Study reveals structure of cell division’s key molecule (September 20, 2010) -- On average, one hundred billion cells in the human body divide over the course of a day. Most of the time the body gets it right but sometimes, problems in cell replication can lead to abnormalities in chromosomes resulting in many types of disorders, from cancer to Down Syndrome. Now, researchers have defined the structure of a key molecule that plays a central role in how DNA is duplicated and then moved correctly and equally into two daughter cells to produce two exact copies of the mother cell. Without this molecule, entire chromosomes could be lost during cell division. ... > full story
Chemists discover method to create high-value chemicals from biomass (September 20, 2010) -- Chemist Walter Trahanovsky was trying to produce sugar derivatives from biomass using high-temperature chemistry. He was surprised when his research also produced significant yields of high-value chemicals. ... > full story
Environmental impact of organic solar cells assessed (September 20, 2010) -- To better understand the energy and environmental benefits and detriments of solar power, a research team has conducted one of the first life-cycle assessments of organic solar cells. The study found that the embodied energy -- or the total energy required to make a product -- is less for organic solar cells compared with conventional inorganic devices. ... > full story
Emotional robot pets (September 20, 2010) -- Designers of robot pets are fighting a never-ending battle with consumers to provide entertaining and realistic gadgets that respond to human interaction in ever more nuanced ways, mimicking the behavior of real pet animals or even people. Researchers in Taiwan are now looking at a new design paradigm that could see the development of a robot vision module that might one-day recognize human facial expressions and respond appropriately. ... > full story
Team restoring Mars Orbiter after reboot (September 20, 2010) -- NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter put itself into a precautionary standby mode after experiencing a spontaneous computer reboot on Sept. 15. The mission's ground team has begun restoring the spacecraft to full operations. ... > full story
Cosmic ice sculptures: Dust pillars in the Carina Nebula (September 19, 2010) -- Enjoying a frozen treat on a hot summer day can leave a sticky mess as it melts in the Sun and deforms. In the cold vacuum of space, there is no edible ice cream, but there is radiation from massive stars that is carving away at cold molecular clouds, creating bizarre, fantasy-like structures. ... > full story
'Nanosprings' offer improved performance in biomedicine, electronics (September 19, 2010) -- Researchers have reported the successful loading of biological molecules onto "nanosprings" -- a type of nanostructure that has gained significant interest in recent years for its ability to maximize surface area in microreactors. ... > full story
Quantum tornado in the electron beam: Manipulating materials with rotating quantum particles (September 18, 2010) -- Researchers have succeeded in producing what are known as electron vortex beams: rotating electron beams, which make it possible to investigate the magnetic properties of materials. In the future, it may even be possible to manipulate the tiniest components in a targeted manner and set them in rotation. ... > full story
Synthetic fuels research aims to reduce oil dependence (September 18, 2010) -- Researchers have developed a facility aimed at learning precisely how coal and biomass are broken down in reactors called gasifiers as part of a project to strengthen the scientific foundations of the synthetic fuel economy. ... > full story
Fish schools and krill swarms take on common shape (September 18, 2010) -- When fish or tiny, shrimp-like krill get together, it appears they follow the same set of "rules." According to a new study, shoals of fish and swarms of krill hang out in groups that take on the same overall shape; it's not a simple sphere, a cylinder, or ovoid, but something more akin to an irregular crystal, the researchers say. ... > full story
Radiometric dating still reliable (again), research shows (September 18, 2010) -- Recent puzzling observations of tiny variations in nuclear decay rates have led some to question the science behind carbon-14 dating and similar techniques. However scientists tested the hypothesis that solar radiation might affect the rate at which radioactive elements decay and found no detectable effect. ... > full story
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