ScienceDaily Technology Headlines
for Friday, October 8, 2010
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Elusive intermediary: Newly discovered protein may help improve crop yields, solar cells (October 8, 2010) -- Plants use specialized protein complexes to collect the light that drives photosynthesis. Researchers in Germany have now identified a protein that is necessary for the assembly of one such complex. The discovery could lead to improved crop yields and might even form the basis for new types of solar cells. ... > full story
New tool in the fight against tuberculosis: Algorithm enables cell-scale simulations (October 8, 2010) -- Researchers have developed a way to harness prodigious quantities of genomic and metabolic data by developing an algorithm that automatically integrates both data sets. The model, called probabilistic regulation of metabolism, enables researchers to perturb a regulatory gene or metabolic process and see how that affects the entire network. Although the researchers studied tuberculosis, the method holds promise for reconstructing network models for any organism with appropriate genomic data. ... > full story
Structure of plastic solar cells impedes their efficiency (October 8, 2010) -- Scientists have found that the low rate of energy conversion in all-polymer solar-cell technology is caused by the structure of the solar cells themselves. ... > full story
Consistent evidence: Speed cameras do reduce injuries and deaths, Australian study finds (October 8, 2010) -- Placing speed cameras on roads reduces the number of road traffic injuries and deaths, concludes a team of researchers from Australia. ... > full story
Hubble astronomers uncover an overheated early universe (October 7, 2010) -- If you think global warming is bad, 11 billion years ago the entire universe underwent, well, universal warming. The consequence was that fierce blasts of radiation from voracious black holes stunted the growth of some small galaxies for a stretch of 500 million years. Astronomers used the Hubble Space Telescope's Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS) to identify an era, from 11.7 to 11.3 billion years ago, when the universe burned off a fog of primeval helium. This heated intergalactic gas was inhibited from gravitationally collapsing to form new generations of stars in some small galaxies. ... > full story
New computer switches handle heat that renders transistors useless; Work takes a page from Victorian inventor (October 7, 2010) -- Researchers have built electromechanical switches to replace transistors in high-heat computing. ... > full story
Surprise: Two wheels safer than four in off-road riding and racing, study finds (October 7, 2010) -- In research that may surprise off-road riding enthusiasts and safety experts, researchers have found that crashes involving ATVs -- four-wheeled all-terrain vehicles -- are significantly more dangerous than crashes involving two-wheeled off-road motorcycles, such as those used in extreme sports like Motocross. ... > full story
Norwegian researchers at forefront of oil spill modelling after Deepwater Horizon accident (October 7, 2010) -- What has happened to the 4.9. million barrels of crude oil that were discharged in the Deepwater Horizon accident? Has it dissolved in the water masses? Has it accumulated in the ocean depths? Among those seeking answers are Norwegian researchers at the forefront of modelling oil behaviour in water masses. One commonly used tactic for managing spilled oil is to apply large amounts of chemical dispersants. Norwegian researchers have provided expertise in the modelling and use of dispersants in the wake of the Gulf of Mexico accident. ... > full story
Water discovered on second asteroid, may be even more common (October 7, 2010) -- Water ice on asteroids may be more common than expected, according to a new study. ... > full story
New drug blocks morphine's effects on breathing -- but not on pain (October 7, 2010) -- A new drug called repinotan blocks the respiratory depressant effects of morphine-like opioid drugs -- without altering their potent pain-relieving effects, according to a new study. ... > full story
Quantum computing research edges toward practicality (October 7, 2010) -- Physicists have taken an important step to the ultimate construction of a quantum computer. ... > full story
BLADE software eliminates 'drive-by downloads' from malicious websites (October 7, 2010) -- Researchers have developed a new tool that eliminates drive-by download threats. BLADE is browser-independent and when tested, it blocked all drive-by malware installation attempts from more than 1,900 malicious websites, produced no false positives and required minimal resources from the computer. ... > full story
New computer modelling system predicts responses to HIV and AIDS treatments (October 7, 2010) -- HIV-TRePS is a new system that predicts how an HIV patient will respond to different drug regimens, with an accuracy of around 80%. It is free to use, accessed over the Internet, and helps physicians choose the optimum combination of drugs for each patient. ... > full story
Best drug development results from computer/test tube combination (October 7, 2010) -- While computer simulations of how the body metabolizes drugs save both time and money, the best results when developing new drugs come from combining such simulations with laboratory experiments, reveals new research. ... > full story
Fuel cells in operation: A closer look (October 7, 2010) -- Measuring individual components of a fuel cell under heat and pressure is a challenge. The best technique, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), could only be used in a vacuum -- until now, that is. A working solid oxide electrochemical device operating at 750 degrees Celsius has been studied in detail for the first time. ... > full story
Georgia Tech Information Security Center releases cyber threats forecast for 2011 (October 7, 2010) -- The Georgia Tech Information Security Center announced the release of the GTISC Emerging Cyber Threats Report for 2011, outlining the top three areas of security risk and concern for consumer and business Internet and computer users. ... > full story
From eye to brain: Researchers map functional connections between retinal neurons at single-cell resolution (October 6, 2010) -- By comparing a clearly defined visual input with the electrical output of the retina, researchers were able to trace for the first time the neuronal circuitry that connects individual photoreceptors with retinal ganglion cells, the neurons that carry visuals signals from the eye to the brain. ... > full story
Doppler radars help increase monsoon rainfall prediction accuracy (October 6, 2010) -- Doppler weather radar will significantly improve forecasting models used to track monsoon systems influencing the monsoon in and around India, according to researchers. ... > full story
Phillies, Rangers, Yanks, Giants to win, says math guru (October 6, 2010) -- With the Major League Baseball Division Series set to begin, associate math professor Bruce Bukiet is performing his analysis of the probability of each team advancing to the League Championship Series. ... > full story
Nano drugs: Insoluble medicines can be made orally available if in nano crystal form (October 6, 2010) -- Researchers in India have demonstrated that producing nanoscopic crystals of a pharmaceutical product can allow the medication to be absorbed by the gut even if the drug is not soluble in water. ... > full story
Designing instruments for a robotic space probe to the Sun (October 6, 2010) -- A researcher is helping to design instruments for a robotic space probe that will go where no other has gone before: the sun. NASA's Solar Probe Plus project is slated to launch by 2018. ... > full story
New type of liquid crystal promises to improve performance of digital displays (October 6, 2010) -- Chemists have created a new class of liquid crystals with unique electrical properties that could improve the performance of digital displays used on everything from digital watches to flat panel televisions. ... > full story
Possible green replacement for asphalt derived from petroleum to be tested on Iowa bike trail (October 6, 2010) -- Christopher Williams was just trying to see if adding bio-oil to asphalt would improve the hot- and cold-weather performance of pavements. What he found was a possible green replacement for asphalt derived from petroleum. ... > full story
Anti-tumor drugs tested by microfluidic device (October 6, 2010) -- A prototype device developed in Hong Kong will allow laboratory researchers to non-invasively test drugs for their ability to kill tumors by subjecting cancerous cells with different concentration gradients. ... > full story
New graphene fabrication method uses silicon carbide templates to create desired growth (October 6, 2010) -- Researchers have developed a new "templated growth" technique for fabricating nanometer-scale graphene devices. The method addresses what had been a significant obstacle to the use of this promising material in future generations of high-performance electronic devices. ... > full story
2010 Nobel Prize in Chemistry: Creating complex carbon-based molecules using palladium (October 6, 2010) -- The 2010 Nobel Prize in Chemistry has been awarded to Richard F. Heck, Ei-ichi Negishi and Akira Suzuki for developing palladium-catalyzed cross coupling. This chemical tool has vastly improved the possibilities for chemists to create sophisticated chemicals -- for example, carbon-based molecules as complex as those created by nature itself. ... > full story
Geothermal mapping project reveals large, green energy source in West Virginia (October 6, 2010) -- New research suggests that the temperature of Earth beneath the state of West Virginia is significantly higher than previously estimated and capable of supporting commercial baseload geothermal energy production. ... > full story
Gem of an idea: A flexible diamond-studded electrode implanted for life (October 6, 2010) -- Researchers are building implants made of diamond and flexible polymer that are designed to identify chemical and electrical changes in the brain of patients suffering from neural disease, or to stimulate nerves and restore movement in the paralyzed. The implant would last for life and, capable of both stimulating and monitoring nerves, save space. ... > full story
Bricks made with wool (October 6, 2010) -- Researchers have added wool fibers to the clay material used to make bricks and combined these with an alginate, a natural polymer extracted from seaweed. The result is bricks that are stronger and more environmentally-friendly, according to a new study. ... > full story
NASA mission 'E-Minus' one month to comet flyby (October 6, 2010) -- Fans of space exploration are familiar with the term T-minus, which NASA uses as a countdown to a rocket launch. But what of those noteworthy mission events where you already have a spacecraft in space, as with the upcoming flyby of a comet? ... > full story
Nano design, just like in nature (October 6, 2010) -- Researchers in Austria are using biological principles as the inspiration to develop a new bionic fuel cell. ... > full story
NASA's WISE mission warms up but keeps chugging along (October 6, 2010) -- After completing its primary mission to map the infrared sky, NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, or WISE, has reached the expected end of its onboard supply of frozen coolant. Although WISE has 'warmed up,' NASA has decided the mission will still continue. WISE will now focus on our nearest neighbors -- the asteroids and comets traveling together with our solar system's planets around the sun. ... > full story
Web-based creativity: Can working in virtual communities be more effective than face-to-face cooperation? (October 6, 2010) -- Common sense and experience would suggest that people are more creative when they work together in a face-to-face environment. But, as remote working and online interactions become more and more commonplace, there is growing evidence that working in virtual communities and using online tools together can be even more effective in some areas than face-to-face cooperation. ... > full story
WISE captures key images of comet mission's destination (October 5, 2010) -- NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, or WISE, caught a glimpse of the comet that the agency's EPOXI mission will visit in November. The WISE observation will help the EPOXI team put together a large-scale picture of the comet, known as Hartley 2. ... > full story
MAVEN mission to investigate how Sun steals Martian atmosphere (October 5, 2010) -- NASA's mission to investigate the mystery of how Mars lost much of its atmosphere passed a critical milestone on October 4, 2010. NASA has given approval for the development and 2013 launch of the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) mission. ... > full story
Geoengineering solutions could prevent irreversible climate crisis, study finds (October 5, 2010) -- Geoengineering could prevent the potentially catastrophic climate-change tipping points that loom just ahead, according to a new study. ... > full story
Top reasons for Facebook unfriending (October 5, 2010) -- Researchers have found the top reasons for unfriending on Facebook. Just like an office party, talking about religion and politics is risky. ... > full story
The world is full of darkness, reflected in the physiology of the human retina (October 5, 2010) -- Physicists and neuroscientists have linked the cell structure of the retina to the light and dark contrasts of the natural world, demonstrating the likelihood that the neural pathways humans use for seeing are adapted to best capture the world around us. ... > full story
Nobel Prize in Physics 2010 for graphene -- 'two-dimensional' material (October 5, 2010) -- A thin flake of ordinary carbon, just one atom thick, lies behind this year's Nobel Prize in Physics. Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov have shown that carbon in such a flat form has exceptional properties that originate from the remarkable world of quantum physics. ... > full story
Cluster helps disentangle turbulence in the solar wind (October 5, 2010) -- Surrounding the Sun is a roiling wind of electrons and protons that shows constant turbulence at every size scale: long streaming jets, smaller whirling eddies, and even microscopic movements as charged particles circle in miniature orbits. ... > full story
Interactive video games can cause a broad range of injuries (October 5, 2010) -- Interactive gaming devices can cause a broad range of injuries, from abrasions and sprains to shoulder, ankle and foot injuries, according to new research. ... > full story
Europa's hidden ice chemistry: Jupiter's moon may have more than possible ocean (October 5, 2010) -- The frigid ice of Jupiter's moon Europa may be hiding more than a presumed ocean: It is likely the scene of some unexpectedly fast chemistry between water and sulfur dioxide at extremely cold temperatures. Although these molecules react easily as liquids -- they are well-known ingredients of acid rain -- researchers now report that they react as ices with surprising speed and high yield at temperatures hundreds of degrees below freezing. ... > full story
Audio zooming to enhance TV viewing (October 5, 2010) -- New technology developed in Norway makes it possible to zoom in on sound in much the same way that photographers can zoom in on an image. Television is just one area of application. Physicists adapted a well-known marine sonar technology for use above the water. Combining it with sophisticated software, the pair have developed an intelligent, sharply focused directional microphone system that enables TV producers and others to zoom their audio reception, much like they can zoom their camera lenses for close-ups. ... > full story
A step toward lead-free electronics (October 5, 2010) -- Materials engineers reveal the potential of a new artificial material to replace lead-based ceramics in countless electronic devices, ranging from inkjet printers and digital cameras to hospital ultrasound scanners and diesel fuel injectors. This may pave the way toward 100-percent lead-free electronics. ... > full story
Quantum error correcting code discovered (October 5, 2010) -- Researchers have demonstrated a quantum error correcting code. The work brings quantum computing a step closer. ... > full story
San Diego Supercomputer Center participates in first 'Census of Marine Life' (October 5, 2010) -- After a decade of joint work involving 2,700 researchers from 80 countries, the world's scientists -- as well as the general public -- can now access the Census of Marine Life, which provides the first in-depth look at the more than 120,000 diverse species which inhabit our oceans. ... > full story
NASA's Webb telescope MIRI instrument takes one step closer to space (October 4, 2010) -- A major instrument due to fly aboard NASA's James Webb Space Telescope is getting its first taste of space in the test facilities at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL) in the United Kingdom. The Mid-InfraRed Instrument (MIRI) has been designed to contribute to areas of investigation as diverse as the first light in the early Universe and the formation of planets around other stars. ... > full story
DNA art imitates life: Construction of a nanoscale Mobius strip (October 4, 2010) -- Scientists have reproduced a Möbius strip on a remarkably tiny scale, joining up braid-like segments of DNA to create structures measuring just 50 nanometers across -- roughly the width of a virus particle. ... > full story
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