ScienceDaily Technology Headlines
for Monday, November 8, 2010
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'Super-hero' material stretched into a possible electronics revolution (November 8, 2010) -- It's the Clark Kent of oxide compounds, and -- on its own -- it is pretty boring. But slice europium titanate nanometers thin and physically stretch it, and then it takes on super hero-like properties that could revolutionize electronics, according to new research. ... > full story
Rice hulls a sustainable drainage option for greenhouse growers (November 8, 2010) -- Greenhouse plant growers can substitute rice hulls for perlite in their media without the need for an increase in growth regulators, according to a new study. ... > full story
'e-Learning' report shows online professional development aids teachers and students (November 8, 2010) -- Teachers who completed extensive online professional development showed improvement in their knowledge and skills, which translated into modest learning gains for their students, according to a five-year study involving more than 300 teachers and 7,000 students in 13 states. ... > full story
Mathematical model may result in better environment measures for the Baltic (November 8, 2010) -- Eutrophication of the Baltic Sea has clear negative effects, such as dead bottoms and massive blooms of cyanobacteria. But high plankton production can also have positive effects on acidification. Researchers in Sweden have shown that it is possible to work out the aggregate effects of various environmental measures. ... > full story
New propulsion method developed for metallic micro- and nano-objects (November 7, 2010) -- A new propulsion method for metallic micro- and nano-objects has been developed. The process is based on the novel concept of bipolar electrochemistry: under the influence of an electric field, one end of a metallic object grows while the other end dissolves. Thanks to this permanent self-regeneration, objects can move at speeds of the order of a hundred micrometers per second. This work could find applications in fields ranging from nanomedicine to micromechanics. ... > full story
Scientists develop device to enable improved global data transmission (November 7, 2010) -- Researchers have developed a new data transmission system that could substantially improve the transmission capacity and energy efficiency of the world's optical communication networks. ... > full story
Water purification: Is colloidal silver necessary for bacteria removal? (November 7, 2010) -- Scientists traveled to Guatemala twice in the past year to conduct research on ceramic pot filters that are used locally to remove bacteria from water. They found that silver may not be necessary to effectively remove bacteria from source water. ... > full story
Specialization builds trust among Web users (November 7, 2010) -- If you name it, they will use it, according to researchers who investigated how people perceive the trustworthiness of online technology. In an experiment, participants said they trusted websites, recommendation-providing software and even computers labeled to perform specific functions more than the same Internet tools with general designations. ... > full story
On the way to CO<sub>2</sub>-free power plants (November 7, 2010) -- A new pilot power plant in Germany will capture carbon dioxide contained in flue gases. Researchers plan to utilize the plant for investigating two innovative methods for CO2 capture that require less energy and lower operating costs than earlier approaches. ... > full story
Cosmic curiosity reveals ghostly glow of dead quasar (November 6, 2010) -- Astronomers have discovered that the strange-looking object discovered two years ago as part of the Galaxy Zoo citizen science project, called "Hanny's Voorwerp," is a large cloud of glowing gas illuminated by the light from a quasar that died out up to 70,000 years ago. ... > full story
'Nano-drug' hits brain-tumor target: Unique triggering device delivers antitumor drugs (November 6, 2010) -- Employing new drug-engineering technology that is part of an advanced science called nanomedicine, a research team has created a "nanobioconjugate" drug that may be given by intravenous injection and carried in the blood to target the brain tumor. It is engineered to specifically permeate the tumor cell wall, entering endosomes, mobile compartments within cells. ... > full story
Math professor illuminates cellular basis of neural impulse transmission (November 6, 2010) -- A new mathematical model shows that the calcium current through an N-type channel is larger than calcium channels that are not involved in synaptic transmission, contrary to the currently accepted channel conductance hierarchy. ... > full story
X-rays offer first detailed look at hotspots for calcium-related disease (November 6, 2010) -- Using intense X-rays, researchers have determined the detailed structure of a key part of the ryanodine receptor, a protein associated with calcium-related disease. Their results pinpoint the locations of more than 50 mutations that cluster in disease "hotspots" along the receptor and offer insights into how the mutations might cause the receptor to malfunction. ... > full story
New statistical model moves human evolution back three million years (November 5, 2010) -- Evolutionary divergence of humans and chimpanzees likely occurred some 8 million years ago rather than the 5 million year estimate widely accepted by scientists, a new statistical model suggests. ... > full story
Nanoshells provide golden 'touch' in killing breast tumors (November 5, 2010) -- Using tiny gold "nanoshells" to deliver just a little heat to breast tumor cells already treated with radiation boosts the killing potential of the treatment -- not just shrinking the tumor but killing the cancer stem cells, said researchers. ... > full story
Nuclear materials detector shows exact location of radiation sources (November 5, 2010) -- A table-top gamma-ray detector can not only identify the presence of dangerous nuclear materials, but can pinpoint and show their exact location and type, unlike conventional detectors. ... > full story
Colonic navigation: Nanotechnology helps deliver drugs to intestinal target (November 5, 2010) -- Nanoparticles help smuggle drugs into the gut, according to a new study. There are several drugs that would have more beneficial therapeutic effects if they could be targeted at absorption by the lower intestine. ... > full story
New Way to Peer at Distant Galaxies (November 5, 2010) -- Astronomers have discovered a new way of finding cosmic zoom lenses, which allows astronomers to peer at galaxies in the distant Universe. ... > full story
The Large Hadron Collider enters a new phase (November 5, 2010) -- Proton running for 2010 in the LHC at CERN came to a successful conclusion on November 4. Since the end of March, when the first collisions occurred at a total energy of 7 TeV, the machine and experiment teams have achieved all of their objectives for the first year of proton physics at this record energy and new ground has been explored. For the rest of the year the LHC is moving to a different phase of operation, in which lead ions will be accelerated and brought into collision in the machine for the first time. ... > full story
Neutron stars may be too weak to power some gamma-ray bursts; Black holes may be power source (November 5, 2010) -- Long-duration gamma-ray bursts flash across the universe to signal the collapse of a massive star, but this collapsar model predicts either a neutron star or a black hole is left behind. New calculations of the energy released by gamma-ray bursts find it too large to be powered by a neutron star, even highly magnetized, spinning magnetars. Thus, astronomers conclude, the likely power source is a black hole. ... > full story
Deep impact spacecraft successfully flies by comet Hartley 2 (November 4, 2010) -- The EPOXI mission successfully flew by comet Hartley 2 on Nov. 3, 2010, and the spacecraft has begun returning images. Hartley 2 is the fifth comet nucleus visited by any spacecraft and the second one visited by the Deep Impact spacecraft. ... > full story
Built-in timer for improving accuracy of cost saving paper-strip medical tests (November 4, 2010) -- Scientists are reporting the development of a simple, built-in timer intended to improve the accuracy of paper tests and test strips for diagnosing diseases inexpensively at-home and elsewhere. ... > full story
Corn starch solution can help shape solid materials (November 4, 2010) -- Researchers have developed a method to shape solid materials using a corn starch solution. The process offers a potential technique for material cutting and manufacturing processes. ... > full story
How some plants spread their seeds: Ready, set, catapult (November 4, 2010) -- Catapults are often associated with a medieval means of destruction, but for some plants, they are an effective way to launch new life. Dispersing seeds greater distances by catapulting can provide selective advantages, including the establishment of populations in new environments and escape from certain threats. Researchers measured the mechanics involved in catapulting seeds for the ballistic disperser Cardamine parviflora. ... > full story
Transparent conductive material could lead to power-generating windows (November 4, 2010) -- Scientists have fabricated transparent thin films capable of absorbing light and generating electric charge over a relatively large area. The material could be used to develop transparent solar panels or even windows that absorb solar energy to generate electricity. ... > full story
Electrons get confused: Researchers may have observed the fastest melting of all time (November 4, 2010) -- Scientists have observed exotic behavior from beryllium oxide (BeO) when they bombarded it with high-speed heavy ions: after being shot in this way, the electrons in the BeO appeared "confused", and seemed to completely forget the material properties of their environment. The researchers' measurements show changes in the electronic structure that can be explained by extremely rapid melting around the firing line of the heavy ions. ... > full story
What will Webb see? Supercomputer models yield sneak previews (November 4, 2010) -- As scientists and engineers work to make NASA's James Webb Space Telescope a reality, they find themselves wondering what new sights the largest space-based observatory ever constructed will reveal. With Webb, astronomers aim to catch planets in the making and identify the universe's first stars and galaxies, yet these are things no telescope -- not even Hubble -- has ever shown them before. ... > full story
'Bouncy' cell membranes behave like cornstarch and water, researchers find (November 3, 2010) -- Mix two parts cornstarch and one part water. Swirl your fingers in it slowly and the mixture is a smoothly flowing liquid. Punch it quickly with your fist and you meet a rubbery solid -- so solid you can jump up and down on a vat of it. It turns out that cell membranes behave the same way. ... > full story
Broadband coming wirelessly to Australia's bush (November 3, 2010) -- A major breakthrough in wireless technology designed to bring broadband to people living beyond the optical fiber network has been unveiled in Australia. ... > full story
Moving holograms: From science fiction to reality (November 3, 2010) -- Scientists have developed a new type of holographic telepresence that allows the projection of a three-dimensional, moving image without the need for special eyewear such as 3-D glasses or other auxiliary devices. The technology is likely to take applications ranging from telemedicine, advertising, updatable 3-D maps and entertainment to a new level. ... > full story
New retinal implant enables blind people to see shapes and objects (November 3, 2010) -- Researchers in Germany have developed a retinal implant that has allowed three blind people to see shapes and objects within days of the implant being installed. One blind person was even able to identify and find objects placed on a table in front of him, as well as walking around a room independently and approaching people, reading a clock face and differentiating seven shades of gray. The device represents an unprecedented advance in electronic visual prostheses and could eventually revolutionize the lives of up 200,000 people worldwide who suffer from blindness as a result of retinitis pigmentosa, a degenerative eye disease. ... > full story
Plants and animals under stress may provide the key to better stock market predications (November 3, 2010) -- Stock markets react to crisis in a similar way to plants and the human body, according to a major new study that may help to predict future financial down-turns. An extensive analysis of biological and financial data suggests that systems under stress exhibit similar symptoms, whether they be polluted forests, cancer patients or the FTSE 100. ... > full story
New approaches needed to gauge safety of nanotech-based pesticides, researchers urge (November 3, 2010) -- Nanotechnology is about to emerge in the world of pesticides and pest control, and a range of new approaches are needed to understand the implications for public health, ensure that this is done safely, maximize the potential benefits and prevent possible risks, researchers say in a new report. ... > full story
Quantum simulator and supercomputer at the crossroads (November 3, 2010) -- Scientists in an international collaboration have measured for the first time a many-body phase diagram with ultracold atoms in optical lattices at finite temperatures. ... > full story
Fourth flavor of neutrino? Physics experiment suggests existence of new elementary particle (November 3, 2010) -- The results of a high-profile Fermilab physics experiment appear to confirm strange 20-year-old findings that poke holes in the standard model, suggesting the existence of a new elementary particle: a fourth flavor of neutrino. ... > full story
Unique duality: 'Exotic' superconductor with metallic surface discovered (November 3, 2010) -- A new material with a split personality -- part superconductor, part metal -- has been observed by researchers. The discovery may have implications for the development of next-generation electronics that could transform the way information is stored and processed. ... > full story
Cancer drug linked to quantum dots increases drug uptake, reduces inflammation (November 3, 2010) -- Researchers have developed a novel technology using quantum dots that is expected to have major implications for research and treatment of tuberculosis, as well as other inflammatory lung diseases. ... > full story
Phenomenal fabric: How can a cloth clean up toxic waste? (November 3, 2010) -- Ordinary-looking fabric can be used to filter out and destroy incredibly toxic materials, even when they’re only present in tiny amounts, according to new research. ... > full story
New long-range undersea robot goes the distance (November 2, 2010) -- Over the past decade, the undersea robots known as autonomous underwater vehicles have become increasingly important in oceanographic research. Engineers recently demonstrated a new super-efficient AUV that can travel rapidly for hundreds of kilometers, "hover" in the water for weeks at a time, and carry a wide variety of instruments. ... > full story
Braided anyons could lead to more robust quantum computing (November 2, 2010) -- When confined to a 2-dimensional sheet, some exotic particle-like structures known as anyons appear to entwine in ways that could lead to robust quantum computing schemes, according to new research. Physicists are hopeful the anyons can be induced to follow paths that twist into braids that would be much more resistant to disturbances that corrupt data and calculations in quantum computers relying on individual particles. ... > full story
Astronomers find evidence of 'cosmic climate change' (November 2, 2010) -- A team of astronomers has found evidence that the universe may have gone through a warming trend early in its history. They measured the temperature of the gas that lies in between galaxies, and found a clear indication that it had increased steadily over the period from when the universe was one tenth to one quarter of its current age. This cosmic climate change is most likely caused by the huge amount of energy output from young, active galaxies during this epoch. ... > full story
Radically simple technique developed to grow conducting polymer thin films (November 2, 2010) -- Oil and water don't mix, but add in some nanofibers and all bets are off. A team of chemists and engineers has developed a new method for coating large surfaces with nanofiber thin films that are both transparent and electrically conductive. Their method involves the vigorous agitation of water, dense oil, and polymer nanofibers. After this solution is sufficiently agitated it spreads over virtually any surface, creating a thin film. ... > full story
Astrophysicists discover new galaxy clusters revealed by cosmic 'shadows' (November 2, 2010) -- An international team of astrophysicists has discovered 10 new massive galaxy clusters from a large, uniform survey of the southern sky. The survey was conducted using a breakthrough technique that detects "shadows" of galaxy clusters on the cosmic microwave background radiation, a relic of the "big bang" that gave birth to the universe. ... > full story
UV light nearly doubles vacuum's effectiveness in reducing carpet microbes (November 2, 2010) -- New research suggests that the addition of ultraviolet light to the brushing and suction of a vacuum cleaner can almost double the removal of potentially infectious microorganisms from a carpet's surface when compared to vacuuming alone. Researchers say the findings suggest that incorporating the germicidal properties of UV light into vacuuming might have promise in reducing allergens and pathogens from carpets, as well. ... > full story
Voting-machine-allocation method could reduce voters' wait time by 36 percent (November 2, 2010) -- Too many voters have waited in extremely lengthy lines to cast ballots while voters at other precincts within the same county have had only minimal waits. In some instances, lengthy waits have caused people to leave without voting. A research team has created a new voting-machine allocation method, which when applied to 2008 presidential-election data from Franklin County, Ohio, reduced the average voter wait time by 36 percent in a computer simulation. ... > full story
Pivoting hooks of graphene’s chemical cousin could revolutionize work of electron microscopes (November 2, 2010) -- The single layer material graphene was the subject of a Nobel prize this year, and now scientists have found molecular hooks on the surface of its close chemical cousin, graphene oxide, that could provide massive benefits to researchers using transmission electron microscopes. These hooks could even be used in building molecular scale mechanisms. ... > full story
Computer scientist, student design software to combat hacking using keystroke anti-spoofing technique (November 2, 2010) -- One of the serious threats to a user's computer is a software program that might cause unwanted keystroke sequences in order to hack someone's identity. This form of attack is increasing, infecting enterprise and personal computers. A keystroke anti-spoofing technique has received an IEEE Computer Society best paper award and will soon be a part of a new PC security product. ... > full story
Cassini sees Saturn rings oscillate like mini-galaxy (November 1, 2010) -- Scientists believe they finally understand why one of the most dynamic regions in Saturn's rings has such an irregular and varying shape, thanks to images captured by NASA's Cassini spacecraft. And the answer is this: The rings are behaving like a miniature version of our own Milky Way galaxy. ... > full story
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