ScienceDaily Technology Headlines
for Thursday, December 2, 2010
Welcome to another edition of ScienceDaily's email newsletter. You can change your subscription options or unsubscribe at any time.
Manufacturing 'made to measure' atomic-scale electrodes (December 2, 2010) -- It is possible to determine and control the number of atoms in contact between a molecule and a metal electrode of copper, at the same time as the electric current passing through the union being recorded. ... > full story
Pits, flows, other scenes in new set of Mars images (December 2, 2010) -- Newly released images from 340 recent observations of Mars by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera aboard NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter show details of a wide assortment of Martian environments. ... > full story
Researchers demystify glasses by studying crystals (December 2, 2010) -- Glass is something we all know about. It's what we sip our drinks from, what we look out of to see what the weather is like before going outside and it is the backbone to our high speed communications infrastructure. But what most people don't know is that "glass transitions," where changes in structure of a substance accompanying temperature change get "frozen in," can show up during cooling of most any material, liquids through metals. ... > full story
CT best at uncovering drug mule payload, study finds (December 1, 2010) -- According to a study, the best way to detect cocaine in the body of a human drug courier, known as a mule, is through computed tomography. ... > full story
Electron 'pairing': Triplet superconductivity proven experientially for first time (December 1, 2010) -- Researchers have made the first experimental breakthrough in quantum physics: Their studies on the 'pairing behavior' of electrons have proven for the first time the existence of electron pairs, so-called Cooper pairs, with parallel spin direction. Cooper pairs cause superconductivity -- this is a particular state of material, in which the electrical resistance disappears. Until now the existence of triplet Cooper pairs has only been predicted theoretically. ... > full story
Super-Earth has an atmosphere, but is it steamy or gassy? (December 1, 2010) -- In December 2009, astronomers announced the discovery of a super-Earth known as GJ 1214b. At the time, they reported signs that the newfound world likely had a thick, gaseous atmosphere. Now astronomers have made the first measurements of GJ 1214b's atmosphere. However, the measurements raise as many questions about the planet's atmospheric composition as they answer. ... > full story
Engineers discover graphene's weakness (December 1, 2010) -- Using quantum theory and supercomputers, scientists have revealed the mechanisms of mechanical failure of pure graphene under tensile stress. They shows that, when graphene is subject to strain equal in all directions, it morphs into a new structure which is mechanically unstable. ... > full story
Cassini finds warm cracks on Saturn's moon Enceladus (December 1, 2010) -- New images and data from NASA's Cassini spacecraft give scientists a unique Saturn-lit view of active fissures through the south polar region of Saturn's moon Enceladus. They reveal a more complicated web of warm fractures than previously thought. ... > full story
Rotating light provides indirect look into the nucleus (December 1, 2010) -- Nuclear magnetic resonance is one of the best tools for gaining insight into the structure and dynamics of molecules and how they behave in a variety of chemical environments. Now researchers have described an alternative way to get this information, by using light to observe nuclei indirectly via the orbiting electrons. ... > full story
Discovery triples number of stars in universe (December 1, 2010) -- Astronomers have discovered that small, dim stars known as red dwarfs are much more prolific than previously thought -- so much so that the total number of stars in the universe is likely three times bigger than realized. ... > full story
World's fastest camera takes a new look at biosensing (December 1, 2010) -- Scientists have developed a Megaframe Imager -- an ultrafast camera capable of recording images at the incredible rate of one million frames. ... > full story
Nano-diamond qubits and photonic crystals: Milestone reached on the path to integrated quantum technology (December 1, 2010) -- Researchers in Germany have successfully fabricated a rudimentary quantum computing hybrid system using electronic excitations in nano-diamonds as qubits and optical nanostructures, so-called photonic crystals with tailored optical properties. This architecture may allow integration of multi-qubit systems on a single micrometer-sized chip for future quantum computers. ... > full story
Astronomers use moon in effort to corral elusive cosmic particles (December 1, 2010) -- Radio telescopes normally can't detect neutrinos, but astronomers aimed Very Large Array antennas at the Moon in an innovative effort to detect radio "flashes" caused by the interaction of cosmic neutrinos with lunar material. ... > full story
Measuring the temperature of nanoparticles (December 1, 2010) -- Scientists have developed a new technique for probing the temperature rise in the vicinity of nanoparticles using fluorescent quantum dots as temperature sensors. The results may have implications for the medical use of nanoparticles. ... > full story
Motorcycle simulator gives new clues to road safety (December 1, 2010) -- New research using a world leading motorcycle simulator to analyze rider behavior has proved that safer doesn't necessarily mean slower and that formal advanced training for bikers can demonstrate improved safety on our roads. ... > full story
Could 135,000 laptops help solve the energy challenge? (December 1, 2010) -- Fifty-seven innovative research projects have been awarded time on supercomputers -- using computer simulations to perform virtual experiments that in most cases would be impossible or impractical in the natural world. ... > full story
Europe’s leading scientists urge creation of a CERN for Mathematics (December 1, 2010) -- Europe needs an Institute of Industrial Mathematics to tighten the link between maths and industry as an enabler of innovation -- putting maths at the heart of Europe's innovation, according to the European Science Foundation in a new report. ... > full story
Searching the heavens for newborn stars: NASA's Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy ready to take flight (December 1, 2010) -- SOFIA, NASA's Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, is ready to take off into the heavens for its first science flight this week. Astronomers will use the Faint Object InfraRed Camera for the SOFIA Telescope (FORCAST), a mid-spectrum infrared camera, to learn more about star formation from the airborne observatory. ... > full story
Venus holds warning for Earth (November 30, 2010) -- A mysterious high-altitude layer of sulphur dioxide discovered by ESA's Venus Express has been explained. As well as telling us more about Venus, it could be a warning against injecting our atmosphere with sulphur droplets to mitigate climate change. ... > full story
Biofuels production has unintended consequences on water quality and quantity in Mississippi (November 30, 2010) -- More water is required to produce corn than to produce cotton in the Mississippi Delta requiring increased withdrawals of groundwater from the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer for irrigation. This is contributing to already declining water levels in the aquifer. In addition, increased use of nitrogen fertilizer for corn in comparison to cotton could contribute to low dissolved oxygen conditions in the Gulf of Mexico. ... > full story
Cinnamon can replace harmful chemicals used to create nanoparticles (November 30, 2010) -- Scientists have found a method that could replace nearly all of the toxic chemicals required to make gold nanoparticles. The missing ingredient can be found in nearly every kitchen's spice cabinet -- cinnamon. ... > full story
Genomic fault zones come and go: Fragile regions in mammalian genomes go through 'birth and death' process (November 30, 2010) -- The fragile regions in mammalian genomes that are thought to play a key role in evolution go through a "birth and death" process, according to new bioinformatics research. The findings could help researchers identify the current fragile regions in the human genome -- information that may reveal how the human genome will evolve in the future. ... > full story
Thin air: Oxygen atmosphere found on Saturn's moon Rhea (November 30, 2010) -- NASA's Cassini spacecraft has detected a very tenuous atmosphere known as an exosphere, infused with oxygen and carbon dioxide around Saturn's icy moon Rhea. This is the first time a spacecraft has directly captured molecules of an oxygen atmosphere -- albeit a very thin one -- at a world other than Earth. ... > full story
Fire forecast technology could help rescue teams save lives (November 30, 2010) -- Fires in homes and offices could be tackled more efficiently using technology that predicts how a blaze will spread. ... > full story
Astronomers probe 'sandbar' between islands of galaxies (November 30, 2010) -- Astronomers have caught sight of an unusual galaxy that has illuminated new details about a celestial "sandbar" connecting two massive islands of galaxies. The research was conducted in part with NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope. ... > full story
Methane-powered laptops? Materials scientists unveil tiny, low-temperature methane fuel cells (November 29, 2010) -- With advances in nanostructured devices, lower operating temperatures, and the use of an abundant fuel source and cheaper materials, researchers are increasingly optimistic about the commercial viability of methane-powered laptops. ... > full story
Tuning an 'ear' to the music of gravitational waves (November 29, 2010) -- A team of scientists and engineers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory has brought the world one step closer to "hearing" gravitational waves -- ripples in space and time predicted by Albert Einstein in the early 20th century. ... > full story
Shrouded burst of stars: Spitzer reveals a buried explosion sparked by a galactic train wreck (November 29, 2010) -- Astronomers using NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope have found a stunning burst of star formation that beams out as much infrared light as an entire galaxy. The collision of two spiral galaxies has triggered this explosion, which is cloaked by dust that renders its stars nearly invisible in other wavelengths of light. ... > full story
To be or not to be a pair: Giant molecules in a quantum superposition (November 29, 2010) -- In human relationships, the question of being a couple or not has a yes-or-no answer: either one is a couple or not. Quantum physics offers an interesting alternative. There, the couples are pairs of atoms that are held together by binding forces to form molecules. Quantum mechanics allows another loophole: a superpostion of free and bound state, where the two atoms are bound and free at the same time. Although this is impossible in our classical world, it is a well known property for quantum mechanical states. Such superpositions have now been observed for weakly bound ultralong-range molecules. ... > full story
Earth and space science missions have fewer risks if conducted by a single government agency, report finds (November 29, 2010) -- Earth and space science missions developed and implemented by federal agencies in collaboration typically result in additional complexity and cost and increased risks from divided responsibilities and accountability, says a new report from the National Research Council. ... > full story
Quartz crystal microbalances enable new microscale analytic technique (November 28, 2010) -- A new chemical analysis technique uses the shifting ultrasonic pitch of a small quartz crystal to test the purity of only a few micrograms of material. ... > full story
Cassini back to normal, ready for Enceladus (November 28, 2010) -- NASA's Cassini spacecraft resumed normal operations Nov. 24. All science instruments have been turned back on, the spacecraft is properly configured and Cassini is in good health. Mission managers expect to get a full stream of data during next week's flyby of the Saturnian moon Enceladus. ... > full story
NASA's savory sea salt sensor to get cooked, chilled (November 28, 2010) -- A team of scientists from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., and the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., is flying down to Brazil to "cook" a salty NASA instrument that's sure to spice up studies of Earth's climate after its launch late next spring. ... > full story
Whale sharks use geometry to avoid sinking (November 27, 2010) -- They are the largest fish species in the ocean, but the majestic gliding motion of the whale shark is, scientists argue, an astonishing feat of mathematics and energy conservation. Marine scientists now reveal how these massive sharks use geometry to enhance their natural negative buoyancy and stay afloat. ... > full story
Large Hadron Collider experiments bring new insight into primordial universe (November 27, 2010) -- After less than three weeks of heavy-ion running, the three experiments studying lead ion collisions at CERN's Large Hadron Collider have already brought new insight into matter as it would have existed in the very first instants of the Universe's life. ... > full story
A new electromagnetism can be simulated through a quantum simulator (November 27, 2010) -- A quantum simulator is a variant of a quantum computer that allows us to outperform classical computers in the understanding of complex quantum systems. ... > full story
A high-yield biomass alternative to petroleum for industrial chemicals (November 26, 2010) -- Chemical engineers report that they have developed a way to produce high-volume chemical feedstocks including benzene, toluene, xylenes and olefins from pyrolytic bio-oils, the cheapest liquid fuels available today derived from biomass. The new process could reduce or eliminate industry's reliance on fossil fuels to make industrial chemicals worth an estimated 0 billion annually. ... > full story
First evidence for magnetic field in protostar jet: Magnetism common to all cosmic jets? (November 26, 2010) -- Highly-sensitive observations with the Very Large Array show the first-ever evidence for a magnetic field in the jet of a young star. This gives such protostellar jets a common characteristic with jets from quasars and microquasars. ... > full story
Gender gap in physics exams reduced by simple writing exercises, study finds (November 26, 2010) -- Women are underrepresented and on average perform more poorly than men in introductory physics. But a recent study finds that this gap arises predominantly from differential preparation prior to college and psychological factors, rather than differences in ability. ... > full story
Pulsating star mystery solved in rare alignment of Cepheid variable and another star (November 26, 2010) -- By discovering the first double star where a pulsating Cepheid variable and another star pass in front of one another, an international team of astronomers has solved a decades-old mystery. The rare alignment of the orbits of the two stars in the double star system has allowed a measurement of the Cepheid mass with unprecedented accuracy. The new result shows that the prediction from stellar pulsation theory is spot on, while the prediction from stellar evolution theory is at odds with the new observations. ... > full story
When Belgium sneezes, the world catches a cold (November 26, 2010) -- As the Eurozone continues to wobble, a new analysis of countries' economic interconnectedness finds that some of the countries with the greatest potential to cause a global crash have surprisingly small gross domestic production. ... > full story
New guidance issued for first responders collecting suspected biothreat agents (November 26, 2010) -- The US National Institute of Standards and Technology and a coalition of federal, state and local agencies and other organizations have updated a standard and provided overall guidance and recommendations to help the nation's first responders and law enforcement agencies deal with collecting and managing samples of suspicious powders. ... > full story
Imaging with neutrons: Magnetic domains shown for the first time in 3-D (November 25, 2010) -- Although they exist in almost every magnetic material, you cannot see them: magnetic domains are microscopically small regions of uniform magnetization. Scientists have now developed a method by which they can image the full spatial structure of magnetic domains -- even deep within materials. ... > full story
Massive galaxies formed when universe was young, new findings suggest (November 25, 2010) -- Scientists have found a number of very massive, highly luminous galaxies that existed almost 12 billion years ago when the universe was only about 1.5 billion years old. These findings appear to disagree with the latest predictions from models of galaxy formation and evolution. ... > full story
Short, on-chip light pulses will enable ultrafast data transfer within computers (November 25, 2010) -- Electrical engineers generated short, powerful light pulses on a chip -- an important step toward the optical interconnects that will likely replace the copper wires that carry information between chips within today's computers. Electrical engineers recently developed the first ultra compact, low power pulse compressor on a silicon chip to be described in the scientific literature. ... > full story
The physics of coffee rings (November 25, 2010) -- Researchers have analyzed the stain patterns left behind by coffee droplets on a surface and have presented their "coffee ring" models. ... > full story
New imaging technique accurately finds cancer cells, fast (November 25, 2010) -- The long, anxious wait for biopsy results could soon be over, thanks to a new tissue-imaging technique. Researchers have demonstrated the novel microscopy technique, called nonlinear interferometric vibrational imaging, on rat breast-cancer cells and tissues. It produced easy-to-read, color-coded images of tissue, outlining clear tumor boundaries, with more than 99 percent confidence -- in less than five minutes. ... > full story
Optimizing large wind farms (November 25, 2010) -- Researchers have developed a model to calculate the optimal spacing of wind turbines for the very large wind farms of the future. ... > full story
Copyright 1995-2010 © ScienceDaily LLC. All rights reserved. Terms of use.
|
 To update/change your profile click here  |
