ScienceDaily Technology Headlines
for Friday, March 4, 2011
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New kinds of superconductivity? Physicists demonstrate coveted 'spin-orbit coupling' in atomic gases (March 4, 2011) -- Physicists have for the first time caused a gas of atoms to exhibit an important quantum phenomenon known as spin-orbit coupling. Their technique opens new possibilities for studying and better understanding fundamental physics and has potential applications to quantum computing, next-generation "spintronics" devices and even "atomtronic" devices built from ultracold atoms. ... > full story
Nanofabrication tools may make silicon optical chips more accessible (March 4, 2011) -- In an effort to make it easier to build inexpensive, next-generation silicon-based electro-optical chips, which allow computers to move information with light and electricity, scientists are developing design tools and using commercial nanofabrication tools. ... > full story
Taking the heat: Silver-diamond composite offers unique capabilities for cooling powerful defense microelectronics (March 4, 2011) -- Researchers are developing a solid composite material to help cool small, powerful microelectronics used in defense systems. The material, composed of silver and diamond, promises an exceptional degree of thermal conductivity compared to materials currently used for this application. ... > full story
Ultrasound and algorithms could lead to better breast cancer screening (March 4, 2011) -- New research holds the promise of becoming a powerful new weapon in the fight against breast cancer. His complex computational research has led to a fast, inexpensive new method for using ultrasound and advanced algorithms to differentiate between benign and malignant tumors with a high degree of accuracy. ... > full story
Oldest objects in solar system indicate a turbulent beginning (March 3, 2011) -- Scientists have found that calcium, aluminum-rich inclusions (CAIs), some of the oldest objects in the solar system, formed far away from our sun and then later fell back into the mid-plane of the solar system. The findings may lead to a greater understanding of how our solar system and possibly other solar systems formed and evolved. ... > full story
Easy, accurate way to predict food allergies developed, study suggests (March 3, 2011) -- An on-line calculator that predicts, within seconds, the presence of the three major food allergies in children has been developed. The new calculator gives 96% accuracy compared to current methods that are 61% -81% accurate. ... > full story
Scalable method for making graphene (March 3, 2011) -- New research demonstrates a more consistent and cost-effective method for making graphene, the atomic-scale material that has promising applications in a variety of fields, and was the subject of the 2010 Nobel Prize in Physics. ... > full story
New developments in quantum computing (March 3, 2011) -- Quantum computers are computers that exploit the weird properties of matter at extremely small scales. Many experts believe that a full-blown quantum computer could perform calculations that would be hopelessly time consuming on classical computers, but so far, quantum computers have proven hard to build. Researchers have planned an experiment that, if it worked, would offer strong evidence that quantum computers can do things that classical computers can't. Although building the experimental apparatus would be difficult, it shouldn't be as difficult as building a fully functional quantum computer. ... > full story
Using artificial, cell-like 'honey pots' to entrap deadly viruses (March 3, 2011) -- Researchers have designed artificial "protocells" that can lure, entrap and inactivate a class of deadly human viruses -- think decoys with teeth. ... > full story
Who's the best tennis player of all time? Ranking of top male tennis players produces some surprises (March 3, 2011) -- Fans may think of Jimmy Connors as an "old school" tennis player, but according to a new ranking system developed using network analysis, Connors is best player in the history of the game. ... > full story
New observations of the giant planet orbiting beta Pictoris (March 3, 2011) -- New observations have been made of the giant planet around beta Pictoris. Discovered in 2009, this planet, called beta Pictoris b, has now been detected again with the NaCo instrument on the VLT. Astronomers find that the planet is moving around the star. They have also measured the mass and the effective temperature of beta Pic b. ... > full story
Turning bacteria into butanol biofuel factories: Transplanted enzyme pathway makes E. coli churn out n-butanol (March 3, 2011) -- While ethanol is today's major biofuel, researchers aim to produce fuels more like gasoline. Butanol is the primary candidate, now produced primarily by Clostridium bacteria. Chemists have now transplanted the enzyme pathway from Clostridium into E. coli, replaced two of five genes with enzymes from other microbes, and gotten the bacteria to churn out 10 times more n-butanol than competing microbes, close to the level needed for industrial scale production. ... > full story
Solving the riddle of nature’s perfect spring (March 3, 2011) -- Scientists have unravelled the shape of the protein that gives human tissues their elastic properties in what could lead to the development of new synthetic elastic polymers. ... > full story
Black holes: A model for superconductors? (March 3, 2011) -- Black holes are some of the heaviest objects in the universe. Electrons are some of the lightest. Now physicists have shown how charged black holes can be used to model the behavior of interacting electrons in unconventional superconductors. ... > full story
'A little off the top' helps map cells with submicrometer resolution (March 3, 2011) -- In an effort to identify the early-onset, subtle chemical changes occurring in a cell heading toward malignancy, researchers have developed a technique that slices off the top of a cell and makes the structures accessible to spectroscopic examination of their chemical "signatures." ... > full story
Clouds amplify ecological light pollution (March 3, 2011) -- The brightness of the nightly sky glow over major cities has been shown to depend strongly on cloud cover. In natural environments, clouds make the night sky darker by blocking the light of the stars but around urban centers, this effect is completely reversed, according to a new study. ... > full story
New software 'lowers the stress' on materials problems (March 3, 2011) -- Before you can build that improved turbojet engine, before you can create that longer-lasting battery, you have to ensure all the newfangled materials in it will behave the way you want. Now computer scientists have improved software that can take much of the guesswork out of tough materials problems like these. ... > full story
New kind of optical fiber developed: Made with a core of zinc selenide (March 2, 2011) -- Scientists have developed the very first optical fiber made with a core of zinc selenide -- a light-yellow compound that can be used as a semiconductor. The new class of optical fiber, which allows for a more effective and liberal manipulation of light, promises to open the door to more versatile laser-radar technology. Such technology could be applied to the development of improved surgical and medical lasers, better countermeasure lasers used by the military, and superior environment-sensing lasers such as those used to measure pollutants and to detect the dissemination of bioterrorist chemical agents. ... > full story
Combined molecular study techniques reveal more about DNA proteins (March 2, 2011) -- Researchers have combined two molecular imaging technologies to create an instrument with incredible sensitivity that provides new, detailed insight into dynamic molecular processes. Two physics professors combined their expertise in single-molecule biophysics -- fluorescence microscopy and optical traps -- to create a unique instrument that measures both a DNA-regulating protein's motion and conformational changes as it acts. ... > full story
Effectiveness of wastewater treatment may be damaged during a severe flu pandemic (March 2, 2011) -- Existing plans for antiviral and antibiotic use during a severe influenza pandemic could reduce wastewater treatment efficiency prior to discharge into receiving rivers, resulting in water quality deterioration at drinking water abstraction points, according to a new article. ... > full story
Solar mystery of missing sunspots explained (March 2, 2011) -- The sun has been in the news a lot lately because it's beginning to send out more flares and solar storms. Its recent turmoil is particularly newsworthy because the sun was very quiet for an unusually long time. Astronomers had a tough time explaining the extended solar minimum. New computer simulations imply that the sun's long quiet spell resulted from changing flows of hot plasma within it. ... > full story
Hair dyeing poised for first major transformation in 150 years (March 2, 2011) -- Technological progress may be fast-paced in many fields, but one mundane area has been almost left in the doldrums for the last 150 years: The basic technology for permanently coloring hair. That's the conclusion of an analysis of almost 500 articles and patents on the chemistry of permanent hair dyeing, which foresees much more innovation in the years ahead, including longer lasting, more-natural-looking dyes and gene therapy to reverse the gray. ... > full story
Facing the Facebook mirror can boost self-esteem (March 2, 2011) -- A new study has found that Facebook can have a positive influence on the self-esteem of college students. ... > full story
New 'thermometer' helps scientists accurately measure rock formation (March 2, 2011) -- Researchers have used magnesium isotopes to determine the temperature at which rocks form, which will allow scientists to better study the formation of Earth's crust and mantle as well as the formation of meteorites. ... > full story
Cements that self-repair cracks and store latent heat energy? (March 2, 2011) -- Cement (and derivatives thereof) is one of the materials most commonly used in construction, given its good performance at low cost. Over recent years, one part of scientific and technological research is aimed at incorporating additional functions into these materials. Researchers have studied the possibility of adding capacities to the cement such as the self-repair of cracks as well as the storing of latent heat energy. ... > full story
Just like me: Online training helpers more effective when they resemble students (March 2, 2011) -- Opposites don't always attract. A new study shows that participants are happier -- and perform better -- when the electronic helpers used in online training programs resemble the participants themselves. ... > full story
World's most powerful optical microscope: Microscope could 'solve the cause of viruses' (March 2, 2011) -- Scientists have produced the world's most powerful optical microscope, which could help us understand the causes of many viruses and diseases. ... > full story
Fluorescent peptides help nerves glow in surgery (March 2, 2011) -- Accidental damage to thin or buried nerves during surgery can have severe consequences, from chronic pain to permanent paralysis. Scientists may have found a remedy: injectable fluorescent peptides that cause hard-to-see peripheral nerves to glow, alerting surgeons to their location even before the nerves are encountered. ... > full story
Nanotechnology used to prolong machine and engine life (March 2, 2011) -- Scientists have discovered a way to use nanotechnology to reduce friction in automobile engines and machines. ... > full story
Scientists unravel the mysterious mechanics of spider silk (March 2, 2011) -- Scientists now have a better understanding of why spider silk fibers are so incredibly strong. Recent research describes the architecture of silk fibers from the atomic level up and reveals new information about the molecular structure that underlies the amazing mechanical characteristics of this fascinating natural material. ... > full story
Plug-and-play multi-core voltage regulator could lead to 'smarter' smartphones, slimmer laptops and energy-friendly data centers (March 2, 2011) -- To promote energy-efficient multitasking, a graduate student has developed and demonstrated a new device with the potential to reduce the power usage of modern processing chips. The advance could allow the creation of "smarter" smartphones, slimmer laptops and more energy-friendly data centers. ... > full story
New conditions for life on other planets: Tidal effects change 'habitable zone' concept (March 2, 2011) -- Tides can render the so-called "habitable zone" around low-mass stars uninhabitable, according to new research. Until now, the two main drivers thought to determine a planet's temperature were the distance to the central star and the composition of the planet's atmosphere. ... > full story
Scientists synthesize long-sought-after anticancer agent (March 2, 2011) -- Scientists have synthesized for the first time a chemical compound called lomaiviticin aglycon, leading to the development of a new class of molecules that appear to target and destroy cancer stem cells. ... > full story
Algae converted to butanol; Fuel can be used in automobiles (March 2, 2011) -- Chemical engineers have developed a method for converting common algae into butanol, a renewable fuel that can be used in existing combustible engines. The green technology benefits from and adds greater value to a process being used now to clean and oxygenate U.S. waterways by removing excess nitrogen and phosphorus from fertilizer in runoff. ... > full story
Findings on pollution damage to human airways could yield new therapies (March 2, 2011) -- Researchers have identified how nanoparticles from diesel exhaust damage lung airway cells, a finding that could lead to new therapies for people susceptible to airway disease. The scientists also discovered that the severity of the injury depends on the genetic make-up of the affected individual. ... > full story
New technique for improving robot navigation systems (March 2, 2011) -- Researchers in Europe have developed an antonym-based technique for building maps for mobile robots. This technique can be applied to improve current robot navigation systems. Another advantage of the technique is that the low-cost ultrasonic sensors that it uses are built into almost all robotic platforms and produce a smaller volume of data for processing. ... > full story
Surgeons predict the future of nanomedicine in practice (March 1, 2011) -- A new review explores how nanotechnology may provide powerful new tools that could have a marked impact on the therapeutic and diagnostic measures available to surgeons. ... > full story
New generation of optical integrated devices for future quantum computers (March 1, 2011) -- Scientists have demonstrated the quantum operation of new components that will enable compact circuits for future photonic quantum computers. ... > full story
Surgical instruments with electronic serial numbers (March 1, 2011) -- Gone are the days of having to compromise on surgeons' demands because of the limitations associated with metal processing: Laser melting has abolished production-related restrictions on surgical instruments. The technique permits customized tools to be manufactured in a single step and also allows the integration of additional new functions such as RFID. Researchers have now developed a surgical instrument with an integrated electronic chip. ... > full story
NASA readies for world's largest can crusher test (March 1, 2011) -- Place a soda can on the floor in an upright position and then stand on it -- gradually applying weight -- until the can ripples and collapses. It's similar to what a team of NASA engineers will do to an immense aluminum-lithium rocket fuel tank in late March; their hope is to use data from the test to generate new "shell-buckling design factors" that will enable light-weight, safe and sturdy "skins" for future launch vehicles. ... > full story
Boiling bubbles are cool in space (March 1, 2011) -- It may seem illogical, but boiling is a very efficient way to cool engineering components and systems used in the extreme environments of space. An experiment to gain a basic understanding of this phenomena launched to the International Space Station on space shuttle Discovery Feb. 24. The Nucleate Pool Boiling Experiment, or NPBX, is one of two experiments in the new Boiling eXperiment Facility, or BXF. ... > full story
One terabit per second data rate on a single integrated photonic chip (March 1, 2011) -- With worldwide Internet data traffic increasing by 50 percent each year, telecommunications companies that handle this digital torrent must be able to economically expand the capacities of their networks while also adapting to new, more-efficient data-handling technologies. Now a development team has achieved data rates of one terabit per second. ... > full story
More than 4,000 components of blood chemistry listed (March 1, 2011) -- After three years of exhaustive analysis, the list of known compounds in human blood has exploded from just a handful to more than 4,000. ... > full story
Key to safer remote detection of dangerous materials (March 1, 2011) -- Scientists have demonstrated a promising technique that employs sound waves to boost the distance from which researchers can use terahertz technology to remotely detect hidden explosives, chemicals, and other dangerous materials. ... > full story
'Stupid strategies' could be best for the genes (March 1, 2011) -- Blindly copying what your parents did -- no matter how stupid it may seem -- could be the best strategy for the long-term success of your genes, according to new research. ... > full story
Smartphones: Overcoming loss of connectivity (March 1, 2011) -- New research has highlighted the problems of reduced sensitivity in wireless communications, along with developing new solutions to overcome the loss of connectivity. ... > full story
March Madness: Statisticians quantify entry biases (March 1, 2011) -- By examining historical data, statisticians have quantified biases that play a role in granting Division I at-large basketball teams inclusion in the NCAA March Madness Tournament. ... > full story
Physicists develop potent packing process (February 28, 2011) -- Physicists have developed a method for packing microscopic spheres that could lead to improvements in commercial products ranging from pharmaceutical lotions to ice cream. ... > full story
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