ScienceDaily Technology Headlines
for Friday, July 2, 2010
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World of lights in the microcosmos (July 2, 2010) -- Light-emitting diodes are gaining ground: They are now being used as background lighting for displays. But the manufacturing of complex LED optics is still complex and expensive. A new technology is revolutionizing production: Large-scale LED components can now be manufactured cost-effectively. ... > full story
Science of soccer: Ball aerodynamics focus of research (July 2, 2010) -- With the attention of sports fans worldwide focused on South Africa and the 2010 FIFA World Cup, US scientist John Eric Goff has made the aerodynamics of the soccer ball a focus of his research. ... > full story
X-ray satellite homes in on a black hole's jets (July 2, 2010) -- Astronomers using NASA's Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer satellite, together with optical, infrared and radio data, find that, at times, most of the X-rays come from Black Hole jets. ... > full story
All-natural personal care products: Chemical engineer patents enzymatic preparation to make natural ingredients in the lab (July 2, 2010) -- A chemical engineer has developed and patented a chemical structure to make all-natural personal care products and purer pharmaceuticals in the laboratory. ... > full story
Switching off your lights has a bigger impact than you might think, says new study (July 1, 2010) -- Switching off lights, turning the television off at the mains and using cooler washing cycles could have a much bigger impact on reducing carbon dioxide emissions from power stations than previously thought, according to a new study. Researchers in the UK show that the figure used by government advisers to estimate the amount of carbon dioxide saved by reducing people's electricity consumption is up to 60 percent too low. ... > full story
Man in the Moon has 'graphite whiskers' (July 1, 2010) -- In a new analysis of a lunar sample collected by Apollo 17, researchers have detected and dated carbon on the moon in the form of graphite -- the sooty stuff of pencil lead -- which survived from around 3.8 billion years ago, when the moon was heavily bombarded by meteorites. Up to now, scientists thought the trace amounts of carbon previously detected on the surface of the moon came from the solar wind. ... > full story
New technique improves efficiency of biofuel production (July 1, 2010) -- Researchers have developed a more efficient technique for producing biofuels from woody plants that significantly reduces the waste that results from conventional biofuel production techniques. The technique is a significant step toward creating a commercially viable new source of biofuels. ... > full story
R Coronae Australis: A cosmic watercolor (July 1, 2010) -- A magnificent view of the region around the star R Coronae Australis was created from images taken with the Wide Field Imager (WFI) at the European Southern Observatory’s La Silla Observatory in Chile. R Coronae Australis lies at the heart of a nearby star-forming region and is surrounded by a delicate bluish reflection nebula embedded in a huge dust cloud. The image reveals surprising new details in this dramatic area of sky. ... > full story
Genetic Code 2.0: Novel artificial proteins for industry and science (July 1, 2010) -- The creation of synthetic proteins plays an important role for economy and science. By the integration of artificial amino acids in proteins (genetic code engineering), their already existing qualities can be systematically improved, allowing new biological features to arise. Now, scientists in Germany have succeeded in taking another important step in this research area: For the first time, they were able to integrate three different synthetic amino acids into one protein in a single experiment. ... > full story
Unpeeling atoms and molecules from the inside out (July 1, 2010) -- The first published scientific results from the world's most powerful hard X-ray laser show its unique ability to control the behaviors of individual electrons within simple atoms and molecules by stripping them away, one by one -- in some cases creating hollow atoms. ... > full story
New temperature table may help reduce heat-related deaths of children in closed cars (July 1, 2010) -- A team of researchers has developed an easy-to-use table of vehicle temperature changes that may help public officials and media remind the public about the deadly consequences of vehicle-related hyperthermia in children. ... > full story
Electrons are late starters: Contrary to previous assumptions, electrons are catapulted out of an atom during photoemission with a delay (July 1, 2010) -- When physicists search for new semiconductors for chips or lasers, they have been able to rely on sophisticated computer programs - until now. However, it is possible that the models these programs have used to predict the electronic properties of a material oversimplify reality. An international team has now determined this from measurements with extremely short laser pulses. The physicists have concluded from this that electrons which a laser pulse knock out of an atom are catapulted from the particle with a delay of several tens of attoseconds. One attosecond corresponds to a billionth of a billionth of a second. The assumption so far has been that, during photoemission, electrons immediately shoot out when the light pulse impinges on the material. The models with which quantum physicists describe the electronic properties of matter are also based on the electrons behaving in such a way. These models could therefore be too imprecise, at least as far as very accurate predictions are concerned. ... > full story
Stability and utility of floating wind turbines shown in new study (July 1, 2010) -- While offshore wind turbines have already have been constructed as a renewable energy solution, they've traditionally been situated in shallow waters, where the tower extends directly into the seabed. Now a group of researchers in California has studied the feasibility of placing wind turbines on floating platforms. ... > full story
System that controls sleep may be same for most mammals (June 30, 2010) -- In a novel mathematical model that reproduces sleep patterns for multiple species, an international team of researchers has demonstrated that the neural circuitry that controls the sleep/wake cycle in humans may also control the sleep patterns of 17 different mammalian species. ... > full story
Voyager 2 at 12,000 days: The super-marathon continues (June 30, 2010) -- NASA's plucky Voyager 2 spacecraft has hit a long-haul operations milestone June 28 -- operating continuously for 12,000 days. For nearly 33 years, the venerable spacecraft has been returning data about the giant outer planets, and the characteristics and interaction of solar wind between and beyond the planets. Among its many findings, Voyager 2 discovered Neptune's Great Dark Spot and its 450-meter-per-second (1,000-mph) winds. ... > full story
Drivers mistakenly believe winter is most dangerous travel time, survey shows (June 30, 2010) -- Most Americans interviewed in a national poll believe winter is the most dangerous time for driving, but the truth is that summer is the most dangerous time with 4th of July weekend being the deadliest. ... > full story
More proof that new planet and star are moving together (June 30, 2010) -- A planet about eight times the mass of Jupiter has been confirmed to orbit a sun-like star that's some 300 times farther from its own star than Earth is from its sun. The newly confirmed planet is the least massive planet known to orbit at such a great distance from its host star. ... > full story
Zapping Titan-like atmosphere with UV rays creates life precursors (June 30, 2010) -- The first experimental evidence showing how atmospheric nitrogen can be incorporated into organic macromolecules is being reported by researchers. The finding indicates what organic molecules might be found on Titan, the moon of Saturn that scientists think is a model for the chemistry of pre-life Earth. Earth and Titan are the only known planetary-sized bodies that have thick, predominantly nitrogen atmospheres. ... > full story
Diamonds and the holy grail of quantum computing (June 30, 2010) -- Most candidate systems for quantum computing work only at very low temperatures. Now a team of researchers from China may have a warmer solution. The team is exploring the capabilities of diamond nitrogen vacancy materials. ... > full story
NASA instrument will identify clues to Martian past (June 30, 2010) -- NASA's Curiosity rover, coming together for a late 2011 launch to Mars, has a newly installed component: a key onboard X-ray instrument for helping the mission achieve its goals. Researchers will use Curiosity in an intriguing area of Mars to search for modern or ancient habitable environments, including any that may have also been favorable for preserving clues about life and environment. ... > full story
'Galactic archaeologists' find origin of Milky Way's ancient stars (June 30, 2010) -- Many of the Milky Way's ancient stars are remnants of other smaller galaxies torn apart by violent galactic collisions around five billion years ago, according to researchers. ... > full story
Viral protein structure study offers HIV therapy hope (June 30, 2010) -- A new research project is helping further the understanding of HIV viral protein structure which could lead to new molecular medicines. ... > full story
Science uncovers the hidden secrets of world-famous paintings (June 29, 2010) -- The hidden secrets of some of the world's most famous paintings have been revealed, thanks to a partnership between the UK's Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and the National Gallery. ... > full story
Birth of the Milky Way: Astronomers glimpse at earliest phases of our home galaxy (June 29, 2010) -- For the first time, a team of astronomers has succeeded in investigating the earliest phases of the evolutionary history of our home galaxy, the Milky Way. The scientists deduce that the early galaxy went from smooth to clumpy in just a few hundred million years. ... > full story
Earplug lets the message through (June 29, 2010) -- An earplug with a built-in computer that allows speech to pass but shuts out unwanted and hazardous noise will make life easier in noisy environments. ... > full story
Relying on origami techniques, researchers show programmable matter folding into a boat- or plane-shape (June 29, 2010) -- Researchers have reshaped the landscape of programmable matter by devising self-folding sheets that rely on the ancient art of origami. Called programmable matter by folding, the team demonstrated how a single thin sheet composed of interconnected triangular sections could transform itself into a boat- or plane-shape -- all without the help of skilled fingers. ... > full story
Biologically inspired technology produces sugar from photosynthetic bacteria (June 29, 2010) -- Researchers have engineered photosynthetic bacteria to produce simple sugars and lactic acid. This innovation could lead to new, environmentally friendly methods for producing commodity chemicals in bulk. It could also lead to reduced carbon dioxide emissions, greater availability of biodegradable plastics, and the capture of harmful CO2 emissions from power plants and industrial facilities. ... > full story
Introducing Robofish: Leading the crowd in studying group dynamics (June 29, 2010) -- Scientists have created the first convincing robotic fish that shoals will accept as one of their own. The innovation opens up new possibilities for studying fish behavior and group dynamics, which provides useful information to support freshwater and marine environmental management, to predict fish migration routes and assess the likely impact of human intervention on fish populations. ... > full story
Science historian cracks the 'Plato code' (June 29, 2010) -- A science historian in the UK has cracked the "Plato Code" -- the long disputed secret messages hidden in the great philosopher's writings. The findings may revolutionize the history of the origins of Western thought. ... > full story
Geometry affects drift and diffusion across entropic barriers (June 29, 2010) -- Understanding particle diffusion in the presence of constrictions is essential in fields as diverse as drug delivery, cellular biology, nanotechnology, materials engineering, and spread of pollutants in the soil. When a driving force is applied, displacement of particles occurs as well as diffusion. A new paper quantifies the effects of periodic constrictions on drift and diffusion in systems experiencing a driving force. ... > full story
Public transit systems contribute to weight loss and improved health, study finds (June 29, 2010) -- Increasing the availability of public transit systems is one among a number of modifications to the built environment that offers opportunities for increasing physical activity and reducing the prevalence of obesity and its associated problems. In a new study, researchers found that construction of a light-rail system (LRT) resulted in increased physical activity (walking) and subsequent weight loss by people served by the LRT. These findings suggest that improving neighborhood environments and increasing the public's use of LRT systems could improve health outcomes and potentially impact millions of individuals. ... > full story
New radio telescope will listen to the universe on the FM-band (June 29, 2010) -- The first major radio telescope to be built in Britain for many decades will 'listen' to the sky at FM frequencies, providing vast quantities of data to a supercomputer in Holland, paving the way for unexpected new discoveries. ... > full story
'Hitchhiker' EPOXI: Next stop, Comet Hartley 2 (June 29, 2010) -- NASA's Deep Impact/EPOXI spacecraft flew past Earth Sunday (June 27) at approximately 3:03 p.m. Pacific time (6:03 p.m. Eastern time), as planned. The spacecraft is now on its way to its appointment with comet Hartley 2 this fall. The members of the EPOXI team at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., are currently working with data returned from the flyby to refine the spacecraft trajectory estimates. ... > full story
Physics of the 'bends': New study helps explain decompression sickness (June 28, 2010) -- As you go about your day-to-day activities, tiny bubbles of nitrogen come and go inside your tissues. This is not a problem unless you happen to experience large changes in pressure, as scuba divers and astronauts may. During large, fast pressure drops, bubbles can grow, causing "the bends." A new study may provide a physical basis for the existence of these bubbles and help explain decompression sickness. ... > full story
Turning off the air conditioning helps save fuel, Swiss study finds (June 28, 2010) -- Automobile air conditioning systems do not run “free of charge”. In fact in the hot parts of the world they can account for up to thirty per cent of fuel consumption. Even in Switzerland, with its temperate climate, the use of air conditioning systems is responsible for about five per cent of total fuel usage, rising to around ten per cent in urban traffic, as shown by a new study. Furthermore, two thirds of the additional fuel usage could be saved if air conditioning systems were simply turned off when the air temperature falls below 18 degrees Celsius. ... > full story
Bursting bubbles with sound offers new treatments for cancer (June 28, 2010) -- A new way to deliver cancer drugs using gas bubbles and sound waves is being developed. The project will enable highly toxic drugs to be delivered in small doses directly to tumors, where their toxicity can safely be put to good use. If successful, the technique could easily be adapted for other diseases. ... > full story
Enterprise PCs work while they sleep – saving energy and money – with new software (June 28, 2010) -- Personal computers in enterprise environments save energy and money by "sleep-working," thanks to new software called SleepServer. Sleep-working enterprise PCs are accessible via remote connections and maintain their presence on voice over IP, instant messaging, and peer-to-peer networks even though the PCs are in low-power sleep mode. SleepServer can reduce energy consumption on enterprise PCs previously running 24/7 by an average of 60 percent. ... > full story
Rocky mounds and a plateau on Mars (June 28, 2010) -- When Mars Express set sail for the crater named after Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan, it found a windblown plateau and mysterious rocky mounds nearby. ... > full story
Depth charge: Using atomic force microscopy to study subsurface structures (June 28, 2010) -- Researchers have shown that under the right circumstances, surface science instruments such as the atomic force microscope can deliver valuable data about sub-surface conditions. ... > full story
Hop, jump and stick; Robots designed with insect instincts (June 28, 2010) -- A swarm of flying robots soars into a blazing forest fire. With insect-like precision and agility, the machines land on tree trunks and bound over rough terrain before deploying crucial sensors and tools to track the inferno and its effects. This is a scenario one researcher thinks may not be so far off. ... > full story
Test of quantum field theory and Bose-Einstein statistics of photons: Bosons aren't fermions, not even a little bit (June 28, 2010) -- Scientists have tested one of the major theoretical pillars of quantum field theory, the spin-statistics theorem. With a confidence level of 100 billion to one, they found that photons really are perfect bosons. ... > full story
Most efficient quantum memory for light developed (June 28, 2010) -- An Australian-led team has developed the most efficient quantum memory for light in the world, taking us closer to a future of super-fast computers and communication secured by the laws of physics. ... > full story
Physicists explain why superconductors fail to produce super currents (June 28, 2010) -- When high-temperature superconductors were first announced in the late 1980s, it was thought that they would lead to ultra-efficient magnetic trains and other paradigm-shifting technologies. That didn't happen. Now, physicists are helping explain why. ... > full story
Scientists grow new lungs using 'skeletons' of old ones (June 28, 2010) -- Tissue engineers' progress toward growing new lungs for transplantation or research has long been frustrated by the problem of coaxing stem cells to develop into the varied cell types that populate different locations in the lung. Now, researchers have found a possible solution by seeding mouse embryonic stem cells into "acellular" rat lungs -- organs whose original cells have been destroyed, leaving behind empty, lung-shaped scaffolds of structural proteins. ... > full story
Same types of cell respond differently to stimulus, study shows (June 28, 2010) -- Using new technology that allows scientists to monitor how individual cells react in the complex system of cell signaling, researchers have uncovered a much larger spectrum of differences between each cell than ever seen before. ... > full story
Carbon sequestration: Boon or burden? (June 28, 2010) -- The idea to sequester carbon is gaining support as a way to avoid global warming. For example, the European Union plans to invest billions of Euros to develop carbon capture and storage whereby carbon dioxide will be extracted and stored underground. But how effective is this procedure and what are the long-term consequences of leakage for the climate? Research has now cast light on these issues. ... > full story
Improved telescope sees through atmosphere with pinpoint sharpness (June 28, 2010) -- A sharp view of the starry sky is difficult, because the atmosphere constantly distorts the image. A Dutch researcher has developed a new type of telescope mirror, which quickly corrects the image. His prototypes are required for future large telescopes, but also gives old telescopes a sharper view. ... > full story
Nanowires for future electronics: Process for manufacturing nanoelectronic 'mini-circuits' developed (June 28, 2010) -- The tale begins with a feasibility study on the manufacture of colored fluorescing thin films for optical safety applications. A project on the development of novel gas sensors followed. In the meantime, researchers have successfully synthesized complex organic nanowires and managed to attach them together with electrically conducting links -- the first step towards the future production of electronic and optoelectronic components. ... > full story
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