ScienceDaily Technology Headlines
for Monday, July 12, 2010
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Mathematical models for breast cancer detection with microwave tomography are cheaper and less risky, research finds (July 12, 2010) -- The most popular method of breast cancer detection today is X-ray mammography, which takes images of a compressed breast by low-dose ionizing radiation. However, there are several disadvantages to using X-rays for breast cancer screening, chief among them being the invasiveness of radiation and the high costs. Microwave tomography can provide a cheaper and less risky alternative to X-ray mammography, according to new research. ... > full story
Computing power cracks egg shell problem (July 12, 2010) -- Researchers in the UK have applied computing power to crack a problem in egg shell formation. The work may also give a partial answer to the age old question "what came first the chicken or the egg?" ... > full story
Rosetta triumphs at asteroid Lutetia (July 11, 2010) -- Asteroid Lutetia has been revealed as a battered world of many craters. European Space Agency's Rosetta mission has returned the first close-up images of the asteroid showing it is most probably a primitive survivor from the violent birth of the Solar System. ... > full story
New biofuels processing method for mobile facilities (July 11, 2010) -- Chemical engineers have developed a new method to process agricultural waste and other biomass into biofuels, and they are proposing the creation of mobile processing plants that would rove the Midwest to produce the fuels. ... > full story
Farmers to get rice-growing advice via text messages (July 11, 2010) -- Farmers in the "texting capital" of the world -- the Philippines -- will soon have nutrient management advice tailored specifically to their rice crops delivered to their mobile phones. ... > full story
Nanoparticles shrink tumors in mice (July 11, 2010) -- A new study demonstrates that nanoparticles can store and deliver chemotherapeutic drugs in vivo and effectively suppress tumors in mice. Strikingly, these nanoparticles accumulate in tumor after administration. Furthermore, the researchers showed that these nanoparticles are completely excreted from the body. The findings show promise for further uses of nanoparticles for delivery of chemotherapeutic drugs for cancer therapy. ... > full story
New retrieval method makes studying cancer proteins easier (July 11, 2010) -- Researchers can now better retrieve specific proteins needed to study how cancer cells form by using a newly developed technique and synthetic nanopolymer. ... > full story
New ultrabright source of entangled photon pairs (July 11, 2010) -- At the very heart of applications such as quantum cryptography, computation and teleportation lies a fascinating phenomenon known as "entanglement". Two photons are entangled if the properties of one depend on those of the other, whatever the distance separating them. A new source of entangled photons twenty times brighter than all existing systems has been developed by a team in France. This novel device is capable of considerably boosting the rate of quantum communications and constitutes a key component in future quantum logic processes. ... > full story
Saturn propellers reflect solar system origins (July 10, 2010) -- Scientists using NASA's Cassini spacecraft at Saturn have stalked a new class of moons in the rings of Saturn that create distinctive propeller-shaped gaps in ring material. It marks the first time scientists have been able to track the orbits of individual objects in a debris disk. The research gives scientists an opportunity to time-travel back into the history of our solar system to reveal clues about disks around other stars in our universe that are too far away to observe directly. ... > full story
Better barriers can help levees withstand wave erosion (July 10, 2010) -- A new barrier design could protect reservoir levees from the erosive forces of wind-driven waves, according new research. These findings could help lower the maintenance costs for constructed ponds in the lower Mississippi Delta where levee repairs can average per foot -- and sometimes are needed just five years after a reservoir is built. ... > full story
Novel ion trap with optical fiber could link atoms and light in quantum networks (July 10, 2010) -- Physicists have demonstrated an ion trap with a built-in optical fiber that collects light emitted by single ions, allowing quantum information stored in the ions to be measured. The advance could simplify quantum computer design and serve as a step toward swapping information between matter and light in future quantum networks. ... > full story
Researchers use robot to determine how human strangers develop trust (July 10, 2010) -- What can a wide-eyed, talking robot teach us about trust? A lot, according to psychology professors who are conducting innovative research to determine how humans decide to trust strangers -- and if those decisions are accurate. ... > full story
New spin on drug delivery: Chemical engineers discover an enhanced delivery method of DNA payloads into cells (July 10, 2010) -- Chemical engineers have discovered how to "greatly enhance" the delivery of DNA payloads into cells. Lu's ultimate goal is to apply this technique to create genetically modified cells for cancer immunotherapy, stem cell therapy and tissue regeneration. ... > full story
Rain of giant gas clouds create active galactic nuclei: New research explains how galaxy centers light up (July 10, 2010) -- Galaxies like our own were built billions of years ago from a deluge of giant clouds of gas, some of which continue to rain down. Now new calculations tie the rain of giant clouds of gas to active galactic nuclei, the extremely bright centers of some galaxies. ... > full story
Scientists use computer algorithms to develop seasonal flu vaccines (July 10, 2010) -- Computer scientists have developed a rapid and effective approach to produce vaccines for new strains of influenza viruses. The researchers hope to develop the new technology and provide an efficient method to confront the threat of seasonal epidemics. ... > full story
Heavy metal rock set to take the stage (July 10, 2010) -- On its way to a 2014 rendezvous with comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, the European Space Agency's Rosetta spacecraft, with NASA instruments aboard, will fly past asteroid Lutetia this Saturday, July 10. The instruments aboard Rosetta will record the first close-up image of a metal asteroid. They will also make measurements to help scientists derive the mass of the object, understand the properties of the asteroid's surface crust, record the solar wind in the vicinity and look for evidence of an atmosphere. ... > full story
New system helps locate car park spaces (July 10, 2010) -- Researchers in Spain have developed a system to locate unoccupied car spaces on the street and guide users to the nearest available space. The system has been named XALOC and is based on new positioning technology offering more precision in urban areas than GPS technology. ... > full story
Mathematical formula predicts clear favorite for the FIFA World Cup (July 9, 2010) -- A sophisticated new analysis of team tactics predicts a Spanish win in Sunday's FIFA World Cup final and also shows why England were beaten by Germany. ... > full story
Miniature energy harvesting technology could power wireless electronics (July 9, 2010) -- Newly published research focuses on miniature energy harvesting technologies that could potentially power wireless electronics, portable devices, stretchable electronics, and implantable biosensors. ... > full story
Prospects for finding new Earths boosted by brand new planet-finding technique (July 9, 2010) -- Astronomers from Germany, Bulgaria and Poland have used a completely new technique to find an exotic extrasolar planet. The same approach is sensitive enough to find planets as small as the Earth in orbit around other stars. The group used Transit Timing Variation to detect a planet with 15 times the mass of the Earth in the system WASP-3, 700 light years from the Sun in the constellation of Lyra. ... > full story
New parallel found between cold gases and 'hot' superconductors (July 9, 2010) -- Scientists have discovered another notable similarity between ultracold atomic gases and high-temperature superconductors, suggesting there may be a relatively simple shared explanation for equivalent behaviors of the two very different systems. ... > full story
Starburst cluster shows celestial fireworks (July 9, 2010) -- Like a fireworks display, a young, glittering collection of stars looks like an aerial burst. The cluster is surrounded by clouds of interstellar gas and dust -- the raw material for new star formation. The nebula, located 20,000 light-years away in the constellation Carina, contains a central cluster of huge, hot stars, called NGC 3603. ... > full story
RFIDs: Smart little gizmos get even smarter (July 9, 2010) -- With the help of smart RFID technology, things, animals, and people can be identified remotely, and the information can be sent and stored in databases. Now the method will be even smarter, thanks to a researcher in Sweden who is presenting solutions that make this technology more effective and more energy efficient. In fact, as much as 60 percent more efficient. ... > full story
New technology reduces storage needs and costs for genomic data (July 9, 2010) -- A new computer data compression technique called Genomic SQueeZ will allow genetic researchers and others to store, analyze and share massive volumes of data in less space and at lower cost. ... > full story
Rosetta lines up for spectacular asteroid flyby (July 8, 2010) -- On 10 July, ESA's Rosetta will fly past 21 Lutetia, the largest asteroid ever visited by a satellite. After weeks of manoeuvres and a challenging optical navigation campaign, Rosetta is perfectly lined up to skim by at 3162 km. Rosetta is expected to pass Lutetia at a relative speed of 54 000 km/hr, when both are located some 454 million km from Earth. As Lutetia is a major scientific target of Rosetta's mission, most of the orbiter and lander instruments will be on for flyby, studying the asteroid's surface, dust environment, exosphere, magnetic field, mass and density. ... > full story
Drug delivery system uses nanoparticles triggered by electromagnetic field (July 8, 2010) -- A new system for the controlled delivery of pharmaceutical drugs has been developed by a team of chemical engineers using nanoparticles embedded in a liposome that can be triggered by non-invasive electromagnetic fields. ... > full story
Black hole blows big bubble (July 8, 2010) -- Combining observations made with the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope and NASA's Chandra X-ray telescope, astronomers have uncovered the most powerful pair of jets ever seen from a stellar black hole. This object, also known as a microquasar, blows a huge bubble of hot gas, 1000 light-years across, twice as large and tens of times more powerful than other known microquasars. ... > full story
Pinpoint precision: Delivering a biochemical payload to one cell (July 8, 2010) -- Researchers use precise electrical "tweezers" to place nanowires on predetermined spots on single cells. The technique eventually could produce new ways to deliver medication. ... > full story
New computer program accurately simulates protein folding dramatically faster than previous methods (July 8, 2010) -- A new computer program accurately simulates protein folding dramatically faster than previous methods. It will allow scientists to peer deeper into the roots of diseases caused by proteins that fold incorrectly. ... > full story
Newborn stars discovered in dark cosmic cloud (July 8, 2010) -- A wave of massive star formation appears to have begun within a mysterious dark cloud in the Milky Way. NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has revealed a secluded birthplace for stars within a wispy, dark cloud in a region of the galaxy named M17. The new research could shed light on the question of how and when massive stars form. ... > full story
Energy yield of ‘cheap’ solar panels raised from 7 to 9 percent (July 8, 2010) -- Researchers have shown how the energy yield of relatively cheap solar panels, made of amorphous silicon, can be considerably raised: from around 7 percent to 9 percent. ... > full story
Revolutionary medical dressing uses nanotechnology to fight infection (July 8, 2010) -- Researchers are using nanotechnology to develop a medical dressing which will detect and treat infection in wounds. Scientists in the UK are working together with teams across Europe and Australia to create an advanced wound dressing. The dressing will work by releasing antibiotics from nanocapsules triggered by the presence of disease-causing pathogenic bacteria, which will target treatment before the infection takes hold. ... > full story
Robots preclude neck incision for thyroid surgery (July 8, 2010) -- Robots that revolutionized gynecologic and urologic surgery in the past decade now offer the option of removing at least a portion of their diseased thyroid gland without the hallmark neck incision, researchers said. ... > full story
Transformation optics make a U-turn for the better (July 8, 2010) -- Researchers have combined the scientific fields of transformation optics and plasmonics to demonstrate that with only moderate modifications of the dielectric component of a metamaterial, the physical space through which light travels can be altered with promising results, such as the creation of a 180 degree bend that won't alter the energy or properties of a light beam as it makes the U-turn, or a plasmonic version of a Luneburg lens. ... > full story
Road surface purifies air by removing nitrogen oxides, researchers in the Netherlands find (July 8, 2010) -- Road surfaces can make a big contribution to local air purity. This conclusion can be drawn from the first test results on a road surface of air-purifying concrete. This material reduces the concentration of nitrogen oxides (NOx) by 25 to 45 per cent. ... > full story
One person's waste is another's resource (July 8, 2010) -- With the UK burying more than 18.8 million tonnes of household waste -- two million tonnes more than any other EU country -- a research project is underway to find new uses for both industrial and household waste. ... > full story
Optical tweezers use holographic technology to manipulate 300 nanoparticles at a time (July 7, 2010) -- A new tool, holographic optical tweezers, use holographic technology to manipulate up to 300 nanoparticles at a time, such as beads of glass or polymer, that are too small and delicate to be handled with traditional laboratory instruments. The technology, also known as "optical tweezers," could form the basis for tomorrow's ultra-fast, light-powered communication devices and quantum computers. ... > full story
Reversible watermarking for digital images (July 7, 2010) -- Every picture tells a story, but how do you know that a digital photo has not been manipulated to change the tale being told? A new approach to adding an encrypted watermark to digital images allows the an image to be validated against a pass key, according to new research. ... > full story
Saturn system moves oxygen from Enceladus to Titan (July 7, 2010) -- Complex interactions between Saturn and its satellites have led scientists using NASA's Cassini spacecraft to a comprehensive model that could explain how oxygen may end up on the surface of Saturn's icy moon Titan. The presence of these oxygen atoms could potentially provide the basis for pre-biological chemistry. ... > full story
Shocking results from diamond anvil cell experiments (July 7, 2010) -- Physicists are using an ultra-fast laser-based technique they dubbed "nanoshocks" for something entirely different. In fact, the "nanoshocks" have such a small spatial scale that scientists can use them to study shock behavior in tiny samples such as thin films or other systems with microscopic dimensions (a few tens of micrometers). In particular they have used the technique to shock materials under high static pressure in a diamond anvil cell. ... > full story
Virtual food causes stress in patients affected by eating disorders (July 7, 2010) -- Food presented in a virtual reality environment causes the same emotional responses as real food. Researchers compared the responses of people with anorexia and bulimia, and a control group, to the virtual and real-life snacks, suggesting that virtual food can be used for the evaluation and treatment of eating disorders. ... > full story
Multicolor quantum dots aid in cancer biopsy diagnosis (July 7, 2010) -- The tunable fluorescent nanoparticles known as quantum dots make ideal tools for distinguishing and identifying rare cancer cells in tissue biopsies. Researchers have learned how multicolor quantum dots linked to antibodies can distinguish the Reed-Sternberg cells that are characteristic of Hodgkin's lymphoma. ... > full story
Gender gap persists at highest levels of math and science testing, 30-year study finds (July 7, 2010) -- A study that examined 30 years of standardized test data from the very highest-scoring seventh graders has found that performance differences between boys and girls have narrowed considerably, but boys still outnumber girls by more than about 3-to-1 at extremely high levels of math ability and scientific reasoning. ... > full story
Nano-sized light mill drives micro-sized disk (July 7, 2010) -- Researchers have created a nano-sized light mill motor powerful enough to drive micro-sized disks. With rotational speed and direction controlled by the frequency of incident light waves, this new nanomotor should open the door to a broad range of applications in energy and biology as well as in nanoelectromechanical systems. ... > full story
Scientists design new delivery device for gene therapy (July 7, 2010) -- Scientists have designed a nanoparticle that appears to effectively deliver genetic material into cells with minimal toxic effects. In lab experiments, the researchers have found that this device, a vector, is able to deliver DNA deeply enough into a cell to allow genetic material to be activated -- a critical step in gene therapy. This vector is between two and a half and 10 times more effective than other experimental materials, according to the research. ... > full story
Next Mars rover sports a set of new wheels (July 7, 2010) -- NASA's next Mars rover, Curiosity, is sitting pretty on a set of spiffy new wheels that would be the envy of any car show on Earth. The wheels and a suspension system were added recently by spacecraft technicians and engineers. These new and important touches are a key step in assembling and testing the flight system in advance of a planned 2011 launch. ... > full story
New adhesive for tape, label industry, developed (July 7, 2010) -- An incidental discovery in a wood products lab has produced a new pressure-sensitive adhesive that may revolutionize the tape industry -- an environmentally benign product that works very well and costs much less than existing adhesives based on petrochemicals. ... > full story
TV viewing, video game play contribute to kids' attention problems, study finds (July 7, 2010) -- A study of both elementary school-aged and college-aged subjects found that youths who exceeded the two hours per day of screen time recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics were 1.5 to 2 times more likely to be above average in attention problems. ... > full story
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