ScienceDaily Technology Headlines
for Tuesday, September 28, 2010
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A shot to the heart: Nanoneedle delivers quantum dots to cell nucleus (September 28, 2010) -- Researchers have developed a tiny needle to deliver a shot of quantum dots right to a cell's nucleus. This is the first technique that allows delivery to a pinpointed location within the nucleus. The researchers can then learn a lot about the physical conditions inside the nucleus by monitoring the quantum dots with a standard fluorescent microscope. ... > full story
Rain or shine, researchers find new ways to forecast large photovoltaic power plant output (September 28, 2010) -- Researchers have developed a new system to monitor how clouds affect large-scale solar photovoltaic power plants. By observing cloud shape, size and movement, the system provides a way for utility companies to predict and prepare for fluctuations in power output due to changes in weather. The resulting models will provide utility companies with valuable data to assess potential power plant locations, ramp rates and power output. ... > full story
Electric cars hold greater promise for reducing emissions and lowering US oil imports, study finds (September 28, 2010) -- Electric cars hold greater promise for reducing emissions and lowering US oil imports than a national renewable portfolio standard, according to new research. ... > full story
Complexity not so costly after all: Moderately complex plants and animals can be better equipped to adapt (September 28, 2010) -- The more complex a plant or animal, the more difficulty it should have adapting to changes in the environment. But if that tenet is true, how do you explain all the well-adapted, complex organisms in the world? This "cost of complexity" conundrum puzzles biologists and offers ammunition to proponents of intelligent design. A new analysis reveals flaws in the models from which the cost of complexity idea arose and shows that complexity can, indeed, develop through evolutionary processes. ... > full story
Diving deeper into the gene pool: Innovative software analyzes diseased cells (September 28, 2010) -- New software, called miRNAkey, has been developed to search for microRNA patterns in both healthy and diseased tissues, improving scientists' understanding of the data collected from deep sequencing technology. ... > full story
Quarks 'swing' to the tones of random numbers (September 27, 2010) -- Quarks are found in protons and are bound together by forces which cause all other known forces of nature to fade. To understand the effects of these strong forces between the quarks is one of the greatest challenges in modern particle physics. New theoretical results show that enormous quantities of random numbers can describe the way quarks "swing" inside the protons. ... > full story
Let your fingers do the driving: If you don't hear directions, you can feel them (September 27, 2010) -- If drivers are yakking on cell phones and don't hear spoken instructions to turn left or right from a passenger or navigation system, they still can get directions from devices that are mounted on the steering wheel and pull skin on the driver's index fingertips left or right, a study found. The study may lead to new navigation devices for motorists, hearing-impaired drivers and blind pedestrians. ... > full story
Gigantic mirror for X-radiation in outer space (September 27, 2010) -- It is to become the largest X-ray telescope ever: The International X-Ray Observatory (IXO), which has been planned in a cooperation between NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA) and Japan's Aerospace Exploration Agency JAXA, will be launched into space in 2021 and provide the world with brand new information about black holes and, thus, about the origin of the universe. Its dimensions are gigantic: The surface of the mirror alone, which is to capture, for example, the cosmic X-radiation of black holes, will be 1300 square meters in size. ... > full story
Rewiring a damaged brain (September 27, 2010) -- Researchers are developing microelectronic circuits to bypass brain damage and induce the growth of axons, rewiring the lost connections. ... > full story
Physics breakthrough: Fast-moving neutral atom isolated and captured (September 27, 2010) -- In a major physics breakthrough, scientists in New Zealand have developed a technique to consistently isolate and capture a fast-moving neutral atom -- and have also seen and photographed this atom for the first time. ... > full story
Light workout: Scientists use optogenetics to effectively stimulate muscle movement in mice (September 27, 2010) -- Researchers were able to use light to induce normal patterns of muscle contraction, in a study involving bioengineered mice whose nerve-cell surfaces are coated with special light-sensitive proteins. ... > full story
Egyptian desert expedition confirms spectacular meteorite impact (September 27, 2010) -- A 2008 Google Earth search led to the discovery of Kamil crater, one of the best-preserved meteorite impact sites ever found. Earlier this year, a gritty, sand-blown expedition reached the site deep in the Egyptian desert to collect iron debris and determine the crater's age and origins. ... > full story
How safe is your swipe? Thinking like hackers, programmers find security loopholes in 'secure' microchips (September 27, 2010) -- Researchers in Israel have developed an innovative way of extracting information from chip technology. By combining modern cryptology methods with constraint programming -- an area of computer science designed to solve a series of complex equations -- the researchers were able to extract more information from secure chips. ... > full story
Pinpointing where volcanic eruptions could strike (September 27, 2010) -- A better way to pinpoint where volcanic eruptions are likely to occur has been produced by an international team of geophysicists. ... > full story
Lead-free piezoelectric materials of the future (September 27, 2010) -- Over the past 60 years, lead zirconate titanate, or PZT, has been the material of choice for piezoelectric applications from ink jet printers to gas grill igniters. Despite this success, many scientists would like to find a more environmentally-friendly, lead-free material. The theoretical potential of another class of materials has now been shown. ... > full story
Mystery of disappearing Martian carbon dioxide ice solved? (September 27, 2010) -- Scientists may have solved the mystery of the carbon dioxide ice disappearance early in the Northern Martian springs followed later by its sudden reappearance, revealing a very active water cycle on the planet. ... > full story
Genetic switch underlies noisy cell division: 'Bimodal' signal determines a cell's get-up and go (September 27, 2010) -- While scientists have spent the past 40 years describing the intricate series of events that occur when one mammalian cell divides into two, they still haven't agreed on how the process begins. Two seemingly contradictory theories may now be reconciled by a third theory. ... > full story
Privacy key obstacle to adopting electronic health records, study finds (September 27, 2010) -- The United States could achieve significant health care savings if it achieved widespread adoption of electronic health records (EHRs), but insufficient privacy protections are hindering public acceptance of the EHR concept, according to a new paper that outlines steps that could be taken to boost privacy and promote the use of EHRs. ... > full story
How molecules escape from cell's nucleus: Key advance in using microscopy to reveal secrets of living cells (September 27, 2010) -- By constructing a microscope apparatus that achieves resolution never before possible in living cells, researchers have illuminated the molecular interactions that occur during one of the most important "trips" in all of biology: the journey of individual messenger ribonucleic acid (RNA) molecules from the nucleus into the cytoplasm (the area between the nucleus and cell membrane) so that proteins can be made. ... > full story
Mechanical transmission without contact between parts (September 27, 2010) -- Researchers in Spain are coordinating an international project to develop a new concept of mechanical transmission without contact between parts, based on magnetic forces, which prevents friction and wear as well as making lubrication of the parts unnecessary. ... > full story
Magnetic anomalies: New type of solar wind interaction with airless bodies in our solar system (September 26, 2010) -- Scientists have discovered a new type of solar wind interaction with airless bodies in our solar system. Magnetized regions called magnetic anomalies, mostly on the far side of the Moon, were found to strongly deflect the solar wind, shielding the Moon’s surface. This will help scientists understand the solar wind behavior near the lunar surface and how water may be generated in its upper layer. ... > full story
Structure that allows bacteria to resist drugs identified (September 26, 2010) -- Researchers have discovered the crystal structures of pumps that allow bacteria to resist heavy metal toxins and antibiotics. ... > full story
Tool to improve Wikipedia accuracy developed (September 26, 2010) -- Check the Microsoft entry on Wikipedia at some point in the past and you might have learned that the company's name is Microshaft, its products are evil and its logo is a kitten. Similarly, you may have learned from Abraham Lincoln's Wikipedia entry that he was married to Brayson Kondracki, his birth date is March 14 and Pete likes PANCAKES. ... > full story
Robots could improve everyday life at home or work (September 26, 2010) -- They're mundane, yet daunting tasks: Tidying a messy room. Assembling a bookshelf from a kit of parts. Fetching a hairbrush for someone who can't do it herself. ... > full story
UK's shipping emissions six times higher than expected, says new report (September 26, 2010) -- Carbon dioxide emissions produced by UK shipping could be up to six times higher than currently calculated, according to new research. ... > full story
In cyber bullying, depression hits victims hardest (September 26, 2010) -- Young victims of electronic or cyber bullying — which occurs online or by cell phone — are more likely to suffer from depression than their tormentors are, a new study finds. “Kids may be reluctant to tell their parents in case they lose their computer or cell phone privileges,” one of the researchers said. ... > full story
Dust models paint alien's view of the solar system (September 26, 2010) -- New supercomputer simulations tracking the interactions of thousands of dust grains show what the solar system might look like to alien astronomers searching for planets. The models also provide a glimpse of how this view might have changed as our planetary system matured. ... > full story
Newly created material resembles cilia (September 25, 2010) -- Scientists recently imitated Mother Nature by developing, for the first time, a new, skinny-molecule-based material that resembles cilia, the tiny, hair-like structures through which organisms derive smell, vision, hearing and fluid flow. ... > full story
New 'light switch' chloride binder developed (September 25, 2010) -- Chemists have designed a molecule that binds chloride ions -- but can be conveniently compelled to release the ions in the presence of ultraviolet light. ... > full story
Cassini makes first dive inside Saturn’s radio aurora (September 25, 2010) -- The Cassini spacecraft has made the first observations from within the radio aurora of another planet than Earth. The measurements, which were taken when the spacecraft flew through an active auroral region in 2008, show some similarities and some contrasts between the radio auroral emissions generated at Saturn and those at Earth. ... > full story
Sensor important to understanding root, seedling development (September 25, 2010) -- A biosensor utilizing black platinum and carbon nanotubes will help give scientists a better understanding of how the plant hormone auxin regulates root growth and seedling establishment. ... > full story
A biological solution to animal pandemics (September 24, 2010) -- Using all-natural materials -- flax, hemp, jute and natural resin -- researchers in Poland have developed a new absorbent matting ideal for providing a disinfectant barrier for use in animal housing and other food production sites, both at times of outbreak of contagious disease and for routine hygiene. The matting is cheaper than the synthetic alternatives, both initially and because it is fully biodegradable so does not need special disposal. ... > full story
Mimicking nature, water-based 'artificial leaf' produces electricity (September 24, 2010) -- Scientists have shown that water-gel-based solar devices -- "artificial leaves" -- can act like solar cells to produce electricity. The findings prove the concept for making solar cells that more closely mimic nature. They also have the potential to be less expensive and more environmentally friendly than the current standard-bearer: silicon-based solar cells. ... > full story
Biometric ID technologies 'inherently fallible,' new report finds (September 24, 2010) -- Biometric systems -- designed to automatically recognize individuals based on biological and behavioral traits such as fingerprints, palm prints, or voice or face recognition -- are "inherently fallible," says a new report, and no single trait has been identified that is stable and distinctive across all groups. ... > full story
'Coreshine' sheds light on the birth of stars: Astronomers discover a new phenomenon in molecular clouds (September 24, 2010) -- Science is literally in the dark when it comes to the birth of stars, which occurs deep inside clouds of gas and dust. These clouds are completely opaque to ordinary light. Now, a group of astronomers has discovered a new astronomical phenomenon that appears to be common in such clouds, and promises a new window onto the earliest phases of star formation. The phenomenon -- infra red light that is scattered by unexpectedly large grains of dust, which the astronomers have termed "coreshine" -- probes the dense cores where stars are born. ... > full story
How heating our homes could help reduce climate change (September 24, 2010) -- A radical new heating system where homes would be heated by district centers rather than in individual households could dramatically cut greenhouse gas emissions. ... > full story
Video gaming prepares brain for bigger tasks (September 24, 2010) -- Playing video games for hours on end may prepare your child to become a laparoscopic surgeon one day, a new study has shown. Reorganization of the brain's cortical network in young men with significant experience playing video games gives them an advantage not only in playing the games but also in performing other tasks requiring visuomotor skills. ... > full story
Pair of aluminum atomic clocks reveal Einstein's relativity at a personal scale (September 24, 2010) -- Scientists have known for decades that time passes faster at higher elevations, and more slowly when you move faster, curious aspects of Einstein's theories of relativity. Physicists have now used a pair of the world's best clocks to conduct new "time dilation" experiments to measure these effects at heights and speeds on personal, comprehensible scales. ... > full story
New nanomesh material created: Silicon-based film may lead to efficient thermoelectric devices (September 24, 2010) -- Computers, light bulbs and even people generate heat -- energy that ends up being wasted. Thermoelectric devices, which convert heat to electricity and vice versa, harness that energy. But they're not efficient enough for widespread commercial use or are made from expensive or environmentally harmful rare materials. Researchers have just developed a new type of material -- a nanomesh, composed of a thin film with a grid-like arrangement of tiny holes -- that could lead to efficient thermoelectric devices. ... > full story
Robotic arm's big flaw: Patients in wheelchairs say it's 'too easy' (September 24, 2010) -- Researchers thought the ease of the using a robotic arm's automatic mode would be a huge hit. But they were wrong -- many participants in a pilot study didn't like it because it was "too easy." ... > full story
Less expensive low-temperature catalyst for hydrogen purification discovered (September 24, 2010) -- Engineering researchers have demonstrated the low-temperature efficacy of an atomically dispersed platinum catalyst, which could be suitable for on-board hydrogen production in fuel-cell-powered vehicles of the future. ... > full story
Insight into the impacts of too much communication (September 24, 2010) -- Individuals within a networked system coordinate their activities by communicating to each other information such as their position, speed, or intention. At first glance, it seems that more of this communication will increase the harmony and efficiency of the network. However, scientists have found that this is only true if the communication and its subsequent action are immediate. ... > full story
Computer simulations of real earthquakes made available to worldwide network (September 24, 2010) -- A research team has developed the capability to produce realistic movies of earthquakes based on complex computer simulations that can be made available worldwide within hours of a disastrous upheaval. ... > full story
Magnetic power offers energy-saving alternative (September 24, 2010) -- Researchers have designed a new system called the "Magnetic Energy Recovery Switch" that controls electrical flow for lighting, a highly efficient platform that may spark a new era of power savings. ... > full story
Successful sludge-to-power research developed (September 24, 2010) -- An experiment to transform wastewater sludge to electrical power, dwarfed by the million-gallon tanks, pipes and pumps at the Truckee Meadows Water Reclamation Facility, has successfully demonstrated a continuous feed low-cost system to dry sludge for conversion to fuel, which could ultimately supply the plant's electrical power on-site. ... > full story
New light on nonlinearity: Peregrine’s soliton observed at last (September 23, 2010) -- Despite its central place as a defining object of nonlinear science for over 25 years, the unique characteristics of the Peregrine soliton have never been directly observed in a continuous physical system -- until now. ... > full story
Secret of oysters' ability to stick together cracked open (September 23, 2010) -- A research team has uncovered the chemical components of the adhesive produced by oysters, providing information that could be useful for fisheries, boating and medicine. A better understanding of oysters' ability to stick together to form complex reefs would help those trying to boost the dwindling oyster population, aid in the creation of materials to keep boat hulls clean without harming the environment, and bring researchers one step closer to creating wet-setting adhesives. ... > full story
Ingredient in soap points toward new drugs for infection that affects two billion (September 23, 2010) -- The antibacterial ingredient in some soaps, toothpastes, odor-fighting socks, and even computer keyboards is pointing scientists toward a long-sought new treatment for a parasitic disease that affects almost two billion people. ... > full story
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