dinsdag 30 november 2010

ScienceDaily Technology Headlines -- for Tuesday, November 30, 2010

ScienceDaily Technology Headlines

for Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Welcome to another edition of ScienceDaily's email newsletter. You can change your subscription options or unsubscribe at any time.


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

Scientists crack materials mystery in vanadium dioxide (November 25, 2010) -- A systematic study of phase changes in vanadium dioxide has solved a mystery that has puzzled scientists for decades. ... > full story

City of Vancouver sets transportation records during 2010 Winter Games (November 25, 2010) -- Vancouver residents and visitors set records for sustainable travel during the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, more than doubling the number of trips typically taken by public transit, biking or walking, according to a new study completed for the City of Vancouver. ... > full story

Google -- an engine of knowledge creation? (November 25, 2010) -- Search engines like Google have become part of everyday life, not least in the academic context. But if knowledge is power, then search engines themselves are gaining ground as power nodes in their own right. Academic users need to raise their awareness of exactly how search engines operate, to ensure it is quality and not just popularity that drive their selection of sources, according to experts. ... > full story

Self-assembly of nano-rotors (November 24, 2010) -- Scientists have managed to direct the self-assembly of rod-shaped molecules into rotors only few nanometers in size. The tiny systems serve the study of forces that act on molecules on surfaces and in cage-like structures. ... > full story

Physicists create new source of light: Bose-Einstein condensate 'super-photons' (November 24, 2010) -- Physicists in Germany have developed a completely new source of light, a so-called Bose-Einstein condensate consisting of photons. Until recently, expert had thought this impossible. This method may potentially be suitable for designing novel light sources resembling lasers that work in the X-ray range. Among other applications, they might allow building more powerful computer chips. The scientists are reporting on their discovery in the upcoming issue of the journal Nature. ... > full story

Software allows interactive tabletop displays on web (November 24, 2010) -- Researchers have developed a new type of software that enables people to use large visual displays and touch screens interactively over the Internet for business and homeland security applications. ... > full story

'Russian doll' galaxy reveals black holes' true power (November 24, 2010) -- Following a study of what is in effect a miniature galaxy buried inside a normal-sized one -- like a Russian doll -- astronomers have concluded that massive black holes are more powerful than we thought. ... > full story

Jellyfish-inspired pumps: Researchers investigate next-generation medical and robotic devices (November 24, 2010) -- To some researchers, the undulations of the simple invertebrate jellyfish hold secrets that may make possible a new generation of tiny pumps for medical applications and soft robotics. ... > full story

Heating nanoparticles to kill tumor cells (November 24, 2010) -- Magnetic fluid hyperthermia (MFH) is a promising new cancer treatment that essentially "fries" cells inside tumors. Nanoparticles are heated, cancer cells die with no adverse effects to the surrounding healthy tissue. ... > full story

Age estimation from blood has immediate forensic application (November 24, 2010) -- Scientists have devised a method that would allow them to estimate the age of crime suspects or missing persons from blood collected at the scene of a crime. In principle, the new profiling method could be put to immediate practical use by law enforcement, according to researchers. They have already begun the required validation of the test, which is designed to assure that quality standards are met. ... > full story

Making stars: How cosmic dust and gas shape galaxy evolution (November 24, 2010) -- Galaxy formation is one of the biggest remaining questions in astrophysics, one that's closer to being answered thanks to a combination of new observations and supercomputer simulations. ... > full story

World first to provide building blocks for new nano devices (November 24, 2010) -- Scientists have made a major breakthrough that could help shape the future of nanotechnology, by demonstrating for the first time that 3-D molecular structures can be built on a surface. ... > full story

Novel fuel cell catalyst lowers need for precious metal (November 24, 2010) -- A test performed in Copenhagen proves that a new catalyst might show the way to cheap and easy fuel cells. ... > full story

Saving our data from digital decay (November 23, 2010) -- An old-school alternative to digital storage has a modern spin that could save us from future information loss as technology changes and today's state of the art devices become tomorrow's museum pieces. ... > full story

Early universe was a liquid, nuclei collisions at the Large Hadron Collider show (November 23, 2010) -- In an experiment to collide lead nuclei together at CERN's Large Hadron Collider physicists have discovered that the very early Universe was not only very hot and dense but behaved like a hot liquid. ... > full story

Hybrid tugboat cuts emissions (November 23, 2010) -- A new study of what is believed to be the world's only hybrid electric tugboat found that the vessel is effective in reducing emissions at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. ... > full story

Flying snakes, caught on camera (November 23, 2010) -- New video analysis and mathematical modeling by engineers reveals how certain types of snakes can "fly" by flinging themselves off their perches, flattening their bodies, and sailing from tree to tree. ... > full story

Ultrathin alternative to silicon for future electronics (November 23, 2010) -- There's good news in the search for the next generation of semiconductors. Researchers have successfully used ultra-thin layers of the semiconductor indium arsenide to create a nanoscale transistor with excellent electronic properties. The technique could be applied to other III-V semiconductors for future high-speed, low-power electronic devices. ... > full story

Heart health: Implanted devices as effective in 'real world' as in clinical trial settings (November 23, 2010) -- Survival rates for patients with implanted defibrillators and resynchronization devices in the general population are similarly high as rates in clinical trial settings. Remote monitoring of the devices over a network is linked to improved survival odds. ... > full story

Fighting antibiotic-resistant bacteria by treating municipal wastewater at higher temperatures (November 23, 2010) -- New findings by civil engineering researchers show that treating municipal wastewater solids at higher temperatures may be an effective tool in the fight against antibiotic-resistant bacteria. ... > full story

Astronomers find 'Rosetta Stone' for T-dwarf stars (November 23, 2010) -- Astronomers have discovered a unique and exotic star system with a very cool methane-rich (or T-) dwarf star and a 'dying' white dwarf stellar remnant in orbit around each other. The system is a 'Rosetta Stone' for T-dwarf stars, giving scientists the first good handle on their mass and age. ... > full story

Gene find could lead to healthier food, better biofuel production (November 23, 2010) -- Scientists have found the last undiscovered gene responsible for the production of the amino acid phenylalanine, a discovery that could lead to processes to control the amino acid to boost plants' nutritional values and produce better biofuel feedstocks. ... > full story

Flexible wings driven by simple oscillation may be viable for efficient micro air vehicles (November 23, 2010) -- To avoid some of the design challenges involved in creating micro-scale air vehicles that mimic the flapping of winged insects or birds, researchers propose using flexible wings that are driven by a simple sinusoidal flapping motion. ... > full story


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ScienceDaily Environment Headlines -- for Tuesday, November 30, 2010

ScienceDaily Environment Headlines

for Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Welcome to another edition of ScienceDaily's email newsletter. You can change your subscription options or unsubscribe at any time.


Apes unwilling to gamble when odds are uncertain (November 30, 2010) -- Humans are known to play it safe in a situation when they aren't sure of the odds, or don't have confidence in their judgments. We don't like to choose the unknown. And new evidence is showing that chimpanzees and bonobos, our closest living primate relatives, treat the problem the same way we do. ... > full story

Seasonal influences help guide cougar prey selection (November 30, 2010) -- As predators, cougars tend to select prey animals that are weaker and easier to attack during certain seasons, according to results of a new study. ... > 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

New oyster farming technique increases productivity, offers entrepreneurial opportunities (November 30, 2010) -- A new oyster farming initiative has launched in the northern Gulf of Mexico. The goal of this effort is industry adoption of off-bottom oyster culture to supplement the traditional harvest. Historically, oysters are grown on and harvested from reefs on the water bottom. In this new process, oysters are grown suspended in the water column. ... > full story

Engineer provides new insight into pterodactyl flight (November 29, 2010) -- Giant pterosaurs -- ancient reptiles that flew over the heads of dinosaurs -- were at their best in gentle tropical breezes, soaring over hillsides and coastlines or floating over land and sea on thermally driven air currents, according to new research. ... > full story

Functional amino acids regulate key metabolic pathways (November 29, 2010) -- Functional amino acids play a critical role in the development of both animals and humans, according to new research. Animal nutritionists call for scientists to "think out of the box" and place more emphasis on this area of study. ... > full story

Superantigens could be behind several illnesses (November 29, 2010) -- Superantigens, the toxins produced by staphylococcus bacteria, are more complex than previously believed, reveals new research. The discovery shows that the body’s immune system can cause more illnesses than thought. ... > full story

Monitoring the health of endangered, wild chimpanzees (November 29, 2010) -- Scientists have studied wild chimpanzees living in the tropical rain forest in Ivory Coast at close quarters for a year, and new research describes the health monitoring of this endangered species. What is the risk of retroviral infection in these chimpanzees due to their hunting of monkeys? ... > full story

New knowledge on 're-discovered' switchgrass moth (November 29, 2010) -- Scientists are learning more about the life stages and biology of an insect that may compete with humans for the energy crops of the future -- the insect some scientists are calling the switchgrass moth. ... > full story

Earth's lakes are warming, NASA study finds (November 29, 2010) -- In the first comprehensive global survey of temperature trends in major lakes, NASA researchers determined Earth's largest lakes have warmed during the past 25 years in response to climate change. ... > full story

Scientists manage to adapt juvenile blue fin tuna to captivity in land installations (November 29, 2010) -- Researchers have taken a new step towards achieving the domestication of bluefin tuna. A dozen juveniles have been adapted to captivity in land based facilities, something that had already been successfully achieved in Japan, Australia and the USA in other species of tuna. ... > full story

Charging for plastic bags cut bag consumption by half in China (November 29, 2010) -- Research from Sweden shows that people in China -- the number one consumers of plastic bags in the world -- reduced their consumption of plastic bags by half when stores were forced to charge consumers for the bags. ... > full story

Crown suggests Queen Arsinoë II ruled ancient Egypt as female pharaoh (November 29, 2010) -- A unique queen's crown with ancient symbols combined with a new method of studying status in Egyptian reliefs forms the basis for a re-interpretation of historical developments in Egypt in the period following the death of Alexander the Great. A researcher from Sweden argues that Queen Arsinoë II ruled ancient Egypt as a female pharaoh, predating Cleopatra by 200 years. ... > full story

Koala bears may be the 'pickiest' marsupials around (November 29, 2010) -- Koalas may be the pickiest marsupials around: They evolved to feed almost exclusively on the leaves of Eucalyptus trees, and they are highly selective when it comes to which species and even which individual trees they visit. When the furry leaf-eater settles on a particular tree, it relies on a number of factors, including taste, to make its selection. ... > full story

Reference database to identify origin of elephant ivory (November 29, 2010) -- A reference database has been established for the identification of the origin of elephant ivory. ... > 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

Dogs have bigger brains than cats because they are more sociable, research finds (November 28, 2010) -- Over millions of years dogs have developed bigger brains than cats because highly social species of mammals need more brain power than solitary animals, according to a new study. ... > full story

Scientists re-sequence six corn varieties, find some genes missing (November 28, 2010) -- Researchers recently re-sequenced and compared six elite inbred corn lines, including the parents of the most productive commercial hybrids in China and found entire genes that were missing from one line to another. ... > full story

Sensory stimulation protects against brain damage caused by stroke (November 28, 2010) -- Mild sensory stimulation given soon after the first symptoms of a stroke can prevent a large area of the brain from becoming damaged, a new animal study shows. If applicable to humans, these findings could potentially help protect vulnerable brain tissue in patients with stroke. ... > full story

Pre-injury exercise may mitigate the effects of traumatic brain injury in mice (November 28, 2010) -- Being physically fit before a traumatic brain injury (TBI) might improve recovery, preliminary findings suggest. After TBI, mice bred for running behavior exhibited smaller brain lesions and engaged in more extensive post-injury activity than did mice that had been sedentary before the injury. ... > 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

Diabetes drug could work against Alzheimer's, animal study suggests (November 27, 2010) -- The diabetes drug metformin has an effect against one of the main causes of the Alzheimer's disease, according to new research in animal models. ... > full story

Oldest salt mine known to date located in Azerbaijan (November 27, 2010) -- Archeologists have recently shown that the Duzdagi salt deposits, situated in the Araxes Valley in Azerbaijan, were already being exploited from the second half of the 5th millennium BC. This is the most ancient exploitation of rock salt attested to date. And, to the researchers' surprise, intensive salt production was carried out in this mine at least as early as 3500 BC. ... > full story

Sewage water bacteria: 'Missing link' in early evolution of life on Earth? (November 27, 2010) -- A common group of bacteria found in acid bogs and sewage treatment plants has provided scientists with evidence of a 'missing link' in one of the most important steps in the evolution of life on Earth -- the emergence of cells with a nucleus containing DNA (eukaryotic cells). ... > full story

Finger-trap tension stabilizes cells' chromosome-separating machinery (November 27, 2010) -- Scientists have discovered an amazingly simple way that cells stabilize their machinery for forcing apart chromosomes. ... > full story

Size of mammals exploded after dinosaur extinction, researchers confirm (November 26, 2010) -- Researchers have demonstrated that the extinction of dinosaurs 65 million years ago made way for mammals to get bigger -- about a thousand times bigger than they had been, as well as confirming the dramatic growth in mammalian size after the dinosaurs. The study also showed that the ecosystem is able to reset itself relatively quickly. ... > full story

Female fish -- and humans? -- lose interest when their male loses a slugfest (November 26, 2010) -- If you see your special someone lose a competition, your subconscious may start whispering, "He's a loser," even as you insist your love is unaffected, according to researchers studying African cichlid fish. When female cichlids saw a favored suitor lose a fight with another male, the females showed marked changes in relatively primitive parts of their brains. Humans have those same primitive brain areas, suggesting we may subconsciously react in much the same way. ... > full story

Weather affects children's injury rate: Each 5-degree temperature rise boosts kids' hospital admissions for serious injury by 10 percent (November 26, 2010) -- Every 5 degree Celsius rise in maximum temperature pushes up the rate of hospital admissions for serious injuries among children, reveals one of the largest studies of its kind. ... > full story

Erythromycin A produced in E. coli for first time: Biosynthetic breakthrough paves way for other pharmaceuticals (November 26, 2010) -- For the first time, researchers have made the antibiotic erythromycin A, and two variants, using E. coli as the production host. This is a cost-effective way to make erythromycin A and new drugs to combat antibiotic resistant pathogens. The E. coli host also offers next-generation engineering opportunities for other products with complex biosynthetic pathways. ... > 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

More protein, less refined starch important for dieting, large study shows (November 26, 2010) -- If you want to lose weight or avoid gaining weight, you should cut down on finely refined starch calories such as white bread and white rice and instead eat a diet that is high in proteins with more lean meat, low-fat dairy products and beans, large scale study suggests. ... > full story

New tool detects Ebola, Marburg quickly, easily (November 26, 2010) -- Researchers have developed a simple diagnostic tool that can quickly identify dangerous viruses like Ebola and Marburg. The biosensor, which is the size of a quarter and can detect viruses in a blood sample, could be used in developing nations, airports and other places where natural or man-made outbreaks could erupt. ... > full story

No link between mold growth and development of asthma and allergy, Scandinavian study finds (November 26, 2010) -- A recent study in Norway shows that there is no link between mold-spore concentrations in the indoor air and development of asthma and allergy among children. ... > full story

Carbon emission reduction strategies may undermine tropical biodiversity conservation, conservationists warn (November 26, 2010) -- Conservationists have warned that carbon emission reduction strategies such as REDD may undermine, not enhance, long-term prospects for biodiversity conservation in the tropics. Their warning comes only days ahead of the Cancun COP 16 climate change talks. ... > full story

How cannabis suppresses immune functions: Cannabis compounds found to trigger unique immune cells which promote cancer growth (November 26, 2010) -- Immunologists studying the effects of cannabis have discovered how smoking marijuana can trigger a suppression of the body's immune functions. The research reveals why cannabis users are more susceptible to certain types of cancers and infections. ... > 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

How people perceive sour flavors: Proton current drives action potentials in taste cells (November 25, 2010) -- Tart cranberry sauce is part of Thanksgiving, and a new study reveals a surprising mechanism for how we perceive sourness: a proton current in taste cells. ... > full story

Ancient insects preferred warmer climates (November 25, 2010) -- For millions of years, insects and plants have coevolved -- leaf-eaters adapting to the modifications of their hosts and plants changing to protect themselves from herbivory. The abundance and diversity of both insects and plants have varied depending on changes in climate. However, abnormally high global temperatures have historically lead to a greater diversity and abundance of insects, separate from plant diversity and adaptations. ... > full story

Haiti cholera outbreaks: Experts urge US to create emergency cholera vaccine stockpile for humanitarian use (November 25, 2010) -- In the wake of devastating cholera outbreaks in refugee camps in earthquake-wracked Haiti, a group of leading experts has urged the United States to create an emergency stockpile of cholera vaccines for future humanitarian use. ... > 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

Can cacti 'escape' underground in high temperatures? How a certain species will potentially handle global warming (November 25, 2010) -- In the scorching summer heat of the Chihuahuan Desert in southwest Texas, air temperatures can hover around 97°F (36°C) while at the surface of the soil temperatures can exceed 158°F (70°C). Encountering these extreme temperatures, plants must utilize creative methods to not only survive but thrive under these difficult and potentially lethal conditions. New research sheds light on how one desert resident, the cactus Ariocarpus fissuratus, copes with the effects of high temperatures. ... > 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

Stem cells from amniotic fluid: Reprogrammed amniotic fluid cells can generate all types of body cells (November 25, 2010) -- High hopes rest on stem cells: one day, they may be used to treat many diseases. To date, embryos are the main source of these cells, but this raises ethical problems. Scientists have now managed to convert amniotic fluid cells into pluripotent stem cells. These amniotic fluid-derived iPS cells are hardly distinguishable from embryonic stem cells. However, they "remember" where they came from. ... > full story

Spice of life: Variety is also good for hares (November 25, 2010) -- Since 1871, when Charles Darwin wrote The Descent of Man, it has been widely accepted that "Variability is the necessary basis for the action of selection." Variability is associated with the ability to adapt, which is clearly beneficial at a species level. But there is increasing evidence that genetic variability may also give rise to advantages at the level of the individual. ... > full story

City of Vancouver sets transportation records during 2010 Winter Games (November 25, 2010) -- Vancouver residents and visitors set records for sustainable travel during the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, more than doubling the number of trips typically taken by public transit, biking or walking, according to a new study completed for the City of Vancouver. ... > full story

Polar bears unlikely to survive in warmer world, biologists say (November 24, 2010) -- Polar bears are not likely to survive in a warmer world, biologists report. As polar bears lose habitat due to global warming, these biologists say, they will be forced southward in search of alternative sources of food, where they will increasingly come into competition with grizzly bears. ... > full story

How pathogens hijack host plants (November 24, 2010) -- Infestation by bacteria and other pathogens result in global crop losses of over 0 billion annually. A research team has developed a novel trick for identifying how pathogens hijack plant nutrients to take over the organism. They discovered a novel family of pores that transport sugar out of the plant. Bacteria and fungi hijack the pores to access the plant sugar for food. ... > full story


Copyright 1995-2010 © ScienceDaily LLC. All rights reserved. Terms of use.



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