ScienceDaily Technology Headlines
for Thursday, December 9, 2010
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Black holes and warped space revealed by powerful new array of radio telescopes (December 9, 2010) -- A new image shows how the light from a quasar billions of light years away is bent around a foreground galaxy by the curvature of space. This light has been traveling for 9 billion years before it reached the Earth. The quasar is a galaxy powered by a super-massive black hole, leading to the ejection of jets of matter moving at almost the speed of light. ... > full story
Astronomers open new window into early universe: Epoch of Reionization (December 8, 2010) -- Thirteen billion years ago, our universe was dark. Eventually that mysterious time came to an end as the first stars ignited and their radiation transformed the nearby gas atoms into ions. Astronomers have developed a small-scale radio astronomy experiment designed to detect a never-before-seen signal from the early universe during this period of time, called the Epoch of Reionization, which is intimately linked to many fundamental questions in cosmology. ... > full story
Extending the life of oil reserves: Greener, cheaper more efficient oil extraction made possible (December 8, 2010) -- Scientists have come up with a new way to treat carbon dioxide, so that it can be used in efficient and environmentally friendly methods for extracting oil. These new CO2 soluble additives can also be used to reduce the environmental damage caused by every day industrial processes such as food processing and the manufacture of electronics. ... > full story
'Logic gates' made to program bacteria as computers (December 8, 2010) -- Researchers have engineered E. coli with the key molecular circuitry that will enable genetic engineers to program cells to communicate and perform computations. ... > full story
Computer model for projecting severity of flu season (December 8, 2010) -- Researchers have developed a statistical model for projecting how many people will get sick from seasonal influenza based on analyses of flu viruses circulating that season. ... > full story
So you think you can solve a cosmology puzzle? Scientists challenge other scientists with a series of galaxy puzzles (December 8, 2010) -- Cosmologists have come up with a new way to solve their problems. They are inviting scientists, including those from totally unrelated fields, to participate in a grand competition. The idea is to spur outside interest in one of cosmology's trickiest problems -- measuring the invisible dark matter and dark energy that permeate our universe. ... > full story
Theoretical breakthrough: Generating matter and antimatter from nothing (December 8, 2010) -- Under just the right conditions -- which involve an ultra-high-intensity laser beam and a two-mile-long particle accelerator -- it could be possible to create something out of nothing, according to researchers. ... > full story
Pure nanotube-type growth edges toward the possible (December 8, 2010) -- New research could ultimately show scientists the way to make batches of nanotubes of a single type. Scientists unveil an elegant formula that defines the energy of a piece of graphene cut at any angle. ... > full story
Astronomers detect first carbon-rich exoplanet (December 8, 2010) -- Astronomers have discovered that a huge, searing-hot planet orbiting another star is loaded with an unusual amount of carbon. The planet, a gas giant named WASP-12b, is the first carbon-rich world ever observed. The discovery was made using NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope, along with previously published ground-based observations. ... > full story
Duelling dipoles: In search of a new theory of photosynthetic energy transfer (December 8, 2010) -- Chemists have refuted a basic postulate of Förster theory, which describes energy transfers between pigment molecules, such as those that underlie photosynthesis. A revised version of the theory could have an impact on the design of optical computers and improve the efficiency of solar cells. ... > full story
New observations of exploding stars reveal pauses, flickers and flares not reliably seen before (December 8, 2010) -- Astronomers have traced the waxing and waning light of exploding stars more closely than ever before and seen patterns that aren't yet accounted for in our current understanding of how these eruptions occur. ... > full story
Chemical coarsening: How the big get bigger (December 8, 2010) -- Scientists are studying a process called coarsening, a branch of surface chemistry that examines how objects of different sizes transform into fewer objects with larger average sizes. They are using scanning tunneling microscope technology to see how coarsening happens on the surface of objects and how it can be enhanced. ... > full story
Tiny laser light show illuminates quantum computing (December 8, 2010) -- A new laser-beam steering system that aims and focuses bursts of light onto single atoms for use in quantum computers has been developed. The new system is somewhat like the laser-light-show projectors used at rock concerts and planetariums. But it's much smaller, faster, atom-scale accurate and aimed at the future of computing, not entertainment. ... > full story
Nanoparticle gives antimicrobial ability to fight Listeria longer (December 8, 2010) -- Scientists have developed a nanoparticle that can hold and release an antimicrobial agent as needed for extending the shelf life of foods susceptible to Listeria monocytogenes. ... > full story
Providing incentives to cooperate can turn swords into ploughshares (December 8, 2010) -- When two individuals face off in conflict, the classic problem in evolutionary biology known as the prisoner's dilemma says that the individuals are not likely to cooperate even if it is in their best interests to do so. But a new study suggests that with incentives to cooperate, natural selection can minimize conflict, changing the game from one of pure conflict to one of partial cooperation. ... > full story
Creating 'Living' Buildings (December 8, 2010) -- Researchers are poised to use ethical synthetic biology to create 'living' materials that could be used to clad buildings and help combat the effects of climate change. ... > full story
Using chaos to model geophysical phenomena (December 8, 2010) -- Researchers have developed the first direct approach for identifying packets of air or water, called "coherent sets," that are transported in the atmosphere and ocean and have far-reaching effects on weather and climate. The new methodology has tested significantly better than existing technologies. ... > full story
Scientists forecast new atom smashers to keep Europe leading in nuclear physics (December 8, 2010) -- Europe needs new particle accelerators and major upgrades to existing facilities over the next ten years to stay at the forefront of nuclear physics, according to the European Science Foundation, which has launched its Long Range Plan 2010 for nuclear physics. ... > full story
Ultra-thin solar blind extreme ultraviolet imager developed (December 8, 2010) -- Researchers have developed an ultra-thin hybrid AlGaN-on-Si-based extreme ultraviolet (EUV) imager with only 10µm pixel-to-pixel pitch. The wide-bandgap material (AlGaN) provides insensitivity to visible wavelengths and enhanced UV radiation hardness compared to silicon. Backside illumination in a hybrid design was used to achieve a very small pitch-to-pitch (10µm only). The novel imager shows an excellent detection down to a wavelength of 1nm. ... > full story
Doctor Who's trusty invention is anything but sci-fi: Sonic screwdriver to solve future DIY woes (December 7, 2010) -- Ultrasonic engineers have uncovered how a real life version of the fictional screwdriver -- which uses sonic technology to open locks and undo screws -- could be created. ... > full story
Double vision: New instrument casts its eyes to the sky (December 7, 2010) -- The Large Binocular Telescope Interferometer has taken its first images of the star Beta Peg in the constellation Pegasus -- an encouraging start for an instrument designed to probe the cosmic neighborhoods where Earth-like planets could exist. ... > full story
Using new materials to make more reliable nanoelectromechanical systems (December 7, 2010) -- Researchers have found a way to dramatically improve the reliability of carbon nanotube-based nanoelectromechanical systems. ... > full story
Self-healing autonomous material comes to life (December 7, 2010) -- Researchers have created a material that may be able to sense and heal damage, such as cracking in a fiber reinforced composite. The aim of developing "autonomous adaptive structures" is to mimic the ability of biological systems such as bone to sense the presence of damage, halt its progression and regenerate itself. ... > full story
Power grid of the future saves energy (December 7, 2010) -- Green energy too comes out of the electricity socket, but to get there it has to travel a long journey -- from wind turbines in the North Sea or regional solar, wind and biogas power plants. On the way to the consumer lots of energy is lost. New electronic components will change things in future. ... > full story
K-12 computer science education declining (December 7, 2010) -- Computer-related technology is increasingly driving the US economy, yet computer science education is scant in most American elementary and secondary school classrooms and the number of introductory and Advanced Placement courses in computer science has actually declined in the last five years, according to a new report. ... > full story
Nanosatellite successfully ejected from free-flying microsatellite in space (December 7, 2010) -- On Dec. 6, 2010, NASA for the first time successfully ejected a nanosatellite from a free-flying microsatellite. NanoSail-D ejected from the Fast, Affordable, Science and Technology Satellite, FASTSAT, demonstrating the capability to deploy a small cubesat payload from an autonomous microsatellite in space. ... > full story
Lower power consumption for electronics: Thin film packaged MEMS resonator with industry record Q factor and low bias voltage (December 7, 2010) -- An innovative SiGe (silicon germanium) thin film packaged SOI-based MEMS resonator featuring an industry-record Q factor combined with a low bias voltage has been developed. This groundbreaking resonator paves the way towards miniaturization and low power consumption of timing devices used in a variety of applications such as consumer electronics and automotive electronics. ... > full story
LouseBuster: Head lice shrivel with chemical-free warm-air device (December 6, 2010) -- Four years after the LouseBuster prototype made headlines when research showed the chemical-free, warm-air device wiped out head lice on children, a new study reveals that a revamped, government-cleared model is highly effective. ... > full story
Carbon dioxide-free energy can meet the world’s energy needs in 2050, Danish report finds (December 6, 2010) -- Taken as a whole, energy sources with low or no carbon emissions could easily cover the global energy supply in 2050, according to a new Danish report. The challenge for a sustainable global energy system with low carbon emissions will be to use this potential in the energy system the best way possible seen from an economic point of view. ... > full story
Your Web surfing history is accessible (without your permission) via JavaScript (December 6, 2010) -- The Web surfing history saved in your Web browser can be accessed without your permission. JavaScript code deployed by real websites and online advertising providers use browser vulnerabilities to determine which sites you have and have not visited, according to new research from computer scientists. ... > full story
Chemists design molecule that responds to stimuli (December 6, 2010) -- The venus flytrap plant captures its prey when it senses the presence of an insect on the tips of its leaves. An amphiphilic molecule acts in a similar manner by changing its structure when heated slightly and, then, reverting to its original form when cooled. ... > full story
Energy use in the media cloud: 1,175 gigawatts by 2030, experts predict (December 6, 2010) -- A new study has analyzed the potential future demand for downloaded data worldwide, such as social networking sites and on-demand TV programs, and the resulting energy requirements. Researchers estimate the overall demand to be 3,200 megabyte (MB) a day per person, totaling 2,570 exabytes per year by the world population in 2030. They conclude that the average power required to support this activity would be 1,175 gigawatts at current levels of efficiency. ... > full story
Stripes are back in season on Jupiter (December 6, 2010) -- New NASA images support findings that one of Jupiter's stripes that "disappeared" last spring is now showing signs of a comeback. These new observations will help scientists better understand the interaction between Jupiter's winds and cloud chemistry. ... > full story
Light touch brightens nanotubes: Scientists find a little ozone goes a long way for fluorescence (December 6, 2010) -- Researchers have found that adding tiny amounts of ozone to batches of single-walled carbon nanotubes and exposing them to light decorates all the nanotubes with oxygen atoms and systematically changes their near-infrared fluorescence. ... > full story
Fitting a biological nanopore into an artificial one, new ways to analyze DNA (December 6, 2010) -- Researchers a have announced a new type of nanopore device that could help in developing fast and cheap genetic analysis. They report on a novel method that combines artificial and biological materials to result in a tiny hole on a chip, which is able to measure and analyze single DNA molecules. ... > full story
Satellite tracking campaign tests European abilities (December 6, 2010) -- An experimental tracking campaign using European facilities is helping determine how well existing telescopes and radars can work together to observe objects in Earth orbit. The results will be used to help design the European Space Agency's future Space Situational Awareness system. ... > full story
Heat helped hasten life's beginnings on Earth, research suggests (December 5, 2010) -- New research investigating the effect of temperature on extremely slow chemical reactions suggests that the time required for evolution on a warm earth is shorter than critics might expect. ... > full story
Smashing fluids: The physics of flow (December 5, 2010) -- Hit it hard and it will fracture like a solid... but tilt it slowly and it will flow like a fluid. This is the intriguing property of a type of "complex fluid." ... > full story
Gold and silver nano baubles (December 5, 2010) -- They might just be the smallest Christmas tree decorations ever. Tiny spherical particles of gold and silver that are more than 100 million times smaller than the gold and silver baubles used to decorate seasonal fir trees have been synthesized. ... > full story
Color-changing 'blast badge' detects exposure to explosive shock waves (December 4, 2010) -- Mimicking the reflective iridescence of a butterfly's wing, investigators have developed a color-changing patch that could be worn on soldiers' helmets and uniforms to indicate the strength of exposure to blasts from explosives in the field. Future studies aim to calibrate the color change to the intensity of exposure to provide an immediate read on the potential harm to the brain and the subsequent need for medical intervention. ... > full story
Novel metal catalysts may be able to turn greenhouse gases into liquid fuels (December 4, 2010) -- It sounds a bit like spinning straw into gold, but novel metal catalysts may be able to turn greenhouse gases like methane and carbon dioxide into liquid fuels without producing more carbon waste in the process. ... > full story
Electrocution of birds and collision with power lines: Solutions to a global problem (December 4, 2010) -- Electrocution on power lines is a major threat to many bird species across the world, in particular endangered species such birds of prey, which show the greatest incidence of electrocution. A new study focuses on preventing bird electrocution through the identification and correction of high-risk pylons. ... > full story
More efficient polymer solar cells fabricated (December 4, 2010) -- Researchers have developed a process for fabricating more efficient polymer solar cells. They discovered a textured substrate pattern that allows deposition of a uniformly thin light-absorbing layer. The result is a polymer solar cell that captures more light and produces more power. ... > full story
High performance infrared camera based on type-II InAs/GaSb superlattices created (December 3, 2010) -- Researchers have created a new infrared camera based on Type-II InAs/GaSb superlattices that produces much higher resolution images than previous infrared cameras. ... > full story
New high-performance fiber created (December 3, 2010) -- Researchers have nanoengineered a new kind of fiber that could be tougher than Kevlar. ... > full story
Dark matter could transfer energy in the Sun (December 3, 2010) -- Researchers have studied the effects of the presence of dark matter in the Sun. According to their calculations, low mass dark matter particles could be transferring energy from the core to the external parts of the Sun, which would affect the quantity of neutrinos that reach Earth. ... > full story
Farmers slowed down by hunter-gatherers: Our ancestors' fight for space (December 3, 2010) -- Agricultural -- or Neolithic -- economics replaced the Mesolithic social model of hunter-gathering in the Near East about 10,000 years ago. One of the most important socioeconomic changes in human history, this socioeconomic shift, known as the Neolithic transition, spread gradually across Europe until it slowed down when more northern latitudes were reached. Newly published research details a physical model that can potentially explain how the spreading of Neolithic farmers was slowed down by the population density of hunter-gatherers. ... > full story
Blacker than black: NASA engineers developing material to help gather hard-to-obtain scientific measurements (December 3, 2010) -- Black is black, right? Not so, according to a team of NASA engineers now developing a blacker-than pitch material that will help scientists gather hard-to-obtain scientific measurements or observe currently unseen astronomical objects, like Earth-sized planets in orbit around other stars. ... > full story
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