ScienceDaily Technology Headlines
for Friday, February 5, 2010
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New Hubble maps of Pluto show surface changes (February 5, 2010) -- NASA has released the most detailed set of images ever taken of the distant dwarf planet Pluto. The images taken by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope show an icy and dark molasses-colored, mottled world that is undergoing seasonal changes in its surface color and brightness. ... > full story
Europe seeks alternatives to natural latex from Asia (February 5, 2010) -- Some natural latexes are the main ingredient in the extraction of natural rubber, an indispensable raw material for all kinds of industries and essential for the manufacture of surgical gloves, condoms or tyres. All the latex used in Europe is imported, extracted fundamentally from the the Hevea brasiliensis tree. The largest producers in the world are Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand, three Asian countries that have practically the worldwide monopoly of this resource. In order to find alternatives to this commercial dependence and promote the cultivation of latex-producing plant species in the European Union, a research project is being undertaken in which 12 technological centres, universities and companies related to this matter are taking part. ... > full story
New simulation tool could shorten manufacturing design process (February 5, 2010) -- Researchers have demonstrated they were able to speed up SystemC based simulation by factors of 30 to 100 times that of previous performances. SystemC is often used to shorten manufacturing design cycles to improve the time it takes to bring a product to the marketplace. ... > full story
Enlisting a drug discovery technique in the battle against global warming (February 4, 2010) -- Scientists in Texas are reporting that a technique used in the search for new drugs could also be used in the quest to discover new, environmentally friendly materials for fighting global warming. Such materials could be used to capture the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide from industrial smokestacks and other fixed sources before it enters the biosphere. ... > full story
New computational tool for cancer treatment (February 4, 2010) -- Researchers have developed an approach for creating new IDO inhibitors by computer-assisted structure-based drug design. ... > full story
Imaging method for eye disease used to eye art forgeries (February 4, 2010) -- Scientists in Poland are describing how a medical imaging technique has taken on a second life in revealing forgery of an artist's signature and changes in inscriptions on paintings that are hundreds of years old. ... > full story
Bionanomotors may be able to transport and manipulate molecules (February 4, 2010) -- Scientists are conducting research that may lead to new ways to move or position single molecules -- a necessary step if man someday hopes to build molecular machines or other devices capable of working at very small scales. They have shown how bionanomotors can be used some day to move and manipulate molecules at the nanoscale. ... > full story
Spherical cows help to dump metabolism law (February 4, 2010) -- Apparently, the mysterious "3/4 law of metabolism" -- proposed by Max Kleiber in 1932, printed in biology textbooks for decades, and described as "extended to all life forms" from bacteria to whales -- is just plain wrong. "Actually, it's two-thirds," says University of Vermont mathematician Peter Dodds. A new paper of his helps overturn almost 80 years of near-mystical belief in a 3/4 exponent used to describe the relationship between the size of animals and their resting metabolism. ... > full story
Learning from climate's sedimental journey (February 4, 2010) -- By analyzing sediments up to 4,000 years old, an environmental scientist is hoping to provide a tool to help predict future climate change. Ancient records of what was happening with climate conditions can be used with regional climate models to tell a story of what happened in the past and to correlate it to the present and the future. Current models typically use data only for the last 100 years or less and may miss wet and dry periods from past millennia. ... > full story
Magnetic nanoparticles show promise for combating human cancer (February 4, 2010) -- Scientists at Georgia Tech and the Ovarian Cancer Institute have further developed a potential new treatment against cancer that uses magnetic nanoparticles to attach to cancer cells, removing them from the body. The treatment, tested in mice in 2008, has now been tested using samples from human cancer patients. ... > full story
Code defends against 'stealthy' computer worms (February 4, 2010) -- Self-propagating worms are malicious computer programs, which, after being released, can spread throughout networks without human control, stealing or erasing hard drive data, interfering with pre-installed programs and slowing, even crashing, home and work computers. Now a new code, or algorithm, created by researchers targets the "stealthiest" of these worms, containing them before an outbreak can occur. ... > full story
Quantum mechanics at work in photosynthesis: Algae familiar with these processes for nearly two billion years (February 4, 2010) -- Chemists have made a major contribution to the emerging field of quantum biology, observing quantum mechanics at work in photosynthesis in marine algae. ... > full story
New class of AIDS drug? Two compounds lay foundation, help combat drug-resistant virus strains (February 4, 2010) -- A team of scientists has identified two compounds that act on novel binding sites for an enzyme used by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the virus that causes AIDS. The discovery lays the foundation for the development of a new class of anti-HIV drugs to enhance existing therapies, treat drug-resistant strains of the disease, and slow the evolution of drug resistance in the virus. ... > full story
Chemists discover how antiviral drugs bind to and block flu virus (February 4, 2010) -- Researchers have determined where an antiviral drug binds to and blocks a channel necessary for the flu virus to spread. The team also discovered that the drug spins in the channel, meaning there could be room for developing drugs that do a better job blocking the channel and stopping the flu. ... > full story
Optical refrigeration expected to enhance airborne and spaceborne applications (February 4, 2010) -- Researchers have created the first-ever all-solid-state cryocooler that can be applied to airborne and spaceborne sensors. ... > full story
Merging galaxies create a binary quasar (February 4, 2010) -- Astronomers have found the first clear evidence of a binary quasar within a pair of actively merging galaxies. Binary quasars, like other quasars, are thought to be the product of galaxy mergers. Until now, however, binary quasars have not been seen in galaxies unambiguously in the act of merging. But images the Magellan telescope in Chile show two distinct galaxies with "tails" produced by their mutual gravitational attraction. ... > full story
Curing more cervical cancer cases may be in the math (February 4, 2010) -- A third of cervical cancer cases respond poorly to standard therapy or experience recurrence, making cure difficult. A new mathematical model using information gathered by magnetic resonance imaging scans may make it possible to identify patients with non-responding tumors much sooner. These patients could then be offered aggressive or experimental therapy midway through treatment, something not possible now. ... > full story
Electronic health records need better monitoring, experts urge (February 4, 2010) -- The push is on for health-care providers to make the switch to electronic health records but it is hard to tell how well these complex health information technology systems are being implemented and used. ... > full story
Secure radio signal for central locking (February 3, 2010) -- Remote central locking is among the most convenient aspects of modern motoring. However, transmission of the radio signal that activates the system is not particularly secure, however. A new encryption technique increases security without draining the key’s battery. ... > full story
Astronomers find rare beast by new means (February 3, 2010) -- Astronomers have found an example of the rare type of supernova thought to produce Gamma Ray Bursts, but through radio, not gamma-ray, observations. The breakthrough, they say, will lead to discovering many more of these objects. ... > full story
Special effects in Avatar made possible thanks to European technology (February 3, 2010) -- Highly effective and scalable digital technology developed originally for television has transformed the production, post-production and viewing experience in high-resolution feature films. A joint UK/German collaboration has helped change film production worldwide, turning a work-intensive craft process into viable global phenomenon that adds a high level of realism to special effects. Results of this work have since won technical Oscars for many of the researchers involved. ... > full story
Reaching for the stars to create music of the universe (February 3, 2010) -- While a supernova can be seen, it can't be heard, as sound waves cannot travel through space. But what if the light waves emitted by the exploding star and other cosmological phenomena could be translated into sound? That's the idea behind a "Rhythms of the Universe," a musical project to "sonify" the universe by Grateful Dead percussionist and Grammy award-winning artist Mickey Hart that caught the attention of Nobel Prize-winning astrophysicist George Smoot of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. ... > full story
Applied electric field can significantly improve hydrogen storage properties (February 3, 2010) -- An international team of researchers has identified a new theoretical approach that may one day make the synthesis of hydrogen fuel storage materials less complicated and improve the thermodynamics and reversibility of the system. ... > full story
Eco-friendly way of decomposing BPA-containing plastic (February 3, 2010) -- Just as cooking helps people digest food, pretreating polycarbonate plastic -- source of a huge environmental headache because of its bisphenol A content -- may be the key to disposing of the waste in an eco-friendly way, scientists have found. ... > full story
Hubble catches end of star-making party in nearby dwarf galaxy (February 3, 2010) -- Galaxies throughout the universe are ablaze with star birth. But for a nearby, small spiral galaxy, the star-making party is almost over. Astronomers were surprised to find that star-formation activities in the outer regions of NGC 2976 have been virtually asleep because they shut down millions of years ago. The celebration is confined to a few die-hard partygoers huddled in the galaxy's inner region. ... > full story
Ability to navigate may be linked to genes (February 2, 2010) -- New research for the first time links genes to our ability to orient ourselves to the world around us an then navigate through it. ... > full story
Suspected asteroid collision leaves odd X-pattern of trailing debris (February 2, 2010) -- NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has observed a mysterious X-shaped debris pattern and trailing streamers of dust that suggest a head-on collision between two asteroids. Astronomers have long thought the asteroid belt is being ground down through collisions, but such a smashup has never been seen before. ... > full story
Research advances microsystems that can detect water-borne pathogens (February 2, 2010) -- Researchers have engineered microsystems for the detection of water-borne pathogens using a technique called dielectrophoresis (DEP), which separates and identifies cells and microparticles suspended in a medium based on their size and electrical properties. Now they have found a way to provide the nonuniform electric field required for DEP that does not require electrodes to contact the sample fluid. ... > full story
New adhesive device could let humans walk on walls (February 2, 2010) -- Could humans one day walk on walls, like Spider-Man? A palm-sized invention that uses water surface tension as an adhesive bond just might make it possible. ... > full story
Smart capsules release their contents at a selected temperature (February 2, 2010) -- How can an active principle be delivered in a controlled way? Until now, there was no obvious answer to this question. Now however, researchers have designed smart capsules that are able to release their contents on demand, simply by raising the temperature. This technology opens the way to many applications in fields such as food, perfumes and agriculture, to deliver pesticides above a specific temperature. ... > full story
White roofs may successfully cool cities, computer model demonstrates (February 2, 2010) -- Painting the roofs of buildings white has the potential to significantly cool cities and mitigate some impacts of global warming, a new study indicates. The research, which is the first computer modeling study to simulate the impacts of white roofs on urban areas worldwide, suggests there may be merit to an idea advanced by US Energy Secretary Steven Chu and other policymakers that white roofs can be an important tool to help society adjust to climate change. ... > full story
Superconducting hydrogen? Researchers model three hydrogen-dense metal alloys (February 1, 2010) -- Physicists have long wondered whether hydrogen could be transformed into a metal or a superconductor -- the elusive state in which electrons can flow without resistance. They have speculated that certain pressure and temperature conditions could achieve these goals. Now high-pressure researchers have modeled three hydrogen-dense metal alloys and found pressure and temperature trends associated with the superconducting state -- a huge boost in understanding how this abundant material could be harnessed. ... > full story
New software provides 3-D views of arteries in catheterization lab (February 1, 2010) -- New software allows for 3-D images of the heart's arteries during cardiac catheterization. Still in the testing phase, this technology may provide more information on the width and length of artery blockages, while exposing patients to less dye and radiation. ... > full story
Barefoot running: How humans ran comfortably and safely before the invention of shoes (February 1, 2010) -- Scientists have found that those who run barefoot, or in minimal footwear, tend to avoid "heel-striking," and instead land on the ball of the foot or the middle of the foot. In so doing, these runners use the architecture of the foot and leg and some clever Newtonian physics to avoid hurtful and potentially damaging impacts, equivalent to two to three times body weight, that shod heel-strikers repeatedly experience. ... > full story
Converting waste heat into electricity? Mismatched alloys are a good match for thermoelectrics (February 1, 2010) -- Researchers have demonstrated that the semiconductors known as highly mismatched alloys hold great promise for the future development of high performance thermoelectric devices. Thermoelectrics could play a key role in green energy production because of their ability to convert heat into electricity. ... > full story
Key milestone reached on road to graphene-based electronic devices (February 1, 2010) -- Researchers have produced 100mm diameter graphene wafers, a key milestone in the development of graphene for next generation high frequency electronic devices. Graphene is a 2-dimensional layer of tightly bound carbon atoms arranged in hexagonal arrays. Sheets of graphene are the building blocks of graphite. Due to its phenomenal electronic properties, graphene has been considered as a leading material for next generation electronic devices in the multibillion dollar semiconductor industry. ... > full story
Hospital scanner could curb nuclear waste threat (February 1, 2010) -- Medical equipment used for diagnosis of patients with heart disease and cancer could be a key weapon in stopping nuclear waste seeping into the environment, according to new research. ... > full story
Natural gas supplies could be augmented with methane hydrate (February 1, 2010) -- Naturally occurring methane hydrate may represent an enormous source of methane, the main component of natural gas, and could ultimately augment conventional natural gas supplies. ... > full story
Astronomers discover coolest sub-stellar body outside our solar system (February 1, 2010) -- Astronomers have discovered what may be the coolest sub-stellar body ever found outside our own solar system. ... > full story
Gene function discovery: New computation model predicts gene function (February 1, 2010) -- Scientists have created a new computational model that can be used to predict gene function of uncharacterized plant genes with unprecedented speed and accuracy. The network, dubbed AraNet, has over 19,600 genes associated to each other by over 1 million links and can increase the discovery rate of new genes affiliated with a given trait tenfold. It is a huge boost to fundamental plant biology and agricultural research. ... > full story
New knowledge about the deformation of nanocrystals offers new tools for nanotechnology (February 1, 2010) -- With new, advanced equipment, scientists have shown that materials to produce micro-and nanocomponents react very differently depending on whether crystals are large or small. This research creates important knowledge that can be used to develop technologies aimed at the nanoproduction of micro-electro-mechanical systems such as digital microphones in mobile phones, miniature pressure sensors in water pumps and acceleration sensors in airbags. ... > full story
National Ignition Facility achieves unprecedented 1 megajoule laser shot (February 1, 2010) -- Scientists at the National Ignition Facility at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory have successfully delivered an historic level of laser energy -- more than 1 megajoule -- to a target in a few billionths of a second and demonstrated the target drive conditions required to achieve fusion ignition. ... > full story
Theoretical model clarifies the low-temperature phase behavior of liquid water (February 1, 2010) -- A theoretical study of the phase behavior of liquid water at temperatures close to -100ºC has shown that the four possible scenarios identified to date are in fact specific cases in a more general model. ... > full story
New guidance on data sharing will minimize risks to patient privacy (February 1, 2010) -- New guidance sets out how personal information from clinical trials should be shared to help minimize risks to patient privacy. ... > full story
Microbes produce fuels directly from biomass (January 31, 2010) -- Researchers have developed a microbe that can produce an advanced biofuel fuel directly from biomass. Deploying the tools of synthetic biology, the researchers engineered a strain of E. coli bacteria to produce biodiesel and other important chemicals derived from fatty acids. ... > full story
Plasma experiments aboard International Space Station yielding better picture of liquids and solids (January 31, 2010) -- A series of experiments studying complex plasmas is taking place on board the international space station ISS. Physicists from Germany will use these experiments to study fundamental structure forming processes to better understand what happens in liquids and solids. ... > full story
Gecko's lessons transfer well: Dry printing of nanotube patterns to any surface could revolutionize microelectronics (January 31, 2010) -- Scientists have come up with a way to transfer forests of strongly aligned, single-walled carbon nanotubes from one surface to another -- any surface -- in a matter of minutes. The template used to grow the nanotubes, with its catalyst particles still intact, can be used repeatedly to grow more nanotubes, almost like inking a rubber stamp. ... > full story
Could generating energy from waste be the answer? (January 31, 2010) -- Scientists are helping to find answers to one of the most difficult problems facing the world today: generating energy without accelerating climate change or harming food production. Researchers are investigating biofuels generated from wastes. These are seen by many as the 'green alternative' to using fossil fuels. ... > full story
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