ScienceDaily Technology Headlines
for Tuesday, March 2, 2010
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Exotic magnetar has extremely strong magnetic fields (March 2, 2010) -- Astronomers have observed an uncommon neutron star. Classified as magnetar, its nature is as peculiar as its official name: SGR 0418+5729. The observations reached an unprecedented depth at optical wavelengths for this kind of sources, helping in constraining the physical properties of this celestial body characterized by extremely strong magnetic fields. ... > full story
Computer games can teach schools some lessons (March 2, 2010) -- If schools adopted some of the strategies that video games use, they could educate children more effectively, according to experts. ... > full story
Can mobile phones help people 'EatWell?' (March 2, 2010) -- Most people know the rules of healthy eating, but most of us might eat a little healthier if we were reminded. Now a researcher is testing using a mobile phone to help community members steer themselves away from that chocolate cake and toward the fruits and veggies. ... > full story
Mars Express heading for closest flyby of Phobos (March 1, 2010) -- ESA's Mars Express will skim the surface of Mars' largest moon Phobos on March 3. Passing by at an altitude of 67 km, precise radio tracking will allow researchers to peer inside the mysterious moon. ... > full story
Physicist writes a better formula to predict baseball success (March 1, 2010) -- A physicist has developed a new formula to predict baseball success. The basic formula, which has been tweaked over the years, uses the number of runs scored per game (RPG) and runs given up per game to estimate a team's winning percentage. ... > full story
Simple math explains dramatic beak shape variation in Darwin's finches (March 1, 2010) -- In a new study, researchers demonstrate that simple changes in beak length and depth can explain the important morphological diversity of all beak shapes within Darwin's famous finches. Broadly, the work suggests that a few, simple mathematical rules may be responsible for complicated biological adaptations. ... > full story
Widening the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (March 1, 2010) -- The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) has been dominated for its first half century by a hunt for unusual radio signals. But bold new innovations are required if we are ever to hear from our cosmic neighbors, says a leading expert. ... > full story
File-sharing software potential threat to health privacy (March 1, 2010) -- The personal health and financial information stored in thousands of North American home computers may be vulnerable to theft through file-sharing software, according to a new study. ... > full story
Astronomically large lenses measure the age and size of the universe (March 1, 2010) -- Using entire galaxies as lenses to look at other galaxies, researchers have a newly precise way to measure the size and age of the universe and how rapidly it is expanding. The measurement determines a value for the Hubble constant, which indicates the size of the universe, and confirms the age of the universe as 13.75 billion years old, within 170 million years. The results also confirm the strength of dark energy, responsible for accelerating the expansion of the universe. ... > full story
New Energy Harvesting Network means batteries not included (March 1, 2010) -- A new Energy Harvesting Network being launched could mean virtually unlimited power supplies for industry. The network will bring together UK academic and industrial researchers and end-users of energy harvesting (EH) technology. ... > full story
Fish can recognize a face based on UV pattern alone (March 1, 2010) -- Two species of damselfish may look identical -- not to mention drab -- to the human eye. But that's because, in comparison to the fish, all of us are essentially colorblind. A new study reveals that the fish can easily tell one species from another based entirely on the shape of the ultraviolet patterns on their faces. ... > full story
By tracking water molecules, physicists hope to unlock secrets of life (March 1, 2010) -- The key to life as we know it is water, a tiny molecule with some highly unusual properties, such as the ability to retain large amounts of heat and to lose, instead of gain, density as it solidifies. It behaves so differently from other liquids, in fact, that by some measures it shouldn't even exist. Now scientists have made a batch of new discoveries about the ubiquitous liquid, suggesting that an individual water molecule's interactions with its neighbors could someday be manipulated to solve some of the world's thorniest problems -- from agriculture to cancer. ... > full story
Robot-assisted option offers advantages for kidney surgery, comparison shows (March 1, 2010) -- A comparison of two types of minimally invasive surgery to repair kidney blockages that prevent urine from draining normally to the bladder found that robot-assisted surgery was faster and resulted in less blood loss and shorter hospital stays. ... > full story
Campaign to end sale of electronic mosquito repellents (March 1, 2010) -- A campaign to stop the sale of electronic mosquito repellents by major airlines is beginning to bear fruit with the immediate withdrawal of the products from KLM flights. The issue, say experts, is that these electronic repellents, sold to airline passengers, many on their way to malaria endemic countries, just don’t work. ... > full story
Oil droplets can navigate complex maze (February 28, 2010) -- Call them oil droplets with a brain or even "chemo-rats." Scientists have developed a way to make simple oil droplets "smart" enough to navigate through a complex maze almost like a trained lab rat. The finding could have a wide range of practical implications, including helping cancer drugs to reach their target and controlling the movement of futuristic nano-machines, the scientists say. ... > full story
New graphene 'nanomesh' could change the future of electronics (February 28, 2010) -- Scientists have created a new graphene nanostructure called the graphene nanomesh (GNM). The new structure is able to open up a band gap in a large sheet of graphene to create a highly uniform continuous semiconducting thin film. The concept of the GNM therefore points to a clear pathway towards practical application of graphene as a semiconductor material for future electronics. ... > full story
New process yields high-energy-density, plant-based transportation fuel (February 28, 2010) -- A team of engineers has developed a highly efficient, environmentally friendly process that selectively converts gamma-valerolactone, a biomass derivative, into the chemical equivalent of jet fuel. ... > full story
Video games may help combat depression in older adults (February 28, 2010) -- New research suggests a novel route to improving the symptoms of subsyndromal depression (SSD) in seniors through the regular use of "exergames" -- entertaining video games that combine game play with exercise. In a pilot study, the researchers found that use of exergames significantly improved mood and mental health-related quality of life in older adults with SSD. ... > full story
Detailed insight into failing heart cells gained using new nano technique (February 27, 2010) -- Researchers have been able to see how heart failure affects the surface of an individual heart muscle cell in minute detail, using a new nanoscale scanning technique. The findings may lead to better design of beta-blockers, the drugs that can slow the development of heart failure, and to improvements in current therapeutic approaches to treating heart failure and abnormal heart rhythms. ... > full story
Rapid image analysis method helps diagnose Alzheimer's disease (February 27, 2010) -- Scientists have developed a method for analysing MR images (MRI) in just a few minutes when diagnosing Alzheimer's disease. The accuracy of the analysis is comparable to manual measurements made by skilled professionals, which are currently considered the most reliable method for diagnosing Alzheimer's disease. The accurate and rapid analysis method is well suited for clinical use. ... > full story
Fueling the future with fish tank residue: Scientist discusses use of algae as biofuel (February 27, 2010) -- As Americans demand new and cleaner ways to meet the country's energy needs, researchers are turning to algae as a promising new fuel source. The approach has the potential to significantly reduce the nation's reliance on imported oil while contributing to rural economic development and lowering greenhouse emissions. ... > full story
Intelligent energy management for the home (February 27, 2010) -- In order to save energy, consumers need to be able to obtain up-to-date information at any time about the energy consumption of their appliances, and be able to control them while away from home. Scientists have developed two new applications that help consumers manage their power use. ... > full story
Can math and science help solve crimes? Scientists work with Los Angeles police to identify and analyze crime 'hotspots' (February 27, 2010) -- Scientists working with the Los Angeles Police Department to analyze crime patterns report that criminal "hotspots" come in at least two different types -- one of which can be suppressed by police. They believe their findings apply to cities worldwide. ... > full story
Hastening progress of 3D cinema and TV (February 27, 2010) -- This is the year in which 3D cinema and 3D TV will make the breakthrough. At CeBIT in Hannover, German researchers are presenting technologies and standards that are hastening the progress. ... > full story
New 'alien invader' star clusters found in Milky Way (February 26, 2010) -- As many as one quarter of the star clusters in our Milky Way -- many more than previously thought -- are "invaders" from other galaxies, according to a new study. ... > full story
Scientists unlock key enzyme using newly created 'cool' method (February 26, 2010) -- Scientists -- using a new cooling method they created -- have uncovered the inner workings of a key iron-containing enzyme, a discovery that could help researchers develop new medicines or understand how enzymes repair DNA. Taurine/alpha-ketoglutarate dioxygenase, known as TauD, is a bacterial enzyme that is important in metabolism. Enzymes in this family repair DNA, sense oxygen and help produce antibiotics. ... > full story
Quantum physics breakthrough: Scientists find an equation for materials innovation (February 26, 2010) -- Engineers have made a breakthrough in an 80-year-old quandary in quantum physics, paving the way for the development of new materials that could make electronic devices smaller and cars more energy efficient. ... > full story
Near-frictionless diamond material created using nanotechnology (February 26, 2010) -- Mechanical engineers have fabricated an ultra sharp, diamond-like carbon tip possessing such high strength that it is 3,000 times more wear-resistant at the nanoscale than silicon. The end result is a diamond-like carbon material mass-produced at the nanoscale that doesn't wear. ... > full story
The mathematics behind a good night's sleep (February 26, 2010) -- A mathematics professor is using math to develop a new computer model that can be easily manipulated by other scientists and doctors to predict how different environmental, medical, or physical changes to a person's body will affect their sleep. Their model will also provide clues to the most basic dynamics of the sleep-wake cycle. ... > full story
Stellar, metal-free way to make carbon nanotubes (February 26, 2010) -- Space apparently has its own recipe for making carbon nanotubes, one of the most intriguing contributions of nanotechnology here on Earth, and metals are conspicuously missing from the list of ingredients. ... > full story
First measurement of the age of cometary material (February 26, 2010) -- Though comets are thought to be some of the oldest, most primitive bodies in the solar system, new research on comet Wild 2 indicates that inner solar system material was transported to the comet-forming region at least 1.7 million years after the formation of the oldest solar system solids. ... > full story
The safe way to use one Internet password (February 26, 2010) -- A little-used Internet authentication system from the 1980s could provide the answer for enabling web users to securely sign in only once per Internet session, an Australian researcher has found. ... > full story
Wii video games may help stroke patients improve motor function (February 26, 2010) -- The use of virtual reality Wii game technology holds the promise as a safe and feasible way to help patients recovering from stroke improve their motor function. Researchers said it's too early to recommend it as standard stroke rehabilitative therapy. ... > full story
Nanotechnology tackles the two biggest problems associated with chemotherapy (February 26, 2010) -- Nanoscale chemistry experts have developed a nanotechnology approach that potentially could eliminate the problems of side effects and drug resistance in the treatment of cancer. Under traditional chemotherapy, cancer cells, like bacteria, can develop resistance to drug therapy, leading to a relapse of the disease. ... > full story
Road transportation emerges as key driver of warming in new analysis from NASA (February 26, 2010) -- For decades, climatologists have studied the gases and particles that have potential to alter Earth's climate. They have discovered and described certain airborne chemicals that can trap incoming sunlight and warm the climate, while others cool the planet by blocking the Sun's rays. Now a new study offers a more intuitive way to understand what's changing the Earth's climate. Rather than analyzing impacts by chemical species, scientists have analyzed the climate impacts by different economic sectors. ... > full story
No signal heard during first day of resumed listening for Phoenix Mars Lander (February 26, 2010) -- NASA's Mars Odyssey began a second campaign Feb. 22 to check on whether the Phoenix Mars Lander has revived itself after the northern Martian winter. The orbiter received no signal from the lander during the first 10 overflights of this campaign. ... > full story
Computer models show how skyborne seawater particles change cloud brightness, temperature, rain patterns (February 26, 2010) -- Ships blowing off steam are helping researchers understand how human-made particles might be useful against global warming. New results from modeling clouds like those seen in shipping lanes reveal the complex interplay between aerosols, the prevailing weather and even the time of day the aerosol particles hit the air, according to new research. ... > full story
NASA breaks ground on new deep space network antennas (February 26, 2010) -- NASA officials broke ground near Canberra, Australia, on Feb. 22, beginning a new antenna-building campaign to improve Deep Space Network communications. ... > full story
First T2K neutrino event observed at Super-Kamiokande (February 26, 2010) -- Physicists have made the first detection of a neutrino which had traveled all the way under Japan from their neutrino beamline at the J-PARC facility in Tokai village (about an hour north of Tokyo by train) to the gigantic Super-Kamiokande underground detector near the west coast of Japan, 295 km (185 miles) away from Tokai. ... > full story
As Skiers Go Down, Moguls Migrate Up (February 25, 2010) -- Gravity always wins, one might think. Avalanches roar and skiers plunge inexorably downhill. But moguls -- or bumps, as skiers know them -- move uphill. ... > full story
Optical system promises to revolutionize undersea communications (February 25, 2010) -- In a technological advance that its developers are likening to the cell phone and wireless Internet access, scientists and engineers have devised an undersea optical communications system that -- complemented by acoustics -- enables a virtual revolution in high-speed undersea data collection and transmission. ... > full story
Why BPA leached from 'safe' plastics may damage health of female offspring (February 25, 2010) -- Here's more evidence that "safe" plastics are not as safe as once presumed: New research suggests that exposure to bisphenol A during pregnancy leads to epigenetic changes that may cause permanent reproduction problems for female offspring. BPA, a common component of plastics used to contain food, is a type of estrogen that is ubiquitous in the environment. ... > full story
Second hydrocarbon boom threatens the Peruvian Amazon, researchers say (February 25, 2010) -- A rapid and unprecedented proliferation of oil and gas concessions threatens the megadiverse Peruvian Amazon. The amount of area leased is on track to reach around 70% of the region, threatening biodiversity and indigenous people. Researchers have documented the full history of hydrocarbon activities in the region and made projections about expected levels of activity in the near future. ... > full story
Brightest star-forming region in Small Magellanic Cloud (February 25, 2010) -- Astronomers have taken a dramatic new image of NGC 346, the brightest star-forming region in our neighboring galaxy, the Small Magellanic Cloud, 210,000 light-years away towards the constellation of Tucana (the Toucan). The light, wind and heat given off by massive stars have dispersed the glowing gas within and around this star cluster, forming a surrounding wispy nebular structure that looks like a cobweb. ... > full story
NASA unveils new space-weather science tool (February 25, 2010) -- When NASA's satellite operators need accurate, real-time space-weather information, they turn to the Community Coordinated Modeling Center (CCMC) of the Space Weather Laboratory at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. The CCMC's newest and most advanced space-weather science tool is the Integrated Space Weather Analysis system. ... > full story
Torn apart by its own tides, massive planet is on a 'death march' (February 25, 2010) -- Astrophysicists have determined that a massive planet outside our Solar System is being distorted and destroyed by its host star -- a finding that helps explain the unexpectedly large size of the planet, WASP-12b. It's a discovery that not only explains what's happening to WASP-12b; it also means scientists have a one-of-a-kind opportunity to observe how a planet enters this final stage of its life. ... > full story
Laser surgery technique gets new life in art restoration (February 25, 2010) -- A laser technique best known for its use to remove unwanted tattoos from the skin is finding a second life in preserving great sculptures, paintings and other works of art. The technique, called laser ablation, involves removing material from a solid surface by vaporizing the material with a laser beam. ... > full story
Genetic link between misery and death discovered; novel strategy probes 'genetic haystack' (February 25, 2010) -- Researchers have discovered what they describe as a biochemical link between misery and death, and in addition found a specific genetic variation that seems to break that link. Additionally, they have developed a computer model of gene-environment interactions to more efficiently probe the "genetic haystack." ... > full story
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