The EDGE: ScienceDaily Technology Headlines -- for Sunday, May 1, 2011

ScienceDaily Technology Headlines

for Sunday, May 1, 2011

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Spinstars: First polluters of the universe? Imprints of fast rotating massive stars in Milky Way's bulge (April 30, 2011) -- From the analysis of the chemical composition of some of the oldest stars in our galaxy, an international team of astronomers presents new clues on the nature of the first stellar generations in our universe. ... > full story

Electron ping pong in the nano-world (April 30, 2011) -- Researchers in Germany have succeeded in controlling and monitoring strongly accelerated electrons from nano-spheres with extremely short and intense laser pulses. The researchers report how strong electrical fields (near-fields) build up in the vicinity of the nanoparticles and release electrons. The new insights into this light-controlled process can help to generate energetic extreme ultraviolet (XUV) radiation. ... > full story

Understanding how glasses 'relax' provides some relief for manufacturers (April 30, 2011) -- Researchers have used computer simulations to gain basic insights into a fundamental problem in material science related to glass-forming materials, offering a precise mathematical and physical description of the way temperature affects the rate of flow in this broad class of materials -- a long-standing goal. ... > full story

New solar cell technology greatly boosts efficiency (April 29, 2011) -- With the creation of a 3-D nanocone-based solar cell platform, scientists have boosted the light-to-power conversion efficiency of photovoltaics by nearly 80 percent. ... > full story

A better imaging agent for heart disease and breast cancer (April 29, 2011) -- Scientists are reporting development of a process for producing large quantities of a much-needed new imaging agent for computed tomography scans in heart disease, breast cancer and other diseases, and the first evidence that the material is safe for clinical use. The imaging agent is a tantalum oxide nanoparticle, which is inexpensive, and stays in the body long enough to image many different organs. ... > full story

NASA's Swift and Hubble probe asteroid collision debris (April 29, 2011) -- Late last year, astronomers noticed an asteroid named Scheila had unexpectedly brightened, and it was sporting short-lived plumes. Data from NASA's Swift satellite and Hubble Space Telescope showed these changes likely occurred after Scheila was struck by a much smaller asteroid. ... > full story

Fine chemical processes safer and more efficient with new type of reactor (April 29, 2011) -- Researchers have developed a unique chemical reactor, the ‘spinning disc reactor’. This is a cylinder containing a rotor that increases the safety and efficiency of chemical production processes involving gases, liquids and solids through its very high mass transfer rate. This new reactor is particularly beneficial for the pharmaceutical and fine chemical industries. ... > full story

NASA technology looks inside Japan's nuclear reactor (April 29, 2011) -- Design techniques honed at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., for Mars rovers were used to create the rover currently examining the inside of Japan's nuclear reactors, in areas not yet deemed safe for human crews. ... > full story

Astronomers unveil portrait of 'exotic super-Earth:' Densest known rocky planet (April 29, 2011) -- Astronomers have revealed details of a "super-exotic" exoplanet that would make the planet Pandora in the movie Avatar pale in comparison. The planet, named 55 Cancri e, is 60 percent larger in diameter than Earth but eight times as massive. Twice as dense as Earth -- almost as dense as lead -- it is the densest solid planet known. ... > full story

Shielding body protects brain from 'shell shocking' blast injuries: Even mild blast exposure damages nerve cells in mice, study shows (April 29, 2011) -- Stronger and tougher body armor to shield the chest, abdomen and back may be just what soldiers fighting in the Afghanistan and Iraq wars need to better protect their brains from mild injuries tied to so-called "shell shock," results of a new study in mice suggest. ... > full story

New microchip revolutionizes medical approach for monitoring for risk of sudden infant death syndrome (April 29, 2011) -- Researchers have developed a microchip sensor that can detect a person's respiratory rate without any contact with the person under observation. The chip allows for constant monitoring of babies in cot beds, hospital patients and other people at risk of obstructive apneas including, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). It can be used also for the early detection of sudden sleep of vehicle drivers. ... > full story

Romance is not dead: Digital puts the spark back into relationships (April 29, 2011) -- Few people mull over a text message, however heartfelt, in the same way as a handwritten declaration of love. But researchers in the UK are looking to prove that using digital communication doesn't necessarily mean that romance is dead. ... > full story