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Here is your customized PHYSorg.com Newsletter for June 10, 2011:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Interview: Dr. Ben Goertzel on Artificial General Intelligence, Transhumanism and Open Source (Part 1/2)- Ultrathin copper-oxide layers behave like quantum spin liquid
- Nearby galaxy boasts two monster black holes, both active
- Einstein's theory applied to superconducting circuits
- IBM creates first graphene based integrated circuit
- Study shows chimps capable of insightful reasoning ability
- Prototype demonstrates success of advanced new energy technology
- DeltaWing concept car to race at Le Mans
- Wireless tags give physicians details and condition of orthopedic implants with the wave of a wand
- Japanese Ministry of Self-Defense shows off a flying sphere robot (w/ video)
- For Mars rovers, a friendly rivalry
- Finally, an E. coli answer: It was the sprouts
- Ocean science satellite blasts off from California
- Small sun-watcher Proba-2 offers detailed view of massive solar eruption
- An egalitarian Internet? Not so, study says
Space & Earth news
Transport emission cut goals 'realistic': EU commissioner
The European Union's target of cutting carbon dioxide emissions from transport by nearly two-thirds by 2050 is realistic, European Transport Commissioner Siim Kallas insisted Friday.
Soyuz docks at ISS carrying Russian, US, Japanese astronauts
A Soyuz spacecraft with a Russian, a US and a Japanese astronaut aboard docked Thursday at the International Space Station, the Russian control centre said.
Venice to suffer fewer storm surges
(PhysOrg.com) -- Venice – the City of Dreams – may have one less nightmare to deal with following a finding that the frequency of extreme storm surge events generated by Adriatic Sea tempests could fall by about 30 per cent by 2100.
Ocean science satellite set to launch after delay
A rocket ferrying an Earth-observing satellite is set to launch on a mission to measure the saltiness of the ocean from space.
Earth from space: A gush of volcanic gas
This image shows the huge plume of sulphur dioxide that spewed from Chile's Puyehue-Cordón Caulle Volcanic Complex, which lies in the Andes about 600 km south of Santiago.
Lasers spectacular
The new laser on the Keck I telescope has inspired two avid Mauna Kea photographers to capture the light show in a series of stunning images and videos. We’ve collected some of their work here for your entertainment and inspiration. The following video is by Andrew Cooper who assembled it with more than 90 separate one-minute images he took on the night of May 26, 2011.
The story behind Paolo's space station photos
(PhysOrg.com) -- When the Soyuz TMA-20 spacecraft undocked from the International Space Station, ESA astronaut Paolo Nespoli had a special job to do: capture unique images of the orbital outpost with the Shuttle and Europe’s ATV ferry attached. Paolo tells us about those precious minutes.
Up, up and away for Mars
In April, NASA’s Spaceward Bound project returned to Zzyzx, California, in the Mojave Desert. Spaceward Bound brings together primary-grade science teachers with scientists to conduct astrobiology research in the field. It conducts several field campaigns each year, and the Mojave Desert is its most frequently visited site.
Natural gas can play major role in greenhouse gas reduction
Natural gas is important in many sectors of the economy: for generating electricity, as a heat source for industry and buildings, and in chemical feedstock. Given the abundance of natural gas available through large global resources and the recent emergence of substantial unconventional supplies in the United States, worldwide usage of the fuel is likely to continue to grow considerably and contribute to significant reductions of greenhouse gas emissions for decades to come, according to a comprehensive, multidisciplinary study carried out over the last three years by MIT researchers.
Landsat satellite sees Arizona wildfire sweep through Apache National Forest
The second largest fire in Arizona history, the Wallow Fire is graphically depicted by this Landsat image, taken June 7, which shows burning in the mountains of eastern Arizona near the border with New Mexico.
Spiders in space -- live!
Ever since they were announced, the spiders in space have been living in the limelight. This is, of course, the point -- to watch and learn as the pair of golden orb spiders, or Nephila clavipes, adapt to living in microgravity on the International Space Station. As a result, these two arachnids, dubbed Gladys and Esmeralda by astronaut Cady Coleman, are reaching celebrity status.
Entry, descent and surface science for 2016 ExoMars mission
ESA and NASA have announced the scientific investigations selected for their 2016 ExoMars lander demonstrator. They will probe the atmosphere during the descent, and return the first ever data on electrical fields at the surface of Mars.
Trying out carbon to treat toxic sediment
On the surface, Canal Creek looks like a postcard Chesapeake Bay tributary, with red-winged blackbirds swooping over the tidal marsh lining its banks.
Say goodbye to cool summers: climate study
By 2050, the coolest summers in the tropics and parts of the northern hemisphere will still be hotter than the most scorching summers since the mid-20th century if global warming continues apace, according to a new study.
NASA sees heavy rainfall in Tropical Storm Sarika
Tropical Depression 05W has grown into a tropical storm and given the name Sarika as it heads toward China. Satellite imagery from NASA shows that the center of the storm seems to be separated from the strongest thunderstorms.
Eye say, Adrian is still a powerful hurricane on NASA satellite imagery
Hurricane Adrian has been good at hiding his eye from satellite imagery over the last two days, but the latest Aqua and GOES-13 satellite imagery provides the best look at the eye, despite some overcast inside.
NASA sees the low that won't quit: System 94L
The northern Caribbean low pressure area known as System 94L is continually monitored by the GOES-13 Satellite, imagery today shows that it has moved north and is raining on eastern Cuba and the Bahamas.
Dawn spacecraft approaches protoplanet Vesta
(PhysOrg.com) -- NASA's Dawn mission to the doughnut-shaped asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, which launched in September 2007, is now approaching Vesta, a protoplanet that is currently some 143 million miles from Earth. Many surprises are likely awaiting the spacecraft.
Small sun-watcher Proba-2 offers detailed view of massive solar eruption
(PhysOrg.com) -- ESA’s Proba-2 small Sun-watcher was among the flotilla of satellites on watch as the Sun erupted spectacularly this week.
Ocean science satellite blasts off from California
A rocket carrying an Earth-observing satellite launched early Friday on a mission to measure the saltiness of the ocean from space.
For Mars rovers, a friendly rivalry
NASA's newest Mars rover - or a replica of it, anyway - sat expectantly at the bottom of a hill. After years in design and construction, the grandly named Mars Science Laboratory was ready to test its wheels on a 20-degree flagstone slope in the "Mars Yard" at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in La Canada Flintridge, Calif.
Nearby galaxy boasts two monster black holes, both active
(PhysOrg.com) -- A study using NASA's Swift satellite and the Chandra X-ray Observatory has found a second supersized black hole at the heart of an unusual nearby galaxy already known to be sporting one.
Technology news
The goal? Cooler, smaller, fuel cells
Fuel cells that use hydrogen or methane to generate electricity in chemical reactions while shedding only harmless byproducts like water are dream products for engineers, environmentalists and business leaders searching for clean, alternative ways to power tomorrow's vehicles.
Tweets tip off NATO on potential Libya air raids
Twitter as a weapon of war? NATO has scrambled warplanes against Moamer Kadhafi's forces after Libyans tweeted troop movements on the micro-blogging website, alliance officials said.
LLNL partners with SWAY to launch deep sea offshore wind demonstration
The amount of wind blowing off the California coast is teeming with potential.
Huff Post visitors pass NYTimes.com: tracker
The Huffington Post received more traffic than the website of The New York Times in May, the first time it has surpassed NYTimes.com in unique visitors, tracking firm comScore said Thursday.
Sony back in stride at E3 videogame extravaganza
People queued for hours Thursday to try Sony's next-generation gaming handset or peeks at a 3D "Drake's Uncharted" videogame being released later this year.
Malaysia police bust China Internet scam
Malaysian police have arrested 37 Chinese and Taiwanese nationals accused of running an Internet scam that tricked people into paying fake traffic fines, reports said Friday.
Spain nabs 3 suspected of global cyber attacks
(AP) -- Spanish police arrested three suspected computer hackers who allegedly belonged to a loose-knit international activist group that has attacked corporate and government websites around the world, authorities said Friday.
UF researchers refine system to detect explosive materials
Airport security workers this year will employ an array of pre-boarding detection measures to scan for deadly materials smuggled into the luggage of the world’s 625 million passengers expected to travel this year.
EU sets up anti-hacker team of IT security experts
The EU said Friday it has set up a new anti-hacker team of cyber fire-fighters after a string of recent attacks, one of which saw 30 million euros' worth of carbon credits stolen.
FCC move to close program access loophole upheld
(AP) -- A federal court is upholding a recent decision by government regulators to close a loophole that had allowed cable TV operators to withhold sporting events and other popular programming from satellite TV providers and other rivals.
Wii U demos show off secrets, 360-degree views
(AP) -- A look at the eight individual interactive experiences - not actual full-fledged games - that Nintendo used to demonstrate the new Wii U system's 6.2-inch touchscreen controller, which features the ability to detect motion and interact with what's depicted on a television display, at this week's Electronic Entertainment Expo:
The smart shoe
Researchers from University of Twente's MIRA research institute, The Netherlands, have developed a shoe that can show exactly how a person walks. The shoe contains a range of sensors which measure the foot's movements and the forces exerted on the ground. The shoe has primarily been developed to help the rehabilitation of stroke patients who are coping with paralysis on one side of the body. In the long term, the researchers expect to achieve many more applications, for example in sport at the highest level. Xsens, a University of Twente spin-off company, is bringing the shoe onto the market.
Expert warns NATO of cyber arms race
The world is entering an era of a cyber arms race where ever-more sophisticated versions of malware are the weapons of choice of actors often impossible to trace, a top IT expert told NATO Friday.
Pandora raises IPO offering price range
(AP) -- The popular Internet radio service Pandora raised the price range of its initial public offering on Friday by at least a third to between $10 and $12
Tablet war pushes PC makers to focus on R&D
The tablet war is pushing personal computer makers to focus more on research and development and Web-based ecosystems to enable their products to stand out in an increasingly crowded market.
Ready to clean up with a green business
There's figurative sweating, as in the fretting that goes on in the lives of small-business owners, a worry-filled club of risk-takers.
Digital health push woos tech firms, pains doctors
Two years ago, Dr. Gonzalo Venegas decided to bring his medical practice into the Information Age.
Nortel Networks' patent portfolio up for auction
One of the more intriguing auctions scheduled later this month won't involve fine art or vintage sports cars or other expensive trinkets, but it is expected to attract some deep pockets.
While consoles slug it out, mobiles games zip in
The big three game console makers brought their latest kick-ass wares to the industry's annual get-together this week, but some question their future amid an explosion of super-nimble mobile gaming.
Prototype demonstrates success of advanced new energy technology
With the completion of a successful prototype, engineers at Oregon State University have made a major step toward addressing one of the leading problems in energy use around the world today – the waste of half or more of the energy produced by cars, factories and power plants.
DeltaWing concept car to race at Le Mans
(PhysOrg.com) -- The Le Mans endurance race is a 24-hour competition that features cars that typically have an engine that comes in at over five liters. One team, known as the Project 56 group, has created a car that has an engine with only 1.6 liters. The car, which has been dubbed the DeltaWing concept car, manages to run with its reduced engine capacity by significantly improving the aerodynamics of the vehicle and reducing the weight of the car to increase the fuel efficiency.
Wireless tags give physicians details and condition of orthopedic implants with the wave of a wand
Radio-frequency technology developed at the University of Pittsburgh that uses human tissue instead of air as a conduit for radio waves is the basis of the first electronic "tag" system designed to track and monitor orthopaedic implants.
Swiss solar-powered plane set for second cross-border flight
Swiss solar-powered aircraft Solar Impulse will make its second international flight from Brussels to Paris on Saturday, where it will be showcased at an international air show.
Medicine & Health news
Radiation after prostate removal is cost-effective, but less likely to be recommended by urologists
Receiving radiation therapy immediately after a radical prostatectomy is a cost-effective treatment for prostate cancer patients when compared with waiting and acting on elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, according to a new study by researchers at Thomas Jefferson University and Hospital.
Analysis finds mortality from all causes higher among hepatitis C-infected
Although liver-related mortality among those infected with hepatitis C is well-documented, little is known about deaths in these patients that are not related to liver problems. A new study published in Clinical Infectious Diseases and now available online sought to determine mortality from all causes, including liver- and non-liver related deaths among hepatitis C patients in the general U.S. population. The analysis found mortality from all causes to be higher in these patients.
Doc: 2nd hand transplant not out of the question
(AP) -- A Boston surgeon who helped perform a face and double-hand transplant on a Connecticut women mauled by a chimpanzee says even though the hand transplants failed, the woman could undergo another hand transplant in the future.
Gender differences in risk pathways for adolescent substance abuse and early adult alcoholism
Clinically ascertained reports suggest that boys and girls with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may differ from each other in their vulnerability to substance use problems, say the researchers of the University of Helsinki and University of Jyväskylä, Finland.
Strength training for grandma and grandpa
People lose 30% of their muscle strength between the ages of 50 and 70 years. However, maintaining muscle strength in old age is enormously important in order to maintain mobility and to be able to lead an independent life and manage everyday tasks independently. In the current issue of Deutsches Ärzteblatt International, Frank Mayer and colleagues from the University of Potsdam conclude that progressive strength (resistance) training counteracts muscular atrophy in old age (Dtsch Arztebl Int 2011; 108(21): 359-64).
Keeping score helps asthma suffers breathe a sigh of relief
(Medical Xpress) -- Seven per cent of adults and 14 per cent of Canadian children have a hard time breathing because of asthma. Brian Rowe, in the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry at the University of Alberta, is working towards making life easier for both asthma patients and emergency physicians who treat them.
Market factors affect closures of emergency departments nationwide
Despite a rise in the number of emergency room patients, the number of hospital-based emergency departments in the U.S. is in decline, according to a study led by Renee Hsia, MD, MSc, an emergency physician at San Francisco General Hospital, and featured in the May 18 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Non-invasive ventilation as a weaning or rescue technique may cut risks in some patients
Noninvasive ventilation (NIV) used as a weaning technique for mechanically ventilated patients can shorten intubation time and may reduce the risk of post-extubation acute respiratory failure (ARF), according to French researchers. They also found that NIV used as a post-intubation rescue therapy could significantly reduce the risk of reintubation and death.
FDA clears Siemens' 2-in-1 medical scanner
(AP) -- The Food and Drug Administration says it has cleared the first medical imaging device to simultaneously perform two powerful scans used to diagnose a wide variety of diseases and ailments.
Salmonella outbreak tied to chicks, ducklings
(AP) -- Health officials say 39 people have been sickened from a salmonella outbreak spread through handling baby chicks or ducklings.
Leprosy case at Australian immigration centre
A rare case of leprosy has been detected at an Australian immigration detention centre, officials said Friday, but it was not believed to be infectious.
Colon cancer 'chemobath' evaluated
(Medical Xpress) -- As part of a multicenter clinical trial, surgical oncologists at UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center are comparing the effectiveness of standard chemotherapy to a tri-modality approach to halt advanced colon cancers. The objective is to determine if there is a difference in survival rates between patients who receive intravenous (IV) anti-cancer drugs or a combination of IV drugs in addition to surgery and a procedure called hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy, more commonly known as HIPEC or "chemobath."
Study shows inequitable access to flu vaccinations could worsen flu epidemic
Giving wealthier counties greater access to influenza vaccine than poorer counties could worsen a flu epidemic because poor areas have fairly high population densities with higher levels of interaction among households and communities, enabling the infection to spread faster, according to a University of Pittsburgh study.
Deadly E. Coli in Germany: a timeline
Enterohaemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC), which has sparked a food-health scare in Germany, has already killed 31 people and infected 3,000 since the first cases were reported on May 24.
Dengue vaccine could be ready by 2015: Sanofi
French drugs group Sanofi said Friday that its vaccine against dengue, a mosquito-borne infection that kills thousands of people around the world each year, could be launched in about four years.
Meditation back to basics
(Medical Xpress) -- Fulltime workers who used a traditional 'silent' form of meditation became much less stressed and depressed compared to more conventional approaches to relaxation or even placebo, according to a paper published today in the online journal Evidence Based Complementary Medicine, a leading publication in its field.
Youth tobacco prevention media campaign reaches record levels of awareness
A statewide media campaign designed to reduce and prevent teen tobacco use has reached record levels of awareness, with 80 percent of North Carolina youth indicating familiarity with the campaign ads, according to preliminary results from a 2011 evaluation by University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine researchers.
Don't spank or scream: Tips for taming unruly kids
Do you ever swat your child on the behind? Let’s hope not. Over the past few decades, numerous studies have concluded that spanking isn’t the best or most effective way to discipline a child successfully.
Finding the roots of memory impairment from sleep deprivation
Anyone who has pulled an all-nighter knows there is a price to be paid the next day: trouble focusing, a fuzzy memory and other cognitive impairments. For students, these impairments might just result in a bad grade. But for professionals in high-risk industries that require long hours of concentration, such as emergency medicine or aviation, sleep deprivation can have life-and-death consequences.
Unraveling the ins and outs of brain development
The embryonic nervous system is a hollow tube consisting of elongated neural progenitor cells, which extend from the inner to the outer surface of the tube. In a section inside the tube called the ventricular zone (VZ), these cells divide and produce immature neurons that migrate outwards. This involves well-characterized movements that are coupled to cell division. After a cell divides at the inner-most VZ region, the nuclei migrate to the outer region, where they synthesize new DNA before returning.
Depression in teenage years linked to maternal postnatal depression
(Medical Xpress) -- Research by the University of Reading shows that children of postnatally depressed mothers are more likely to suffer from depression themselves than those of non-depressed mothers.
Joplin toll rises to 151; some suffer from fungus
(AP) -- The death toll from the tornado that destroyed much of Joplin has risen to 151, and three of the latest victims suffered from a rare fungal infection that can occur when dirt becomes embedded under the skin, authorities said Friday.
Researchers find potential new way to fight sepsis
By digging a little deeper, researchers may have found a potential target for reversing the deadly blood infection sepsis.
Like sprouts? Experts say cook first to be safe
(AP) -- Salad eaters, beware. Experts say it's little surprise that sprouts are behind the world's deadliest E. coli outbreak.
New substances added to HHS Report on Carcinogens
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services today added eight substances to its Report on Carcinogens, a science-based document that identifies chemicals and biological agents that may put people at increased risk for cancer.
'One-stop' clinic ups mental health, social work visits for veterans
Iraq and Afghanistan veterans who visited a VA integrated care clinic were much more likely to undergo initial mental health and social work evaluations than veterans who visited a standard VA primary care clinic, according to a study led by a San Francisco VA Medical Center researcher.
Finally, an E. coli answer: It was the sprouts
Specialists in high-tech labs tested thousands of vegetables as they hunted for the source of world's deadliest E. coli outbreak, but in the end it was old-fashioned detective work that provided the answer: German-grown sprouts.
Study: Animals and humans eat clay to rid toxins
(Medical Xpress) -- The phrase "eat dirt" takes on a whole new meaning when used by biologists, who have widely observed that humans, birds and mammals all engage in geophagy. A new Cornell study concludes that in humans, it's best explained as providing protection from dietary chemicals, parasites and pathogens.
Biology news
'Super varieties' of wheat expected to boost yields and block deadly threat to food security
Five years after the launch of a global effort to protect the world's most important food crop from variants of Ug99, a new and deadly form of wheat rust, scientists say they are close to producing super varieties of wheat that will resist the potent pathogen, while boosting yields by as much as 15 percent.
AgriLife research helps pave the way for a new livestock feed product
A two-year study by a Texas AgriLife Research team in Amarillo has helped bring a new product to market that could allow the cattle feeding industry to realize efficiencies in mills and more weight on cattle, according to Dr. Jim MacDonald.
Ancient wheat plague threatens world crops anew
Diseases that ravage wheat fields are as old as time itself. The ancient Romans even had a legend to explain the terrible plagues.
Argentine lab clones cow to produce human-like milk
An Argentine laboratory announced that it had created the world's first transgenic cow, using human genes that will allow the animal to produce the equivalent of mothers' milk.
UW-Madison scientists create low-acrylamide potato lines
(PhysOrg.com) -- What do Americans love more than French fries and potato chips? Not much-but perhaps we love them more than we ought to. Fat and calories aside, both foods contain high levels of a compound called acrylamide, a potential carcinogen.
Chasing EHEC with the computer
Just a few genes make enterohaemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) extremely dangerous to humans. If it were not for these genes, EHEC would hardly differ from harmless enteric bacteria. Bioinformatics scientists from the Saarbrücken Cluster of Excellence want to exploit this similarity to find starting points for effective drugs against the EHEC pathogen. In a very short time, the scientists have constructed EhecRegNet, a database and analysis platform that incorporates all known interactions between enteric E. coli genes. Using integrated simulations, genetic switches for the dangerous EHEC genes can be identified much faster and used medically. The virtual laboratory will thus help biomedical scientists and pharmacists all over the world to develop new drugs.
Pygmy hippo takes his first swim
He may be tiny but pygmy hippo Sapo made a big splash when he took a dip in his outdoor pool for the first time this week.
For some crustaceans in polluted waters, it could be worse
(PhysOrg.com) -- Imagine that you’re a grass shrimp. Now, imagine that you’re a rational grass shrimp, and that you have a choice of living in an environment with relatively high levels of dioxin, poly-chlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and other floating nastiness or a relatively unpolluted environment with clean water and plenty of food.
Rangers nab year's biggest croc in Australia
Australian park rangers said on Friday they had caught the year's biggest crocodile, a whopping 4.5 metres (15 feet) beast which had been terrorising fishermen.
Study shows chimps capable of insightful reasoning ability
(PhysOrg.com) -- A new study conducted by researchers from the Max Planck Institute in Germany, with results published in PLoS ONE, shows that some apes are capable of using insightful reasoning to achieve goals. When presented with a peanut floating in a tube a quarter filled with water, some chimpanzees were able to figure out that they could raise the water level, and hence the peanut, by filling their mouths with water from a nearby dispenser, then spitting it into the tube. Doing so enough times, raised the floating peanut to such a level that they were eventually able to retrieve and eat it.
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