The EDGE: ScienceDaily Technology Headlines -- for Friday, July 15, 2011

ScienceDaily Technology Headlines

for Friday, July 15, 2011

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Editing the genome: Scientists unveil new tools for rewriting the code of life (July 15, 2011) -- Researchers have unveiled genome-engineering technologies capable of fundamentally re-engineering genomes from the nucleotide to the megabase scale. Treating the chromosome as both an editable and an evolvable template, the researchers have demonstrated methods to rewrite a cell's genome through powerful new tools for biotechnology, energy and agriculture. ... > full story

New opportunity for AM radio (July 15, 2011) -- Radio broadcasters compete for airwave space in the saturated FM range, in detriment to AM wavebands with a poorer sound quality. Nevertheless, frequencies at wavebands less than 30 MHz (AM ones) could well have a new opportunity, with terrestrial digital radio broadcasting. ... > full story

A LEAP in controlling cardiac fibrillation: Researchers develop a new low-energy defibrillation method (July 15, 2011) -- An international team of scientists has developed a new low-energy method for terminating life-threatening cardiac fibrillation of the heart. They have shown that their new technique called LEAP (Low-Energy Anti-fibrillation Pacing) reduces the energy required for defibrillation by more than 80% as compared to the current conventional method. Their discovery opens the path for the painless therapy of life threatening cardiac fibrillation. ... > full story

What activates a supermassive black hole? Galaxy collisions not the culprits, even in the jam-packed early universe (July 14, 2011) -- A new study combining data from the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope and the European Space Agency's XMM-Newton X-ray space observatory has turned up a surprise. Most of the huge black holes in the centres of galaxies in the past 11 billion years were not turned on by mergers between galaxies, as had been previously thought. ... > full story

Red light from carbon nanotubes (July 14, 2011) -- To the human eye, carbon nanotubes usually appear as a black powder. They can hardly be forced to emit light, as they are excellent electrical conductors and capture the energy from other luminescent chemical species placed nearby. Researchers recently developed a relatively simple method allowing the nanotubes exposed to UV to emit red light. ... > full story

Chemistry: Separation a thousand-fold faster may lead to new composite materials (July 14, 2011) -- Numerous industrial processes make use of blends. Researchers have studied how the external electric field affects the rate of component separation in blends composed of polymers and liquid crystals and those composed of various types of polymers. The observations gathered open interesting opportunities, e.g., for the development of new composite materials. ... > full story

NASA spacecraft to enter asteroid's orbit on July 15 (July 14, 2011) -- On July 15, NASA's Dawn spacecraft will begin a prolonged encounter with the asteroid Vesta, making the mission the first to enter orbit around a main-belt asteroid. ... > full story

Soft memory device opens door to new biocompatible electronics (July 14, 2011) -- Researchers have developed a memory device that is soft and functions well in wet environments -- opening the door to a new generation of biocompatible electronic devices. ... > full story

New planets feature young star and twin Neptunes (July 14, 2011) -- Scientists have discovered 10 new planets. Amongst them is one orbiting a star perhaps only a few tens of million years old, twin Neptune-sized planets, and a rare Saturn-like world. ... > full story

Print your own teeth: Rapid prototyping comes to dentistry (July 14, 2011) -- What if, instead of waiting days or weeks for a cast to be produced and prosthetic dental implants, false teeth and replacement crowns to be made, your dentist could quickly scan your jaw and "print" your new teeth using a rapid prototyping machine known as a 3-D printer? ... > full story

New way to store sun's heat: Modified carbon nanotubes can store solar energy indefinitely, then be recharged by exposure to the sun (July 14, 2011) -- A novel application of carbon nanotubes shows promise as an innovative approach to storing solar energy for use whenever it's needed. Storing the sun's heat in chemical form -- rather than converting it to electricity or storing the heat itself in a heavily insulated container -- has significant advantages, since in principle the chemical material can be stored for long periods of time without losing any of its stored energy. The problem with that approach has been that until now the chemicals needed to perform this conversion and storage either degraded within a few cycles, or included the element ruthenium, which is rare and expensive. ... > full story

Pixel perfect: Lens-free, pinhead-size camera developed (July 14, 2011) -- It's like a Brownie camera for the digital age: The microscopic device fits on the head of a pin, contains no lenses or moving parts, costs pennies to make -- and this camera could revolutionize an array of science from surgery to robotics. ... > full story

New method for making human-based gelatin (July 14, 2011) -- Scientists are reporting development of a new approach for producing large quantities of human-derived gelatin that could become a substitute for some of the 300,000 tons of animal-based gelatin produced annually for gelatin-type desserts, marshmallows, candy and innumerable other products. ... > full story

Narrowest bridges of gold are also the strongest, study finds (July 14, 2011) -- At an atomic scale, the tiniest bridge of gold -- that made of a single atom -- is actually the strongest, according to new research. ... > full story

Faster 3-D nanoimaging a possibility with full color synchrotron light (July 14, 2011) -- Researchers can now see objects more precisely and faster at the nanoscale due to utilizing the full color spectrum of synchrotron light, opening the way for faster 3-D nanoimaging. ... > full story

Expert help from a distance (July 14, 2011) -- When electronic devices refuse to work, you rarely find the solution in the manual. Technicians often face similar problems with industrial machines, and companies end up flying in experts from the manufacturer to get things running again. A new system aims to help manufacturers lend a hand regardless of how far away they are located. ... > full story

Supercomputer: SDSC's Trestles provides rapid turnaround for diverse researchers (July 14, 2011) -- Trestles, a supercomputer launched earlier this year, is proving itself as a valuable resource for researchers across a wide range of disciplines, from astrophysics to molecular dynamics, who need access to computational resources with rapid turnaround. ... > full story

Twin ARTEMIS probes to study moon in 3-D (July 13, 2011) -- Almost 2 years ago, two of five THEMIS satellites were boosted from their orbits around Earth toward the moon. The first transitioned into a lunar orbit on June 27, while the second is destined to arrive on Sunday, July 17, to begin mapping the moon's surface magnetic fields and magnetic environment in 3-D. The probes, renamed the ARTEMIS mission, will also look for evidence of plasmoids produced by magnetic reconnection in Earth's magnetotail. ... > full story

Atomic structure discovered for a sodium channel that generates electrical signals in living cells (July 13, 2011) -- Scientists have determined the atomic structure of a sodium channel, a pore in membranes of excitable cells, such as brain or heart cells, that emit electrical signals. They gate charged particles crossing the cell membrane to generate electrical currents. These encode information in the brain and make heart muscle contract. Many medications and neurotoxins act on sodium channels. Never before have researchers obtained a high resolution crystal structure of all atoms of this complex protein molecule and their three dimensional relationships. ... > full story

Evolved stars locked in fatalistic dance (July 13, 2011) -- White dwarfs are the burned-out cores of stars like our sun. Astronomers have discovered a pair of white dwarfs spiraling into one another at breakneck speeds. Today, these white dwarfs are so near they make a complete orbit in just 13 minutes, but they are gradually slipping closer together. About 900,000 years from now -- a blink of an eye in astronomical time -- they will merge and possibly explode as a supernova. ... > full story

Computerized system to prevent SIDS: 'BabyBeat' also has applications in telemedicine and remote monitoring (July 13, 2011) -- A new system using video and computer software to monitor a baby that could be used to prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), as well as for telemedicine applications, has been developed by two engineering students in Israel. Called "BabyBeat," the system uses computer algorithms to convert video footage to pulses that represent a baby's heartbeat and skin tone. In the event that the system detects an abnormal heartbeat, an alarm sounds to awaken the baby, change its breathing pattern and alert the parents. After further testing, if BabyBeat continues to perform as expected, the students will seek to commercially produce and market the innovation. ... > full story

25 Tesla, world-record 'split magnet' makes its debut (July 13, 2011) -- A custom-built, .5 million "split magnet" system with the potential to revolutionize scientific research in a variety of fields has made its debut at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory at Florida State University. ... > full story

New electric concept car has excellent driving dynamics (July 13, 2011) -- Following months of preliminary work on computer simulations, the first completed prototype of the new electric concept car showed in its first driving tests that it possesses excellent driving properties -- not only in theory, but also in practice. ... > full story

Supramolecules get time to shine: Technique reveals interactions between nanotubes, photoluminescent materials (July 13, 2011) -- What looks like a spongy ball wrapped in strands of yarn -- but a lot smaller -- could be key to unlocking better methods for catalysis, artificial photosynthesis or splitting water into hydrogen, according to chemists who have created a platform to analyze interactions between carbon nanotubes and a wide range of photoluminescent materials. ... > full story

Cat litter to become an edible product? (July 13, 2011) -- Sepiolite is a porous clay material used for example in cat litter that absorbs more liquid than any other known mineral. A Franco-Spanish team of scientists has analyzed twenty different sepiolites extracted from mines around the world, using X-ray and electron diffraction. The results open the path to industrial synthesis of sepiolites and to the design of completely new materials for use in catalysis, energy storage and food. ... > full story

Ancient algae: Genetically engineering a path to new energy sources? (July 13, 2011) -- A team of researchers is making a connection between prehistoric times and the present -- ancient algae that can produce their own biofuel -- that could result in genetically creating a replacement for oil and coal shale deposits. Their discovery could have fundamental implications for the future of Earth's energy supplies. ... > full story

Wireless power could cut cord for patients with implanted heart pumps (July 13, 2011) -- A new system to send electricity over short distances has been shown to reliably power a mechanical heart pump. The system could free patients from being tethered to a battery or external power source, lowering their chance of infection and improving their quality of life. ... > full story

Intelligent street lighting saves up to 80% on energy (July 13, 2011) -- Scientists in the Netherlands are currently testing an intelligent street lighting system which uses up to 80% less electricity than the current systems and is also cheaper to maintain. ... > full story

Scientists model physics of a key dark-energy probe: Simulations improve characterization of cosmology’s 'standard ruler’ (July 13, 2011) -- Researchers are leveraging powerful supercomputers to investigate one of the key observational probes of "dark energy." The project focuses on simulations created on Ohio Supercomputer Center systems to simplify and better characterize a subtle dark-matter clustering feature. The new model allows cosmologists to gain a more accurate understanding of certain aspects of large-scale structure, such as the effect of the expansion of the universe on the growth of density fluctuations. ... > full story

A novel enzymatic catalyst for biodiesel production (July 13, 2011) -- Continuous production of biodiesel can now be envisaged thanks to a novel new catalyst. Biofuel production provides an alternative to fossil fuels. Biodiesels, for instance, are processed products based on oils from oleaginous plants such as oilseed rape, palm, sunflower and soybeans. They result from a chemical reaction, catalyzed in either an acidic or preferably a basic medium, between a vegetable oil (90%) and an alcohol (10%). ... > full story

Innovative system for producing carpets (July 13, 2011) -- In Europe 700 million square meters of carpets are produced each year, and in the United States the volume is ten times higher. Researchers have now developed an enzyme-based biological technology that paves the way for manufacturing carpets that are much lighter, sustainable, biodegradable, and 100% recyclable. A wool carpet manufactured using this innovative system is a completely natural and biodegradable product. At the end of its useful life the entire product can be shredded and turned into organic material, which can then be used, for example, as fertilizer for growing plants. ... > full story

New approaches for aircraft operations aboard carriers examined (July 13, 2011) -- New research has examined how aircraft carrier flight deck crews will manage manned and unmanned air vehicles. ... > full story

Computer learns language by playing games (July 12, 2011) -- Researchers have created a system that allows a computer to learn to play a computer game by learning the language required to read the manual. ... > full story

Deeper insight in the activity of cortical cells (July 12, 2011) -- Scientists can now image the processing of information deeper in the cortex with the help of a new multi-photon microscope design. ... > full story

Hubble's Neptune anniversary pictures (July 12, 2011) -- Today, Neptune has arrived at the same location in space where it was discovered nearly 165 years ago. To commemorate the event, NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has taken these "anniversary pictures" of the blue-green giant planet. ... > full story

Greener disaster alerts: Low-energy wireless sensor networks warn of hurricanes, earthquakes (July 12, 2011) -- New software allows wireless sensor networks to run at much lower energy, according to researchers. The technology could improve efficiency for hurricane and other natural disaster warning systems. ... > full story

Cracking the code of the mind (July 12, 2011) -- Researchers have applied advanced mathematical and engineering techniques to connect neurons with electronics and understand how neuronal networks work. In addition to real-world applications, this research also permits scientists to investigate activity patterns of many neurons simultaneously, providing a window on how different parts of the brain communicate with each other. ... > full story

'Automotive Internet': New app reduces motorway pile-ups by 40 percent (July 12, 2011) -- What do you do if you're driving down the motorway and 500 meters ahead of you there is an accident? Now there is an app that tells your car to stop. It does it in half the time of any of the applications, and in contrast to the systems already available on the market, not only does it act on what can be seen from your car but also on what is happening miles away. ... > full story

LiquidText software supports active reading through fingertip manipulation of text (July 12, 2011) -- Researchers have developed innovative software for active reading, an activity that involves highlighting, outlining and taking notes on a document. Taking advantage of touch-screen tablet computers, LiquidText enables active readers to interact with documents using finger motions. LiquidText can significantly enhance the experiences of active readers, a group that includes students, lawyers, managers, corporate strategists and researchers. ... > full story

3-D integrated DRAM-on-logic for low-power mobile applications demonstrated (July 12, 2011) -- Researchers in Belgium have demonstrated the potential of 3-D integration of a commercial DRAM chip on top of a logic IC for next-generation low-power mobile applications. ... > full story

Implant-free quantum-well SiGe pFETs for future high-performance CMOS architectures (July 12, 2011) -- Researchers in Belgium have successfully fabricated implant-free quantum-well (IF-QW) pFETs with an embedded silicon-germanium (SiGe) source/drain. These devices show an excellent short channel control and a record logic performance. A benchmark against various competing technologies showed competitive results. Finally, the device performance was also demonstrated at low operating voltages. These results prove that this device architecture is a viable option for the 16nm technology node and beyond. ... > full story

Breakthroughs in enabling future DRAM and RRAM (July 12, 2011) -- In the frame of its research on future memory architectures, researchers in Belgium made breakthroughs for both DRAM and RRAM memories. Such fundamental understanding of the filament properties is key to bridge the gap in the development of RRAM as a successor memory technology. ... > full story

First student hydrogen racing car revealed (July 11, 2011) -- A student team in the Netherlands has revealed its hydrogen-powered racing car. With this car, the students will be making their first appearance in Formula Student, a worldwide competition among 500 universities. The Delft DUT Racing Team will also be participating in the Formula Student race in the electric racing car they unveiled in June. ... > full story

Physicists discover new way to produce antimatter-containing atom (July 11, 2011) -- Physicists report that they have discovered a new way to create positronium, an exotic and short-lived atom that could help answer what happened to antimatter in the universe, why nature favored matter over antimatter at the universe's creation. The method works at almost any temperature -- including very low temperatures. ... > full story

Just add water and treat brain cancer: Freeze-dried gene therapy system avoids virus, potential complications (July 11, 2011) -- Researchers have developed a technique that delivers gene therapy into human brain cancer cells using nanoparticles that can be freeze-dried and stored for up to three months prior to use. The shelf-stable particles may obviate the need for virus-mediated gene therapy, which has been associated with safety concerns. ... > full story

'BPA-free' bottles live up to manufacturers' claims, new study suggests (July 11, 2011) -- Scientists have found that stainless steel- and/or co-polyester lined-aluminum bottles did not release BPA; however, aluminum bottles lined with epoxy-based resins still resulted in BPA contamination of liquids. ... > full story

Just like teens, parents get personal on Facebook (July 11, 2011) -- They may not dress like Justin Bieber or Selena Gomez, but parents are a whole lot like their teenagers when it comes to their behavior on Facebook. ... > full story

Researchers build an antenna for light (July 11, 2011) -- Researchers have derived inspiration from the photosynthetic apparatus in plants to engineer a new generation of nanomaterials that control and direct the energy absorbed from light. ... > full story