The EDGE: ScienceDaily Technology Headlines -- for Tuesday, January 17, 2012

ScienceDaily Technology Headlines

for Tuesday, January 17, 2012

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High-speed CMOS sensors provide better images (January 16, 2012) -- Conventional CMOS image sensors are not suitable for low-light applications such as fluorescence, since large pixels arranged in a matrix do not support high readout speeds. A new optoelectronic component speeds up this process. ... > full story

'Spooky action at distance': Physicists develop first conclusive test to better understand high-energy particles correlations (January 16, 2012) -- Researchers have devised a proposal for the first conclusive experimental test of a phenomenon known as 'Bell's nonlocality.' This test is designed to reveal correlations that are stronger than any classical correlations, and do so between high-energy particles that do not consist of ordinary matter and light. These results are relevant to the so-called 'CP violation' principle, which is used to explain the dominance of matter over antimatter. ... > full story

World's smallest magnetic data storage unit (January 16, 2012) -- Scientists have built the world's smallest magnetic data storage unit. It uses just twelve atoms per bit, the basic unit of information, and squeezes a whole byte (8-bit) into as few as 96 atoms. ... > full story

Software for analyzing digital pathology images proving its usefulness (January 16, 2012) -- As tissue slides are more routinely digitized to aid interpretation, a software program is proving its utility. In bladder cancer test case, a new software tool separates malignancy from background tissue. ... > full story

How star-forming galaxies evolve into 'red and dead' elliptical galaxies (January 15, 2012) -- Astronomers using the partially completed ALMA observatory have found compelling evidence for how star-forming galaxies evolve into 'red and dead' elliptical galaxies, catching a large group of galaxies right in the middle of this change. ... > full story

Bacterial infections: New laboratory method uses mass spectrometry to rapidly detect staph infections (January 15, 2012) -- Researchers have developed a new laboratory test that can rapidly identify the bacterium responsible for staph infections. The test uses mass spectrometry to quantify the number of Staphylococcus aureus organisms in a large number of samples in just a few hours. ... > full story

Improved method for protein sequence comparisons is faster, more accurate, more sensitive (January 15, 2012) -- Sequence comparisons are an essential tool for the prediction and analysis of the structure and functions of proteins. A new method developed by computational biologists permits sequence comparisons to be performed faster and more accurately than ever before. ... > full story

Dark side of the moon revealed: Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter's LAMP reveals lunar surface features (January 15, 2012) -- New maps produced by the Lyman Alpha Mapping Project aboard NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter reveal features at the moon's northern and southern poles in regions that lie in perpetual darkness. LAMP uses a novel method to peer into these so-called permanently shadowed regions, making visible the invisible. ... > full story

Calculating what's in the universe from the biggest color 3-D map (January 14, 2012) -- Astronomers have used visual data from nearly a million luminous galaxies for the most accurate calculation yet of how matter clumps together in the universe. By deriving cosmic rulers from an immense volume of sky, from a time when the universe was half its present age until now, the study establishes how much dark matter, dark energy, and even hard-to-detect neutrinos it contains. ... > full story

Perfectly spherical gold nanodroplets produced with the smallest-ever nanojets (January 14, 2012) -- Scientists have developed a new method for optical manipulation of matter at the nanoscale. Using ‘plasmonic hotspots’ – regions with electric current that heat up very locally – gold nanostructures can be melted and made to produce the smallest nanojets ever observed. The tiny gold nanodroplets formed in the nanojets, are perfectly spherical, which makes them interesting for applications in medicine. ... > full story

Novel chemical route to form organic molecules (January 13, 2012) -- Scientists have discovered a novel chemical route to form polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons -- complex organic molecules such as naphthalene carrying fused benzene rings -- in ultra-cold regions of interstellar space. ... > full story

New 'smart' nanotherapeutics can deliver drugs directly to the pancreas (January 13, 2012) -- Scientists have developed "smart" nanotherapeutics that can be programmed to selectively deliver drugs to the cells of the pancreas. The approach was found to increase drug efficacy by 200-fold in in vitro studies based on the ability of these nanomaterials to both protect the drug from degradation and concentrate it at key target sites, such as regions of the pancreas that contain the insulin-producing cells. ... > full story

Astronomers release unprecedented data set on celestial objects that brighten and dim (January 13, 2012) -- Astronomers have released the largest data set ever collected that documents the brightening and dimming of stars and other celestial objects -- two hundred million in total. ... > full story

Graphene quantum dots: The next big small thing (January 13, 2012) -- Scientists have found a way to turn common carbon fiber into graphene quantum dots, tiny specks of matter with properties expected to prove useful in electronic, optical and biomedical applications. ... > full story

Scientists predict the next big thing in particle physics: Supersymmetry (January 13, 2012) -- A better understanding of the universe will be the outgrowth of the discovery of the Higgs boson, according to a team of researchers. The team predicts the discovery will lead to supersymmetry or SUSY -- an extension of the standard model of particle physics. SUSY predicts new matter states or super partners for each matter particle already accounted for in the standard model. SUSY theory provides an important new step to a better understanding of the universe we live in. ... > full story

Mystery of source of supernova in nearby galaxy solved (January 13, 2012) -- Using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, astronomers have solved a longstanding mystery of the type of star, or so-called progenitor, that caused a supernova in a nearby galaxy. The finding yields new observational data for pinpointing one of several scenarios that trigger such outbursts. ... > full story

Platform safety on the radar for researchers (January 13, 2012) -- Systems used to detect aircraft and ships could soon be fitted in train stations to quickly identify objects – or even people – that have fallen on the tracks, preventing serious accidents and reducing delays that are frequently caused by these mishaps. ... > full story

Electron's negativity cut in half by supercomputer: Simulations slice electron in half -- a physical process that cannot be done in nature (January 13, 2012) -- Using several massive supercomputers, a team of physicists has split a simulated electron perfectly in half. The results are another example of how tabletop experiments on ultra-cold atoms and other condensed-matter materials can provide clues about the behavior of fundamental particles. ... > full story

Backing out of the nanotunnel (January 13, 2012) -- Nanopores provide a versatile tool for probing molecular structures. A new study shows that one can obtain more detailed information about the dynamic behavior of nucleic acids during passage through nanopores by directing them to asymmetric pores for the return journey. ... > full story

NASA's Hubble breaks new ground with distant supernova discovery (January 12, 2012) -- NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has looked deep into the distant universe and detected the feeble glow of a star that exploded more than 9 billion years ago. The sighting is the first finding of an ambitious survey that will help astronomers place better constraints on the nature of dark energy: the mysterious repulsive force that is causing the universe to fly apart ever faster. ... > full story

When galaxy clusters collide: Collision could help astronomers better understand 'dark matter' (January 12, 2012) -- The collision of two clusters of galaxies 5 billion light years away could help astronomers better understand "dark matter," the invisible stuff that makes up a big chunk of our universe. ... > full story

Planets with double suns are common (January 12, 2012) -- Astronomers have discovered two new circumbinary planet systems -- planets that orbit two stars, like Tatooine in the movie Star Wars. Their find, which brings the number of known circumbinary planets to three, shows that planets with two suns must be common, with many millions existing in our galaxy. ... > full story

Plasma treatment zaps viruses before they can attack cells (January 12, 2012) -- Researchers have tested a pre-emptive anti-viral treatment on a common virus known to cause respiratory infections. ... > full story

Why do dew drops do what they do on leaves? (January 12, 2012) -- Nobel laureate poet Rabindranath Tagore once wrote, "Let your life lightly dance on the edges of time like dew on the tip of a leaf." Now, a new study is finally offering an explanation for why small dew drops do as Tagore advised and form on the tips, rather than the flat surfaces, of leaves. ... > full story

Astronomers find three smallest planets outside solar system (January 12, 2012) -- Astronomers have discovered the three smallest confirmed planets ever detected outside our solar system. The three planets, which all orbit a single star, are smaller than Earth and appear to be rocky. Their existence suggests that the galaxy could be teeming with similarly rocky planets—and that there's a good chance that many are in the so-called habitable zone, where liquid water and possibly life could exist. ... > full story

Renewable fuel: Clearing a potential road block to bisabolane (January 12, 2012) -- Researchers have determined the three-dimensional crystal structure of a protein that is key to boosting the microbial-based production of bisabolane as a clean, green and renewable biosynthetic alternative to D2 diesel fuel. ... > full story

Saturn-like ring system eclipses Sun-like star (January 12, 2012) -- A team of astrophysicists has discovered a ring system in the constellation Centaurus that invites comparisons to Saturn. This is the first system of discrete, thin, dust rings detected around a very low-mass object outside of our solar system. ... > full story

Experiments demonstrate nanoscale metallic conductivity in ferroelectrics (January 12, 2012) -- The prospect of electronics at the nanoscale may be even more promising with the first observation of metallic conductance in ferroelectric nanodomains. ... > full story

Rare ultra-blue stars found in neighboring galaxy's hub (January 11, 2012) -- Peering deep inside the hub of the neighboring Andromeda galaxy, NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has uncovered a large, rare population of hot, bright stars. ... > full story

Sports: Restricting improving technology does not always have expected outcome (January 11, 2012) -- New research by a sports economist shows restricting improving technology does not always have the expected outcome. His study suggests that understanding how people react to regulations can aid in policy-making. ... > full story

Greenhouses and solar power: Crop testing with a special photovoltaic panel for greenhouses (January 11, 2012) -- A new photovoltaic module allows electricity to be generated without greenhouse crops being affected by over-shading. ... > full story

Planet population is plentiful: Planets around stars are the rule rather than the exception (January 11, 2012) -- Astronomers have used the technique of gravitational microlensing to measure how common planets are in the Milky Way. After a six-year search that surveyed millions of stars, the team concludes that planets around stars are the rule rather than the exception. ... > full story

Solar energy: New sunflower-inspired pattern increases concentrated solar efficiency (January 11, 2012) -- A new sunflower-inspired pattern increases concentrated solar efficiency. ... > full story

Keeping electronics cool: Findings on modified form of graphene could have impacts in managing heat dissipation (January 11, 2012) -- An engineering professor has made a breakthrough discovery with graphene, a material that could play a major role in keeping laptops and other electronic devices from overheating. ... > full story

Student team's glucose sensor uses DNA instead of chemicals (January 11, 2012) -- People with diabetes may one day have a less expensive resource for monitoring their blood glucose levels, if research by a group of students becomes reality. ... > full story

Astronomers pinpoint launch of 'bullets' in a black hole's jet (January 11, 2012) -- Astronomers have identified the moment when a black hole in our galaxy launched super-fast knots of gas into space. Racing outward at about one-quarter the speed of light, these "bullets" of ionized gas are thought to arise from a region located just outside the black hole's event horizon, the point beyond which nothing can escape. ... > full story

El Gordo: A 'fat' distant galaxy cluster (January 11, 2012) -- An extremely hot, massive young galaxy cluster is the largest ever seen in the distant universe. The newly discovered galaxy cluster has been nicknamed El Gordo -- the "big" or "fat one" in Spanish. It consists of two separate galaxy subclusters colliding at several million kilometres per hour, and is so far away that its light has travelled for seven billion years to reach Earth. ... > full story

'Google Flu Trends' is a powerful early warning system for emergency departments (January 11, 2012) -- Monitoring Internet search traffic about influenza may prove to be a better way for hospital emergency rooms to prepare for a surge in sick patients compared to waiting for outdated government flu case reports. ... > full story

Simulating firefighting operations on a PC (January 11, 2012) -- Firefighters often put their lives at risk during operations, so it is essential they have reliable tools to help them do their job. Now, a modular simulation kit is set to help develop new information and communication technologies -- and ensure they are tailored to firefighters' needs from the outset. ... > full story

Quick-cooking nanomaterials in microwave to make tomorrow's air conditioners (January 10, 2012) -- Engineering researchers have developed a new method for creating advanced nanomaterials that could lead to highly efficient refrigerators and cooling systems requiring no refrigerants and no moving parts. The key ingredients for this innovation are a dash of nanoscale sulfur and a normal, everyday microwave oven. ... > full story

Fusion plasma research helps neurologists to hear above the noise (January 10, 2012) -- Fusion plasma researchers and neuroscientists are significantly improving our understanding of the data obtained from noninvasive study of the fast dynamics of networks in the human brain. ... > full story

Before they were stars: New image shows space nursery (January 10, 2012) -- The stars we see today weren't always as serene as they appear, floating alone in the dark of night. Most stars, likely including our sun, grew up in cosmic turmoil -- as illustrated in a new image from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope. The image shows one of the most active and turbulent regions of star birth in our galaxy, a region called Cygnus X. ... > full story

Satellite imagery detects thermal 'uplift' signal of underground nuclear tests (January 10, 2012) -- A new analysis of satellite data from the late 1990s documents for the first time the "uplift" of ground above a site of underground nuclear testing, providing researchers a potential new tool for analyzing the strength of detonation. The findings provide another forensic tool for evaluation, especially for the potential explosive yield estimates. ... > full story

Farthest developing galaxy cluster ever found (January 10, 2012) -- NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has uncovered a cluster of galaxies in the initial stages of construction — the most distant such grouping ever observed in the early universe. In a random sky survey made in near-infrared light, Hubble spied five tiny galaxies clustered together 13.1 billion light-years away. They are among the brightest galaxies at that epoch and very young, existing just 600 million years after the universe's birth in the big bang. ... > full story

Light makes write for DNA information-storage device (January 10, 2012) -- Researchers have demonstrated a write-once-read-many-times information-storage device, made of DNA embedded with silver nanoparticles, that uses ultraviolet light to encode data. ... > full story

Robotic therapy may provide lasting gains for immobilized stroke survivors (January 10, 2012) -- Adding robotic assistance to standard rehab was more effective than traditional methods in helping severely impaired stroke survivors regain the ability to walk. The additional therapy was not beneficial for those with less impairment. ... > full story

Astronomers reach new frontiers of dark matter (January 10, 2012) -- For the first time, astronomers have mapped dark matter on the largest scale ever observed. New findings reveal a Universe comprising an intricate cosmic web of dark matter and galaxies spanning more than one billion light years. ... > full story

The path less traveled: Research is driving solutions to improve unpaved roads (January 10, 2012) -- To improve the quality of unpaved roads, a graduate student is working with lignin, a sustainable material found in all plants. Lignin's adhesive properties make it good for binding soil particles together and protecting unpaved roads from erosion. ... > full story

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