The EDGE: ScienceDaily Technology Headlines -- for Thursday, January 26, 2012

ScienceDaily Technology Headlines

for Thursday, January 26, 2012

Welcome to another edition of ScienceDaily's email newsletter. You can change your subscription options or unsubscribe at any time.

Photo from NASA Mars orbiter shows wind's handiwork (January 26, 2012) -- Some images of stark Martian landscapes provide visual appeal beyond their science value, including a recent scene of wind-sculpted features from the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. ... > full story

Under the electron microscope: 3-D image of an individual protein showing structure (January 26, 2012) -- Scientists are reporting the first 3-D images of an individual protein ever obtained with enough clarity to determine its structure. ... > full story

New standard for vitamin D testing to ensure accurate test results (January 26, 2012) -- At a time of increasing concern about low vitamin D levels in the world's population and increased use of blood tests for the vitamin, scientists are reporting development of a much-needed reference material to assure that measurements of vitamin D levels are accurate. ... > full story

Nanocrystals make dentures shine (January 26, 2012) -- Chemists have developed novel glass ceramics for dentistry. The new kind of glass ceramic with a nanocrystalline structure seems to be well suited to be used in dentistry due to its high strength and its optical characteristics. ... > full story

World's most powerful X-ray laser creates 2-million-degree matter (January 25, 2012) -- Researchers working at the US Department of Energy's SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory have used the world's most powerful X-ray laser to create and probe a 2-million-degree piece of matter in a controlled way for the first time. This feat takes scientists a significant step forward in understanding the most extreme matter found in the hearts of stars and giant planets, and could help experiments aimed at recreating the nuclear fusion process that powers the sun. ... > full story

Strategic research plan needed to help avoid potential risks of nanomaterials (January 25, 2012) -- Despite extensive investment in nanotechnology and increasing commercialization over the last decade, insufficient understanding remains about the environmental, health, and safety aspects of nanomaterials. Without a coordinated research plan to help guide efforts to manage and avoid potential risks, the future of safe and sustainable nanotechnology is uncertain, says a new report. ... > full story

Adolescents with autism spend free time using solitary, screen-based media (January 25, 2012) -- Children with autism spectrum disorders tend to be fascinated by screen-based technology. A new study found that adolescents with autism (64.2 percent) spend most of their free time using solitary, or non-social, screen-based media (television and video games) while only 13.2 percent spend time on socially interactive media (e-mail, Internet chatting). ... > full story

Scientists create first atomic X-ray laser (January 25, 2012) -- Scientists have created the shortest, purest X-ray laser pulses ever achieved, fulfilling a 45-year-old prediction and opening the door to a new range of scientific discovery. The researchers aimed SLAC's Linac Coherent Light Source at a capsule of neon gas, setting off an avalanche of X-ray emissions to create the world's first "atomic X-ray laser." ... > full story

Injecting sulfate particles into stratosphere won't fully offset climate change (January 25, 2012) -- New research demonstrates that one suggested method of geoengineering the atmosphere to deal with climate change, injecting sulfate particles into the stratosphere, probably would have limited success. ... > full story

Improving performance of electric induction motors (January 25, 2012) -- New research describes advanced motor control devices. These control devices are units designed to correct errors and improve the performance of the motors. This researcher has opted for cutting-edge models and has developed them so that they can be applied to an induction motor, and in this way he has transferred them from theory to practice. ... > full story

Cassini sees the two faces of Titan's dunes (January 25, 2012) -- A new analysis of radar data from NASA's Cassini mission, in partnership with the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency, has revealed regional variations among sand dunes on Saturn's moon Titan. The result gives new clues about the moon's climatic and geological history. ... > full story

Toward lowering the power consumption of microprocessors (January 25, 2012) -- The first systematic power profiles of microprocessors could help lower the energy consumption of both small cell phones and giant data centers. ... > full story

Babies are born with 'intuitive physics' knowledge, says researcher (January 25, 2012) -- While it may appear that infants are helpless creatures that only blink, eat, cry and sleep, one researcher says that studies indicate infant brains come equipped with knowledge of "intuitive physics." ... > full story

Lab mimics Jupiter's Trojan asteroids inside a single atom (January 25, 2012) -- Physicists have built an accurate model of part of the solar system inside a single atom. Scientists have shown that they could make an electron orbit the atomic nucleus in the same way that Jupiter's Trojan asteroids orbit the sun. The findings uphold a 1920 prediction by physicist Niels Bohr. ... > full story

Bilayer graphene works as an insulator: Research has potential applications in digital and infrared technologies (January 25, 2012) -- Physicists have identified a property of "bilayer graphene" that the researchers say is analogous to finding the Higgs boson in particle physics. The physicists found that when the number of electrons on the BLG sheet is close to 0, the material becomes insulating -- a finding that has implications for the use of graphene as an electronic material in the semiconductor and electronics industries. ... > full story

Chemists devise chemical reaction that holds promise for new drug development (January 25, 2012) -- Scientists have devised a new method for making complex molecules. The reaction they have come up with should enable chemists to synthesize new varieties of a whole subclass of organic compounds called nitrogen-containing heterocycles, thus opening up new avenues for the development of novel pharmaceuticals and natural products ranging from chemotherapeutic compounds to bioactive plant materials such as morphine. ... > full story

New breed of electron interactions in quantum systems (January 25, 2012) -- Physicists have observed a new kind of interaction that can arise between electrons in a single-atom silicon transistor, offering a more complete understanding of the mechanisms that govern electron conduction in nano-structures at the atomic scale. ... > full story

Power generation is blowing in the wind (January 25, 2012) -- By looking at the stability of the atmosphere, wind farm operators could gain greater insight into the amount of power generated at any given time. Power generated by a wind turbine largely depends on the wind speed. In a wind farm in which the turbines experience the same wind speeds but different shapes (such as turbulence) to the wind profile, a turbine will produce different amounts of power. This variable power can be predicted by looking at atmospheric stability, according to new research. ... > full story

New material to remove radioactive gas from spent nuclear fuel (January 24, 2012) -- Research by chemists could impact worldwide efforts to produce clean, safe nuclear energy and reduce radioactive waste. They have used metal-organic frameworks to capture and remove volatile radioactive gas from spent nuclear fuel. ... > full story

Supercomputers take a cue from microwave ovens: Co-design may be the answer to modeling clouds and other big problems (January 24, 2012) -- As sophisticated as modern climate models are, one critical component continues to elude their precision -- clouds. Clouds modulate the climate. Experts agree that getting their effect on the climate system correct is critical to increasing confidence in projections of future climate change. To build the breakthrough supercomputers that these researchers need, computer scientists are taking a cue from the world of consumer electronics. ... > full story

Scientists produce world's first magnetic soap (January 24, 2012) -- Scientists have developed a soap, composed of iron rich salts dissolved in water, that responds to a magnetic field when placed in solution. The soap’s magnetic properties were shown to result from tiny iron-rich clumps that sit within the watery solution. The generation of this property in a fully functional soap could calm concerns over the use of soaps in oil-spill clean ups and revolutionize industrial cleaning products. ... > full story

Tactile imaging sensor can assist doctors with early identification of tumors (January 24, 2012) -- A handheld tactile imaging sensor could aid doctors in early identification of cancerous lesions or tumors. ... > full story

Solar Dynamics Observatory helps measure magnetic fields on the sun's surface (January 24, 2012) -- A subset of data that helps map out the sun's magnetic fields was recently released from the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). Observations that measure the strength and direction of magnetic fields on the solar surface -- known as vector magnetograms -- play a crucial role in understanding how those fields change over time and trigger giant eruptions off the surface of the sun such as solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs). ... > full story

Metadynamics technique offers insight into mineral growth and dissolution (January 24, 2012) -- By using a novel technique to better understand mineral growth and dissolution, researchers are improving predictions of mineral reactions and laying the groundwork for applications ranging from keeping oil pipes clear to sequestering radium. ... > full story

New tool enhances view of muscles (January 24, 2012) -- New research is adding to the arsenal of increasingly sophisticated medical imaging tools with a new signal-processing method for viewing muscle activation details never seen before. A novel method using ultrasound imaging, 3-D motion-capture technology and proprietary data-processing software can scan and capture 3-D maps of the muscle structure in just 90 seconds. Previous methods took 15 minutes -- far too long to ask people to hold a muscle contraction. ... > full story

Ultrafast magnetic processes observed 'live' using an X-ray laser (January 23, 2012) -- In first-of-their-kind experiments, scientists have been able to precisely follow how the magnetic structure of a material changes. The study was carried out on cupric oxide (CuO). The change of structure was initiated by a laser pulse, and then, with the help of short X-ray pulses, near-instantaneous images were obtained at different points in time for individual intermediate steps during the process. ... > full story

Revisiting the 'Pillars of Creation' (January 23, 2012) -- In 1995, NASA's Hubble Space Telescope took an iconic image of the Eagle nebula, dubbed the "Pillars of Creation," highlighting its finger-like pillars where new stars are thought to be forming. Now, the Herschel Space Observatory has a new, expansive view of the region captured in longer-wavelength infrared light. ... > full story

Charges going astray: New transfer paths for electrons discovered (January 23, 2012) -- In the development of materials for energy production and distribution, knowledge of molecular processes in electrical charge transfer is fundamental. Scientists have once more discovered that nature provides interesting templates for long-range electron transfer. ... > full story

Easier testing for diabetics? Biochip measures glucose in saliva, not blood (January 23, 2012) -- Engineers have designed a biological device that can measure glucose concentrations in human saliva. The technique could eliminate the need for diabetics to draw blood to check their glucose levels. The biochip uses plasmonic interferometers and could be used to measure a range of biological and environmental substances. ... > full story

Bucky balls for next-generation spintronics devices (January 23, 2012) -- The beauty of an electron’s spin is that it responds very rapidly to small magnetic fields. Such external magnetic fields can be used to reverse the direction of spin. In this way, information can be carried by a flow of electrons. ... > full story

Graphene 'invisible' to water: How the extreme thinness of graphene enables near-perfect wetting transparency (January 23, 2012) -- Graphene is the thinnest material known to science. The nanomaterial is so thin, in fact, water often doesn’t even know it’s there. Engineering researchers coated pieces of gold, copper, and silicon with a single layer of graphene, and then placed a drop of water on the coated surfaces. Surprisingly, the layer of graphene proved to have virtually no impact on the manner in which water spreads on the surfaces. ... > full story

Vaccines to boost immunity where it counts, not just near shot site (January 23, 2012) -- Researchers have created synthetic nanoparticles that target lymph nodes and greatly boost vaccine responses. ... > full story

Nanmaterial detects and removes arsenic from drinking water (January 23, 2012) -- Scientists have developed a nanomaterial which enables simple detection and removal of arsenic from drinking water. ... > full story

Speed limit for birds: Researchers find critical speed above which birds -- and drones -- are sure to crash (January 23, 2012) -- The northern goshawk is one of nature's diehard thrill-seekers. The formidable raptor preys on birds and small mammals, speeding through tree canopies and underbrush to catch its quarry. While speed is a goshawk's greatest asset, researchers say the bird must observe a theoretical speed limit if it wants to avoid a crash. The researchers found that, given a certain density of obstacles, there exists a speed below which a bird -- and any other flying object -- has a fair chance of flying collision-free. Any faster, and a bird or aircraft is sure to smack into something, no matter how much information it has about its environment. ... > full story

Researchers' refinement increases solar concentrator efficiency (January 23, 2012) -- Researchers have discovered that changing the shape of a solar concentrator significantly increases its efficiency, bringing its use closer to reality. ... > full story

Flaky graphene makes reliable chemical sensors (January 23, 2012) -- Researchers have demonstrated that films made of randomly stacked graphene flakes can detect lower concentrations of some chemicals than films made of graphene crystals. ... > full story

Cooling semiconductors by laser light (January 23, 2012) -- Researchers have combined two fields -- quantum physics and nano physics -- and this has led to the discovery of a new method for laser cooling semiconductor membranes. Semiconductors are vital components in many electronics, and the efficient cooling of components is important for future quantum computers and ultrasensitive sensors. The new cooling method works quite paradoxically by heating the material. Using lasers, researchers cooled membrane fluctuations to minus 269 degrees C. ... > full story

A baby crystal is born (January 23, 2012) -- Scientists determine the smallest possible cubic lead sulfide cluster that exhibits the same coordination (a key structural property) as bigger bulk crystals. ... > full story

Metal oxide simulations could help green technology (January 23, 2012) -- Researchers have proposed a radical new way of thinking about the chemical reactions between water and metal oxides, the most common minerals on Earth. The new paradigm could lead to a better understanding of corrosion and how toxic minerals leach from rocks and soil. It could also help in the development of "green" technology: new types of batteries, or catalysts for splitting water to produce hydrogen fuel. ... > full story

3-D view of 1-D nanostructures (January 23, 2012) -- Semiconductor gallium nitride nanowires show great promise in the next generation of nano- and optoelectronic systems. Recently, researchers have found new piezoelectric properties of the nanowires that could make them more useful in self-powered nanodevices. ... > full story

Catching a comet death on camera (January 22, 2012) -- On July 6, 2011, a comet was caught doing something never seen before: die a scorching death as it flew too close to the sun. That the comet met its fate this way was no surprise -- but the chance to watch it first-hand amazed even the most seasoned comet watchers. ... > full story

T-rays technology could help develop Star Trek-style hand-held medical scanners (January 22, 2012) -- Scientists have developed a new way to create Terahertz waves (T-rays) that may one day lead to biomedical detective devices similar to the 'tricorder' scanner used in Star Trek. ... > full story

Chemical in personal care products (phthalates) may contribute to child obesity (January 22, 2012) -- Researchers have found an association between exposure to the chemical group known as phthalates and obesity in young children – including increased body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference. ... > full story

In solar cells, tweaking the tiniest of parts yields big jump in efficiency (January 21, 2012) -- By tweaking the smallest of parts, engineers are hoping to dramatically increase the amount of sunlight that solar cells convert into electricity. ... > full story

Theory explains how new material could improve electronic shelf life (January 21, 2012) -- Engineers have discovered that the new material graphene conducts heat about 20 times faster than silicon, making it an option as a semiconductor material that could produce quieter and longer-lasting computers, cellphones and other devices. ... > full story

'Bubblegram' imaging: Novel approach to view inner workings of viruses (January 20, 2012) -- Since the discovery of the microscope, scientists have tried to visualize smaller and smaller structures to provide insights into the inner workings of human cells, bacteria and viruses. Now, researchers have developed a new way to see structures within viruses that were not clearly seen before. ... > full story

Scientists solve mystery of colorful armchair nanotubes (January 20, 2012) -- Researchers have figured out what gives armchair nanotubes their unique bright colors: hydrogen-like objects called excitons. ... > full story

Mysterious flotsam in Gulf of Mexico came from Deepwater Horizon rig (January 20, 2012) -- Using state-of-the-art chemical forensics and a bit of old-fashioned detective work, scientists confirmed that mysterious material found floating in the Gulf of Mexico came from the Deepwater Horizon rig. They further determined that tracking debris from damaged rigs can help forecast coastal impacts and guide response efforts in future spills. ... > full story