The EDGE: ScienceDaily Technology Headlines -- for Monday, January 30, 2012

ScienceDaily Technology Headlines

for Monday, January 30, 2012

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Quantum physics enables perfectly secure cloud computing (January 29, 2012) -- Researchers have succeeded in combining the power of quantum computing with the security of quantum cryptography and have shown that perfectly secure cloud computing can be achieved using the principles of quantum mechanics. They have performed an experimental demonstration of quantum computation in which the input, the data processing, and the output remain unknown to the quantum computer. ... > full story

Visual nudge improves accuracy of mammogram readings (January 29, 2012) -- False negatives and positives plague the reading of mammograms, limiting their usefulness. Computer scientists have now shown that the accuracy of novice readers can be improved by nudging them visually to follow the scanpath of an expert radiologist. The "nudge" is a brief change in the brightness or warmth in the image in the peripheral field of view. ... > full story

Kitchen gadget inspires scientist to make more effective plastic electronics (January 28, 2012) -- A kitchen gadget that vacuum seals food in plastic inspired a physicist to improve the performance of organic transistors for potential use in video displays. ... > full story

Space weather center to add world's first 'ensemble forecasting' capability (January 28, 2012) -- Leaner, greener flying machines for the year 2025 are on the drawing boards of three industry teams under contract to the NASA Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate's Environmentally Responsible Aviation Project. ... > full story

Noise-free spectroscopy: Reversing the problem clarifies molecular structure (January 28, 2012) -- Optical techniques enable us to examine single molecules, but do we really understand what we are seeing? After all, the fuzziness caused by effects such as light interference makes these images very difficult to interpret. Researchers have now adopted a "reverse" approach to spectroscopy which cleaned up images by eliminating background noise. ... > full story

Mars-bound instrument detects solar burst's effects: RAD measures radiation from solar storm (January 27, 2012) -- The largest solar particle event since 2005 hit Earth, Mars and the Mars Science Laboratory spacecraft traveling in-between, allowing the onboard Radiation Assessment Detector to measure the radiation a human astronaut could be exposed to en route to the Red Planet. ... > full story

New ideas sharpen focus for greener aircraft (January 27, 2012) -- Leaner, greener flying machines for the year 2025 are on the drawing boards of three industry teams under contract to the NASA Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate's Environmentally Responsible Aviation Project. ... > full story

New drug release mechanism utilizes 3-D superhydrophobic materials (January 27, 2012) -- There is a new mechanism of drug release using 3-D superhydrophobic materials that utilizes air as a removable barrier to control the rate at which drug is released. ... > full story

Can the economy bear what oil prices have in store? (January 27, 2012) -- The economic pain of a flattening oil supply will trump the environment as a reason to curb the use of fossil fuels, say scientists. ... > full story

Making better electronic memory (January 27, 2012) -- A rare combination of electric and magnetic properties in a now readily producible material could improve electronic memory devices. ... > full story

Improved ergonomics for wheelchair users: Anatomically designed seat developed for wheelchairs encourages user movement (January 27, 2012) -- Engineers have succeeded in developing an ergonomic seat for electric wheelchairs which encourages the user to move around frequently. The aim is to enhance the freedom of movement of wheelchair users with a range of disabilities. ... > full story

How seawater could corrode nuclear fuel (January 27, 2012) -- Japan used seawater to cool nuclear fuel at the stricken Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear plant after the tsunami in March 2011 -- and that was probably the best action to take at the time, say experts. But researchers have since discovered a new way in which seawater can corrode nuclear fuel, forming uranium compounds that could potentially travel long distances, either in solution or as very small particles. ... > full story

How to break Murphy's Law (January 27, 2012) -- Murphy's Law is a useful scapegoat for human error: "If something can go wrong, it will." But, a new study hopes to put paid to this unscientific excuse for errors by showing that the introduction of verification and checking procedures can improve structural safety and performance and so prevent the application of the "law". ... > full story

Rap music powers rhythmic action of medical sensor (January 27, 2012) -- The driving bass rhythm of rap music can be harnessed to power a new type of miniature medical sensor designed to be implanted in the body. ... > full story

Silk microneedles deliver controlled-release drugs painlessly (January 27, 2012) -- Bioengineers have developed a silk-based microneedle system able to deliver precise amounts of drugs over time and without refrigeration. Because they are made under normal temperature and pressure and from water, they can be loaded with sensitive biochemical compounds and maintain their activity prior to use. They are also biodegradable and biocompatible. The new system addresses drug delivery challenges, and could be applied to other biological storage applications. ... > full story

Cumulative impact of mountaintop mining documented (January 27, 2012) -- Increased salinity and concentrations of trace elements in one West Virginia watershed have been tied directly to multiple surface coal mines upstream by a detailed new survey of stream chemistry. Researchers who conducted the study said it provides new evidence of the cumulative effects multiple mountaintop mining permits can have in a river network. ... > full story

Graphene supermaterial goes superpermeable: Can be used to distill alcohol (January 27, 2012) -- Wonder material graphene has revealed another of its extraordinary properties Scientists have now found that it is superpermeable with respect to water. Graphene is one of the wonders of the science world, with the potential to create foldaway mobile phones, wallpaper-thin lighting panels and the next generation of aircraft. The new finding gives graphene’s potential a most surprising dimension – graphene can also be used for distilling alcohol. ... > full story

Durable NASA rover beginning ninth year of Mars work (January 27, 2012) -- Eight years after landing on Mars for what was planned as a three-month mission, NASA's enduring Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity is working on what essentially became a new mission five months ago. ... > full story

Sensor sensibility: Better protection for concrete coastal structures (January 27, 2012) -- Innovative sensors have been developed that will dramatically improve the ability to spot early warning signs of corrosion in concrete. More resilient and much longer lasting than traditional corrosion sensors they will make monitoring the safety of structures such as bridges and vital coastal defenses much more effective. ... > full story

NuSTAR spacecraft arrives in California (January 27, 2012) -- NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, or NuSTAR, mission arrived at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California Jan. 27 after a cross-country trip by truck from the Orbital Sciences Corporation's manufacturing plant in Dulles, Va. The mission is scheduled to launch from Kwajalein Atoll in the Pacific Ocean on March 14. ... > full story

Scientists map one of life's molecular mysteries: Visualisation of the molecular gateway across and into cellular membranes (January 26, 2012) -- All living organisms are made up of cells, behind these intricate life forms lie complex cellular processes that allow our bodies to function. Researchers working on protein secretion -- a fundamental process in biology -- have revealed how protein channels in the membrane are activated by special signals contained in proteins destined for secretion. The results help explain the underlying mechanism responsible for the release of proteins such as hormones and antibodies into the blood stream. ... > full story

Rotational motion of cells plays a critical role in their normal development, researchers find (January 26, 2012) -- Researchers have discovered a rotational motion that plays a critical role in the ability of breast cells to form the spherical structures in the mammary gland known as acini. This rotation, called "CAMo," for coherent angular motion, is necessary for the cells to form spheres. Otherwise, cells undergo random motion, leading to loss of structure and malignancy. ... > full story

Microbubbles provide new boost for biofuel production (January 26, 2012) -- A solution to the difficult issue of harvesting algae for use as a biofuel has been developed using microbubble technology. ... > full story

NASA's Kepler announces 11 new planetary systems hosting 26 planets (January 26, 2012) -- NASA's Kepler mission has discovered 11 new planetary systems hosting 26 confirmed planets. These discoveries nearly double the number of verified Kepler planets and triple the number of stars known to have more than one planet that transits, or passes in front of, the star. Such systems will help astronomers better understand how planets form. ... > full story

Scorpions inspire scientists in making tougher surfaces for machinery (January 26, 2012) -- Taking inspiration from the yellow fattail scorpion, which uses a bionic shield to protect itself against scratches from desert sandstorms, scientists have developed a new way to protect the moving parts of machinery from wear and tear. ... > full story

Optimal basketball shooting rate proposed based on mathematical model (January 26, 2012) -- NBA players may be too conservative with their shots, according to a comparison with a theoretical model describing shot selection. ... > full story

Giant asteroid Vesta likely cold and dark enough for ice (January 26, 2012) -- Though generally thought to be quite dry, roughly half of the giant asteroid Vesta is expected to be so cold and to receive so little sunlight that water ice could have survived there for billions of years, according to the first published models of Vesta's average global temperatures and illumination by the sun. ... > full story

Classifying solar eruptions (January 26, 2012) -- Solar flares are giant explosions on the sun that send energy, light and high speed particles into space. These flares are often associated with solar magnetic storms known as coronal mass ejections (CMEs). While these are the most common solar events, the sun can also emit streams of very fast protons -- known as solar energetic particle (SEP) events -- and disturbances in the solar wind known as corotating interaction regions (CIRs). All of these can produce a variety of "storms" on Earth that can -- if strong enough -- interfere with short wave radio communications, GPS signals, and Earth's power grid, among other things. ... > full story

Scientists create first free-standing 3-D cloak (January 26, 2012) -- Researchers in the US have, for the first time, cloaked a three-dimensional object standing in free space, bringing the much-talked-about invisibility cloak one step closer to reality. ... > full story

Chemists synthesize artificial cell membrane (January 26, 2012) -- Chemists have taken an important step in making artificial life forms from scratch. Using a novel chemical reaction, they have created self-assembling cell membranes, the structural envelopes that contain and support the reactions required for life. Instead of complex enzymes embedded in membranes, they used a simple metal ion as the catalyst. By assembling an essential component of earthly life with no biological precursors, they hope to illuminate life's origins. ... > full story

Swallow a pill and let your doctor tour your insides (January 26, 2012) -- Researchers have successfully tested a controllable endoscopic capsule, inspired by science fiction, that has the ability to "swim" through the body and could provide clinicians with unprecedented control when photographing the inside of the human body. ... > full story

An easier way to remove gallstones (January 26, 2012) -- A new patented, ultra-specialized endoscope removes gallstones without the need to remove the gallbladder, too. ... > full story

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