The EDGE: ScienceDaily Technology Headlines -- for Tuesday, January 31, 2012

ScienceDaily Technology Headlines

for Tuesday, January 31, 2012

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Ferroelectric switching discovered for first time in soft biological tissue (January 30, 2012) -- The walls of the aorta, the largest blood vessel carrying blood from the heart, exhibits a response to electric fields known to exist in inorganic and synthetic materials. The discovery could have implications for treating human heart disease. ... > full story

Smart paint could revolutionize structural safety of bridges, mines and more (January 30, 2012) -- An innovative low-cost smart paint that can detect microscopic faults in wind turbines, mines and bridges before structural damage occurs is being developed. ... > full story

Chirality of a nanotube controls growth: Armchair nanotubes grow fastest (January 30, 2012) -- Scientists have experimentally confirmed a theory that foretold a pair of interesting properties about nanotube growth: That the chirality of a nanotube controls the speed of its growth, and that armchair nanotubes should grow the fastest. ... > full story

Sun unleashes an X1.8 class flare on Jan. 27, 2012 (January 30, 2012) -- The sun unleashed an X1.8 class flare that began at 1:12 PM ET on January 27, 2012 and peaked at 1:37. The flare immediately caused a strong radio blackout at low-latitudes, which was rated an R3 on NOAA's scale from R1-5. The blackout soon subsided to a minor R1 storm. Models from NASA's Goddard Space Weather Center predict that the CME is traveling at over 1500 miles per second. It does not initially appear to be Earth-directed, but Earth may get a glancing blow. ... > full story

Oxygen molecule survives to enormously high pressures (January 30, 2012) -- Using computer simulations, researchers have shown that the oxygen molecule (O2) is stable up to pressures of 1.9 terapascal, which is about nineteen million times higher than atmosphere pressure. Above that, it polymerizes, i.e. builds larger molecules or structures. ... > full story

Astronomers solve mystery of vanishing electrons in Earth's outer radiation belt (January 29, 2012) -- Researchers have explained the puzzling disappearing act of energetic electrons in Earth's outer radiation belt using data collected from a fleet of orbiting spacecraft. ... > full story

Space weather center to add world's first 'ensemble forecasting' capability (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 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

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

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

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

Kitchen gadget inspires scientist to make more effective plastic electronics (January 27, 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

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

Visual nudge improves accuracy of mammogram readings (January 26, 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

Can the economy bear what oil prices have in store? (January 26, 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

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

How seawater could corrode nuclear fuel (January 26, 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

Rap music powers rhythmic action of medical sensor (January 26, 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

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

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

Graphene supermaterial goes superpermeable: Can be used to distill alcohol (January 26, 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

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

Scientists create first free-standing 3-D cloak (January 25, 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

Optimal basketball shooting rate proposed based on mathematical model (January 25, 2012) -- NBA players may be too conservative with their shots, according to a comparison with a theoretical model describing shot selection. ... > full story

Photo from NASA Mars orbiter shows wind's handiwork (January 25, 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

Giant asteroid Vesta likely cold and dark enough for ice (January 25, 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

NASA's NuSTAR ships to Vandenberg for March 14 launch (January 25, 2012) -- NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, or NuSTAR, shipped to Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., on Jan. 24, 2012, to be mated to its Pegasus launch vehicle. The observatory will detect X-rays from objects ranging from our sun to giant black holes billions of light-years away. It is scheduled to launch March 14 from an aircraft operating out of Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. ... > full story

Speed limit on the quantum highway: Physicists measure propagation velocity of quantum signals in a many-body system (January 25, 2012) -- A quantum computer based on quantum particles instead of classical bits, can in principle outperform any classical computer. However, it still remains an open question, how fast and how efficient quantum computers really may be able to work. A critical limitation will be given by the velocity with which a quantum signal can spread within a processing unit. For the first time, a group of physicists has succeeded in observing such a process in a solid-state like system. ... > 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

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

Chemists synthesize artificial cell membrane (January 25, 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

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

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

Sensor sensibility: Better protection for concrete coastal structures (January 25, 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

Scorpions inspire scientists in making tougher surfaces for machinery (January 25, 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

New standard for vitamin D testing to ensure accurate test results (January 25, 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

Classifying solar eruptions (January 25, 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

Durable NASA rover beginning ninth year of Mars work (January 25, 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

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

Under the electron microscope: 3-D image of an individual protein showing structure (January 25, 2012) -- Scientists are reporting the first 3-D images of an individual protein ever obtained with enough clarity to determine its structure. ... > full story

Crystallizing the future of oxide materials (January 24, 2012) -- Researchers have examined the challenges facing scientists building the next generation of materials and innovative electronic devices and identified opportunities for taking the rational material design in new directions. ... > full story

Lab mimics Jupiter's Trojan asteroids inside a single atom (January 24, 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 24, 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

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

Babies are born with 'intuitive physics' knowledge, says researcher (January 24, 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

Metadynamics technique offers insight into mineral growth and dissolution (January 23, 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 23, 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

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