The EDGE: ScienceDaily Technology Headlines -- for Thursday, August 9, 2012

ScienceDaily Technology Headlines

for Thursday, August 9, 2012

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Oh, my stars and hexagons! DNA code shapes gold nanoparticles (August 8, 2012) -- DNA holds the genetic code for all sorts of biological molecules and traits. But researchers have found that DNA's code can similarly shape metallic structures. The team found that DNA segments can direct the shape of gold nanoparticles -- tiny gold crystals that have many applications in medicine, electronics and catalysis. Each of the four DNA bases codes for a different gold particle shape: rough round particles, stars, flat round discs, and hexagons. ... > full story

Shark teeth help scientists uncover predator's history (August 8, 2012) -- Biologists are studying living great whites and other sharks – as well as fossilized shark teeth – to gain insight into shark behavior and ancestry using the latest in computed tomography scans to analyze shark tooth anatomy, development and evolution. ... > full story

New phenomenon in nanodisk magnetic vortices (August 8, 2012) -- New findings suggest that the road to magnetic vortex RAM might be more difficult to navigate than previously supposed, but there might be unexpected rewards as well. Contrary to suppositions, the formation of magnetic vortices in ferromagnetic nanodisks is an asymmetric phenomenon. ... > full story

Researchers collect and reuse enzymes while maintaining bioactivity (August 8, 2012) -- Researchers are collecting and harvesting enzymes while maintaining the enzyme's bioactivity. The new model system may impact cancer research. ... > full story

New atmospheric compound tied to climate change, human health (August 8, 2012) -- Scientists have discovered a surprising new chemical compound in Earth's atmosphere that reacts with sulfur dioxide to form sulfuric acid, which is known to have significant impacts on climate and health. The new compound, a type of carbonyl oxide, is formed from the reaction of ozone with alkenes, which are a family of hydrocarbons with both natural and human-made sources. ... > full story

Physics and math shed new light on biology by mapping the landscape of evolution (August 8, 2012) -- Researchers capture evolutionary dynamics in a new theoretical framework that could help explain some of the mysteries of how and why species change over time. ... > full story

New substances 15,000 times more effective in destroying chemical warfare agents (August 8, 2012) -- In an advance that could be used in masks to protect against nerve gas, scientists are reporting development of proteins that are up to 15,000 times more effective than their natural counterpart in destroying chemical warfare agents. ... > full story

Advanced explosives detector sniffs out previously undetectable amounts of TNT (August 8, 2012) -- With the best explosive detectors often unable to sniff out the tiny amounts of TNT released from terrorist bombs in airports and other public places, scientists are reporting a potential solution. New research describes the development of a device that concentrates TNT vapors in the air so that they become more detectable. ... > full story

Mockup Orion stack shows path to launch (August 8, 2012) -- The Vehicle Assembly Building's transfer aisle offered a glimpse of the future recently as a full-size Orion spacecraft mock-up was placed atop a model of the service module so engineers and technicians could determine the exact dimensions for connectors that will run from the launch pad structure to the spacecraft before liftoff. ... > full story

Mission success for MSL Entry, Descent, & Landing Instrument (MEDLI) (August 8, 2012) -- Mission success for the MSL Entry, Descent, & Landing Instrument (MEDLI) Suite. When the Curiosity rover touched down on the red planet Aug. 6 at 12:32 p.m. CDT, NASA MEDLI researchers were already cheering. The instrumentation payload, carried in the entry vehicle's heatshield, included an intricate array of sophisticated engineering sensors designed to measure heat, pressure and other conditions impacting the heatshield during atmospheric entry and descent. The shield is jettisoned prior to landing. ... > full story

Molecular economics: New computer models calculate systems-wide costs of gene expression (August 8, 2012) -- Bioengineers have developed a method of modeling, simultaneously, an organism's metabolism and its underlying gene expression. In the emerging field of systems biology, scientists model cellular behavior in order to understand how processes such as metabolism and gene expression relate to one another and bring about certain characteristics in the larger organism. ... > full story

First BOSS data: 3-D map of 500,000 galaxies, 100,000 quasars (August 8, 2012) -- Now available to the public: spectroscopic data from over 500,000 galaxies up to 7 billion light years away, over 100,000 quasars up to 11.5 billion light years away, and many thousands of other astronomical objects in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey's Data Release 9. This is the first data from BOSS, the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey, the largest spectroscopic survey ever for measuring evolution of large-scale galactic structure. ... > full story

New global warming culprit: Methane emissions jump dramatically during dam drawdowns (August 8, 2012) -- Researchers have documented an underappreciated suite of players in global warming: dams, the water reservoirs behind them, and surges of greenhouse gases as water levels go up and down. In separate studies, researchers saw methane levels jump 20- and 36-fold during drawdowns. ... > full story

Orbiter images NASA's latest additions to Martian landscape (August 7, 2012) -- Late Monday night, an image from the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera aboard NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter captured the Curiosity rover and the components that helped it survive its seven-minute ordeal from space to its present location in Mars' Gale Crater. ... > full story

Transformed X-48c flies successfully (August 7, 2012) -- The remotely piloted X-48C aircraft successfully flew for the first time Aug. 7 at Edwards Air Force Base in California's Mojave Desert. The aircraft, designed by The Boeing Co. and built by Cranfield Aerospace Limited of the United Kingdom, is flying again in partnership with NASA. The new X-48C model, which was formerly the X-48B Blended Wing Body aircraft, was modified to evaluate the low-speed stability and control of a low-noise version of a notional, future Hybrid Wing Body (HWB) aircraft design. The HWB design stems from concept studies being conducted by NASA's Environmentally Responsible Aviation project of future potential aircraft designs 20 years from now. ... > full story

Chemists advance clear conductive thin films (August 7, 2012) -- Thin, conductive films are useful in displays and solar cells. A new solution-based chemistry for making indium tin oxide films could allow engineers to employ a much simpler and cheaper manufacturing process. ... > full story

Nanoparticle discovery opens door for pharmaceuticals (August 7, 2012) -- What a student thought was a failed experiment has led to a serendipitous discovery hailed by some scientists as a potential game changer for the mass production of nanoparticles. ... > full story

California's hydropower stations to generate less electricity in summer as climate warms (August 7, 2012) -- California's hydropower is vulnerable to climate change, a scientist has advised policymakers. According to the scientist, if California loses snowpack under climate warming, high-elevation hydropower-plant reservoirs may not be able to store enough water for hydropower generation in summer months when the demand is much higher and hydropower is priced higher. ... > full story

Composite nanofibers open next chapter in orthopaedic biomaterials (August 7, 2012) -- Scientists have developed and validated a new technology in which composite nanofibrous scaffolds provide a loose enough structure for cells to colonize without impediment, but still can instruct cells how to lay down new tissue. ... > full story

Searching for tumors or handguns can be like looking for food (August 7, 2012) -- If past experience makes you think there's going to be one more cashew at the bottom of the bowl, you're likely to search through those mixed nuts a little longer. But what keeps the attention of a radiologist or baggage screener who can go hours without finding anything? The answer may be to make those professional searchers believe there are more targets to be found. ... > full story

Greater working memory capacity benefits analytic, but not creative, problem-solving (August 7, 2012) -- Psychological scientists have long known that the amount of information we can actively hold in mind at any given time – known as working memory – is limited. Our working memory capacity reflects our ability to focus and control attention and strongly influences our ability to solve problems. Psychological scientists find that while increased working memory capacity seems to boost mathematical problem-solving, it might actually get in the way of creative problem solving. ... > full story

A simple way to help cities monitor traffic more accurately (August 7, 2012) -- New software helps in-road traffic detectors count cars more accurately -- and save city planners money. ... > full story

What makes Paris look like Paris? Software finds stylistic core (August 7, 2012) -- Paris is one of those cities that has a look all its own, something that goes beyond landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower or Notre Dame. Researchers have developed visual data mining software that can automatically detect these sometimes subtle features, such as street signs, streetlamps and balcony railings, that give Paris and other cities a distinctive look. ... > full story

Advance in X-ray imaging shines light on nanomaterials (August 7, 2012) -- A new advance in X-ray imaging has revealed the dramatic three-dimensional shape of gold nanocrystals, and is likely to shine a light on the structure of other nano-scale materials. ... > full story

Higgs transition of north and south poles of electrons in a magnet (August 7, 2012) -- Minimal evidence of a Higgs transition;1 of north and south poles of electron spins was observed in a magnet Yb2Ti2O7 at the absolute temperature;2 0.21 K. A fractionalization of these monopoles from electron spins was observed on cooling to 0.3 K. On further cooling below 0.21 K, the material showed the ferromagnetism to be understood as a superconductivity of monopoles. The work is reported in an online science journal “Nature Communications” in UK on August 7, by an international collaboration team of Dr. Shigeki Onoda (Condensed Matter Theory Lab., RIKEN Advanced Science Institute), Dr. Lieh-Jeng Chang (Quantum Beam Science Dictorate, Japan Atomic Energy Agency and Dept. of Physics, National Cheng Kung Univ.), and Dr. Yixi Su (Jülich Center for Neutron Science JCNS-FRM II, Forschungszentrum Jülich), and coworkers. ... > full story

Eco-computer with a natural wood look (August 7, 2012) -- Surfing for hours on the Internet consumes a lot of electricity and is harmful to the environment. However, a new ecological PC saves energy as it operates: It produces about 70 percent less CO2 than conventional computers. ... > full story

Using wastewater as fertilizer (August 7, 2012) -- Sewage sludge, wastewater and liquid manure are valuable sources of fertilizer for food production. Researchers have now developed a chemical-free, eco-friendly process that enables the recovered salts to be converted directly into organic food for crop plants. ... > full story

Bruce Willis couldn’t save us from asteroid doom (August 7, 2012) -- According to the internet hysteria surrounding the ancient Mayan calendar, an asteroid could be on its way to wipe out the world on December 21, 2012. Obviously this is pretty unlikely -- but if an asteroid really is on its way, could we take a cue from the disaster movie Armageddon in order to save the planet? According to new research the answer is definitely "no." ... > full story

Astronomers crack mystery of the 'monster' stars (August 7, 2012) -- In 2010 scientists discovered four ‘monster’ sized stars, with the heaviest more than 300 times as massive as our Sun. Despite their incredible luminosity, these exotic objects, located in the giant star cluster R136 in the nearby galaxy the Large Magellanic Cloud; have oddly so far been found nowhere else. Now a group of astronomers have a new explanation: the ultramassive stars were created from the merger of lighter stars in tight binary systems. ... > full story

New metamaterials device focuses sound waves like a camera lens (August 7, 2012) -- Researchers have designed and computationally tested a type of humanmade metamaterial capable for the first time of manipulating a variety of acoustic waves with one simple device. ... > full story

New Mars rover beams back images showing its descent (August 7, 2012) -- Just hours after NASA's Curiosity rover landed on Mars, a select group of images taken by the onboard Mars Descent Imager, or MARDI, were beamed back to Earth. The 297 color, low-resolution images, provide a glimpse of the rover's descent into Gale Crater. They are a preview of the approximately 1,504 images of descent currently held in the rover's onboard memory. When put together in highest resolution, the resulting video is expected to depict the rover's descent from the moment the entry system's heat shield is released through touchdown. ... > full story

Extreme plasma theories put to the test (August 6, 2012) -- The first controlled studies of extremely hot, dense matter have overthrown the widely accepted 50-year-old model used to explain how ions influence each other's behavior in a dense plasma. The results should benefit a wide range of fields, from research aimed at tapping nuclear fusion as an energy source to understanding the inner workings of stars. ... > full story

Researchers unlock secret of the rare 'twinned rainbow' (August 6, 2012) -- Scientists have yet to fully unravel the mysteries of rainbows, but a group of researchers have used simulations of these natural wonders to unlock the secret to a rare optical phenomenon known as the twinned rainbow. ... > full story

USGS science goes to Mars (August 6, 2012) -- With the Mars rover Curiosity's successful landing Sunday, Aug. 5, at 10:32 p.m. PDT, U.S. Geological Survey scientists continue their strategic role in the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL), the most advanced mission yet to explore whether the Red Planet has ever offered environmental conditions favorable for microbial life. ... > full story

NASA's Curiosity rover caught in the act of landing (August 6, 2012) -- An image from the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera aboard NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter captured the Curiosity rover still connected to its 51-foot-wide (almost 16 meter) parachute as it descended towards its landing site at Gale Crater. ... > full story

Broadening researcher access to protein simulation (August 6, 2012) -- Using just an upgraded desktop computer equipped with a relatively inexpensive graphics processing card, a team of computer scientists and biochemists has developed advanced GPU accelerated software and demonstrated for the first time that this approach can sample biological events that occur on the millisecond timescale. ... > full story

Increased productivity, not less energy use, results from more efficient lighting (August 6, 2012) -- Improvements in lighting -- from candles to gas lamps to electric bulbs -- historically have led to increased light consumption rather than lower overall energy use by society, researchers argue in a new article. ... > full story

Airborne technology helps manage elephants (August 6, 2012) -- For years, scientists have debated how big a role elephants play in toppling trees in South African savannas. Tree loss is a natural process, but it is increasing in some regions, with cascading effects on the habitat for many other species. Using high resolution 3-D mapping, scientists have for the first time quantitatively determined tree losses across savannas of Kruger National Park. They found that elephants are the primary agents. ... > full story

New approaches needed for uncovering, identifying, and treating buried chemical warfare material (August 6, 2012) -- The current approach for identifying and destroying buried chemical munitions and related chemical warfare materials uncovered during environmental remediation projects is neither reliable enough nor has the capability to efficiently tackle large-scale projects, says a new report. ... > full story

Seeing through walls: Laser system reconstructs objects hidden from sight (August 6, 2012) -- Researchers combined bouncing photons with advanced optics to enable them to "see" what's hidden around the corner. ... > full story

Quantum physics: New insights into the remote control of quantum systems (August 6, 2012) -- Physicists shine new light on the question of the resources required for achieving quantum information processing. The scientists demonstrate that less demanding resources, which are easier to prepare and to control, can be used for quantum-enhanced technologies. In the experiment, researchers achieve remote quantum state preparation without requiring entanglement as a resource. ... > full story

Virtual nanoscopy: Like 'Google Earth' for cell biologists (August 6, 2012) -- Just as users of Google Earth can zoom in from space to a view of their own backyard, researchers can now navigate biological tissues from a whole embryo down to its subcellular structures thanks to recent advances in electron microscopy and image processing. ... > full story

Preparation of anti-tumor nanoparticles using tiger milk mushroom (August 6, 2012) -- Tapping into the power of natural ingredients for safer treatment is the next frontier in the battle against cancer. A recent breakthrough uses tiger milk mushroom to prepare anti-tumor nanoparticles is bringing us one step closer. ... > full story

Understanding the biological and ecological implications of safe nanotechnology (August 6, 2012) -- New research shows how the soft nanomaterial dendrimer can be used to remediate the environment from potentially toxic nanomaterials. ... > full story

High performance flexible solid state battery developed (August 6, 2012) -- Scientists have developed a high performance flexible all-solid-state battery, an essential energy source for flexible displays. ... > full story

New model for animated faces and bodies (August 6, 2012) -- Computer graphic artists who produce computer-animated movies and games spend much time creating subtle movements such as expressions on faces, gesticulations on bodies and the draping of clothes. A new way of modeling these dynamic objects could greatly simplify this editing process. ... > full story

Touch your philodendron and control your computer: Technology turns any plant into an interactive device (August 6, 2012) -- Any houseplant -- real or artificial -- could control a computer or any digital device with new technology, called Botanicus Interactus. ... > full story

Cyberbullying less frequent than traditional bullying (August 6, 2012) -- Traditional in-person bullying is far more common than cyberbullying among today’s youth and should be the primary focus of prevention programs, according to new research. ... > full story

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