The EDGE: ScienceDaily Technology Headlines -- for Friday, October 7, 2011

ScienceDaily Technology Headlines

for Friday, October 7, 2011

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New technique for understanding quantum effects in water (October 7, 2011) -- The use of oxygen isotope substitution will lead to more accurate structural modeling of oxide materials found in everything from biological processes to electronic devices, new research suggests. ... > full story

Hold the phone for vital signs: Researchers turn a smart phone into a medical monitor (October 7, 2011) -- Researchers are turning smartphones into sophisticated medical monitors able to capture and transmit vital physiological data. The team has already developed an app that measures heart rate, heart rhythm, respiration rate, and blood oxygen saturation using the phone's built-in video camera. ... > full story

Technology to make old-age safer (October 7, 2011) -- A fall alarm. Automatic nightlight. Oven reminder. Refrigerator alarm. These are just a few of the new welfare technology solutions that may become a normal part of the lives of the elderly in the future. A Norwegian technology company has developed a complete electronic safety package for the elderly. ... > full story

Engineers: Non-compete agreements have high cost for employees (October 7, 2011) -- A new study of more than 1,000 engineers shows that non-compete agreements come with a high cost for employees: When those workers do shift jobs, roughly one-third of them end up leaving their chosen industry altogether, often at significant financial cost to themselves. ... > full story

Krypton Hall effect thruster for spacecraft propulsion (October 6, 2011) -- Electric propulsion (EP) is the future of astronautics. It can already compete successfully with chemical thrusters, especially for attitude control, orbit transfer and/or orbital station-keeping as well as for the main propulsion system for deep space missions. However, xenon, the propellant of choice in most EP devices, has a substantial drawback: its cost is very high. On the basis of the experience with plasma jet accelerators, a team of scientists and engineers from Poland has designed the Hall effect thruster optimised to work with krypton, a much more affordable noble gas. ... > full story

Astronomers find elusive planets in decade-old Hubble data (October 6, 2011) -- In a painstaking re-analysis of Hubble Space Telescope images from 1998, astronomers have found visual evidence for two extrasolar planets that went undetected back then. Finding these hidden gems in the Hubble archive gives astronomers an invaluable time machine for comparing much earlier planet orbital motion data to more recent observations. It also demonstrates a novel approach for planet hunting in archival Hubble data. ... > full story

Monkeys 'move and feel' virtual objects using only their brains (October 6, 2011) -- In a first ever demonstration of a two-way interaction between a primate brain and a virtual body, two trained monkeys learned to employ brain activity alone to move an avatar hand and identify the texture of virtual objects. ... > full story

Acoustic cloak: Closer to achieving the acoustic undetectability of objects (October 6, 2011) -- Researchers have taken another step towards achieving what is known as "acoustic undetectability". It is a new prototype two-dimensional acoustic cloak that can make sound waves with a specific frequency reaching an object avoid it as if it was not there, thanks to the cooperative effect of the units of which the cloak is made up. ... > full story

Novel math formula can predict success of certain cancer therapies (October 6, 2011) -- Carefully tracking the rate of response of human lung tumors during the first weeks of treatment can predict which cancers will undergo sustained regression, suggests a new study. ... > full story

Triple rainbows exist, photo evidence shows (October 6, 2011) -- Single rainbows are inspiring, double rainbows are rare, but tertiary rainbows have been elusive until a meteorologist provided guidelines that showed how to find them. Few people have ever claimed to see three rainbows arcing through the sky at once. In fact, scientific reports of these tertiary rainbows were so rare that until now many scientists believed sightings were as fanciful as Leprechaun's gold at a rainbow's end. These legendary optical rarities have finally been confirmed, thanks to photographic perseverance and a new meteorological model. ... > full story

Crash-safe battery protection for electric cars (October 6, 2011) -- Engineers in Germany have replaced a battery box for lithium-ion batteries in electric cars with a lightweight component. Not only does the housing save weight and sustain no damage in an accident -- for the first time ever, it can also be mass-produced. ... > full story

Controlling silicon evaporation allows scientists to boost graphene quality (October 6, 2011) -- Scientists have for the first time provided details of their "confinement controlled sublimation" technique for growing high-quality layers of epitaxial graphene on silicon carbide wafers. ... > full story

Components based on nature’s example (October 6, 2011) -- They are lightweight and yet strong and resilient: straw, bamboo, bones and teeth owe their surprising strength to their cleverly designed internal structures and a judicious combination of materials. The same principles can be applied to produce lighter and more durable plastic products. ... > full story

Unlocking jams in fluid materials: A theoretical model to understand how to best avoid jamming of soft matter (October 6, 2011) -- In a new study, a German scientist constructed a theoretical model to understand how to best avoid jamming of soft matter that can be applied in food and cosmetics production. ... > full story

Athletes' winning streaks may not be all in our -- or their -- heads (October 6, 2011) -- When an athlete consistently does well, sports commentators may describe them as being "hot" or "on fire." Scientists have debunked these streaks as being in the eye of the beholder, but a new study supports the "hot hand" phenomenon: that a streak of positive outcomes is likely to continue. ... > full story

Certain biofuel mandates unlikely to be met by 2022; unless new technologies, policies developed (October 5, 2011) -- It is unlikely the United States will meet some specific biofuel mandates under the current Renewable Fuel Standard by 2022 unless innovative technologies are developed or policies change. ... > full story

People as 'sensors': Twitter messages reveal NFL's big plays and fans (October 5, 2011) -- Using millions of Twitter subscribers as living "sensors," engineers have found a way to monitor fans' levels of excitement and to keep track of the action in National Football League games -- without ever switching on a TV. SportSense is a computer program the engineers created to analyze NFL fan tweets in real time. ... > full story

Pioneering fingermark technology uses mass spectrometry imaging to provide crime scene investigators with key extra details (October 5, 2011) -- A pioneering technology to detect fingermarks at crime scenes, which provides additional information about a suspect, is a step closer to being incorporated into traditional forensic investigations in the UK. ... > full story

Titanic jigsaw challenge: Piecing together a global color map of Saturn’s largest moon (October 5, 2011) -- An international team has pieced together images gathered over six years by the Cassini mission to create a global mosaic of the surface of Titan. ... > full story

Potential key found for unlocking biomass energy (October 5, 2011) -- Researchers have found a potential key for unlocking the energy potential from non-edible biomass materials such as corn leaves and stalks, or switch grass. ... > full story

Kepler spacecraft discovers new multi-planet solar system (October 5, 2011) -- A team of researchers has used NASA’s Kepler spacecraft to discover an unusual multiple-planet system containing a super-Earth and two Neptune-sized planets orbiting in resonance with each other. ... > full story

A 'carbonizing dragon': Construction drives China's growing CO<sub>2</sub> emissions (October 5, 2011) -- Constructing buildings, power plants and roads has driven a substantial increase in China's carbon dioxide emission growth, according to a new study. ... > full story

Depression uncouples brain's 'hate circuit', MRI study finds (October 5, 2011) -- A new study using MRI scans has found that depression frequently seems to uncouple the brain's 'hate circuit'. ... > full story

Physicists move one step closer to quantum computer (October 5, 2011) -- Physicists have created a tiny "electron superhighway" that could one day be useful for building a quantum computer -- a new type of computer that will use quantum particles in place of the digital transistors found in today's microchips. Researchers now describe how to make a "topological insulator," a much-sought device that could help physicists create elusive pairs of quantum particles that are particularly useful for storing information. ... > full story

2011 Nobel Prize in Chemistry: 'Quasicrystals' once thought impossible have changed understanding of solid matter (October 5, 2011) -- The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences is awarding the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for 2011 to Daniel Shechtman for the discovery of quasicrystals: non-repeating regular patterns of atoms that were once thought to be impossible. The breakthrough has fundamentally altered how chemists conceive of solid matter. ... > full story

Hyperactive Hartley 2 has a split history, comet-exploring spacecraft finds (October 5, 2011) -- The latest analysis of data from NASA's Deep Impact spacecraft shows that comet 103P/Hartley 2 is hyperactive in terms of the material it spews out, compared to the other comets observed up close to date. The comet also shows surprising diversity - ice on the comet’s sunlit surface is found in patches that are isolated from areas of dust. In addition, one lobe of the dog-bone shaped comet may have lost much more of the primordial material from the formation of the comet than the other, suggesting that Hartley 2 was originally two comets that came together in a gentle collision. ... > full story

When water and air meet: New light shed on mysterious structure of world's most common liquid interface (October 5, 2011) -- New findings have resolved a long-standing debate over the structure of water molecules at the water surface. The research combines theoretical and experimental techniques to pinpoint, for the first time, the origin of water's unique surface properties in the interaction of water pairs at the air-water interface. ... > full story

Guidelines set out for obtaining more efficient latex (October 5, 2011) -- A chemical engineer has presented guidelines for obtaining better quality and more efficient latex,. This involves a strategy which facilitates obtaining a more concentrated material without it losing its handling properties. ... > full story

Advance offers new opportunities in chemistry education, research (October 4, 2011) -- Researchers have created a new, unifying method to describe a basic chemical concept called "electronegativity," first described almost 80 years ago by Linus Pauling and part of the work that led to his receiving the Nobel Prize. The new system offers simplicity of understanding that should rewrite high school and college chemistry textbooks around the world, even as it opens important new avenues in materials and chemical research. ... > full story

Researchers identifiy more accurate treatment delivery for robotic radiosurgery system (October 4, 2011) -- A new study now reports that there is an alternative to the conventional CyberKnife treatment delivery system. This new technique uses a multileaf collimator (MLC) and can flexibly sculpt a single radiation beam to match the exact contour of a tumor -- significantly reducing the treatment time and minimizing the amount of radiation to the neighboring tissues. ... > full story

'Mirage-effect' helps researchers hide objects (October 4, 2011) -- Scientists have created a working cloaking device that not only takes advantage of one of nature's most bizarre phenomenon, but also boasts unique features; it has an "on and off" switch and is best used underwater. ... > full story

Researchers transform iPhone into high-quality medical imaging device (October 4, 2011) -- In a feat of technology tweaking that would rival MacGyver, a team of researchers has transformed everyday iPhones into medical-quality imaging and chemical detection devices. With materials that cost about as much as a typical app, the decked-out smartphones are able to use their heightened senses to perform detailed microscopy and spectroscopy. ... > full story

NASA's Dawn spacecraft begins new Vesta mapping orbit (October 4, 2011) -- NASA's Dawn spacecraft has completed a gentle spiral into its new science orbit for an even closer view of the giant asteroid Vesta. Dawn began sending science data on Sept. 29 from this new orbit, known as the high altitude mapping orbit (HAMO). ... > full story

Engineers build smart petri dish: Device can be used for medical diagnostics, imaging cell growth continuously (October 4, 2011) -- The cameras in our cell phones have dramatically changed the way we share the special moments in our lives, making photographs instantly available to friends and family. Now, the imaging sensor chips that form the heart of these built-in cameras are helping engineers transform the way cell cultures are imaged by serving as the platform for a "smart" petri dish. ... > full story

From compost to sustainable fuels: Heat-loving fungi sequenced (October 4, 2011) -- Two heat-loving fungi, often found in composts that self-ignite without flame or spark, could soon have new vocations. The complete genetic makeup of Myceliophthora thermophila and Thielavia terrestris has now been decoded. The findings may lead to the faster and greener development of biomass-based fuels, chemicals and other industrial materials. ... > full story

Robot brain implanted in a rodent: Researcher implants robotic cerebellum to repair motor function (October 4, 2011) -- With new cutting-edge technology aimed at providing amputees with robotic limbs, a researcher has successfully implanted a robotic cerebellum into the skull of a rodent with brain damage, restoring its capacity for movement. ... > full story

2011 Nobel Prize in Physics: Discovery of expanding universe by observing distant supernovae (October 4, 2011) -- The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for 2011 to Saul Perlmutter, Brian P. Schmidt and Adam G. Riess, for the discovery of the accelerating expansion of the universe through observations of distant supernovae. ... > full story

Saturn's geyser moon Enceladus shows off for NASA's Cassini (October 4, 2011) -- NASA's Cassini spacecraft successfully completed its Oct. 1 flyby of Saturn's moon Enceladus and its jets of water vapor and ice. At its closest approach, the spacecraft flew approximately 62 miles (100 kilometers) above the moon's surface. The close approach was designed to give some of Cassini's instruments, including the ion and neutral mass spectrometer, the chance to "taste" the jets themselves. ... > full story

Virtual reality worm-tracking challenge leads to new tool for brain research (October 4, 2011) -- Using new optical equipment, researchers put roundworms into a world of virtual reality, monitored both their behavior and brain activity and gained unexpected information on how the organism's brain operates as it moves. ... > full story

First images from ALMA telescope: Hidden star-formation in Antennae Galaxies revealed (October 4, 2011) -- First visualizations of ALMA test data are made public with unprecedented views of once-hidden star-formation in the colliding galaxy pair, the Antennae. ... > full story

Novel energy-storage membrane: Performance surpasses existing rechargeable batteries and supercapacitors (October 4, 2011) -- Researchers in Singapore have developed a novel membrane with a performance that surpasses existing rechargeable batteries and supercapacitors, promising a low-cost, environmentally-friendly energy source. ... > full story

Helium raises resolution of whole cell imaging (October 4, 2011) -- The ability to obtain an accurate three-dimensional image of an intact cell is critical for unraveling the mysteries of cellular structure and function. However, for many years, tiny structures buried deep inside cells have been practically invisible to scientists due to a lack of microscopic techniques that achieve adequate resolution at the cell surface and through the entire depth of the cell. Now, a new study demonstrates that microscopy with helium ions may greatly enhance both surface and sub-cellular imaging. ... > full story

Social media sites may reveal information about problem drinking among college students (October 4, 2011) -- Social media websites, such as Facebook and MySpace, may reveal information that could identify underage college students who may be at risk for problem drinking, according to a new study. ... > full story

Dawn at Vesta: Massive mountains, rough surface, and old-young dichotomy in hemispheres (October 4, 2011) -- NASA's Dawn mission, which has been orbiting Vesta since mid-July, has revealed that the asteroid's southern hemisphere boasts one of the largest mountains in the System. Other results show that Vesta's surface, viewed at different wavelengths, has striking diversity in its composition particularly around craters. The surface appears to be much rougher than most asteroids in the main asteroid belt. Preliminary results from crater age dates indicate that areas in the southern hemisphere are as young as 1-2 billion years old, much younger than areas in the north. ... > full story

Two early stages of carbon nanotube growth discovered (October 3, 2011) -- Orderly rows of neatly aligned carbon nanotubes have served as the standard for nanotechnology researchers. But physicists now report the discovery of two early stages of carbon nanotube growth that produce tangled or semi-aligned tubes with characteristics that could lend themselves to thermal management and other applications. ... > full story

Cosmic weight watching reveals black hole-galaxy history (October 3, 2011) -- Using state-of-the-art technology and sophisticated data analysis tools, a team of astronomers has developed a new and powerful technique to directly determine the mass of an active galaxy at a distance of nearly 9 billion light-years from Earth. This pioneering method promises a new approach for studying the co-evolution of galaxies and their central black holes. First results indicate that for galaxies, the best part of cosmic history was not a time of sweeping changes. ... > full story

Polymeric material has potential for noninvasive procedures (October 3, 2011) -- Scientists have developed what they believe to be the first polymeric material that is sensitive to biologically benign levels of near infrared irradiation, enabling the material to disassemble in a highly controlled fashion. The study represents a significant milestone in the area of light-sensitive material for non-invasive medical and biological applications. ... > full story

Exotic quantum states: A new research approach (October 3, 2011) -- Theoretical physicists have formulated a new concept to engineer exotic, so-called topological states of matter in quantum mechanical many-body systems. They linked concepts of quantum optics and condensed matter physics and show a direction to build a quantum computer which is immune against perturbations. ... > full story