The EDGE: ScienceDaily Technology Headlines -- for Monday, October 17, 2011

ScienceDaily Technology Headlines

for Monday, October 17, 2011

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New mystery on Mars' forgotten plains (October 17, 2011) -- One of the supposedly best understood and least interesting landscapes on Mars is hiding something that could rewrite the planet's history. Or not. In fact, about all that is certain is that decades of assumptions regarding the wide, flat Hesperia Planum are not holding up very well under renewed scrutiny with higher-resolution, more recent spacecraft data. ... > full story

Mobile electrons multiplied in quantum dot films (October 17, 2011) -- Researchers have demonstrated that several mobile electrons can be produced by the absorption of a single light particle in films of coupled quantum dots. These multiple electrons can be harvested in solar cells with increased efficiency. ... > full story

Oranges and mandarins are inspected using artificial vision (October 17, 2011) -- Scientists have created a machine that detects and separates rotten oranges, another that classifies mandarin segments according to their quality and another that helps citrus fruit pickers out in the field. All prototypes use computer vision to automatically inspect the fruits. ... > full story

NASA's Dawn science team presents early science results (October 17, 2011) -- Scientists with NASA's Dawn mission are sharing with other scientists and the public their early information about the southern hemisphere of the giant asteroid Vesta. ... > full story

Reduce cyber attacks by protecting and rewarding secure networks on the Internet (October 17, 2011) -- Researchers have proposed a novel approach to network protection that could reduce the risk of cyber attack by rewarding those organizations that bolster the security on their networks to prevent the spread of malware and other problems. ... > full story

Subtly shaded map of moon reveals titanium treasure troves (October 15, 2011) -- A map of the Moon combining observations in visible and ultraviolet wavelengths shows a treasure trove of areas rich in Titanium ores. Not only is titanium a valuable element, it is key to helping scientists unravel the mysteries of the Moon's interior. ... > full story

Frustration inspires new form of graphene (October 15, 2011) -- Researchers have now developed a new form of graphene that does not stack. The new material -- inspired by a trash can full of crumpled-up papers -- is made by crumpling the graphene sheets into balls. ... > full story

Psychopathic killers: Computerized text analysis uncovers the word patterns of a predator (October 15, 2011) -- As words can be the soul's window, scientists are learning to peer through it: Computerized text analysis shows that psychopathic killers make identifiable word choices -- beyond conscious control -- when talking about their crimes. This research could lead to new tools for diagnosis and treatment, and have implications law enforcement and social media. ... > full story

Uncharted territory: Scientists sequence the first carbohydrate biopolymer (October 15, 2011) -- For the first time ever, a team of researchers has announced the sequence of a complete complex carbohydrate biopolymer. The surprising discovery provides the scientific and medical communities with an important and fundamental new view of these vital biomolecules, which play a role in everything from cell structure and development to disease pathology and blood clotting. ... > full story

The future of airport passport control (October 15, 2011) -- Digital security specialists, major European electronics makers, and experts in biometrics worked together to make passport control at airports faster. The technology also could have broader applications on the way our identity documents are design and on the way we access public services. ... > full story

How the zebra gets its stripes: A simple genetic circuit (October 14, 2011) -- Developmental processes that create stripes and other patterns are complex and difficult to untangle. To sort it out, a team of scientists has designed a simple genetic circuit that creates a striped pattern that they can control by tweaking a single gene. This genetic loop is made two linked modules that sense how crowded a group of cells has become and responds by controlling their movements. ... > full story

Differing structures underlie differing brain rhythms in healthy and ill, virtual modeling reveals (October 14, 2011) -- Virtual brains modeling epilepsy and schizophrenia display less complexity among functional connections, and other differences compared to healthy brain models, researchers report. The researchers worked backward from brain rhythms -- the oscillating patterns of electrical activity in the brain recorded on electroencephalograms -- from both healthy and ill individuals. ... > full story

'Robot biologist' solves complex problem from scratch (October 14, 2011) -- Scientists have taken a major step toward developing robot biologists. They have shown that their system, the Automated Biology Explorer, can solve a complicated biology problem from scratch. ... > full story

Researchers discover material with graphene-like properties (October 14, 2011) -- After the Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to two scientists in 2010 who had studied the material graphene, this substance has received a lot of attention. Scientists have now developed and analyzed a material which possesses physical properties similar to graphene. ... > full story

Redox flow batteries, a promising technology for renewable energies integration (October 14, 2011) -- Today there is a wide variety of energy storage technologies at very different stages of development. Among them, the Redox Flow Battery (RFB) is an innovative solution based on the use of liquid electrolytes stored in tanks and pumped through a reactor to produce energy. Researchers are currently working in the development of high performance RFBs. ... > full story

Carbon nanotube muscles generate giant twist for novel motors (October 14, 2011) -- Artificial muscles, based on carbon nanotubes yarn, that twist like the trunk of an elephant, but provide a thousand times higher rotation per length, have been developed by a team of researchers. ... > full story

Tagging tumors with gold: Scientists use gold nanorods to flag brain tumors (October 14, 2011) -- When removing a brain tumor, even the slightest mistake could have serious health consequences. To help surgeons, researchers have proposed a way to harness the unique optical properties of gold nanoparticles to clearly distinguish a brain tumor from the healthy tissue that surrounds it. ... > full story

Why many cells are better than one: Limited decision-making ability of individual cells is bolstered in masses (October 14, 2011) -- Researchers have quantified the number of possible decisions that an individual cell can make after receiving a cue from its environment, and surprisingly, it's only two. ... > full story

Engineers create touchscreen Braille writer (October 14, 2011) -- In a two-month summer course on high-performance computing, promising undergrads compete to create innovative applications. This summer's winner developed a touchscreen Braille writer that stands to revolutionize how the blind negotiate an unseen world by replacing devices costing up to 10 times more. ... > full story

Better pictures with mobile devices (October 14, 2011) -- The world's smallest autofocus lens for mobile devices is ready, and Apple and Nokia are among the companies interested in introducing it. ... > full story

Nanoparticle assembly is like building with LEGOs (October 14, 2011) -- Scientists report that nanotechnology has entered a new era. Because of developments in nanoparticle self-assembly, designer materials with unique properties are now possible. And that could lead to immediate applications in catalysis, medical sensing and optics. ... > full story

Improving the physics of grocery store display cases to save energy (October 14, 2011) -- Aeronautical engineers are devising ways to boost the efficiency of open-air refrigerated cases, which are increasingly common in supermarkets. Results could lower the energy use of existing cases by up to 15 percent -- potentially saving 0 million in electricity costs nationally each year. ... > full story

Reaching 99.999999999997 percent safety: Computer scientists present their concept for a wireless bicycle brake (October 14, 2011) -- Computer scientists in Germany have developed a wireless bicycle brake and demonstrated its efficiency on a so-called cruiser bike. Furthermore, they confirmed the brake system’s reliability through mathematical calculations that are also used in control systems for aircraft or chemical factories. ... > full story

Rainwear that repairs itself? (October 14, 2011) -- The first steps have been taken towards rainwear which repairs itself. Not long ago "self-repairing materials" would have been considered science fiction. However, scientists are now working on a textile coating which automatically seals small holes and tears in the surface layer of waterproof work-wear. ... > full story

Warning signs can prevent deer-vehicle collisions, Canadian study shows (October 14, 2011) -- Collisions between wild deer and vehicles not only hinder conservation efforts but pose a serious danger to drivers. In new research, Canadian scientists examined locations and time periods of high rates of deer vehicle collision to assess the effectiveness of warning signs to prevent fatalities. ... > full story

Clearing the 'cosmic fog' of the early universe: Massive stars may be responsible (October 13, 2011) -- The space between the galaxies wasn't always transparent. In the earliest times, it was an opaque, dense fog. How it cleared is an important question in astronomy. New observational evidence shows how high energy light from massive stars could have been responsible. ... > full story

Does converting cow manure to electricity pay off? Successful renewable energy project in Vermont (October 13, 2011) -- Researchers in Vermont confirm that it is technically feasible to convert cow manure to electricity on farms, but the economic returns depend highly on the base electricity price; the premium paid for converted energy; financial supports from government and other agencies; and the ability to sell byproducts of the methane generation. ... > full story

Distant galaxies reveal the clearing of the cosmic fog; New VLT observations chart timeline of reionization (October 13, 2011) -- Scientists have used the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope to probe the early Universe at several different times as it was becoming transparent to ultraviolet light. This brief but dramatic phase in cosmic history occurred around 13 billion years ago. By studying some of the most distant galaxies, the team has been able to establish a timeline for reionization for the first time. They have also demonstrated that this phase must have happened quicker than previously thought. ... > full story

Cheaper yet efficient thin film solar cells created (October 13, 2011) -- Researchers in Singapore have exploited advanced nanostructure technology to make a highly efficient and yet cheaper silicon solar cell. ... > full story

Hubble survey carries out a dark matter census (October 13, 2011) -- The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has been used to make an image of galaxy cluster MACS J1206.2-0847. The apparently distorted shapes of distant galaxies in the background is caused by an invisible substance called dark matter, whose gravity bends and distorts their light rays. MACS 1206 has been observed as part of a new survey of galaxy clusters using Hubble. ... > full story

New scheme for photonic quantum computing (October 13, 2011) -- The concepts of quantum technology promise to achieve more powerful information processing than is possible with even the best possible classical computers. To actually build efficient quantum computers remains a significant challenge in practice. A new scheme, called "coherent photon conversion," could potentially overcome all of the currently unresolved problems for optical implementations of quantum computing. ... > full story

Borrowing from brightly-colored birds: Physicists develop lasers inspired by nature (October 13, 2011) -- Researchers are studying how two types of nanoscale structures on the feathers of birds produce brilliant and distinctive colors. The researchers are hoping that by borrowing these nanoscale tricks from nature they will be able to produce new types of lasers--ones that can assemble themselves by natural processes. ... > full story

Talk to the virtual hands: Body language of both speaker and listener affects success in virtual reality communication game (October 13, 2011) -- New research finds that the lack of gestural information from both speaker and listener limits successful communication in virtual environments. ... > full story

T. rex was bigger and grew faster than previously thought, computational analysis reveals (October 13, 2011) -- A new study reveals that T. rex grew more quickly and reached significantly greater masses than previously estimated. In a departure from earlier methods, the new study uses mounted skeletons to generate body mass estimates. ... > full story

Amateur skywatchers help space hazards team (October 13, 2011) -- For the first time, observations coordinated by the European Space Agency's space hazards team have found an asteroid that comes close enough to Earth to pose an impact threat. The space rock was found by amateur astronomers, highlighting the value of 'crowd-sourcing' to science and planetary defense. ... > full story

New Saudi Arabias of solar energy: Himalaya Mountains, Andes, Antarctica (October 13, 2011) -- Mention prime geography for generation of solar energy, and people tend to think of hot deserts. But a new study concludes that some of the world's coldest landscapes -- including the Himalaya Mountains, the Andes, and even Antarctica -- could become Saudi Arabias of solar. ... > full story

Violent games emotionally desensitizing, research suggests (October 13, 2011) -- After excessively violent events, shoot 'em up games regularly come under scrutiny. In Norway, several first-person shooter games disappeared from the market for a while after the killings. Does intense fighting on a flat screen display also result in aggressive behavior in real life? Researchers have found brain activity patterns in heavy gamers that differed from those of non-gamers. ... > full story

Erasing history? Temporal cloaks adjust light's throttle to hide an event in time (October 13, 2011) -- Researchers have demonstrated for the first time that it's possible to cloak a singular event in time, by sending a beam of light down an optical fiber and through a pair of "time lenses", creating a burst of light. They were able to create a small gap in the flow of light concealing that a burst of light ever occurred. ... > full story

Point defects in super-chilled diamonds may offer stable candidates for quantum computing bits (October 13, 2011) -- Scientists test how the energy levels of electrons trapped in a defect in the diamond matrix shift with changing temperatures. ... > full story

Wet and mild: Researchers take the temperature of Mars' past (October 13, 2011) -- Researchers have directly determined the surface temperature of early Mars for the first time, providing evidence that's consistent with a warmer and wetter Martian past. ... > full story

New mathematical model explains patterns of human movement by considering the costs (October 13, 2011) -- People decide to take trips for a dauntingly complex mix of reasons, but out of the individual chaos of dry-cleaning pick-ups, pizza dinners, and European vacations, a new mathematical model has emerged. It finds hidden patterns in human beings' collective excursions near, not-so-near, and far from home. ... > full story

Scientists demonstrate the power of optical forces in blood cell identification (October 13, 2011) -- Biological analysis systems that rely on labels can be costly, labor intensive, and depend upon prior knowledge of the target in question. Researchers have developed a system that can detect optical pressure differences between populations or classes of cells. ... > full story

New technique offers enhanced security for sensitive data in cloud computing (October 13, 2011) -- Researchers have developed a new, experimental technique to better protect sensitive information in cloud computing -- without significantly affecting the system's overall performance. ... > full story

Delays in video calls may not always hurt communication, study finds (October 12, 2011) -- A new study reveals how the delay computer users sometimes experience when making video calls over the internet can actually help communication in some circumstances, even though it is frustrating in many others. Researchers found that when two strangers first talked about an emotionally charged topic over a video connection with a one-second delay, they actually reported less frustration than did those who talked with no delay. ... > full story

Fuel and plastics production could be made more energy efficient and cost effective (October 12, 2011) -- Researchers have overcome a major hurdle in the quest to design a specialized type of molecular sieve that could make the production of gasoline, plastics and various chemicals more cost effective and energy efficient. ... > full story

Metal shortages alert from leading geologists: Inexorable demand for consumer goods places strain on supply of metals (October 12, 2011) -- Geologists are warning of shortages and bottlenecks of some metals due to an insatiable demand for consumer products. ... > full story

Astrophysicists find evidence of black holes' destruction of stars (October 12, 2011) -- Astrophysicists have found evidence of black holes destroying stars, a long-sought phenomenon that provides a new window into general relativity. The research also opens up a method to search for the possible existence of a large population of presently undetectable "intermediate mass" black holes which are hypothesized to be precursors to the super-massive black holes at the centers of most large galaxies. ... > full story

Computer vision experts develop 'questionable observer detector' (October 12, 2011) -- Biometrics experts are developing a tool that can help law enforcement and military officials identify suspicious individuals at crime scenes. ... > full story