The EDGE: ScienceDaily Technology Headlines -- for Friday, June 1, 2012

ScienceDaily Technology Headlines

for Friday, June 1, 2012

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New small solid oxide fuel cell reaches record efficiency (May 31, 2012) -- A new solid oxide fuel cell system can achieve a record of up to 57 percent efficiency and is designed to be scaled up to generate electricity for individual homes or neighborhoods. ... > full story

Slingshot-driven device stops high-velocity projectiles without destroying them (May 31, 2012) -- What do you get when you combine a slingshot, a fish tank, a stack of 2-by-4s and five engineering students determined to help the United States Air Force? A device to stop high-velocity projectiles without destroying them. ... > full story

Cosmic calculations for exploring where stars are born (May 31, 2012) -- Astrophysicists can now analyze the vast molecular clouds of gas and dust where stars are born more accurately. New research has solved equations of quantum mechanics to describe more precisely the interactions between molecules of hydrogen and carbon monoxide, the two most abundant gases in space. ... > full story

X-ray laser probes biomolecules to individual atoms (May 31, 2012) -- Scientists have demonstrated how the world's most powerful X-ray laser can assist in cracking the structures of biomolecules, and in the processes helped to pioneer critical new investigative avenues in biology. ... > full story

Building molecular 'cages' to fight disease (May 31, 2012) -- Biochemists have designed specialized proteins that assemble themselves to form tiny molecular cages hundreds of times smaller than a single cell. The creation of these miniature structures may be the first step toward developing new methods of drug delivery or even designing artificial vaccines. ... > full story

Crash of the Titans: Milky Way is destined for head-on collision with Andromeda Galaxy (May 31, 2012) -- Astronomers can now predict with certainty the next major cosmic event to affect our galaxy, Sun, and solar system: the titanic collision of our Milky Way galaxy with the neighboring Andromeda galaxy. The Milky Way is destined to get a major makeover during the encounter, which is predicted to happen four billion years from now. It's likely the Sun will be flung into a new region of our galaxy, but our Earth and solar system are in no danger of being destroyed. ... > full story

NASA preparing to launch its newest X-ray eyes (May 31, 2012) -- NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, or NuSTAR, is being prepared for the final journey to its launch pad on Kwajalein Atoll in the central Pacific Ocean. The mission will study everything from massive black holes to our own sun. It is scheduled to launch no earlier than June 13. ... > full story

SpaceX Dragon capsule returns to Earth after first commercial flight to space station (May 31, 2012) -- SpaceX's Dragon capsule splashed down in the Pacific Ocean at 11:42 a.m. EDT a few hundred miles west of Baja California, Mexico, marking a successful end to the first mission by a commercial company to resupply the International Space Station. ... > full story

ALMA Turns its Eyes to Centaurus A (May 31, 2012) -- A new image of the center of the distinctive galaxy Centaurus A shows how the new observatory allows astronomers to see through the opaque dust lanes that obscure the galaxy’s center, with unprecedented quality. ... > full story

Methane on Mars is not an indication of life: UV radiation releases methane from organic materials from meteorites (May 31, 2012) -- It was a sensation when scientists discovered methane in Mars’ atmosphere nine years ago. Many saw the presence of the gas as a clear indication of life on the inhospitable planet, as on Earth methane is produced predominantly by biological processes. Others assumed geological processes, such as volcanoes, to be the cause. Researchers have now been able to show that methane escapes from a meteorite if it is irradiated with ultraviolet light under Martian conditions. ... > full story

Electric moon jolts the solar wind (May 31, 2012) -- With the moon as the most prominent object in the night sky and a major source of an invisible pull that creates ocean tides, many ancient cultures thought it could also affect our health or state of mind -- the word "lunacy" has its origin in this belief. Now, a powerful combination of spacecraft and computer simulations is revealing that the moon does indeed have a far-reaching, invisible influence -- not on us, but on the Sun, or more specifically, the solar wind. ... > full story

Hunting planets with laser rulers (May 31, 2012) -- Laser frequency combs can be used for the calibration of astronomical spectrographs. This will help to find extra-solar planets, i.e. planets that are orbiting a star outside our solar-system. By refining this technology it might become possible to directly measure even very small changes in the expansion velocity of the universe. ... > full story

New properties of carbon material graphene discovered (May 30, 2012) -- Scientists have shown that graphene has two properties that could have applications in high-speed telecommunications devices and laser technology -- population inversion of electrons and broadband optical gain. ... > full story

Could sarcastic computers be in our future? New math model can help computers understand inference (May 30, 2012) -- Researchers have created a mathematical model that helps predict pragmatic reasoning and may eventually lead to the manufacture of machines that can better understand inference, context and social rules. ... > full story

Nanodevice manufacturing strategy using DNA 'Building blocks' (May 30, 2012) -- Researchers have developed a method for building complex nanostructures out of interlocking DNA "building blocks" that can be programmed to assemble themselves into precisely designed shapes. With further development, the technology could one day enable the creation of new nanoscale devices that deliver drugs directly to disease sites. ... > full story

Stellar archeology traces Milky Way's history (May 30, 2012) -- Unfortunately, stars don't have birth certificates. So, astronomers have a tough time figuring out their ages. Knowing a star's age is critical for understanding how our Milky Way galaxy built itself up over billions of years from smaller galaxies. But an astronomer has now found the next best thing to a star's birth certificate. ... > full story

Why Earth is not an ice ball: Possible explanation for faint young sun paradox (May 30, 2012) -- More than 2 billion years ago, a much fainter sun should have left the Earth as an orbiting ice ball. Why we avoided the deep freeze is a question that has puzzled scientists, but one astronomer might have an answer. ... > full story

More atomic hydrogen gas lurks in universe: There's more star-stuff out there, but it's not dark matter (May 30, 2012) -- More atomic hydrogen gas -- the ultimate fuel for stars -- is lurking in today's universe than we thought, astronomers have found. This is the first accurate measurement of this gas in galaxies close to our own. ... > full story

BioChip may make diagnosis of leukemia and HIV faster, cheaper (May 30, 2012) -- Inexpensive, portable devices that can rapidly screen cells for leukemia or HIV may soon be possible thanks to a chip that can produce three-dimensional focusing of a stream of cells, according to researchers. ... > full story

Freecycling has viral effect on community spirit and generosity (May 30, 2012) -- Reinforcing that the best things in life are free, a new study shows that online freebie-exchange communities such as "Freecycle" and "Couchsurfing" foster greater team spirit among their members than do cash-for-goods websites. ... > full story

Arctic bacteria help in the search to find life on Jupiter's moon Europa (May 30, 2012) -- In a fjord in Canada, scientists have found a landscape similar to one of Jupiter's icy moons: Europa. It consists of a frozen and sulfurous environment, where sulfur associated with Arctic bacteria offer clues for the upcoming missions in the search for traces of life on Europa. ... > full story

Pollution deadening contruction: Nanoparticle coating interacts with sunlight to eliminate contaminants (May 30, 2012) -- Researchers have developed a type of coating for construction materials. It is based on nanoparticles that interact with sunlight and trigger a chemical reaction that eliminates certain air pollutants. It is reckoned that the reduction in atmospheric pollution could be 90% of nitrogen oxides, 80% of hydrocarbons, and 75% of carbon monoxides emitted. ... > full story

Microreactors to produce explosive materials (May 30, 2012) -- The larger the reaction vessel, the quicker products can be made – or so you might think. Microreactors show just how wrong that assumption is: in fact, they can be used to produce explosive materials – nitroglycerine, for instance – around ten times faster than in conventional vessels, and much more safely as well. ... > full story

Cheaper catalysts with the finest gold dust in the world (May 30, 2012) -- Scientists have found a method to locate single gold atoms on a surface. This should pave the way to better and cheaper catalysts. ... > full story

Cellular computers? Scientists train cells to perform boolean functions (May 30, 2012) -- Scientists have engineered cells that behave like AND and OR Boolean logic gates, producing an output based on one or more unique inputs. This feat could eventually help researchers create computers that use cells as tiny circuits. ... > full story

New findings on astronaut vision loss (May 30, 2012) -- Could vision changes experienced by astronauts be linked to a vitamin B-12 or folate deficiency? While investigating the vision changes recently identified in astronauts, nutritional assessment data showed similarities to symptoms that occur with vitamin deficiencies, according to a new study. ... > full story

NASA lunar spacecraft complete prime mission ahead of schedule (May 30, 2012) -- A NASA mission to study the moon from crust to core has completed its prime mission earlier than expected. The team of NASA's Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission, with twin probes named Ebb and Flow, is now preparing for extended science operations starting Aug. 30 and continuing through Dec. 3, 2012. ... > full story

Mathematicians can conjure matter waves inside an invisible hat (May 29, 2012) -- Mathematicians have devised an amplifier that can boost light, sound or other waves while hiding them inside an invisible container. ... > full story

Copper-nickel nanowires could be perfect fit for printable electronics (May 29, 2012) -- Chemists have mixed some nickel into their recipe for low-cost copper nanowires to prevent them from turning green like old pennies. The flexible, electrically conductive nanowires conduct electricity even under conditions that break down the transfer of electrons in plain silver and copper nanowires. Films made with copper-nickel nanowires are stable and inexpensive, good candidates for printed electronics, electronic paper, smart packaging and interactive clothing, said a chemist. ... > full story

Short movies stored in an atomic vapor (May 29, 2012) -- A two-frame "movie" has been stored for the first time in a vapor of room-temperature rubidium atoms. ... > full story

Ghostly gamma-ray beams blast from Milky Way's center (May 29, 2012) -- As galaxies go, our Milky Way is pretty quiet. Active galaxies have cores that glow brightly, powered by supermassive black holes swallowing material, and often spit twin jets in opposite directions. In contrast, the Milky Way's center shows little activity. But it wasn't always so peaceful. New evidence of ghostly gamma-ray beams suggests that the Milky Way's central black hole was much more active in the past. ... > full story

What your Facebook picture says about your background (May 29, 2012) -- For millions of its Western users, the picture they choose to illustrate themselves on Facebook is an important decision to make. They know it can be the first impression that anyone in the world receives of them, so they’re often deeply conscious of what features are displayed and what flaws are hidden by their chosen image. But despite their careful deliberation the decision may not be a personal or independent one at all – the choice may be more conditioned by cultural factors than anyone assumes. ... > full story

Ion-based electronic chip to control muscles: Entirely new circuit technology based on ions and molecules (May 29, 2012) -- An integrated chemical chip has just been developed. An advantage of chemical circuits is that the charge carrier consists of chemical substances with various functions. This means that we now have new opportunities to control and regulate the signal paths of cells in the human body. The chemical chip can control the delivery of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. This enables chemical control of muscles, which are activated when they come into contact with acetylcholine. ... > full story

Method for building artificial tissue devised (May 28, 2012) -- Physicists have developed a method that models biological cell-to-cell adhesion that could also have industrial applications. ... > full story

People smile when they are frustrated, and the computer knows the difference (May 28, 2012) -- Do you smile when you're frustrated? Most people think they don't -- but they actually do, a new study has found. What's more, it turns out that computers programmed with the latest information from this research do a better job of differentiating smiles of delight and frustration than human observers do. ... > full story

The Transit of Venus: June 5-6, 2012 (May 28, 2012) -- Many astronomers and members of the public in Britain will be getting up early on the morning of June 6, so they can see (using precautions to avoid permanent eye damage) the final Transit of Venus of the 21st century. The Transit, when Venus passes directly between Earth and the Sun, was last seen in 2004 and will not happen again until the year 2117. ... > full story

Orion clean room subs filters, fans for ceiling (May 28, 2012) -- Turns out a clean room doesn't necessarily need a roof, NASA is finding out as it tries out a design that could be assembled around the Orion spacecraft as it is prepared for launch in the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The key to the concept, developed by Astrotech, is two 10-foot-high walls of filter-equipped fans positioned 30 feet apart to push and pull the air in one direction across the capsule, keeping particles from settling on the spacecraft's surface. ... > full story

Hubble sees a spiral within a spiral (May 28, 2012) -- NASA's Hubble Space Telescope captured a new image of the spiral galaxy known as ESO 498-G5. One interesting feature of this galaxy is that its spiral arms wind all the way into the center, so that ESO 498-G5's core looks like a bit like a miniature spiral galaxy. This sort of structure is in contrast to the elliptical star-filled centers (or bulges) of many other spiral galaxies, which instead appear as glowing masses. ... > full story

Smallest possible five-ringed structure made: 'Olympicene' molecule built using clever synthetic organic chemistry (May 28, 2012) -- Scientists have created and imaged the smallest possible five-ringed structure -- about 100,000 times thinner than a human hair. Dubbed 'olympicene', the single molecule was brought to life in a picture thanks to a combination of clever synthetic chemistry and state-of-the-art imaging techniques. ... > full story

Explanation for friction: Origin of sliding friction between solid objects (May 28, 2012) -- Friction is a key phenomenon in applied physics, whose origin has been studied for centuries. Until now, it has been understood that mechanical wear-resistance and fluid lubrication affect friction, but the fundamental origin of sliding friction has been unknown. Scientists have now explained the origin of sliding friction between solid objects. According to his theory, the amount of friction depends on the surface energy of the materials in question. ... > full story

Researchers have created glasses that indicate obstacles to patients with visual handicaps (May 28, 2012) -- People with moderate visual impairment, particularly those who have difficulty perceiving the full extent of their surroundings, could use the ingenious new device. “This device is aimed at people who would bump into everything that they fail to see because of their loss of visual field, caused by glaucoma, retinal pathologies, etc.”, one of the researchers said. ... > full story

'Unzipped' carbon nanotubes could help energize fuel cells and batteries (May 27, 2012) -- Multi-walled carbon nanotubes riddled with defects and impurities on the outside could replace some of the expensive platinum catalysts used in fuel cells and metal-air batteries, according to scientists. ... > full story

Computer model pinpoints prime materials for efficient carbon capture (May 27, 2012) -- The electric power industry expects eventually to implement carbon capture of emissions in order to reduce greenhouse gases, yet today's best technology eats up 30 percent of a plant's power. Scientists have now created a computer model that analyzes the millions of possible porous capture structures, from zeolites to MOFs, to pinpoint ones that can improve energy efficiency, so that chemists can synthesize and test them for future use. ... > full story

Super-sensitive tests could detect diseases earlier (May 27, 2012) -- Scientists have developed an ultra-sensitive test that should enable them to detect signs of a disease in its earliest stages. ... > full story

Tongue analysis software uses ancient Chinese medicine to warn of disease (May 26, 2012) -- Researchers have developed computer software that automatically analyzes images of the tongue, one of the measures used to classify the overall physical status of the body, or zheng, in Chinese traditional medicine. ... > full story

Math predicts size of clot-forming cells (May 25, 2012) -- Mathematicians have helped biologists figure out why platelets, the cells that form blood clots, are the size and shape that they are. Because platelets are important both for healing wounds and in strokes and other conditions, a better understanding of how they form and behave could have wide implications. ... > full story

High-speed method to aid search for solar energy storage catalysts (May 25, 2012) -- Scientist have developed a new high-throughput method to identify electrocatalysts for water oxidation. ... > full story

SpaceX Dragon attached to International Space Station In spaceflight first (May 25, 2012) -- The International Space Station's Expedition 31 crew grappled and attached SpaceX's Dragon capsule to the space station Friday (May 25, 2012). This is the first time a commercial company has accomplished this type of space operation. ... > full story