The EDGE: ScienceDaily Technology Headlines -- for Thursday, June 21, 2012

ScienceDaily Technology Headlines

for Thursday, June 21, 2012

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Asymmetry may provide clue to superconductivity (June 20, 2012) -- Physicists are reporting intriguing new details regarding the quirky electronic properties of high-temperature superconductors (HTS). They discovered an asymmetric electronic order that extends into the superconducting temperature range in a recently discovered iron-based HTS. The asymmetric feature also bears a striking resemblance to the "pseudogap" order found in copper-based HTSs. ... > full story

Researchers estimate ice content of crater at moon's south pole (June 20, 2012) -- NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) spacecraft has returned data that indicate ice may make up as much as 22 percent of the surface material in a crater located on the moon's south pole. The team of NASA and university scientists using laser light from LRO's laser altimeter examined the floor of Shackleton crater. They found the crater's floor is brighter than those of other nearby craters, which is consistent with the presence of small amounts of ice. This information will help researchers understand crater formation and study other uncharted areas of the moon. ... > full story

Soon after the Big Bang, heavier elements emerge: Tin-100, a doubly magic nucleus (June 20, 2012) -- A few minutes after the Big Bang the universe contained no other elements than hydrogen and helium. Physicists have now succeeded in producing tin-100, a very unstable yet important element for understanding the formation of heavier elements. ... > full story

All things big and small: The brain's discerning taste for size (June 20, 2012) -- The brain organizes objects based on their physical size, with a specific region of the brain reserved for recognizing large objects and another reserved for small objects, according to a new article. These findings could have major implications for fields like robotics, and could lead to a greater understanding of how the brain organizes and maps information. ... > full story

Graphene is a tunable plasmonic medium (June 20, 2012) -- With a beam of infrared light, scientists have sent ripples of electrons along the surface of graphene and demonstrated that they can control the length and height of these oscillations, called plasmons, using a simple electrical circuit. This is the first time anyone has observed plasmons on graphene, sheets of carbon just one atom thick, and an important step toward using plasmons to process and transmit information in spaces too tight to use light. ... > full story

Megapixel camera? Try gigapixel (June 20, 2012) -- By synchronizing 98 tiny cameras in a single device, electrical engineers have developed a prototype camera that can create images with unprecedented detail. The camera's resolution is five times better than 20/20 human vision over a 120 degree horizontal field. The new camera has the potential to capture up to 50 gigapixels of data, which is 50,000 megapixels. By comparison, most consumer cameras are capable of taking photographs with sizes ranging from 8 to 40 megapixels. ... > full story

Taming light with graphene (June 20, 2012) -- Scientists have visualized the trapping and confinement of light on graphene, making a sheet of carbon atoms the most promising candidate for optical information processing on the nano-scale, optical detection, and ultrafast optoelectronics. ... > full story

Gold nanoparticles capable of 'unzipping' DNA (June 20, 2012) -- Gold nanoparticles with a slight positive charge work collectively to unravel DNA's double helix. This finding has ramifications for gene therapy research and the emerging field of DNA-based electronics. ... > full story

Nano-pesticides: Solution or threat for a cleaner and greener agriculture? (June 20, 2012) -- Research is urgently needed to evaluate the risks and benefits of nano-pesticides to human and environmental health. Scientists recently performed an extensive analysis of this emerging field of research. The study presents the current scientific state of art on nano-pesticides and identifies direction priorities for future research. ... > full story

Stars, jets and batteries: Multi-faceted magnetic phenomenon confirmed in the laboratory for the first time (June 20, 2012) -- Magnetic instabilities play a crucial role in the emergence of black holes and other cosmic phenomena. The confirmation of such a magnetic instability – the Tayler instability – was successfully achieved for the first time. The findings should be able to facilitate construction of large liquid-metal batteries, which are under discussion as cheap storage facilities for renewable energy. ... > full story

Solar nanowire array may increase percentage of sun's frequencies available for energy conversion (June 20, 2012) -- Using a nanowire substrate to anchor advanced photovoltaic materials, researchers are able to alleviate strains between materials that otherwise would shorten life spans for photovoltaic products. ... > full story

Sorghum should be in the biofuel crop mix, experts say (June 20, 2012) -- Sweet and biomass sorghum would meet the need for next-generation biofuels to be environmentally sustainable, easily adopted by producers and take advantage of existing agricultural infrastructure. ... > full story

Very Large Telescope takes a close look at the War and Peace Nebula (June 20, 2012) -- ESO's Very Large Telescope has taken the most detailed image so far of a spectacular part of the stellar nursery called the War and Peace Nebula. The view shows many hot young stars, glowing clouds of gas and weird dust formations sculpted by ultraviolet radiation and stellar winds. ... > full story

Paddle vs. propeller: Which competitive swimming stroke is superior? (June 19, 2012) -- In time for the US Olympic Trials, engineers settle the argument over which swim stroke technique -- deep catch or sculling -- is faster. ... > full story

Most quasars live on snacks, not large meals (June 19, 2012) -- A census of 30 quasar host galaxies, conducted with the Hubble Space Telescope and Spitzer Space Telescope, has found that black holes in the early universe may have only needed a few snacks, such as a batch of gas or the occasional small satellite galaxy, rather than one giant meal to fuel their quasars and help them grow. ... > full story

Mars weather report: Size of particles in Martian clouds of carbon dioxide snow calculated (June 19, 2012) -- New research shows that, much like Earth, the polar caps of Mars change with the seasons. In the dead of a Martian winter, clouds of snow blanket the Red Planet's poles -- but unlike our water-based snow, the particles on Mars are frozen crystals of carbon dioxide. Most of the Martian atmosphere is composed of carbon dioxide, and in the winter, the poles get so cold -- cold enough to freeze alcohol -- that the gas condenses, forming tiny particles of snow. ... > full story

New gravitational biology lab allows for testing in artificial gravity (June 19, 2012) -- NASA is expanding its existing capabilities for doing plant and animal tissue investigations on the International Space Station with the delivery of a new centrifuge scheduled for this summer. The centrifuge is a NASA and commercial industry collaboration, and will be housed in the NanoRacks facility. ... > full story

Compact blue dwarf can’t hide from Hubble (June 19, 2012) -- The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has captured a new view of the dwarf galaxy UGC 5497, which looks a bit like salt sprinkled on black velvet in the image. ... > full story

From pomegranate peel to nanoparticles (June 19, 2012) -- Food waste is a growing problem in many parts of the world, but discarded fruit peel, in the case of pomegranates, could be put to good use in the burgeoning field of nanotechnology according to new research. ... > full story

Where to put nuclear waste: My backyard? (June 19, 2012) -- Researchers in Finland have found that acceptance of the site of a spent nuclear fuel repository can depend on gender and economic background. Affluent men more often have a positive opinion on the location of such facilities than women or disadvantaged people. ... > full story

Oxygen 'sensor' may shut down DNA transcription (June 19, 2012) -- A key component found in an ancient anaerobic microorganism may serve as a sensor to detect potentially fatal oxygen, researchers have found. This helps researchers learn more about the function of these components, called iron-sulfur clusters, which occur in different parts of cells in all living creatures. ... > full story

Robots get a feel for the world: Touch more sensitve than a human's (June 18, 2012) -- What does a robot feel when it touches something? Little or nothing until now. Specially designed robots can now be equipped with a sense of touch even more sensitive than that of humans. ... > full story

On the origin of music by means of natural selection (June 18, 2012) -- Do away with the DJ and scrap the composer. A computer program powered by Darwinian natural selection and the musical tastes of 7,000 website users may be on the way to creating a perfect pop tune, according to new research. ... > full story

Chemists use nanopores to detect DNA damage (June 18, 2012) -- Scientists are racing to sequence DNA faster and cheaper than ever by passing strands of the genetic material through molecule-sized pores. Now, scientists have adapted this “nanopore” method to find DNA damage that can lead to mutations and disease. ... > full story

Dating evidence: Relics could be of John the Baptist (June 18, 2012) -- New dating evidence supports claims that bones found under a church floor in Bulgaria may be of John the Baptist, who is described in the Bible as a leading prophet and relative of Jesus Christ. Scientists dated a knucklebone from the right hand to the 1st century AD, a date which fits with the widely held view of when he would have lived. The researchers say they were surprised when they discovered the very early age of the remains adding, however, that dating evidence alone cannot prove the bones to be of John the Baptist. ... > full story

'Facebook for animals' tested on wild great tits (June 18, 2012) -- A new way of analyzing the social networks that link individual animals to each other has been tested on wild great tits. ... > full story

Natural exposure to gamma rays in background radiation linked to childhood leukemia (June 18, 2012) -- New findings demonstrate that there are small effects of radiation even at very low doses. ... > full story

Carbon is key for getting algae to pump out more oil (June 18, 2012) -- Overturning two long-held misconceptions about oil production in algae, scientists show that ramping up the microbes' overall metabolism by feeding them more carbon increases oil production as the organisms continue to grow. The findings may point to new ways to turn photosynthetic green algae into tiny "green factories" for producing raw materials for alternative fuels. ... > full story

Reflected infrared light unveils never-before-seen details of Renaissance paintings (June 18, 2012) -- When restoring damaged and faded works of art, artists often employ lasers and other sophisticated imaging techniques to study intricate details, analyze pigments, and search for subtle defects not visible to the naked eye. To refine what can be seen during the restoration process even further, a team of Italian researchers has developed a new imaging tool that can capture features not otherwise detectable with the naked eye or current imaging techniques. ... > full story

Particle physics: BaBar data hint at cracks in the Standard Model (June 18, 2012) -- Recently analyzed data from the BaBar experiment may suggest possible flaws in the Standard Model of particle physics, the reigning description of how the universe works on subatomic scales. The data from BaBar, a high-energy physics experiment, show that a particular type of particle decay called "B to D-star-tau-nu" happens more often than the Standard Model says it should. ... > full story

Study improves understanding of surface molecules in controlling size of gold nanoparticles (June 18, 2012) -- Researchers have shown that the "bulkiness" of molecules commonly used in the creation of gold nanoparticles actually dictates the size of the nanoparticles – with larger so-called ligands resulting in smaller nanoparticles. The research team also found that each type of ligand produces nanoparticles in a particular array of discrete sizes. ... > full story

Black holes as particle detectors (June 18, 2012) -- Black holes could serve as particle detectors, say scientists. Axions, a hypothetical but not improbable kind of particles, could accumulate around a black hole, creating a "boson cloud". After some time, this boson cloud would collapse, sending out characteristic gravity waves. ... > full story

Automated pavement crack detection and sealing prototype system developed (June 18, 2012) -- Researchers have developed a prototype automated pavement crack detection and sealing system. In road tests, the system was able to detect cracks smaller than one-eighth-inch wide and efficiently fill cracks from a vehicle moving at a speed of three miles per hour. ... > full story

Sustainability index that looks beyond GDP launched (June 17, 2012) -- The world's fixation on economic growth ignores a rapid and largely irreversible depletion of natural resources that will seriously harm future generations, according to a report which unveils a new indicator aimed at encouraging sustainability -- the Inclusive Wealth Index (IWI). The IWI looks beyond the traditional economic and development yardsticks of GDP and HDI to include a full range of assets such as manufactured, human and natural capital. ... > full story

Ionic liquid improves speed and efficiency of hydrogen-producing catalyst (June 16, 2012) -- The design of a nature-inspired material that can make energy-storing hydrogen gas has gone holistic. Usually, tweaking the design of this particular catalyst -- a work in progress for cheaper, better fuel cells -- results in either faster or more energy efficient production but not both. Now, researchers have found a condition that creates hydrogen faster without a loss in efficiency. ... > full story

Nanoparticles hold promise to improve blood cancer treatment (June 15, 2012) -- Researchers have engineered nanoparticles that show great promise for the treatment of multiple myeloma (MM), an incurable cancer of the plasma cells in bone marrow. ... > full story

No Earth impact in 2040: NASA releases workshop data and findings on asteroid 2011 AG5 (June 15, 2012) -- Researchers anticipate that asteroid 2011 AG5, discovered in January 2011, will fly safely past and not impact Earth in 2040. Observations to date indicate there is a slight chance that AG5 could impact Earth in 2040. Experts are now confident that in the next four years, analysis of space and ground-based observations will show the likelihood of 2011 AG5 missing Earth to be greater than 99 percent. ... > full story

Data from NASA's Voyager 1 point to interstellar future (June 15, 2012) -- Data from NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft indicate that the venerable deep-space explorer has encountered a region in space where the intensity of charged particles from beyond our solar system has markedly increased. Voyager scientists looking at this rapid rise draw closer to an inevitable but historic conclusion -- that humanity's first emissary to interstellar space is on the edge of our solar system. ... > full story

Test of spare wheel puts NASA's Mars Odysse orbiter on path to recovery (June 15, 2012) -- In a step toward returning NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter to full service, mission controllers have tested a spare reaction wheel on the spacecraft for potential use with two other reaction wheels in adjusting and maintaining the spacecraft's orientation. ... > full story

Dawn easing into its final science orbit (June 15, 2012) -- After successfully completing nearly five months scrutinizing the giant asteroid Vesta at its lowest orbit altitude, NASA's Dawn spacecraft will begin its final major science data-gathering phase at Vesta on June 15, at an average altitude of 420 miles (680 kilometers) above the surface. ... > full story

First flight instrument delivered for James Webb Space Telescope (June 15, 2012) -- The first of four instruments to fly aboard NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (Webb) has been delivered to NASA. The Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) will allow scientists to study cold and distant objects in greater detail than ever before. ... > full story

Knowledge of fractions and long division predicts long-term math success (June 15, 2012) -- From factory workers to Wall Street bankers, a reasonable proficiency in math is a crucial requirement for most well-paying jobs in a modern economy. Yet, over the past 30 years, mathematics achievement of US high school students has remained stagnant -- and significantly behind many other countries, including China, Japan, Finland, the Netherlands and Canada. A research team led by Carnegie Mellon University's Robert Siegler has identified a major source of the gap -- US students' inadequate knowledge of fractions and division. ... > full story

Neutrons escaping to a parallel world? (June 15, 2012) -- In a new paper, researchers hypothesize the existence of mirror particles to explain the anomalous loss of neutrons observed experimentally. The existence of such mirror matter had been suggested in various scientific contexts some time ago, including the search for suitable dark matter candidates. ... > full story

Quantum computing? Quantum bar magnets in a transparent salt (June 15, 2012) -- Scientists have managed to switch on and off the magnetism of a new material using quantum mechanics, making the material a test bed for future quantum devices. ... > full story

Physicists predict success of movies at the box office based solely on advertising costs (June 15, 2012) -- A group of Japanese scientists have surprised themselves by being able to predict the success or failure of blockbuster movies at the box office using a set of mathematical models. The researchers used the effects of advertising and word-of-mouth communication to create a model that turned out to be successful in predicting how each movie fared once it hit the silver screen. The only data the researchers needed to put into the model were the daily advertisement costs of 25 movies that appeared in Japanese cinemas. ... > full story

New solar active region spitting out flares (June 14, 2012) -- An active region on the sun, numbered AR 1504, rotated into view over the left side of the sun on June 10, 2012. The region fired off two M-class flares and two coronal mass ejections (CMEs) on June 13 and June 14, 2012. ... > full story

Catching some rays: Organic solar cells make a leap forward (June 14, 2012) -- Organic solar cells are becoming more efficient thanks to a new set of discoveries that alter their behaviors at the electronic level. ... > full story

Engineers perfecting carbon nanotubes for highly energy-efficient computing (June 14, 2012) -- Carbon nanotubes represent a significant departure from traditional silicon technologies and offer a promising path to solving the challenge of energy efficiency in computer circuits, but they aren't without challenges. Now, engineers have found ways around the challenges to produce the first full-wafer digital logic structures based on carbon nanotubes. ... > full story