ScienceDaily Technology Headlines -- for Friday, July 1, 2011

ScienceDaily Technology Headlines

for Friday, July 1, 2011

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Scientists hope to get glimpse of adolescent universe from revolutionary instrument-on-a-chip (July 1, 2011) -- Thanks to technological advances,scientists hope to provide a picture of how the cosmos developed into the kind of place that could support life like that found on Earth. ... > full story

Transmission lines for nanofocusing of infrared light (July 1, 2011) -- Researchers in Spain report an innovative method to focus infrared light with tapered transmission lines to nanometer-size dimensions. This device could trigger the development of novel chemical and biological sensing tools, including ultra-small infrared spectrometers and lab-on-a-chip integrated biosensors. ... > full story

Takeoffs and landings cause more precipitation near airports, researchers find (July 1, 2011) -- Researchers have found that areas near commercial airports sometimes experience a small but measurable increase in rain and snow when aircraft take off and land under certain atmospheric conditions. The new study is part of ongoing research that focuses on so-called hole punch and canal clouds that form when planes fly through certain mid-level clouds, forcing nearby air to rapidly expand and cool. ... > full story

Recalculation of the Potsdam geoid shows time-dependent variation of gravity (July 1, 2011) -- The "Potsdam Gravity potato", as this representation of terrestrial gravity has become known, can for the first time display gravity variations that change with time. The seasonal fluctuations of the water balance of continents or melting or growing ice masses, i.e. climate-related variables, are now included in the modeling of the gravity field. ... > full story

‘Nanocrystal doping’ results in semiconductor nanocrystals with enhanced electrical function (July 1, 2011) -- Researchers have achieved a breakthrough in the field of nanoscience by successfully altering nanocrystal properties with impurity atoms -- a process called doping -- thereby opening the way for the manufacture of improved semiconductor nanocrystals. ... > full story

Novel analysis method organizes genomic cancer data (June 30, 2011) -- The technology that allows scientists to profile the entire genome of individual tumors offers new hope for discovering ways to select the best treatment for each patient's particular type of cancer. However, these profiles produce huge amounts of data, and the volume alone creates unique analytical problems. In a new study, researchers describe a new analytical approach based on a concept called multiplicity, that can organize large amounts of varied genetic data. ... > full story

Moving microscopic vision into another new dimension (June 30, 2011) -- Scientists who pioneered a revolutionary 3-D microscope technique are now describing an extension of that technology into a new dimension that promises sweeping applications in medicine, biological research, and development of new electronic devices. ... > full story

X-rays reveal patterns in the plumage of the first birds (June 30, 2011) -- Researchers report in Science Express that they have taken a big step in determining what the first birds looked like more than 100 million years ago, when their relatives, the dinosaurs, still ruled the Earth. At the Department of Energy's SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, they discovered chemical traces of a pigment, an important component of color, that once formed patterns in the feathers of the fossilized birds. ... > full story

Evolutionary kings of the hill use good, bad and ugly mutations to speed ahead of competition (June 30, 2011) -- Evolutionary adaptation is often compared to climbing a hill, and organisms making the right combination of multiple mutations -- both good and bad -- can become the king of the mountain, according to new research. Through computer simulations, researchers were able to watch evolution play out and see how populations use these combinations to evolve from one adaptive state to another. ... > full story

The future of chip manufacturing (June 30, 2011) -- Researchers have shown how to make e-beam lithography, commonly used to prototype computer chips, more practical as a mass-production technique. ... > full story

Squeezed light from single atoms (June 30, 2011) -- Scientists have generated amplitude-squeezed light fields using single atoms trapped inside optical cavities. ... > full story

'Dirty hack' restores Cluster mission from near loss (June 30, 2011) -- Using ingenuity and an unorthodox 'dirty hack', the European Space Agency has recovered the four-satellite Cluster mission from near loss. The drama began in March, when a crucial science package stopped responding to commands -- one of a mission controller's worst fears. ... > full story

Why do we share stories, news and information with others? (June 30, 2011) -- People often share stories, news and information with the people around them. We forward online articles to our friends, share stories with our co-workers at the water cooler and pass along rumors to our neighbors. Such social transmission has been going on for thousands of years, and the advent of social technologies like texting, Facebook and other social media sites has only made it faster and easier to share content with others. ... > full story

'Zombie' stars key to measuring dark energy (June 30, 2011) -- "Zombie" stars that explode like bombs as they die, only to revive by sucking matter out of other stars. According to an astrophysicist, this isn't the plot for the latest 3-D blockbuster movie. Instead, it's something that happens every day in the universe -- something that can be used to measure dark energy. ... > full story

Water can flow below -130°C (June 30, 2011) -- When water is cooled below zero degrees, it usually crystallizes directly into ice. A physicist has now managed to produce sluggishly flowing water at 130 degree below zero under high pressure -- 10,000 times higher than normal pressure. It is possible that this sluggishly fluid and cold water exists on other heavenly bodies. ... > full story

Using fear to guide smart investments (June 30, 2011) -- New research based on an examination of 50 years of market volatility in 10 stock markets in seven different countries, demonstrates that a smart stock market portfolio takes into account both negative returns and the dynamics of psychological volatility. ... > full story

Scientists develop sensitive skin for robots: Intelligent machines develop 'self-awareness' (June 30, 2011) -- Robots will soon be able to feel heat or gentle touching on their surfaces. Researchers in Germany are now producing small hexagonal plates which when joined together form a sensitive skin for "machines with brains." This will not only help robots to better navigate in their environments, it will also enable robot 'self-perception'. A single robotic arm has already been partially equipped with sensors and proves that the concept works. ... > full story

Metal particle generates new hope for hydrogen energy (June 30, 2011) -- Tiny metallic particles produced by Australian chemistry researchers are bringing new hope for the production of cheap, efficient and clean hydrogen energy. ... > full story

Researchers image graphene electron clouds, revealing how folds can harm conductivity (June 30, 2011) -- Chemists have used synchrotron light sources to observe the electron clouds on the surface of graphene, producing a series of images that reveal how folds and ripples in the remarkable material can harm its conductivity. ... > full story

Nanoparticles disguised as red blood cells to deliver cancer-fighting drugs (June 30, 2011) -- Researchers have developed a novel method of disguising nanoparticles as red blood cells, which will enable them to evade the body's immune system and deliver cancer-fighting drugs straight to a tumor. ... > full story

Internet program reduces infant and toddler sleep problems, helps moms sleep better too (June 30, 2011) -- A new study demonstrates that an Internet-based intervention was effective at reducing infant and toddler sleep disturbances, as well as providing positive, indirect benefits for maternal sleep, mood and confidence. The study suggests that the Internet can give parents widespread access to individualized, behaviorally based advice for sleep problems in young children. ... > full story

Scientists developing robotic hand of the future (June 30, 2011) -- Researchers in Spain are working to create a robotic hand that can reproduce the abilities and movements of a human hand in order to achieve the optimal manipulation of objects. ... > full story

Text message support for smokers doubles quit rates (June 30, 2011) -- Cell phones could hold the key to people giving up smoking after a program involving sending motivational and supportive text messages to smokers doubled quit rates at six months. ... > full story

'Sensing skin' could monitor the health of concrete infrastructure continually and inexpensively (June 30, 2011) -- Civil engineers and physicists have designed a new method for the electronic, continual monitoring of concrete infrastructure. The researchers say a flexible skin-like fabric with electrical properties could be adhered to areas of structures where cracks are likely to appear, such as the underside of a bridge, and detect cracks when they occur. Installing this "sensing skin" would be as simple as gluing it to a structure's surface. ... > full story

Outpatient electronic prescribing systems don't cut out common mistakes, study suggests (June 30, 2011) -- Outpatient electronic prescribing systems don't cut out the common mistakes made in manual systems, new research suggests. ... > full story

Unearthing the appearance of ancient animals: X-ray technique for determining fossil pigmentation patterns (June 30, 2011) -- An international team is unearthing the appearance of ancient animals by using the world's most powerful X-rays. New research shows how trace metals in fossils can be used to determine the pigmentation patterns of creatures dead for more than a hundred million years. ... > full story

Pigment patterns from the prehistoric past (June 30, 2011) -- An international collaboration has for the first time revealed chemical traces of pigments in bird, fish and squid fossils, some over 100 million years old. ... > full story

Ultra-sensitive graphene device for spintronics (June 29, 2011) -- A team of European scientist has developed a device capable of detecting an individual magnetic molecule. Such an unprecedented sensitivity opens new paths for spintronics. ... > full story

Growing plants on oil contaminated land (June 29, 2011) -- What happens when there is an oil spill on land? Who cleans it up and how do they do it? By optimizing the use of naturally occurring bacteria, a group of scientists was able to clean contaminated soil without using either chemicals or GMOs. ... > full story

Silver pen has the write stuff for flexible electronics (June 29, 2011) -- The pen may have bested the sword long ago, but now it's challenging wires and soldering irons. Engineers have developed a silver-inked rollerball pen capable of writing electrical circuits and interconnects on paper, wood and other surfaces. The pen is writing whole new chapters in low-cost, flexible and disposable electronics. ... > full story

New method for imaging molecules inside cells (June 29, 2011) -- Using a new sample holder, researchers have further developed a new method for imaging individual cells. This makes it possible to produce snapshots that not only show the outline of the cell's contours but also the various molecules inside or on the surface of the cell, and exactly where they are located, something which is impossible with a normal microscope. ... > full story

Universe's most distant quasar found, powered by massive black hole (June 29, 2011) -- A team of European astronomers has used European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope and a host of other telescopes to discover and study the most distant quasar found to date. This brilliant beacon, powered by a black hole with a mass two billion times that of the Sun, is by far the brightest object yet discovered in the early Universe. ... > full story

Natural gases as a therapy for heart disease? (June 29, 2011) -- An understanding of the interaction between hydrogen sulphide (the 'rotten eggs' gas) and nitric oxide, both naturally occurring in the body, could lead to the development of new therapies and interventions to treat heart failure. Researchers have analyzed the complex "cross talk" between hydrogen sulfide and nitric oxide, both gasses that occur naturally in the body, and found that the interaction may offer potential strategies in the management of heart failure. ... > full story

How bumblebees tackle the traveling salesman problem (June 29, 2011) -- New research reveals how bumblebees effectively plan their route between the most rewarding flowers while traveling the shortest distances. ... > full story

Jackson Pollock, artist and physicist? (June 29, 2011) -- A quantitative analysis of Pollock's streams, drips, and coils, by a mathematician reveals that the artist Jackson Pollock had to be slow -- he had to be deliberate -- to exploit fluid dynamics in the way that he did. ... > full story

Bacterium engineered with DNA in which thymine is replaced by synthetic building block (June 29, 2011) -- The genetic information of all living cells is stored in the DNA composed of the four canonical bases adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G) and thymine (T). An international team of researchers has now succeeded in generating a bacterium possessing a DNA in which thymine is replaced by the synthetic building block 5-Chlorouracil (c), a substance toxic for other organisms. ... > full story

Tiny ring laser accurately detects and counts nanoparticles (June 29, 2011) -- A ring-shaped laser no bigger than a pinprick can accurately detect and count individual viruses, the particles that jumpstart cloud formation or those that contaminate the air we breathe. A particle disturbs the light circulating in the ring, splitting the lasing frequency. This split is a measure of the particle's size. ... > full story

Splitsville for boron nitride nanotubes (June 29, 2011) -- Researchers have developed a technique for mass-producing defect-free boron nitride nanoribbons (BNNRs) of uniform length and thickness. BNNRs are predicted to display magnetic and electronic properties that hold enormous potential for future devices. ... > full story

Astronomers discover Universe’s most distant quasar (June 29, 2011) -- A team of astronomers has discovered the most distant quasar to date -- a development that could help further our understanding of a universe still in its infancy following the Big Bang. ... > full story

Researchers contribute to global plant database, expanding ecosystems research (June 29, 2011) -- A new database of plants' traits will help scientists around the world learn more about how climate change is affecting ecosystems. The availability of plant trait data in the unified global database promises to support a paradigm shift in Earth system sciences. ... > full story

Tripping the fluid dynamic: The physics of Jackson Pollock (June 29, 2011) -- The abstract expressionist paintings of Jackson Pollock reveal that the American artist was an intuitive master of the laws that govern the flow of liquids under gravity, according to a multidisciplinary team of researchers. ... > full story

Studying solar wind (June 29, 2011) -- Scientists have measured oxygen isotopes in solar wind, captured by NASA's Genesis mission, to infer the isotopic composition of the sun, and, by inference, the solar system as a whole. ... > full story

Subatomic quantum memory in diamond demonstrated (June 28, 2011) -- Physicists have developed a breakthrough in the use of diamond in quantum physics, marking an important step toward quantum computing. ... > full story

Improved stepladder design may decrease injuries (June 28, 2011) -- Stepladders, a household product used by thousands of people every day, are a surprisingly common cause of injury. In 2009, more than 187,000 Americans visited the hospital after sustaining stepladder injuries, many of which resulted from a fall. A recent human factors/ergonomics study explores how improved design and user behavior can decrease the likelihood of future accidents. ... > full story

Are the wealthiest countries the smartest countries? (June 28, 2011) -- It's not just how free the market is. Some economists are looking at another factor that determines how much a country's economy flourishes: how smart its people are. Researchers have analyzed test scores from 90 countries and found that the intelligence of the people, particularly the smartest 5 percent, made a big contribution to the strength of their economies. ... > full story

Inkjet printing could change the face of solar energy industry (June 28, 2011) -- Inkjet printers, a low-cost technology that in recent decades has revolutionized home and small office printing, may soon offer similar benefits for the future of solar energy. Engineers have discovered a way for the first time to create successful solar devices with inkjet printing, in work that reduces raw material waste by 90 percent and will significantly lower the cost of producing solar energy cells with some very promising compounds. ... > full story

Model finds optimal fiber optic network connections 10,000 times more quickly (June 28, 2011) -- Designing fiber optic networks involves finding the most efficient way to connect phones and computers that are in different places -- a costly and time-consuming process. Now researchers have developed a model that can find optimal connections 10,000 times more quickly, using less computing power to solve the problem. ... > full story

Neutron star bites off more than it can chew (June 28, 2011) -- The European Space Agency's XMM-Newton space observatory has watched a faint star flare up at X-ray wavelengths to almost 10 000 times its normal brightness. Astronomers believe the outburst was caused by the star trying to eat a giant clump of matter. ... > full story