ScienceDaily Technology Headlines -- for Monday, October 31, 2011

ScienceDaily Technology Headlines

for Monday, October 31, 2011

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Speedy 3-D X-rays in the operating room (October 30, 2011) -- Having an operation always places strain on patients, and this is especially true of complicated operations. Surgeons use 3-D X-rays to check the results before the patient has left the operating room. This does help to avoid possible complications, but it also means interrupting the surgery. Researchers are now developing a 3-D X-ray system that can be integrated seamlessly into operating procedure – with no more forced interruptions. ... > full story

Asteroid lutetia: Primitive body from solar system's planet-forming period (October 30, 2011) -- The European Space Agency's Rosetta spacecraft has revealed asteroid Lutetia to be a primitive body, left over as the planets were forming in our Solar System. Results from Rosetta's fleeting flyby also suggest that this mini-world tried to grow a metal heart. ... > full story

'New paradigm' in the way drugs can be manufactured: New method to build important heparin drug (October 30, 2011) -- Researchers working to change forever the way some of the most widely used drugs in the world are manufactured have announced an important step toward making this a reality. ... > full story

A 3-D reconstructed image of neural dendritic trees using the advanced electron microscope technology (October 29, 2011) -- Scientists have revealed the minute properties of dendritic trees by reconstructing 3-D images using the advanced electron microscope technology. The research team demonstrated the principle that "neurons normalize receiving signals, making it easier to receive farther signals because of the morphological characteristics of dendritic trees." ... > full story

Laser polishes components to a high-gloss finish (October 29, 2011) -- At present, components used in areas such as tool and die making generally have to be painstakingly polished by hand -- but a recently developed automated process could soon offer a much faster solution. ... > full story

Printed protection: Low-cost paper-based wireless sensor could help detect explosive devices (October 28, 2011) -- Researchers have developed a prototype wireless sensor capable of detecting trace amounts of a key ingredient found in many explosives. The device, which employs carbon nanotubes, is printed on paper or paper-like material. ... > full story

Astronomers pin down galaxy collision rate with Hubble data (October 28, 2011) -- A new analysis of Hubble surveys, combined with simulations of galaxy interactions, reveals that the merger rate of galaxies over the last 8 billion to 9 billion years falls between the previous estimates. ... > full story

Shaken, not stirred: Scientists spy molecular maneuvers (October 28, 2011) -- By shaking not stirring their solutions, researchers have been able to engineer two-dimensional, biomimetic nanosheets with atomic precision for a wide range of applications, including the creation of platforms for sensing molecules or membranes for filtration. To enable this self-assembly of 2D nanosheets they have developed a programmable vial rocking device they call a "SheetRocker." ... > full story

Celestial compass obscured by urban light pollution for some nocturnal animals (October 28, 2011) -- Urban light pollution has been shown to reduce the visibility of not only the stars, but also of an important navigational signal for some nocturnal animals. During clear moonlit nights, a compass-like pattern of polarized light that is invisible to the human eye stretches across the sky. The nighttime skyglow over major cities renders this celestial compass unobservable over large areas, according to a new study. ... > full story

Graphene grows better on certain copper crystals (October 28, 2011) -- New observations could improve industrial production of high-quality graphene, hastening the era of graphene-based consumer electronics. By combining data from several imaging techniques, engineers found that the quality of graphene depends on the crystal structure of the copper substrate it grows on. Copper with higher index numbers tends to have lower-quality graphene growth. Two common crystal structures, numbered (100) and (111), have the worst and the best growth, respectively. ... > full story

Quantum computer components 'coalesce' to 'converse' (October 28, 2011) -- A team of physicists has shown for the first time how very different types of photons can be made to share "quantum state" information. Such unlike photon links are likely to be an important feature of future quantum computers, where different types of components will need to share information with one another, just like the memory and logic circuits in today's computers. ... > full story

Starburst captured: Students photograph exploding star in pinwheel galaxy (October 28, 2011) -- In the Pinwheel Galaxy some 21 million light years from Earth, a supernova beams brightly, out-shining its cosmic neighbors and causing a stir among starwatchers. ... > full story

Restraint improves dielectric performance, lifespan (October 28, 2011) -- Just as a corset improves the appearance of its wearer by keeping everything tightly together, rigidly constraining insulating materials in electrical components can increase their energy density and decrease their rates of failure. Engineers have demonstrated that rigidly constraining dielectric materials can greatly improve their performance and potentially lengthen their lifespans. This insight follows their discovery earlier this year of the exact mechanism that causes soft dielectric materials to break down in the presence of electricity. ... > full story

Europe's top microscope for creating tomorrow's materials (October 28, 2011) -- Europe's most precise electron microscope is now in use in Sweden. The 80-300 transmission electron microscope has been adjusted so it now provides a resolution of less than 0.7 Å (about half the distance between two atoms in a silicon crystal). ... > full story

Quantum dots cast light on biomedical processes (October 27, 2011) -- The light emitted by quantum dots is both more intense and longer lasting than that produced by the fluorescent markers commonly used in medical and biological applications. Yet these nano-scale light sources still suffer from one major drawback: they do not dissolve in water. Researchers in the Netherlands and Singapore have found a way to remedy this. They have developed a coating which allows quantum dots to be used inside the human body, even inside living cells. ... > full story

Three new planets and a mystery object discovered outside our solar system (October 27, 2011) -- Three planets -- each orbiting its own giant, dying star -- have now been discovered by a team led by Alexander Wolszczan, the discoverer of the first planets ever found outside our solar system. One of these stars has another mystery object orbiting it. The research is expected to shed light on the evolution of planetary systems around dying stars and the influence of metal content on the behavior of dying stars. ... > full story

High-quality white light produced by four-color laser source; Diode lasers could challenge LEDs for home and industrial lighting supremacy (October 27, 2011) -- The human eye is as comfortable with white light generated by diode lasers as with that produced by increasingly popular light-emitting diodes, according to new tests. Both technologies pass electrical current through material to generate light, but the simpler LED emits lights only through spontaneous emission. Diode lasers bounce light back and forth internally before releasing it. ... > full story

New approach to overcome key hurdle for next-generation superconductors (October 27, 2011) -- Researchers have developed a new computational approach to improve the utility of superconductive materials for specific design applications -- and have used the approach to solve a key research obstacle for the next-generation superconductor material yttrium barium copper oxide. ... > full story

Astronomers discover complex organic matter exists throughout the universe (October 27, 2011) -- Researchers from Hong Kong report that organic compounds of unexpected complexity exist throughout the Universe. They indicate that an organic substance commonly found throughout the Universe contains a mixture of aromatic and aliphatic components. The results suggest that complex organic compounds are not the sole domain of life but can be made naturally by stars. ... > full story

'Magnetic tongue' ready to help produce tastier processed foods (October 27, 2011) -- The "electronic nose," which detects odors, has a companion among emerging futuristic "e-sensing" devices intended to replace abilities that once were strictly human-and-animal-only. It is a "magnetic tongue" -- a method used to "taste" food and identify ingredients that people describe as sweet, bitter, sour, etc. Scientists report on use of the method to taste canned tomatoes. ... > full story

Future 'comb on a chip': Compact frequency comb could go places (October 27, 2011) -- Researchers have developed a compact laser frequency comb -- a class of extraordinarily precise tools for measuring frequencies of light. The new tiny comb is a step toward user-friendly and ultimately chip-based combs that could enable new applications in astronomical searches for Earth-like planets, high-capacity telecommunications, and possibly portable versions of the most advanced atomic clocks. ... > full story

Improved characterization of nanoparticle clusters for environmental and biosensors research (October 27, 2011) -- Researchers have demonstrated a method to measure accurately both the distribution of clusters of nanoparticles in solution and how their light absorption spectrum changes with size. The measurements are important to both medical and environmental research on nanoparticles. ... > full story

3-D simulations of nova explosions (October 27, 2011) -- A new study has shown how mixing of elements occurs during a nova explosion, thus solving an enigma that has puzzled stellar astrophysicists for over half a century. ... > full story

Dividing corn stover makes ethanol conversion more efficient (October 27, 2011) -- Not all parts of a corn stalk are equal, and they shouldn't be treated that way when creating cellulosic ethanol, say researchers. ... > full story

Novel research seeks to locate Scotland's next gold mine; Geologists apply new scientific methods to gold prospecting (October 27, 2011) -- There really is gold in those hills – enough for a king’s ransom. Scotgold Resources Ltd has just been given planning permission to open Scotland’s first gold mine since gold was mined 500 years ago at Leadhills to make the Scottish crown jewels. Now the University of Leicester is involved in the search for the next natural treasure trove. ... > full story

New weapon against cancer: Microwaves can be used to create medical images (October 26, 2011) -- A research team from Sweden has developed new techniques of cancer diagnosis and treatment with the aid of microwaves, which could play a pioneering role in the battle against cancer. These techniques could save many lives and are more effective, less invasive and simpler than currently available alternatives. Clinical studies are now being planned. ... > full story

Recycling thermal cash register receipts contaminates paper products with BPA (October 26, 2011) -- Bisphenol A (BPA) -- a substance that may have harmful health effects -- occurs in 94 percent of thermal cash register receipts, scientists are reporting. The recycling of those receipts, they add, is a source of BPA contamination of paper napkins, toilet paper, food packaging and other paper products. The report could have special implications for cashiers and other people who routinely handle thermal paper receipts. ... > full story

New generation of superlattice cameras add more 'color' to night vision (October 26, 2011) -- Recent breakthroughs have enabled scientists to build cameras that can see more than one optical waveband or "color" in the dark. ... > full story

Faraway Eris is Pluto's twin (October 26, 2011) -- Astronomers have measured the diameter of the dwarf planet Eris by catching it as it passed in front of a faint star. This was seen by telescopes in Chile, including the TRAPPIST telescope at the European Southern Observatory's La Silla Observatory. The observations show that Eris is an almost perfect twin of Pluto in size and appears to be covered in a layer of ice. ... > full story

Advance toward a breath test to diagnose multiple sclerosis (October 26, 2011) -- Scientists are reporting the development and successful tests in humans of a sensor array that can diagnose multiple sclerosis (MS) from exhaled breath, an advance that they describe as a landmark in the long search for a fast, inexpensive and non-invasive test for MS -- the most common neurological disease in young adults. ... > full story

Chiral metal surfaces may help to manufacture pharmaceuticals; Novel approach could be used in pharmaceutical drug synthesis (October 26, 2011) -- New research shows how metal surfaces that lack mirror symmetry could provide a novel approach towards manufacturing pharmaceuticals. ... > full story

Nanoparticles could help pain-relieving osteoarthritis drugs last longer, study indicates (October 26, 2011) -- A novel study demonstrates that using nanoparticles to deliver osteoarthritis drugs to the knee joint could help increase the retention of the drug in the knee cavity, and therefore reduce the frequency of injections patients must receive. ... > full story

Video games used in new treatment that may fix 'lazy eye' in older children (October 26, 2011) -- A new study conducted in an eye clinic in India found that correction of amblyopia, also called "lazy eye," can be achieved in many older children, if they stick to a regimen that includes playing video games and standard amblyopia treatment. ... > full story

Light can detect pre-cancerous colon cells (October 26, 2011) -- After demonstrating that light accurately detected pre-cancerous cells in the lining of the esophagus, bioengineers turned their technology to the colon and have achieved similar results in a series of preliminary experiments. ... > full story

Production of biofuel from forests will increase greenhouse gas emissions, study finds (October 26, 2011) -- The largest and most comprehensive study yet done on the effect of biofuel production from West Coast forests has concluded that an emphasis on bioenergy would increase carbon dioxide emissions from these forests at least 14 percent. The findings are contrary to assumptions and some previous studies that suggest biofuels from this source would be carbon-neutral or even reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In this research, that wasn't true in any scenario. ... > full story

New method of growing high-quality graphene promising for next-gen technology (October 26, 2011) -- Making waves as the material that will revolutionize electronics, graphene -- composed of a single layer of carbon atoms -- has nonetheless been challenging to produce in a way that will be practical for innovative electronics applications. Researchers have discovered a method to synthesize high quality graphene in a controlled manner that may pave the way for next-generation electronics application. ... > full story

Could a computer one day rewire itself? New nanomaterial 'steers' electric currents in multiple dimensions (October 26, 2011) -- Scientists have developed a new nanomaterial that can "steer" electrical currents. The development could lead to a computer that can simply reconfigure its internal wiring and become an entirely different device, based on changing needs. The material combines different aspects of silicon- and polymer-based electronics to create a new classification of electronic materials: nanoparticle-based electronics. ... > full story

Electromobility: New components going for a test run (October 26, 2011) -- The future belongs to electrical cars -- that's what most experts think. In the future, it will be whisper-quiet on road because in the long run electric cars will replace the internal combustion engine. But there are still some unanswered questions. For instance, how do you store the electricity in cars? Or what power networks do you need? ... > full story

VISTA finds new globular star clusters and sees right through the heart of the Milky Way (October 26, 2011) -- Two newly discovered globular clusters have been added to the total of just 158 known globular clusters in our Milky Way. They were found in new images from ESO's VISTA survey telescope as part of the Via Lactea survey. This survey has also turned up the first star cluster that is far beyond the center of the Milky Way and whose light has had to travel right through the dust and gas in the heart of our galaxy to get to us. ... > full story

Magnetic nanoswitch for thermoelectric voltages (October 26, 2011) -- Thanks to a recently discovered effect in magnetic tunnel structures, thermoelectric voltages in nano-electronic junctions can be controlled. ... > full story

Laser ion source will produce a new generation of semiconductors (October 26, 2011) -- For ion implantation, that is 'hammering' ions into the surface layer of the material, conventional ion accelerators are commonly used. Laser ion sources are much simpler, cheaper and more universal. However, they emit wide energy ions usually accompanied by some admixtures. Scientists have now produced a unique laser ion source has been built which is equipped with a special system for accelerating ions to a chosen energy and for eliminating admixtures. ... > full story

Update to U.S. smart grid framework released (October 26, 2011) -- An expanded list of standards, new cybersecurity guidance and product testing proposals are among the new elements in an updated roadmap for Smart Grid interoperability released for public comment by the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). ... > full story

Watching motion of electrons in molecules during chemical reactions (October 25, 2011) -- Scientists have, for the first time, visualized the motion of electrons during a chemical reaction. The new findings in the experiment are of fundamental importance for photochemistry and could also assist the design of more efficient solar cells. ... > full story

Scientists discover way to determine when water was present on Mars and Earth (October 25, 2011) -- The discovery of the mineral jarosite in rocks analyzed by the Mars Rover, Opportunity, on the Martian surface had special meaning for a team of scientists who study the mineral here on Earth. Jarosite can only form in the presence of water. ... > full story

Nanotubes key to microscopic mechanics (October 25, 2011) -- Researchers from Spain and Belgium report on the innovative use of carbon nanotubes to create mechanical components for use in a new generation of micro-machines. While the electronics industry has excelled in miniaturizing components, with individual elements approaching the nanoscale (or a billionth of a meter), reducing the size of mechanical systems has proved much more challenging. ... > full story

Computer scientist cracks mysterious 'Copiale Cipher' (October 25, 2011) -- More than three centuries after it was devised, the 75,000-character "Copiale Cipher" has finally been broken. The mysterious cryptogram, bound in gold and green brocade paper, reveals the rituals and political leanings of a 18th-century secret society in Germany. ... > full story

First-of-a-kind tension wood study broadens biofuels research (October 25, 2011) -- Taking a cue from Mother Nature, researchers have undertaken a first-of-its-kind study of a naturally occurring phenomenon in trees to spur the development of more efficient bioenergy crops. Tension wood, which forms naturally in hardwood trees in response to bending stress, is known to possess unique features that render it desirable as a bioenergy feedstock. Although individual elements of tension wood have been studied previously, the team is the first to use a comprehensive suite of techniques to systematically characterize tension wood and link the wood's properties to sugar release. Plant sugars, known as cellulose, are fermented into alcohol for use as biofuel. ... > full story

Simple compound with surprising antifreeze properties (October 25, 2011) -- A chemical compound used to stabilize particles in suspension has proved capable of controlling the growth of ice crystals, according to researchers in France. Surprisingly, the compound in question is a simple molecule, not at all like the macromolecules previously known for their antifreeze properties. It offers many advantages, including low production costs, stability and ease of use, which should open the way to industrial applications. The discovery also provides new leads for the development of synthetic equivalents of antifreeze proteins, different from those currently produced. ... > full story