ScienceDaily Technology Headlines -- for Wednesday, March 7, 2012

ScienceDaily Technology Headlines

for Wednesday, March 7, 2012

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The cutting edge: Exploring the efficiency of bladed tooth shape (March 6, 2012) -- Using a combination of guillotine-based experiments and cutting-edge computer modeling, researchers have explored the most efficient ways for teeth to slice food. Their results show just how precisely the shape of an animal's teeth is optimized to suit the type of food it eats. ... > full story

Responding to the radiation threat (March 6, 2012) -- Researchers are developing a promising treatment for safely decontaminating humans exposed to radioactive actinides from a major radiation exposure event, such as a nuclear reactor accident or a "dirty bomb" terrorist attack. The treatment, which can be administered as a pill that can result in the excretion of approximately 90-percent of the actinide contaminants within 24 hours, has been advanced through the initial pre-clinical phases. ... > full story

With the right photo, your Facebook text profile hardly matters (March 6, 2012) -- In most cases, your profile photo on Facebook tells viewers what they need to know to form an impression of you -- no words are necessary, new research suggests. College students who viewed a Facebook photo of a fellow student having fun with friends rated that person as extraverted -- even if his profile said he was "not a big people-person." ... > full story

Potentially game-changing advances in energy materials (March 6, 2012) -- Specific advances in materials and manufacturing can deliver significant energy, environmental, and economic impacts to U.S. businesses in as soon as two to ten years, according to a new study. ... > full story

Scientists revolutionize electron microscope: New method could create highest resolution images ever (March 6, 2012) -- Researchers have revolutionized the electron microscope by developing a new method which could create the highest resolution images ever seen. ... > full story

Galaxy cluster hidden in plain view (March 6, 2012) -- A team of astronomers has discovered the most distant cluster of red galaxies ever observed using FourStar, a new and powerful near-infrared camera on the 6.5m Magellan Baade Telescope. The galaxy cluster is located 10.5 billion light years away in the direction of the constellation Leo. It is made up of 30 galaxies packed closely together, forming the earliest known "galaxy city" in the universe. ... > full story

Looking at the man in the moon: Astronomers explain why the man in the moon faces Earth (March 6, 2012) -- Many of us see a man in the moon -- a human face smiling down at us from the lunar surface. The "face," of course, is just an illusion, shaped by the dark splotches of lunar maria (smooth plains formed from the lava of ancient volcanic eruptions). Like a loyal friend, the man is always there, constantly gazing at us as the moon revolves around Earth. But why did the moon settle into an orbit with the man facing Earth? Researchers explain. ... > full story

More effective method of imaging proteins (March 6, 2012) -- Scientists have found a more effective way of imaging proteins. The next step is to film how proteins work – at molecular level. ... > full story

Space weather: Explosions on Venus (March 5, 2012) -- A recent study has found clear evidence on Venus for a type of space weather outburst quite common at Earth, called a hot flow anomaly. ... > full story

New research supports theory of extraterrestrial impact (March 5, 2012) -- Scientists have identified a nearly 13,000-year-old layer of thin, dark sediment buried in the floor of Lake Cuitzeo in central Mexico. The sediment layer contains an exotic assemblage of materials, including nanodiamonds, impact spherules, and more, which, according to the researchers, are the result of a cosmic body impacting Earth. ... > full story

Advancing understanding of energy storage mechanisms (March 5, 2012) -- Materials researchers have given the engineering world a better look at the inner functions of the electrodes of supercapacitors -- the low-cost, lightweight energy storage devices used in many electronics, transportation and many other applications. ... > full story

Miniature pressure sensors for medical touch (March 5, 2012) -- A new kind of flexible, transparent pressure sensor, developed for use in medical applications, relies on a drop of liquid. ... > full story

New nanoglue is thin and supersticky (March 5, 2012) -- Engineers have invented a superthin "nanoglue" that could be used in new-generation microchip fabrication. ... > full story

Spider silk conducts heat as well as metals (March 5, 2012) -- Researchers have discovered that spider silk is surprisingly good at transferring heat. Spider silk, in fact, conducts heat as well or better than most metals. ... > full story

Is seaweed the future of biofuel? (March 5, 2012) -- The problem with environmentally friendly biofuels is the ever-increasing amount of farmland necessary to produce these crops diverts it from food production. Now researchers are exploring common seaweed as a viable alternative. ... > full story

Nanomaterials: A coating protocol (March 5, 2012) -- A robust approach for preparing polymer-coated quantum dots may find use in a wide range of applications. ... > full story

The origin of organic magnets (March 5, 2012) -- A theoretical model for the unusual occurrence of magnetism in organic molecules may help develop this class of material for electronics applications. ... > full story

Evolving planets get a bumpy ride (March 5, 2012) -- The formation of planets occurs under constant bombardment from particles ranging from a few nanometers to tens of kilometers in size, according to recent analyses of asteroid samples by scientists. The study is the first reported analysis of grains taken directly from a solar body in space. ... > full story

X-rays reveal how soil bacteria carry out surprising chemistry (March 5, 2012) -- Researchers have discovered how soil bacteria carry out surprising chemistry, defying a longstanding set of chemical rules and thus paving the way for new synthesis of polyether drugs. ... > full story

New direction for game controllers: Prototypes tug at thumb tips to enhance video gaming (March 5, 2012) -- University of Utah engineers designed a new kind of video game controller that not only vibrates like existing devices, but pulls and stretches the thumb tips in different directions to simulate the tug of a fishing line, the recoil of a gun or the feeling of ocean waves. ... > full story

Escaping parasites and pathogens (March 4, 2012) -- In nature, how do host species survive parasite attacks? This has not been well understood, until now. A new mathematical model shows that when a host and its parasite each have multiple traits governing their interaction, the host has a unique evolutionary advantage that helps it survive. ... > full story

Study shows brain flexibility, gives hope for natural-feeling neuroprosthetics (March 4, 2012) -- A new study that shows more flexibility in the brain than previously thought could be a major boost to the development of mind-controlled neuroprosthetic devices that feel natural. ... > full story

Oxygen detected in atmosphere of Saturn's moon Dione: Discovery could mean ingredients for life are abundant on icy space bodies (March 2, 2012) -- An international research team has discovered molecular oxygen ions (O2+) in the upper-most atmosphere of Dione, one of the 62 known moons orbiting the ringed planet. The research was made possible via instruments aboard NASA's Cassini spacecraft. ... > full story

Exploding stars: Important clue uncovered for origins of Type Ia supernovae (March 2, 2012) -- The origin of an important type of exploding stars -- Type Ia supernovae -- have now been discovered. Studying supernovae of this type helps researchers measure galaxy distances and can lead to important astronomical discoveries. ... > full story

Squeezing silicone polymers produces chemical energy, but raises doubts about implant safety (March 2, 2012) -- Scientists turned to squeezed polymers and free radicals in a search for new energy sources. They found both promise and problems. The researchers demonstrated that radicals from compressed polymers generate significant amounts of energy that can power chemical reactions in water. They also discovered that a silicone polymer commonly used in medical implants releases a large quantity of harmful free radicals when the polymer is under only a moderate amount of pressure. ... > full story

Atomic view of a histone chaperone (March 2, 2012) -- Researchers have gained insights into the function of a member of a family of specialized proteins called histone chaperones. Using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography, they have determined the 3-D structure and interactions of the histone chaperone Rtt106 down to the atomic details. ... > full story

New computers respond to students' emotions, boredom (March 2, 2012) -- Emotion-sensing computer software that models and responds to students' cognitive and emotional states -- including frustration and boredom -- has now been developed. ... > full story

World's best measurement of W boson mass points to Higgs mass and tests Standard Model (March 2, 2012) -- The latest measurement of the mass of the W boson from the Tevatron experiments. The new combined result is twice as precise as the previous world average, and places limits on the mass of the Higgs consistent with the limits from direct searches at the LHC and Tevatron. ... > full story

Solved: Mystery of the nanoscale crop circles (March 2, 2012) -- A useful alloy of gold and silicon, called a eutectic, melts at a far lower temperature than either of its components. Until now, however, its odd behavior on the nanoscale has confounded researchers. By analyzing peculiar "nanoscale crop circles" formed from ultra-thin layers of gold on silicon, scientists have discovered the eutectic alloy's unique properties, including its special promise for engineering and processing nanoscale materials. ... > full story

Dark matter core, left behind from wreck between massive clusters of galaxies, defies explanation (March 2, 2012) -- Astronomers using data from NASA's Hubble Telescope have observed what appears to be a clump of dark matter left behind from a wreck between massive clusters of galaxies. The result could challenge current theories about dark matter that predict galaxies should be anchored to the invisible substance even during the shock of a collision. ... > full story

New high definition fiber tracking reveals damage caused by traumatic brain injury (March 2, 2012) -- A powerful new imaging technique called High Definition Fiber Tracking will allow doctors to clearly see for the first time neural connections broken by traumatic brain injury and other disorders, much like X-rays show a fractured bone, according to researchers. HDFT could provide an objective way of identifying brain injury, predicting outcome and planning rehabilitation. ... > full story

Fukushima one year on: poor planning hampered Fukushima response (March 2, 2012) -- One year after  an earthquake and tsunami hit Japan on March 11, 2011, an independent investigation panel has highlighted the country’s failures in disaster planning and crisis management for the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. The article shows that agencies were thoroughly unprepared for the cascading nuclear disaster, following a tsunami that should have been anticipated. ... > full story

Pasta-shaped radio waves beamed across Venice (March 2, 2012) -- A group of Italian and Swedish researchers appears to have solved the problem of radio congestion by cleverly twisting radio waves into the shape of fusilli pasta, allowing a potentially infinite number of channels to be broadcast and received. ... > full story

Generating power from salty water: Unique salt allows energy production to move inland (March 1, 2012) -- Production of energy from the difference between salt water and fresh water is most convenient near the oceans, but now, using an ammonium bicarbonate salt solution, researchers can combine bacterial degradation of waste water with energy extracted from the salt-water fresh-water gradient to produce power anywhere. ... > full story

First computer model of how buds grow into leaves (March 1, 2012) -- Leaves come in all shapes and sizes. Scientists have discovered the simple rules that control leaf shape during growth. Using this "recipe," they have developed the first computer model able to accurately emulate leaf growth from a bud. ... > full story

Pioneering research reveals versatile bacterium's secrets (March 1, 2012) -- Ground-breaking research will help to make one of the most versatile of bacteria even more useful to society and the environment. Though it lives naturally in the soil, the bacterium Bacillus subtilis is widely used as a model laboratory organism. It is also used as a 'cell factory' to produce vitamins for the food industry and, in biotechnology, to produce enzymes such as those used in washing powders. ... > full story

In space and on Earth, why build it, when a robot can build it for you? (March 1, 2012) -- Like something straight out of “Star Wars,” armies of robots could nimbly be crawling up towers and skyscrapers to make repairs in the not-so-distant future, so humans don’t have to. ... > full story

Carbon dioxide catchers: New tools for identifying effective carbon capture technologies (March 1, 2012) -- Using techniques from drug discovery, and state-of-the-art advances in mathematics, computational algorithms and supercomputing, researchers have developed a tool for identifying the most efficient porous materials for CO2. ... > full story

Analyses of a tiny comet grain dates Jupiter's formation (March 1, 2012) -- Particles from comet 81P/Wild 2 brought to Earth in 2006 by NASA's Stardust spacecraft indicate that Jupiter formed more than three million years after the formation of the first solids in our Solar System. ... > full story

Graphene-based optical modulators poised to break speed limits in digital communications (March 1, 2012) -- In yet another astounding application of the "wonder material" graphene, scientists have discovered that it makes an excellent active media for optical modulators. Graphene-based modulators are expected to significantly enhance ultra-fast optical communication and computing. ... > full story

Alternative fuels expert plans coast-to-coast U.S. trip on 10 gallons of gas or less (March 1, 2012) -- An alternative fuels expert firmly believes he can go coast-to-coast on l0 gallons of gasoline or less. His attempts will be March 3-8, 2012, and in 2013. ... > full story

Bacteria tend leafcutter ants' gardens (March 1, 2012) -- New research points to two important roles for bacteria that live in the underground fungal gardens of leafcutter ants: they help decompose leaves that ants bring to the gardens and play a major role in turning those leaves into nutrients for both ants and the fungi. The findings could help researchers studying fungal enzymes to convert plants into biofuel. ... > full story

Finding a potent new energy source by listening for Earth's gas bubbles? (February 29, 2012) -- What if we could cheaply and efficiently detect a potent new energy source, while also monitoring for environmental safety? Physicists are using the symphony of sound produced in the ocean to do just that. ... > full story

Astronomers rediscover life on Earth -- by looking at the moon (February 29, 2012) -- By observing the Moon using ESO's Very Large Telescope, astronomers have found evidence of life in the universe -- on Earth. Finding life on our home planet may sound like a trivial observation, but the novel approach may lead to future discoveries of life elsewhere in the universe. ... > full story

Nanofiber breakthrough holds promise for medicine and microprocessors (February 29, 2012) -- A new method for creating nanofibers made of proteins promises to greatly improve drug delivery methods, aid in regenerating human tissue, and pave the way to an organic method of building nanofibers for tiny, powerful microprocessors. Researchers have discovered how to make nanofibers using the COMP protein found in human cartilage. By adding different metal ions, researchers found the fibers would absorb or release drug molecules. ... > full story

Exotic material boosts electromagnetism safely (February 29, 2012) -- Using exotic man-made materials, scientists believe they can greatly enhance the forces of electromagnetism, one of the four fundamental forces of nature, without harming living beings or damaging electrical equipment. ... > full story

Foot bones allow researchers to determine sex of skeletal remains (February 29, 2012) -- Law enforcement officials who are tasked with identifying a body based on partial skeletal remains have a new tool at their disposal. A new paper from North Carolina State University researchers details how to determine the biological sex of skeletal remains based solely on measurements of the seven tarsal bones in the feet. ... > full story

Schizophrenia patients' ability to monitor reality may be helped by computerized training (February 29, 2012) -- People with schizophrenia who completed 80 hours of intensive, computerized cognitive training exercises were better able to perform complex tasks that required them to distinguish their internal thoughts from reality. ... > full story