ScienceDaily Technology Headlines -- for Thursday, March 8, 2012

ScienceDaily Technology Headlines

for Thursday, March 8, 2012

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NASA sees second biggest flare of the solar cycle (March 7, 2012) -- The leading edge of the first of two major coronal mass ejections will reach Earth at about 1:25 AM EST on the morning of March 8 (plus or minus 7 hours). Such a CME could result in a severe geomagnetic storm, causing aurora at low latitudes, with possible disruption to high frequency radio communication, global positioning systems (GPS), and power grids. ... > full story

Communication technologies including smartphones and laptops could now be 1,000 times faster, new study suggests (March 7, 2012) -- Many of the communication tools of today rely on the function of light or, more specifically, on applying information to a light wave. Thanks to research, a physical basis for terahertz bandwidth (THz, or 1 trillion cycles per second) -- the portion of the electromagnetic spectrum between infrared and microwave light -- has now been demonstrated. ... > full story

That caffeine in your drink -- is it really 'natural?' (March 7, 2012) -- That caffeine in your tea, energy drink or other beverage -- is it really natural? Scientists are reporting successful use for the first time of a simpler and faster method for answering that question. ... > full story

First spectroscopic measurement of an anti-atom (March 7, 2012) -- Scientists have captured and held atoms of antihydrogen, a single antiproton orbited by a single positron. Now, by measuring antihydrogen's hyperfine structure, they have achieved another first in antimatter science with the very first measurements of the energy spectrum of an anti-atom. ... > full story

Researchers capture first-ever image of two atoms forming a molecule (March 7, 2012) -- Using a new ultrafast camera, researchers have recorded the first real-time image of two atoms vibrating in a molecule. Key to the experiment is the researchers' use of the energy of a molecule's own electron as a kind of "flash bulb" to illuminate the molecular motion. ... > full story

Players get more pleasure from motion-based video games (March 7, 2012) -- The newest motion-based video games — which are more interactive than standard video game systems with gamepads — are more realistic, give a greater sense of “being there” and are more enjoyable, according to findings by communications studies researchers. ... > full story

Nanomanufacturing using DNA origami (March 7, 2012) -- In recent years, scientists have begun to harness DNA's powerful molecular machinery to build artificial structures at the nanoscale using the natural ability of pairs of DNA molecules to assemble into complex structures. While most researchers of "DNA origami" are working to demonstrate what's possible, scientists are now seeking to determine what's practical. ... > full story

'Star comb' to aid quest for Earth-like planets (March 7, 2012) -- If there is life on other planets, a laser frequency comb may help find it. Such a comb -- a tool for precisely measuring frequencies, or colors, of light -- has for the first time been used to calibrate measurements of starlight from stars other than the Sun. The good results suggest combs will eventually fulfill their potential to boost the search for Earth-like planets to a new level. ... > full story

Market exchange rules responsible for wealth concentration, physicists say (March 7, 2012) -- Physicists have shown that wealth concentration invariably stems from a particular type of market exchange rules -- where agents cannot receive more income than their own capital. The authors concluded that maximum inequalities ensue from free markets, which are governed by such seemingly fair rules. ... > full story

New immune-system sensor may speed up, slash cost of detecting disease (March 7, 2012) -- An inexpensive new medical sensor has the potential to simplify the diagnosis of diseases ranging from life-threatening immune deficiencies to the common cold, according to its inventors. ... > full story

Oxide thin films to create new field of oxide electronics (March 7, 2012) -- Researchers have developed the first functional oxide thin films that can be used efficiently in electronics, making new high-power devices and sensors possible. This is the first time researchers have been able to produce positively-charged and negatively-charged conduction in a single oxide material, launching a new era in oxide electronics. ... > full story

Nanotrees harvest the sun's energy to turn water into hydrogen fuel (March 7, 2012) -- Electrical engineers are building a forest of tiny nanowire trees in order to cleanly capture solar energy without using fossil fuels and harvest it for hydrogen fuel generation. The team said nanowires, which are made from abundant natural materials like silicon and zinc oxide, also offer a cheap way to deliver hydrogen fuel on a mass scale. ... > full story

Galaxies get up close and personal: Collisions in young galaxy cluster (March 7, 2012) -- The VLT Survey Telescope (VST) at the European Southern Observatory's Paranal Observatory in Chile has imaged a fascinating collection of interacting galaxies in the Hercules galaxy cluster. The sharpness of the new picture, and the hundreds of galaxies captured in great detail in less than three hours of observations, attest to the great power of the VST and its huge camera OmegaCAM to explore the nearby Universe. ... > full story

Sperm can do 'calculus' to calculate calcium dynamics and react accordingly (March 7, 2012) -- Sperm have only one aim: to find the egg. The egg supports the sperm in their quest by emitting attractants. Calcium ions determine the beating pattern of the sperm tail which enables the sperm to move. Scientists have discovered that sperm only react to changes in calcium concentration but not to the calcium concentration itself. Probably sperm make this calculation so that they remain capable of maneuvering even in the presence of high calcium concentrations. ... > full story

Cloud computing: The trustworthy cloud (March 7, 2012) -- Not a week goes by without reports on security gaps, data theft or hacker attacks. Both businesses and private users are becoming increasingly uneasy. However, when it comes to technologies like cloud computing, trust and security are essential if we intend to use data and applications that are flexible, cost-effective and above all, mobile. ... > full story

Internet-based therapy relieves persistent tinnitus, study suggests (March 7, 2012) -- Those suffering from nagging tinnitus can benefit from internet-based therapy just as much as patients who take part in group therapy sessions. These are the findings of a German-Swedish study in which patients with moderate to severe tinnitus tried out various forms of therapy over a ten-week period. The outcome of both the internet-based therapy and group therapy sessions was significantly better than that of a control group that only participated in an online discussion forum and thus demonstrated both the former to be effective methods of managing the symptoms of irritating ringing in the ears. ... > full story

Elusive Higgs boson may nearly be cornered (March 7, 2012) -- New measurements announced by scientists from the CDF and DZero collaborations at the U.S. Department of Energy's Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory indicate that the elusive Higgs boson may nearly be cornered. After analyzing the full data set from the Tevatron accelerator, which completed its last run in September 2011, the two independent experiments see hints of a Higgs boson. ... > full story

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