ScienceDaily Technology Headlines -- for Monday, March 12, 2012

ScienceDaily Technology Headlines

for Monday, March 12, 2012

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Thermonuclear behavior of unique neutron star captured (March 10, 2012) -- A neutron star is the closest thing to a black hole that astronomers can observe directly, crushing half a million times more mass than Earth into a sphere no larger than a city. In October 2010, a neutron star near the center of our galaxy erupted with hundreds of X-ray bursts that were powered by a barrage of thermonuclear explosions on the star's surface. NASA captured the month-long fusillade in extreme detail. ... > full story

Meteorites reveal another way to make life's components (March 9, 2012) -- Creating some of life's building blocks in space may be a bit like making a sandwich -- you can make them cold or hot, according to new NASA research. This evidence that there is more than one way to make crucial components of life increases the likelihood that life emerged elsewhere in the Universe, according to the research team, and gives support to the theory that a "kit" of ready-made parts created in space and delivered to Earth by impacts from meteorites and comets assisted the origin of life. ... > full story

Environmentally friendly cleaning and washing (March 9, 2012) -- More and more everyday products are based on renewable resources, with household cleaners now containing active cleaning substances made from plant oils and sugar. These fat and dirt removers are especially environmentally friendly and effective when produced using biotechnology, with the aid of fungi and bacteria. ... > full story

A cheap and fully optical solution for ultra-fast internet (March 9, 2012) -- Blisteringly fast Internet speeds, more robust connections and a big increase in network capacity at little extra cost, even in rural areas? It's the sort of fantasy that keeps telecommunication company executives and bandwidth-hungry Internet users awake at night... until now. Groundbreaking fibre-optic technology promises all those things and more. ... > full story

Mapping the Moho with GOCE (March 9, 2012) -- The first global high-resolution map of the boundary between Earth’s crust and mantle – the Moho – has been produced based on data from ESA’s GOCE gravity satellite. Understanding the Moho will offer new clues into the dynamics of Earth’s interior. Earth’s crust is the outermost solid shell of our planet. Even though it makes up less than 1% of the volume of the planet, the crust is exceptionally important not just because we live on it, but because is the place where all our geological resources like natural gas, oil and minerals come from. ... > full story

Strong Grip: Unexpected interaction between organic semiconductors (March 9, 2012) -- Physicists have discovered an unexpectedly strong bond between organic layers. Such structures are still puzzling scientists throughout the world. These structures form the basis for novel electronic components made from organic semiconductors that are now increasingly used in smart phones and television sets. ... > full story

Tracking pedestrians indoors using their smart phones (March 9, 2012) -- The next generation of smart phone could combine the data from its gyroscopes with a built-in compass to allow you to track your movements when indoors even without GPS. Such a system could be useful for shopping mall managers, factory bosses for worker safety and security and office workers hoping to manage the flow of people through buildings. It could also be used to enable location based services and to help users navigate to specific meeting points or shops. ... > full story

Partnerships in the brain: Mathematical model describes the collaboration of individual neurons (March 8, 2012) -- How do neurons in the brain communicate with each other? One common theory suggests that individual cells do not exchange signals among each other, but rather that exchange takes place between groups of cells. Researchers have now developed a mathematical model that can be used to test this assumption. ... > full story

Nanoparticles affect nutrient absorption, study suggests (March 8, 2012) -- Nanoparticles are everywhere. From cosmetics and clothes, to soda and snacks. But as versatile as they are, nanoparticles also have a downside, say researchers. These tiny particles, even in low doses, could have a big impact on our long-term health. ... > full story

Teach your robot well (March 8, 2012) -- A new study identifies the types of questions a robot can ask during a learning interaction that are most likely to characterize a smooth and productive human-robot relationship. ... > full story

Catalysts for less: Slashing costs of metal alloys needed to jump-start crucial chemical processes (March 8, 2012) -- Scientists have discovered that individual atoms can catalyze industrially important chemical reactions such as the hydrogenation of acetylene, offering potentially significant economic and environmental benefits. ... > full story

Polymer scientists and physicists, inspired by curly leaves, develop new technique for shaping thin gel sheets (March 8, 2012) -- Inspired by nature's ability to shape a petal, and building on simple techniques used in photolithography and printing, researchers have developed a new tool for manufacturing three-dimensional shapes easily and cheaply, to aid advances in biomedicine, robotics and tunable micro-optics. Researchers have just described their new method of halftone gel lithography for photo-patterning polymer gel sheets. ... > full story

Ultrafast sonograms shed new light on rapid phase transitions (March 8, 2012) -- A method for taking ultrafast "sonograms" of materials undergoing phase transitions sheds new light on the dynamics of this important phenomenon in the world's fastest phase-change material. ... > full story

Share and share alike: How marketers can exploit infectious sharing behavior (March 8, 2012) -- In the world of marketing, people who are thinking about sharing product information they find in online advertising are likely to first consider whether the information is relevant to friends and family in their social networks. ... > full story

Nintendo Wii™ game controllers help diagnose eye disorder (March 8, 2012) -- Wii remotes are not all about fun and games. Scientists can use them to assess and diagnose children with an abnormal head position caused by eye diseases. Researchers have now developed a low-cost digital head posture measuring device with Nintendo Wiimotes to help diagnose this condition, medically called ocular torticollis. ... > full story

Optimizing routes for underwater vehicles: Sometimes the quickest path is not a straight line (March 8, 2012) -- Scientists have developed a mathematical procedure that can optimize path planning for automated underwater vehicles, even in regions with complex shorelines and strong shifting currents. The system can provide paths optimized either for the shortest travel time or for the minimum use of energy, or to maximize the collection of data that is considered most important. ... > full story

Origami-inspired paper sensor could test for malaria and HIV for less than 10 cents, report chemists (March 8, 2012) -- Inspired by the paper-folding art of origami, chemists have developed a 3-D paper sensor that may be able to test for diseases such as malaria and HIV for less than 10 cents a pop. The sensors can be printed out on an office printer, and take less than a minute to assemble. ... > full story

When prejudices become a disadvantage (March 8, 2012) -- Researchers have been exploring the question of whether prejudices might be rational under certain conditions. Using game theory, they created various scenarios and played them fifteen million times. The researchers have now reached a conclusion: those who are prejudiced are soon at a disadvantage, as they learn nothing new and miss many opportunities. ... > full story

Metamaterials may advance with new femtosecond laser technique (March 8, 2012) -- "Lucky" combination of chemicals and laser pulses enables high-resolution, 3D patterning for futuristic optical materials ... > full story

Computer processors: Saving power, saving money (March 8, 2012) -- Engineers have proposed a method of cutting power use and costs in computer processors. Called fine-grained power gating, the method would shut off energy to unused portions of datapath and memory blocks. Current processors fully power all components but rarely are all fully engaged. ... > full story

Proposed nuclear clock may keep time with the universe (March 8, 2012) -- A proposed new time-keeping system tied to the orbiting of a neutron around an atomic nucleus could have such unprecedented accuracy that it neither gains nor loses 1/20th of a second in 14 billion years -- the age of the universe. ... > full story

Large solar flares generate geomagnetic storm (March 8, 2012) -- A pair of unusually large solar flares early March 7, 2012 generated a Coronal Mass Ejection that was expected to reach Earth around mid-day March 8. It will likely cause at least a strong geomagnetic storm that could affect satellites in space and trigger auroral displays. The effects at ground level are expected to be limited, but there is a good chance for some excellent auroral displays in the north. ... > full story

Daya Bay: Discovery of new kind of neutrino transformation (March 8, 2012) -- The Daya Bay Reactor Neutrino Experiment collaboration has announced a precise measurement of the last of the unsolved neutrino "mixing angles," which determine how neutrinos oscillate among different types. The ground-breaking collaboration is the most sensitive reactor neutrino experiment in the world. The results promise new insight into why enough ordinary matter survived after the big bang to form everything visible in the universe. ... > full story

Wash your mouth out with silver, to treat hard-to-treat mouth infections? (March 8, 2012) -- Yeasts which cause hard-to-treat mouth infections are killed using silver nanoparticles in the laboratory, scientists have found. These yeast infections, caused by Candida albicans and Candida glabrata target the young, old and immuno-compromised. Scientists hope to test silver nanoparticles in mouthwash and dentures as a potential preventative measure against these infections. ... > full story

Reducing the urban heat island effect: Bright is the new black as New York roofs go cool (March 7, 2012) -- On the hottest day of the New York City summer in 2011, a white roof covering was measured at 42 degrees Fahrenheit cooler than the traditional black roof it was being compared to, according to a new study that details the first scientific results from the city's unprecedented effort to brighten rooftops and reduce its "urban heat island" effect. ... > full story

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