ScienceDaily Technology Headlines -- for Wednesday, March 21, 2012

ScienceDaily Technology Headlines

for Wednesday, March 21, 2012

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NASA's Swift narrows down origin of important supernova class (March 20, 2012) -- Studies using X-ray and ultraviolet observations from NASA's Swift satellite provide new insights into the elusive origins of an important class of exploding star called Type Ia supernovae. ... > full story

Japan shares space station SMILES via atmospheric data distribution (March 20, 2012) -- Did you panic when you heard in recent news that two massive solar flares from the Sun were hitting Earth's atmosphere? The coronal mass ejections, or CMEs, typically produced by solar flares might pose a danger, if not for Earth's protective atmosphere and magnetosphere. Using International Space Station research and technology, scientists continue to learn more about the atmosphere, adding important new data to the collective understanding of this important defensive veil. ... > full story

Cassini sees Saturn stressing out Enceladus (March 20, 2012) -- Images from NASA's Cassini spacecraft have, for the first time, enabled scientists to correlate the spraying of jets of water vapor from fissures on Saturn's moon Enceladus with the way Saturn's gravity stretches and stresses the fissures. ... > full story

Nuclear fusion simulation shows high-gain energy output (March 20, 2012) -- A computer simulation that shows a release of high-yield fusion energy much greater than previously achieved at Sandia's Z accelerator is being prepared for testing in 2013. ... > full story

New method for cleaning up nuclear waste (March 20, 2012) -- A new crystalline compound can be tailored to safely absorb radioactive ions from nuclear waste streams, experts say. ... > full story

Explosive stars with good table manners (March 20, 2012) -- In two comprehensive studies of SN 2011fe -- the closest Type Ia supernova in the past two decades -- there is new evidence that indicates that the white dwarf progenitor was a particularly picky eater, leading scientists to conclude that the companion star was not likely to be a sun-like star or an evolved giant. ... > full story

Nanotherapy: Treating deadly brain tumors by delivering big radiation with tiny tools (March 20, 2012) -- For the past 40 years, radiation has been used to treat deadly brain tumors. But beams of radiation still must pass through healthy brain tissue to reach the tumor, and large amounts cause serious side effects. Medical researchers can now deliver nanoparticle radiation directly to the tumor and keep it there, dosing the tumor itself with much higher levels of radiation but sparing a much greater area of brain tissue. ... > full story

A basic -- and slightly acidic -- solution for hydrogen storage (March 20, 2012) -- Sometimes, solutions for hard problems can turn out to be pretty basic. That's especially true researchers where the solution for a hard problem they were working on turned out to be pretty basic ... and also a bit acidic. The hard problem they were working on was how to store hydrogen fuel. ... > full story

Better organic electronics: Researchers show the way forward for improving organic and molecular electronic devices (March 20, 2012) -- Scientists have provided the first experimental determination of the pathways by which electrical charge is transported from molecule-to-molecule in an organic thin film. These results also show how such organic films can be chemically modified to improve conductance for superior organic electronics. ... > full story

Super-Earth unlikely able to transfer life to other planets (March 20, 2012) -- While scientists believe conditions suitable for life might exist on the so-called "super-Earth" in the Gliese 581 system, it's unlikely to be transferred to other planets within that solar system. ... > full story

Detection of cosmic effect may bring universe's formation into sharper focus (March 20, 2012) -- The first observation of a cosmic effect theorized 40 years ago could provide astronomers with a more precise tool for understanding the forces behind the universe's formation and growth, including the enigmatic phenomena of dark energy and dark matter. ... > full story

Scientists develop tools to make more complex biological machines from yeast (March 19, 2012) -- Scientists are one step closer to making more complex microscopic biological machines, following improvements in the way that they can "re-wire" DNA in yeast, according to new research. ... > full story

Facebook's dark side (March 19, 2012) -- For the average narcissist, Facebook "offers a gateway for hundreds of shallow relationships and emotionally detached communication," one expert says. More importantly, for this study, social networking in general allows the user a great deal of control over how he or she is presented to and perceived by peers and other users, he added. ... > full story

Biplane to break the sound barrier: Cheaper, quieter and fuel-efficient biplanes could put supersonic travel on the horizon (March 19, 2012) -- A researcher has come up with a concept that may solve many of the problems that grounded the Concorde. An assistant professor of aeronautics and astronautics, says the solution, in principle, is simple: Instead of flying with one wing to a side, why not two? ... > full story

Greenhouse gas can find a home underground (March 19, 2012) -- A new study shows that there is enough capacity in deep saline aquifers in the United States to store at least a century's worth of carbon dioxide emissions from the nation's coal-fired powerplants. Though questions remain about the economics of systems to capture and store such gases, this study addresses a major issue that has overshadowed such proposals. ... > full story

Experiments may force revision of astrophysical models: Ice giant planets have more water volume than believed (March 19, 2012) -- In a challenge to current astrophysical models of the universe, researchers have found that current estimates of the interiors of so-called ice giant planets within and without the solar system overstate water's compressibility by as much as 30 percent, forcing revisions in estimates of other elements. ... > full story

Geologic map of Jupiter's moon Io details an otherworldly volcanic surface (March 19, 2012) -- More than 400 years after Galileo's discovery of Io, the innermost of Jupiter's largest moons, a team of scientists has produced the first complete global geologic map of the Jovian satellite. ... > full story

Cosmic rays alter chemistry of lunar ice, may create building blocks of life (March 19, 2012) -- Space scientists report they have quantified levels of radiation on the moon's surface from galactic cosmic ray (GCR) bombardment that over time causes chemical changes in water ice and can create complex carbon chains similar to those that help form the foundations of biological structures. In addition, the radiation process causes the lunar soil, or regolith, to darken over time, which is important in understanding the geologic history of the moon. ... > full story

Polycrystalline diamond drill bits open up options for geothermal energy (March 19, 2012) -- Nearly two-thirds of the oil we use comes from wells drilled using polycrystalline diamond compact bits, originally developed nearly 30 years ago to lower the cost of geothermal drilling. Scientists recently brought the technology full circle, showing how geothermal drillers might use the original PDC technology, incorporating decades of subsequent improvements by the oil and gas industry. ... > full story

Focus on technology overlooks human behavior when addressing climate change (March 19, 2012) -- Technology alone won't help the world turn away from fossil fuel-based energy sources, says a sociologist. A shift in political and economic policies to is needed to embrace the concept that continued growth in energy consumption is not sustainable, experts say. ... > full story

To combat identity theft, protect computer, experts say (March 19, 2012) -- Having a triple-threat combination of protective software on your computer greatly reduces your chances of identity theft, according to a new study. ... > full story

Including ads in mobile apps poses privacy, security risks (March 19, 2012) -- Researchers have found that including ads in mobile applications poses privacy and security risks. In a recent study of 100,000 apps in the official Google Play market, researchers noticed that more than half contained so-called ad libraries. And 297 of the apps included aggressive ad libraries that were enabled to download and run code from remote servers -- which raises significant privacy and security concerns. ... > full story

Some orbits more popular than others in solar systems (March 19, 2012) -- Computer simulations have revealed a plausible explanation for a phenomenon that has puzzled astronomers: Rather than occupying orbits at regular distances from a star, giant gas planets similar to Jupiter and Saturn appear to prefer to occupy certain regions in mature solar systems while staying clear of others. ... > full story

First complete full genetic map of promising energy crop (March 19, 2012) -- The first high-resolution, comprehensive genetic map of a promising energy crop called miscanthus has been completed. ... > full story

Air emissions near fracking sites may pose health risk, study shows; sites contain hydrocarbons including benzene (March 19, 2012) -- In a new study, researchers have shown that air pollution caused by hydraulic fracturing or fracking may contribute to acute and chronic health problems for those living near natural gas drilling sites. ... > full story

Looking at quantum gravity in a mirror (March 18, 2012) -- Einstein's theory of gravity and quantum physics are expected to merge at the Planck-scale of extremely high energies and on very short distances. Now scientists have proposed a new quantum experiment using Planck-mass mirrors. ... > full story

Physicists simulate strongly correlated fermions (March 18, 2012) -- Combining known factors in a new way, physicists have solved an intractable 50-year-old problem: How to simulate strongly interacting quantum systems to accurately predict their properties. It could lead to superconductor applications and solving high-energy physics and ultra-cold atoms problems. ... > full story

Surprise: Protons bypass hydrogen bonds but still change molecules (March 18, 2012) -- Common wisdom has it that protons only travel between molecules via hydrogen bonds: no hydrogen bonds, no proton transfer. Scientists investigating molecular components of RNA were surprised to find that protons can find ways to transfer even when hydrogen bonds are blocked. The discovery may open new opportunities for research in biology, environmental science, and green chemistry. ... > full story

Icarus experiment measures neutrino speed: Even neutrinos are not faster than light (March 16, 2012) -- The ICARUS experiment at the Italian Gran Sasso laboratory has reported a new measurement of the time of flight of neutrinos from CERN to Gran Sasso. The ICARUS measurement, using last year's short pulsed beam from CERN, indicates that the neutrinos do not exceed the speed of light on their journey between the two laboratories. This is at odds with the initial measurement reported by OPERA last September. ... > full story

Ultracold experiments heat up quantum research (March 16, 2012) -- Physicists have experimentally demonstrated for the first time that atoms chilled to temperatures near absolute zero may behave like seemingly unrelated natural systems of vastly different scales, offering potential insights into links between the atomic realm and deep questions of cosmology. ... > full story

Using virtual worlds to 'soft control' people's movements in the real one (March 16, 2012) -- Computer science researchers have developed a way to exert limited control on how people move, pushing them out of their regular travel patterns. The key: tapping into some of their cell phone applications. The findings could elicit a broader range of user-collected data by driving foot traffic to under-utilized areas. ... > full story

Who wouldn't pay a penny for a sports car? The right strategy doesn't guarantee advantage in auctions, real estate or stock market (March 16, 2012) -- In a study of lowest unique bid auctions, researchers asked: Who wins these auctions, the strategic gambler or the lucky one? The answer is the lucky. But, ironically, it's a lucky person using a winning strategy. The researchers found that all players intuitively use the right strategy, and that turns the auction into a game of pure chance. The findings provide insight into playing the stock market, real estate market and other gambles. ... > full story

Nanopills release drugs directly from the inside of cells (March 16, 2012) -- Researchers in Spain have created nanoparticles which can release drugs directly from the cells' interior. The technology, which has been named "nanopills," was licensed to a firm that has verified its tolerance by administering it in vivo. ... > full story

Live cells 'printed' using standard inkjet printer (March 16, 2012) -- Researchers have found a way to create temporary holes in the membranes of live cells using a standard inkjet printer. Creating temporary pores allow researchers to put molecules inside of cells that wouldn't otherwise fit, and study how the cells react. ... > full story

Checking off symptoms online affects our perceptions of risk (March 16, 2012) -- You've been feeling under the weather. You Google your symptoms. A half-hour later, you're convinced it's nothing serious -- or afraid you have cancer. More than 60 percent of Americans get their health information online, and a majority of those decide whether to see a doctor based on what they find. "Wow, this is an era of self-diagnosis," thought Arizona State University psychologist Virginia Kwan, learning that statistic. Psychologists have asked how might online information affect individual health decisions? ... > full story

Straintronics: Engineers create piezoelectric graphene (March 16, 2012) -- By depositing atoms on one side of a grid of the "miracle material" graphene, researchers ave engineered piezoelectricity into a nanoscale material for the first time. The implications could yield dramatic degree of control in nanotechnology. ... > full story

Nano rescues skin: Shrimp shell nanotech for wound healing and anti-aging face cream (March 16, 2012) -- Nanoparticles containing chitosan have been shown to have effective antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus saprophyticus and Escherichia coli. The materials could be used as a protective wound-healing material to avoid opportunistic infection as well as working to facilitate wound healing. ... > full story

First step taken to image ultra-fast movements in chemical reactions (March 16, 2012) -- Researchers have fired ultra-fast shots of light at oxygen, nitrogen and carbon monoxide molecules as part of a development aimed at mapping the astonishingly quick movements of atoms within molecules, as well as the charges that surround them. The ultra-short laser that spans only a few hundred attoseconds – an attosecond is equivalent to one quintillionth of a second – was fired in a sample of molecules and could pave the way towards imaging the movement of atoms and their electrons as they undergo a chemical reaction – one of the holy grails of chemistry research. ... > full story

Glittering Jewels of Messier 9 (March 16, 2012) -- The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has produced the so far most detailed image so far of Messier 9, a globular star cluster located close to the centre of the galaxy. This ball of stars is too faint to see with the naked eye, yet Hubble can see over 250 000 individual stars shining in it. ... > full story

New technique lights up the creation of holograms (March 16, 2012) -- Researchers have developed a unique way to create full-color holograms with the aid of surface plasmons. ... > full story

Near-miss asteroid will return next year, even closer (March 15, 2012) -- When it whizzes past Earth in 2013, a newly discovered asteroid is going to miss our planet -- but not by much. The 50-meter space rock is expected to come closer than many satellites, highlighting the growing need to keep watch on hazards from above. ... > full story

Process makes polymers truly plastic, changing textures on demand (March 15, 2012) -- Just as a chameleon changes its color to blend in with its environment, engineers have demonstrated for the first time that they can alter the texture of plastics on demand, for example, switching back and forth between a rough surface and a smooth one. ... > full story

Graphene supercapacitor holds promise for portable electronics (March 15, 2012) -- Researchers have used a standard LightScribe DVD optical drive to produce electrodes composed of an expanded network of graphene that shows excellent mechanical and electrical properties as well as exceptionally high surface area. These LSG supercapacitors demonstrate high-performance graphene-based electrochemical capacitors that maintain excellent electrochemical attributes under high mechanical stress and may be ideal energy storage systems for next generation flexible, portable electronics. ... > full story

Implanted Biofuel Cell Operating in Living Snail (March 15, 2012) -- Researchers have implanted a biofuel cell in a living snail. This is the first incidence of an implanted biofuel cell continuously operating in a snail and producing electrical power over a long period of time using the snail's physiologically produced glucose as a fuel. ... > full story

Researchers create more efficient hydrogen fuel cells (March 15, 2012) -- Hydrogen fuel cells, like those found in some "green" vehicles, have a lot of promise as an alternative fuel source, but making them practical on a large scale requires them to be more efficient and cost effective. Scientists may have now found a way around both hurdles. ... > full story

Cell phone use in pregnancy may cause behavioral disorders in offspring, mouse study suggests (March 15, 2012) -- Exposure to radiation from cell phones during pregnancy affects the brain development of offspring, potentially leading to hyperactivity, researchers have determined. ... > full story

Research examines momentum in the NFL (March 15, 2012) -- Is the existence and effect of momentum real, or is it a sports superstition? New research analyzes five years’ worth of plays in the NFL. ... > full story

Cheaper drugs and better health care with a single chip (March 15, 2012) -- A researcher is developing technologies to miniaturize the first phase of a process used by pharmaceutical companies to discover new drugs. A breakthrough could ultimately lead to personalized and therefore more effective medical treatments, as well as major health care savings. ... > full story