ScienceDaily Technology Headlines -- for Thursday, April 28, 2011 ~ techdeck

ScienceDaily Technology Headlines

for Thursday, April 28, 2011

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Carbohydrate adhesion gives stainless steel implants beneficial new functions (April 28, 2011) -- A new chemical bonding process can add new functions to stainless steel and make it a more useful material for implanted biomedical devices. This new process was developed to address some of the problems associated with the introduction of stainless steel into the human body. ... > full story

A surprise: China’s energy consumption will stabilize (April 28, 2011) -- Well before 2050, China's energy use will level off, even as its population edges past 1.4 billion, according to a new study. There will come a time -- within the next two decades -- when the number of people in China acquiring cars, larger homes, and other accouterments of industrialized societies will peak. Between 2030 and 2035, the steeply rising curve of energy demand in China will begin to moderate and flatten thereafter. ... > full story

Neurorobotics reveals brain mechanisms of self-consciousness (April 27, 2011) -- A new study uses creative engineering to unravel brain mechanisms associated with one of the most fundamental subjective human feelings: self-consciousness. The research identifies a brain region called the temporo-parietal junction as being critical for the feeling of being an entity localized at a particular position in space and for perceiving the world from this position and perspective. ... > full story

Green UV sterilization: Switching on LEDs to save energy and the environment (April 27, 2011) -- Ultraviolet light can safely sterilize food, water and medical equipment by disrupting the DNA and other reproductive molecules in harmful bacteria. Traditionally, mercury lamps have supplied this UV light, however mercury release from power generation and lamp disposal have generated discussion of harmful environmental impact. A potentially energy efficient and non-toxic alternative is the light-emitting diode, or LED, which can be made to emit at almost any desired wavelength. ... > full story

Origami not just for paper anymore: DNA, folded into complex shapes, could have a big impact on nanotechnology (April 27, 2011) -- Scientists have developed software that makes it easier to predict the three-dimensional shape that will result from a given DNA template. While the software doesn't fully automate the design process, it makes it considerably easier for designers to create complex 3-D structures, controlling their flexibility and potentially their folding stability. ... > full story

Researchers advance toward hybrid spintronic computer chips (April 27, 2011) -- Researchers have created the first electronic circuit to merge traditional inorganic semiconductors with organic "spintronics" -- devices that utilize the spin of electrons to read, write and manipulate data. Scientists combined an inorganic semiconductor with a unique plastic material currently under development. ... > full story

Caterpillars inspire new movements in soft robots (April 27, 2011) -- Researchers have been examining the diverse behaviors of caterpillars to find solutions for the new generation of search and rescue soft robots. Despite their extreme flexibility and adaptability, current soft-bodied robots are often limited by their slow speed, leading the researchers to turn to terrestrial soft-bodied animals for inspiration. Some caterpillars have the extraordinary ability to rapidly curl themselves into a wheel and propel themselves away from predators. Researchers saw this as an opportunity to design a robot that mimics this behavior of caterpillars and to develop a better understanding of the mechanics behind ballistic rolling. ... > full story

3-D terahertz cloaking (April 27, 2011) -- Researchers have created a new kind of cloaking material that can render objects invisible in the terahertz range. Though this design can't translate into an invisibility cloak for the visible spectrum, it could have implications in diagnostics, security, and communication. ... > full story

Mercury converted to its most toxic form in ocean waters (April 27, 2011) -- New research has confirmed that a relatively harmless inorganic form of mercury found worldwide in ocean water is transformed into a potent neurotoxin in the seawater itself. ... > full story

Full 3-D invisibility cloak in visible light (April 27, 2011) -- Watching things disappear is an amazing experience. But making items vanish is not the reason scientists work to create invisibility cloaks. Rather, the magic-like tricks are attractive demonstrations of the fantastic capabilities that new optical theories and nanotechnology construction methods now enable. ... > full story

Novel ash analysis validates volcano no-fly zones (April 27, 2011) -- Air safety authorities essentially had to fly blind when the ash cloud from Eyjafjallajökull caused them to close the airspace over Europe last year. Now nanoscientists have developed a way to provide the necessary information within hours. ... > full story

Nuclear photonics: Gamma rays search for concealed nuclear threats (April 27, 2011) -- Gamma rays are the most energetic type of light wave and can penetrate through lead and other thick containers. A powerful new source of gamma rays will allow officials to search for hidden reactor fuel/nuclear bomb material. ... > full story

New evidence on origin of supernovas (April 27, 2011) -- Astronomers may now know the cause of an historic supernova explosion that is an important type of object for investigating dark energy in the universe. The discovery also provides strong evidence that a star can survive the explosive impact generated when a companion star goes supernova. ... > full story

New heat pump could last 10,000 years, experts say (April 27, 2011) -- Researchers in Norway are testing an entirely new kind of heat pump. While heat pumps used today typically last 10 to 20 years, the new one will last practically indefinitely, the scientists believe. ... > full story

New 'nanobead' approach could revolutionize sensor technology (April 27, 2011) -- Researchers have found a way to use magnetic "nanobeads" to help detect chemical and biological agents, with possible applications in everything from bioterrorism to medical diagnostics, environmental monitoring or even water and food safety. When fully developed as a hand-held, portable sensor, like something you might see in a science fiction movie, it will provide a whole diagnostic laboratory on a single chip. The research could revolutionize the size, speed and accuracy of chemical detection systems around the world. ... > full story

Wind turbines: In the wake of the wind (April 27, 2011) -- Wind turbines not only produce power, they produce wakes -- similar to what forms in bodies of water -- that are invisible ripples and waves and other disturbances in the atmosphere downstream that can damage turbines and decrease efficiency. Researchers are launching a study of those wakes, with an eye toward improving the efficiency of wind farms. ... > full story

Choosing the right electric vehicles batteries for the future (April 27, 2011) -- One of the most important decisions facing designers of plug-in electric or hybrid vehicles is related to battery choice. Now, researchers have used a life cycle analysis to examine three vehicle battery types to determine which does the best job of powering the vehicle while causing the least amount of environmental impact during its production. ... > full story

Water molecules characterize the structure of DNA genetic material (April 27, 2011) -- Water molecules surround the genetic material DNA in a very specific way. Scientists have discovered that, on the one hand, the texture of this hydration shell depends on the water content and, on the other hand, actually influences the structure of the genetic substance itself. These findings are not only important in understanding the biological function of DNA; they could also be used for the construction of new DNA-based materials. ... > full story

Scientists focus on light ions for fast ignition of fusion fuels (April 27, 2011) -- Scientists have demonstrated significant progress in the efficiency and cost effectiveness of light ions in the fast ignition of fusion targets. Light ions such as lithium or carbon are easier to produce technologically and the ion beam properties can be manipulated and tailored best to suit the necessary requirements for fast ignition. ... > full story

New system increases reliability of opinion polls (April 27, 2011) -- Researchers in Spain have developed a fuzzy neural network that uses a numerical and categorical imputation method to reconstruct incomplete datasets. This network achieves substantially better results than the imputation methods now in use in opinion polling. ... > full story

Effect of cloud-scattered sunlight on Earth's energy balance depends on wavelength of light (April 26, 2011) -- Atmospheric scientists trying to pin down how clouds curb the amount of sunlight available to warm the earth have found that it depends on the wavelength of sunlight being measured. This unexpected result will help researchers improve how they portray clouds in climate models. ... > full story

Diamonds shine in quantum networks: Researchers hitch precious stone's impurities onto nano-resonators (April 26, 2011) -- Researchers have come up with a way to use impurities in diamonds as a method of creating a node in a quantum network. ... > full story

New sensor glove may help stroke patients recover mobility (April 26, 2011) -- People who have strokes are often left with moderate to severe physical impairments. Now, thanks to a glove, stroke patients may be able to recover hand motion by playing video games. ... > full story

School students help astronomers study mysterious X-ray source (April 26, 2011) -- Astronomers from Wales and the Netherlands, in collaboration with five schools, have used eight telescopes simultaneously to study the strange behavior of an X-ray binary star system. ... > full story

Flame retardants at high levels in pet dogs, study finds (April 26, 2011) -- Scientists have found chemical flame retardants in the blood of pet dogs at concentrations five to 10 times higher than in humans, but lower than levels found in a previous study of cats. ... > full story

Nanoscience may hold key to surgical recovery (April 26, 2011) -- New nano-systems developed in the UK may eventually help patients recover from surgery without the danger of allergic reactions to drugs. ... > full story

Replacing batteries may become a thing of the past, thanks to 'soft generators' (April 26, 2011) -- Battery technology hasn't kept pace with advancements in portable electronics, but the race is on to fix this. One revolutionary concept being pursued involves creating "wearable energy harvesters" capable of converting movement from humans or found in nature into battery power. ... > full story

Radar shows promise for detecting concussions in athletes and soldiers (April 26, 2011) -- By asking an individual to walk a short distance in front of a radar system while saying the months of the year in reverse order, researchers can determine if that person is impaired and possibly suffering from a concussion. This simple test, which could be performed at sporting events or on battlefields, has the potential to help coaches and commanders decide if athletes and soldiers are ready to engage in activity again. ... > full story

Safeguarding genome integrity through extraordinary DNA repair (April 26, 2011) -- Once called "junk DNA" because it contains numerous repeated short sequences that don't code for proteins, heterochromatin is in fact vital for normal growth and function. Yet it poses special challenges to accurate DNA repair. Scientists have discovered an unsuspected and dramatic process by which double-strand breaks in heterochromatin are repaired in dynamic stages. ... > full story

Solar power goes viral: Researchers use virus to improve solar-cell efficiency (April 26, 2011) -- Researchers have found a way to make significant improvements to the power-conversion efficiency of solar cells by enlisting the services of tiny viruses to perform detailed assembly work at the microscopic level. ... > full story

Chernobyl's radioactivity reduced populations of birds of orange plumage, study finds (April 26, 2011) -- On April 26, 1986, history's greatest nuclear accident took place northwest of the Ukrainian city of Chernobyl. Despite the scale of the disaster, 25 years later, we still do not know its real effects. An international team of investigators has shown for the first time that the color of birds' plumage may make them more vulnerable to radioactivity. ... > full story

Conducting ferroelectrics may be key to new electronic memory (April 26, 2011) -- Novel properties of ferroelectric materials are moving scientists one step closer to realizing a new paradigm of electronic memory storage. ... > full story

New tools to tackle a solar data storm (April 26, 2011) -- So great is the wealth of data about the Sun now being sent back by space missions such as SOHO, STEREO and the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) that scientists back on Earth can struggle to keep pace. To combat this data overload, scientists are developing advanced imaging tools to help scientists visualise what's happening at the Sun, make sense of the data and predict the extreme solar activities that could affect our life here on Earth. ... > full story

Self-powered, blood-activated sensor detects pancreatitis quickly and cheaply (April 26, 2011) -- A new low cost test for acute pancreatitis that gets results much faster than existing tests has been developed by scientists. The sensor, which could be produced for as little as a dollar, is built with a 12-cent LED light, aluminum foil, gelatin, milk protein and a few other cheap, easily obtainable materials. ... > full story

Increased computer use by adolescents cause for concern, Canadian study finds (April 26, 2011) -- Researchers in Canada have found a strong association between computer and Internet use in adolescents and engagement in multiple-risk behaviors, including illicit drug use, drunkenness and unprotected sex. ... > full story

Large galaxies stopped growing seven billion years ago (April 26, 2011) -- Galaxies are thought to develop by the gravitational attraction between and merger of smaller 'sub-galaxies', a process that standard cosmological ideas suggest should be ongoing. But new data directly challenges this idea, suggesting that the growth of some of the most massive objects stopped 7 billion years ago when the universe was half its present age. ... > full story

Cheaper hydrogen fuel cells: Utility of non-precious-metal catalysts documented (April 25, 2011) -- Scientists have developed a way to avoid the use of expensive platinum in hydrogen fuel cells, the environmentally friendly devices that might replace current power sources in everything from personal data devices to automobiles. Scientists have developed a platinum-free catalyst for use in the cathode of a hydrogen fuel cell. ... > full story

Biophysicist targeting IL-6 to halt breast, prostate cancer (April 25, 2011) -- A biophysicist is using supercomputer resources to search thousands of molecular combinations for the best configuration to block a protein that can cause breast or prostate cancer. ... > full story

Bioengineering students' invention may help diagnose painful eye condition (April 25, 2011) -- Bioengineering students responded to an ophthalmologist's cry for help with a device to diagnose dry eye, the itching and burning sensation that results when a person doesn't produce enough tears or the tears evaporate too quickly. ... > full story

New theory of evolution for spiral galaxy arms (April 25, 2011) -- A study of spiral patterns found in galaxies like our Milky Way could overturn the theory of how the spiral arm features form and evolve. Since 1960s, the most widely accepted explanation has been that the spiral arm features move like a Mexican wave in a crowd, passing through a population of stars that then return to their original position. Computer simulations now suggest that the stars actually rotate with the arms. ... > full story

Zeroing in on the elusive green LED (April 25, 2011) -- Researchers have developed a new method for manufacturing green LEDs with greatly enhanced light output. The research team etched a nanoscale pattern at the interface between the LED's sapphire base and the layer of gallium nitride (GaN) that gives the LED its green color. Overall, the new technique results in green LEDs with significant enhancements in light extraction, internal efficiency, and light output. ... > full story

Radar checks buildings after earthquakes (April 25, 2011) -- Recent advances in ground-penetrating radar could be used to help structural engineers and conservationists assess the stability of historic buildings or buildings affected by earthquakes that otherwise appear sound. ... > full story

Beetle bling: Researchers discover optical secrets of 'metallic' beetles (April 25, 2011) -- Brilliant gold- (and silver-colored beetles have given optics researchers new insights into the way biology can recreate the appearance of some of nature's most precious metals, which in turn may allow researchers to produce new materials based on the natural properties found in the beetles' coloring. ... > full story

Far sighted space technology finds practical uses on Earth (April 25, 2011) -- Technology developed for space missions to study the most distant objects in the Universe is now finding a host of practical applications back on Earth. A new kind of detector could have applications in hospitals, factories and airports. ... > full story

Fractal dimension analysis aids breast cancer prognosis (April 25, 2011) -- Cancer researchers are investigating a new tool to use for the prognosis of breast cancer in patients. The scientists are using fractal dimension analysis to quantitatively assess the degree of abnormality and aggressiveness of breast cancer tumors obtained through biopsy. ... > full story

Anti-helium discovered in Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider experiment (April 25, 2011) -- Antimatter nuclei of helium-4, the heaviest antiparticles ever found, have been created in the STAR experiment of the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. Eighteen examples of the anti-helium particles were detected in debris from a billion high-energy collisions of gold nuclei. ... > full story

New robot to help people to walk again (April 25, 2011) -- Cognitive skills for a new robot which will help people with damaged limbs to walk again are being developed by researchers in the UK. ... > full story

Clumsy avatars: Perfection versus mortality in games and simulation (April 25, 2011) -- Willy Nilly's Surf Shack offers a cure for the idealized virtual world of Second Life. The online shop endows otherwise flawless avatars with real-world foils like clumsiness. A project allowing avatars to visibly age over time is in the works. ... > full story