ScienceDaily Technology Headlines -- for Thursday, June 23, 2011 ~ techdeck

ScienceDaily Technology Headlines

for Thursday, June 23, 2011

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Electrical water detection (June 23, 2011) -- A quick and easy way to detect groundwater in semi-arid hard rock areas that is also economical could improve the siting of borewells to improve clean water supply in the developing world. ... > full story

Pandora's cluster: A galactic crash investigation (June 23, 2011) -- A team of scientists has studied the galaxy cluster Abell 2744, nicknamed Pandora's Cluster. They have pieced together the cluster's complex and violent history using telescopes in space and on the ground, including the Hubble Space Telescope and ESO's Very Large Telescope. Abell 2744 seems to be the result of a simultaneous pile-up of at least four separate galaxy clusters and this complex collision has produced strange effects that have never been seen together before. ... > full story

Diving a vehicle with one hand (June 23, 2011) -- A new device developed in Spain allows people with reduced mobility or weakness in the upper torso to drive a vehicle using only one hand. ... > full story

New physics research to deepen understanding of the universe (June 23, 2011) -- Physicists in the UK are beginning a new research project which aims to improve our understanding of the universe and the material within it. They also hope that their work will enable better mathematical predictions in systems as diverse as collisions at the Large Hadron Collider, to the development of room-temperature superconductors which could provide super-efficient power for electronic circuits. ... > full story

Gold nanoparticles help earlier diagnosis of liver cancer (June 22, 2011) -- Medical researchers have devised a new technique to spot cancerous tumors in the liver as small as 5 millimeters. The technique, using gold nanoparticles, is the first to deploy metal nanoparticles as agents to enhance X-ray scattering of image tumor-like masses. ... > full story

Cassini captures Saturn's icy moon Helene (June 22, 2011) -- NASA's Cassini spacecraft has successfully completed its second-closest encounter with Saturn's icy moon Helene, beaming down raw images of the small moon. At closest approach, on June 18, Cassini flew within 4,330 miles (6,968 kilometers) of Helene's surface. It was the second closest approach to Helene of the entire mission. ... > full story

Trigger to fatal neurodegenerative disease uncovered using computer simulation (June 22, 2011) -- A researcher has used a computer simulation to pinpoint changes in molecular structure that leads directly to Gerstmann–Sträussler–Scheinker (GSS) syndrome, a rare but deadly neurodegenerative disease. ... > full story

Caribou in Alberta's oil sands stressed by human activity, not wolves, research suggests (June 22, 2011) -- New research suggests that, in the petroleum-rich Athabaska Oil Sands in northern Alberta, human activity related to oil production and the timber industry could be more important than wolves in the decline of the caribou population. ... > full story

Is Enceladus hiding saltwater ocean? Cassini captures ocean-like spray at Saturn's moon (June 22, 2011) -- NASA's Cassini spacecraft has discovered the best evidence yet for a large-scale saltwater reservoir beneath the icy crust of Saturn's moon Enceladus. The data came from the spacecraft's direct analysis of salt-rich ice grains close to the jets ejected from the moon. ... > full story

Researchers create tool to put the lid on solar power fluctuations (June 22, 2011) -- How does the power output from solar panels fluctuate when the clouds roll in? And can researchers predict these fluctuations? Researchers in California have found the answer to these questions. They also have developed a software program that allows power grid managers to easily predict fluctuations in the solar grid caused by changes in the cloud cover. ... > full story

Self-cleaning anodes could facilitate cost-effective coal-powered fuel cells (June 22, 2011) -- Using barium oxide nanoparticles, researchers have developed a self-cleaning technique that could allow solid oxide fuel cells to be powered directly by coal gas at operating temperatures as low as 750 degrees Celsius. The technique could provide an alternative for generating electricity from the nation's vast coal reserves. ... > full story

Astronomers discover that galaxies are either asleep or awake (June 22, 2011) -- Astronomers have probed into the distant universe and discovered that galaxies display one of two distinct behaviors: they are either awake or asleep, actively forming stars or are not forming any new stars at all. A new survey shows that even very young galaxies as far away as 12 billion light years display one of these two states, meaning galaxies have behaved this way for more than 85 percent of the history of the universe. ... > full story

How dense is a cell? Combining ancient principle with new technology, researchers devise new way to answer question (June 22, 2011) -- Scientists have developed a way to measure the density of a single cell. The new method involves measuring the buoyant mass of each cell in two fluids of different densities. Measuring cell density could allow researchers to gain biophysical insight into fundamental cellular processes such as adaptations for survival, and might also be useful for identifying diseased cells. ... > full story

Quantum leap: Magnetic properties of a single proton directly observed for the first time (June 22, 2011) -- An important milestone in the direct measurement of the magnetic moment of the proton and its anti-particle has been achieved. Researchers have observed spin quantum-jumps with a single trapped proton for the first time. The result is a pioneering step forward in the endeavor to directly measure the magnetic properties of the proton with high precision. ... > full story

Strongest evidence yet indicates icy Saturn moon hiding saltwater ocean (June 22, 2011) -- Samples of icy spray shooting from Saturn's moon Enceladus collected during Cassini spacecraft flybys show the strongest evidence yet for the existence of a large-scale, subterranean saltwater ocean, according to a new international study. ... > full story

Radar for Mars gets flight tests at NASA Dryden (June 22, 2011) -- Southern California's high desert has been a stand-in for Mars for NASA technology testing many times over the years. And so it is again, in a series of flights by an F/A-18 aircraft to test the landing radar for NASA's Mars Science Laboratory mission. ... > full story

New technology for improving FIFA refereeing (June 22, 2011) -- The FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) is making use of new computer and communication technology developed by researchers at Carlos III University of Madrid (UC3M) during the Under 17 World Cup held in Mexico and the 2011 Women's World Cup held in Germany. ... > full story

Forklift trucks that run on a green charge (June 21, 2011) -- The first forklift trucks in Europe that will run on fuel cells and with hydrogen in their tanks are on the way to the market. No fewer than 30 demonstration units are to be tested, and Norway is among the countries potentially involved in the trials. ... > full story

Forensics: Lamps and spectrometers used to age bruises precisely (June 21, 2011) -- Forensic scientists have to rely on their own subjective experience when asked to ascertain the age of contusions. Now, however, researchers in Norway have found a far more objective and precise method, using lamps and spectrometers. From the assembled data the researchers created a model for bruise progression over time which enables them to determine the age of the bruises more reliably. Bruises on children develop differently from on adults. Knowledge within this area could be particularly important in cases of suspected child abuse. ... > full story

Acrobatics for anyons: New test for elusive fundamental particle proposed (June 21, 2011) -- Anyons are hypothetical particles that have been postulated to represent a third class of fundamental particles alongside the known bosons and fermions. Physicists in Germany have now proposed a novel experimental design that should make it possible to create and detect them for the first time. ... > full story

Shipwrecks no more: Recycling old boats (June 21, 2011) -- Nearly 5,000 recreational boats are retired and disposed of every year in Norway -- either sunk to the bottom of the sea or burned in a bonfire. Now, researchers have developed a new method for recycling these vessels. ... > full story

'Smart materials' that make proteins form crystals to boost research into new drugs (June 21, 2011) -- Scientists have developed a new method to make proteins form crystals using "smart materials" that remember the shape and characteristics of the molecule. ... > full story

Keeping bugs out of software for self-driving cars: Analysis verifies safety of distributed car control system (June 21, 2011) -- Driver assistance technologies, such as adaptive cruise control and automatic braking, promise to someday ease traffic on crowded routes and prevent accidents. Proving that these automated systems will work as intended is a daunting task, but computer scientists have now demonstrated it is possible to verify the safety of these highly complex systems. ... > full story

Scientists find simple way to produce graphene (June 21, 2011) -- Scientists say they have discovered a simple method for producing high yields of graphene, a highly touted carbon nanostructure that some believe could replace silicon as the technological fabric of the future. The researchers report on a new method that converts carbon dioxide directly into few-layer graphene (less than 10 atoms in thickness) by burning pure magnesium metal in dry ice. ... > full story

Quantum cryptography: Perfect eavesdropper illustrates overlooked loophole in secure communications technology (June 21, 2011) -- Quantum key distribution (QKD) is a tool to provide confidential communication between two remote parties. QKD is perfectly secure in principle, but researchers have long been aware that loopholes may arise when QKD is put into practice. Now, for the first time, researchers have implemented a "perfect eavesdropper" that exploits just such a loophole. The results highlight the importance of identifying imperfections in the implementation of QKD as a step towards fixing them. ... > full story

Genius of Einstein, Fourier key to new computer vision that mimics how humans perceive 3-D shapes (June 21, 2011) -- Two new techniques for computer-vision technology mimic how humans perceive three-dimensional shapes by instantly recognizing objects no matter how they are twisted or bent, an advance that could help machines see more like people. ... > full story

Mimicking nature at the nanoscale: Selective transport across a biomimetic nanopore (June 21, 2011) -- Researchers have established a biomimetic nanopore that provides a unique test and measurement platform for the way that proteins move into a cell's nucleus. In a new study, they report an artificial nanopore that is functionalized with key proteins which mimics the natural nuclear pore. ... > full story

New measurement into biological polymer networks (June 21, 2011) -- The development of a new measurement technology is probing the structure of composite and biological materials. In their quest to understand more about bio-polymers, they developed the rheometer and confocal microscope system (measures the mechanical properties of materials), which provide a unique and unprecedented level of precision and sensitivity for investigating polymeric systems which were previously too small to visualize during mechanical stress experiments. ... > full story

Stretching old material yields new results for energy- and environment-related devices (June 21, 2011) -- Researchers recently found a way to improve electricity generating fuel cells, potentially making them more efficient, powerful and less expensive. Specifically, they discovered a way to speed up the flow and filtering of water or ions, which are necessary for fuel cells to operate. ... > full story

Young adults struggle with online political participation (June 20, 2011) -- Young adults who are web savvy, but lack knowledge about federal government, may struggle to use the web for political participation, according to researchers. ... > full story

Lab-on-chip sensing: New compact microspectrometer design achieves high resolution and wide bandwidth (June 20, 2011) -- Engineers have designed a new microspectrometer architecture using compact doughnut-shaped resonators. An 81-channel instrument achieved 0.6-nanometer resolution over a spectral range of more than 50 nanometers with a footprint less than one square millimeter. ... > full story

Inconsistent math curricula hurting US students, study finds (June 20, 2011) -- A new study finds important differences in math curricula across US states and school districts. The findings suggest that many students across the country are placed at a disadvantage by less demanding curricula. ... > full story

Diagnosed autism is more common in an IT-rich region, study finds (June 20, 2011) -- A new study has for the first time found that autism diagnoses are more common in an information technology-rich region. The researchers predicted that autism spectrum conditions (ASC) would be more common in populations enriched for 'systemizing', which is the drive to analyze how systems work, and to predict, control and build systems. These skills are required in disciplines such as engineering, physics, computing and mathematics. ... > full story

Discovery of parathyroid glow promises to reduce endocrine surgery risk (June 20, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered that parathyroid glands have a natural fluorescence that can be used during surgery to identify these tiny organs, which are hard to find with the naked eye. ... > full story

Improving LED lighting (June 20, 2011) -- A new light-emitting diode (LED) light uses an array of LEDs 100 times smaller than conventional LEDs. The new device has flexibility, maintains lower temperature and has an increased life-span over existing LEDs. ... > full story

Self-assembling electronic nano-components (June 20, 2011) -- Magnetic storage media such as hard drives have revolutionized the handling of information: huge quantities of data are magnetically stored while relying on highly sensitive electronic components. And data capacities are expected to increase further through ever smaller components. Researchers have now developed a nano-component based on a mechanism observed in nature. ... > full story

Careless behaviour of cloud users leads to crucial security threats, experts find (June 20, 2011) -- Scientists in Germany have discovered major security vulnerabilities in numerous virtual machines published by customers of Amazon's cloud. Among 1100 public Amazon Machine Images (AMIs), which are used to provide cloud services, about 30 percent are vulnerable, allowing attackers to manipulate or compromise web services or virtual infrastructures, the researchers say. ... > full story

Team reports scalable fabrication of self-aligned graphene transistors, circuits (June 20, 2011) -- Researchers previously reported a self-aligned technique for making graphene transistors with unparalleled speed, but scalability was a question. The team now uses a dielectrophoresis assembly approach to precisely place nanowire gate arrays on large area chemical vapor deposition growth graphene to enable the rational fabrication of high speed transistor arrays. They also did this on a glass substrate, minimizing the parasitic delay and enabling graphene transistors with extrinsic cut-off frequencies exceeding 50 GHz. ... > full story

Surroundings matter: Researchers engineer the environment for stem cell development to control differentiation (June 20, 2011) -- New research shows that systematically controlling the local and global environments during stem cell development helps to effectively direct the process of differentiation. In the future, these findings could be used to develop manufacturing procedures for producing large quantities of stem cells for diagnostic and therapeutic applications. ... > full story

New insights on an old material will enable design of better polymer batteries, water purification (June 20, 2011) -- Scientists have devised a way to measure Nafion's internal structure and, in the process, have discovered how to manipulate this structure to enhance the material's applications. ... > full story

From seawater to freshwater with a nanotechnology filter (June 20, 2011) -- In a new article, researchers describe the role that carbon nanotubes could play in the desalination of water, providing a possible solution to the problem of the world's ever-growing population demanding more and more fresh drinking water. ... > full story

Glimpsing the end of our solar system (June 20, 2011) -- Astronomers are investigating the possible eventual fate of the solar system by examining 'white dwarf' stars elsewhere in our galaxy. ... > full story

Finding reserves on the electrical grid (June 20, 2011) -- The weather determines how much energy wind turbine systems provide. The same applies to power line capacity. On cold and stormy days, this capacity is higher than on days with no wind and high mid-summer temperatures. An autonomously powered sensor network monitors power lines to find the reserves in the lines. ... > full story

Predicting future appearance: New computer-based technique ages photographic images of people's faces (June 20, 2011) -- A graduate student has designed a promising computer program that could serve as a new tool in missing-child investigations and matters of national security. Khoa Luu has developed a more effective computer-based technique to age photographic images of people's faces -- an advance that could help to identify missing kids and criminals on the lam. ... > full story

Johannes Kepler ATV cargo ferry undocks from International Space Station (June 20, 2011) -- Europe's Johannes Kepler ATV cargo ferry undocked from the International Space Station today at 14:46:30 GMT (16:46:30 CEST). The craft is now leaving the orbital outpost far behind and will end its mission on Tuesday evening as a shooting star over the Pacific Ocean. ... > full story

Hybrid lab combines technologies to make biorenewable fuels and products (June 20, 2011) -- The Hybrid Processing Laboratory located just inside the front door of Iowa State University's new Biorenewables Research Laboratory is increasingly busy. It's a place where researchers in biochemical and thermochemical sciences work together to develop technologies that produce biorenewable fuels and chemicals. And it's a showcase for the multidisciplinary work promoted by Iowa State's Bioeconomy Institute. ... > full story

Green ring fit for a superhero: Spitzer Space Telescope spies powerful light of giant 'O' stars (June 19, 2011) -- This glowing emerald nebula seen by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope is reminiscent of the glowing ring wielded by the superhero Green Lantern. In the comic books, the diminutive Guardians of the Planet "Oa" forged his power ring, but astronomers believe rings like this are actually sculpted by the powerful light of giant "O" stars. O stars are the most massive type of star known to exist. ... > full story

Observation of rare particles may shed light on why the universe has more matter than antimatter (June 19, 2011) -- Physicists have now observed the decays of a rare particle that was present right after the Big Bang. Scientists hope this will help to solve the mystery of why the universe evolved with more matter than antimatter. ... > full story

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