ScienceDaily Technology Headlines -- for Thursday, September 15, 2011 ~ techdeck

ScienceDaily Technology Headlines

for Thursday, September 15, 2011

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3-D television without glasses (September 15, 2011) -- When the boundaries merge between the action and the viewer, television becomes a special experience. Research scientists in Germany are optimizing the technologies that make it possible to watch TV in 3-D without technical aids such as 3-D glasses. A new four-camera system will even be able to handle live transmissions. ... > full story

Cancer-killing cells are caught on film in more 3-D detail than ever before (September 15, 2011) -- Scientists reveal in more detail than ever before how white blood cells kill diseased tissue using deadly granules. The researchers used 'optical' laser tweezers and a super-resolution microscope to see the inner workings of white blood cells at the highest resolution ever. The researchers describe how a white blood cell rearranges its scaffolding of actin proteins on the inside of its membrane, to create a hole through which it delivers deadly enzyme-filled granules to kill diseased tissue. ... > full story

Pioneering device reduces the cost and power consumption of telecommunications systems (September 15, 2011) -- Researchers have developed the first broadband radio frequency (RF) photonic phase shifter which is tunable and based on a single semiconductor element. This means that producing it will be cheaper, and it will also provide a saving in energy consumption of up to 80%. ... > full story

Air pollution caused by ships plummets when vessels shift to cleaner, low-sulfur fuels, study finds (September 14, 2011) -- New clean fuel regulations in California and voluntary slowdowns by shipping companies substantially reduce air pollution caused by near-shore ships, according to a new study. ... > full story

'Synthetic biology' could replace oil for chemical industry (September 14, 2011) -- Vats of blue-green algae could one day replace oil wells in producing raw materials for the chemical industry, a chemist predicts. ... > full story

Novel software used in first global camera trap mammal study (September 14, 2011) -- A novel software system has been used in the first global camera trap study of mammals. The research emphasizes the importance of protected areas to ensure the diversity and survival of a wide range of animal populations. ... > full story

NASA announces design for new deep space exploration system: New heavy-lift rocket will take humans far beyond Earth (September 14, 2011) -- NASA has selected the design of a new Space Launch System that will take the agency's astronauts farther into space than ever before, create high-quality jobs here at home, and provide the cornerstone for America's future human space exploration efforts. This new heavy-lift rocket-in combination with a crew capsule already under development, increased support for the commercialization of astronaut travel to low Earth orbit, an extension of activities on the International Space Station until at least 2020. ... > full story

Messy better than neat: Tangled coat of nanowires increases solar cell efficiency by absorbing more light (September 14, 2011) -- Sometimes neatness may not be necessary. Researchers have demonstrated that a tangled coating of randomly positioned nanowires can increase solar cell efficiency by absorbing more light. ... > full story

Crashes common among helicopters used in oil and gas operations, study finds (September 14, 2011) -- A new study finds that helicopters that service the drilling platforms and vessels in the Gulf of Mexico crash on average more than six times per year resulting in an average of five deaths per year. ... > full story

Double jeopardy: Building codes may underestimate risks due to multiple hazards (September 14, 2011) -- As large parts of the United States recover from nature's one-two punch -- an earthquake followed by Hurricane Irene -- building researchers warn that a double whammy of seismic and wind hazards can increase the risk of structural damage to as much as twice the level implied in building codes. ... > full story

Polonium poisoning case sheds light on infection control practices (September 14, 2011) -- A new study uses a famous case of international intrigue and murder to shed new light on the risks health care workers face while treating patients with radiation poisoning. ... > full story

Superconductivity: New piece in the puzzle (September 14, 2011) -- By destabilizing superconductivity with a strong magnetic field, the electrons of a “high temperature” superconductor align into linear filaments. This phenomenon has been demonstrated by a team of researchers in France. The results add a new piece to the puzzle that condensed-matter physicists have been trying to put together for nearly 25 years. ... > full story

Vigorous star birth without galactic collisions: Herschel paints new story of galaxy evolution (September 14, 2011) -- The European Space Agency's Herschel infrared space observatory has discovered that galaxies do not need to collide with each other to drive vigorous star birth. The finding overturns this long-held assumption and paints a more stately picture of how galaxies evolve. ... > full story

New hybrid imaging device shows promise in spotting hard-to-detect ovarian cancer (September 14, 2011) -- By combining three previously unrelated imaging tools into one new device, scientists have proposed a new way to diagnose early-stage ovarian cancer in high-risk women through minimally invasive surgery. The new technique may be better than the current standard procedure of preemptively removing the ovaries. ... > full story

Identifying dangerous intersections with help of new computer simulation (September 14, 2011) -- Researchers have developed SAFEPED, a computer simulation that integrates robots and driver statistics to identify traffic "black spots" and allows traffic planners to analyze and fix dangerous intersections. Based on a theory of human cognition, SAFEPED is far more true-to-life than other computer traffic models. ... > full story

In immune cells, super-resolution imaging reveals natural killers' M.O. (September 14, 2011) -- Making use of a new "super resolution" microscope that provides sharp images at extremely small scales, scientists have achieved unprecedented views of the immune system in action. The new tool, a stimulated emission depletion (STED) microscope, shows how granules from natural killer cells pass through openings in dynamic cell structures to destroy their targets: tumor cells and cells infected by viruses. ... > full story

Team finds stable RNA nano-scaffold within virus core (September 14, 2011) -- With the discovery of a RNA nano-scaffold that remains unusually stable in the body, researchers have overcome another barrier to the development of therapeutic RNA nanotechnology. The nanoparticle, constructed from a three-way junction (3WJ) motif of packaging RNA (pRNA) molecules, can serve as a platform for building larger, multifunctional nanoparticles -- which can then be injected into the body to deliver therapeutics to targeted cells. ... > full story

Intense magnetic fields probably formed shortly after Big Bang, researchers say (September 14, 2011) -- Intense magnetic fields were probably generated in the universe shortly after the Big Bang, according to an international team of researchers. ... > full story

Cyber security report identifies key research priorities (September 14, 2011) -- Developing self-learning, self aware cyber security technologies, protecting smart utility grids and enhancing the security of mobile networks are among the top research priorities needed to safeguard the internet of tomorrow, according to a new report. ... > full story

Discovering the hidden universe: TheSkyNet Launched (September 14, 2011) -- A community computing science initiative to help discover the hidden Universe was officially launched September 14. ... > full story

In the early life of an embryo, a monster lurks: Newly fertilized cells only narrowly avoid degenerating into fatal chaos (September 13, 2011) -- Research has revealed that newly fertilized cells only narrowly avoid degenerating into fatal chaos. At the same time, scientists have discovered that embryos have acquired a mechanism to contain this dangerous instability, a finding that could help biologists unravel other mysteries about the first hours of life. ... > full story

Terahertz radiation's impact on cellular function and gene expression (September 13, 2011) -- Relatively little is known about the effect of terahertz radiation on biological systems. A team of researchers have now evaluated the cellular response of mouse stem cells exposed to THz radiation. They reported that temperature increases were minimal, and that heat shock protein expression was unaffected, while the expression of certain other genes showed clear effects of the THz irradiation. ... > full story

Pressure for positive results puts science under threat, study shows (September 13, 2011) -- Scientific research may be in decline across the globe because of growing pressures to report only positive results, new analysis suggests. ... > full story

Civil engineering professor develops 'superlaminate' industrial pipe repair system (September 13, 2011) -- Even when structural problems with the aging US infrastructure can be detected early, currently available methods of repair are often technologically outdated, logistically complex, prohibitively expensive, or all of the above. A professor of civil engineering may have developed a feasible solution to a rapidly growing domestic infrastructure problem. ... > full story

Star blasts planet with X-rays (September 13, 2011) -- A nearby star is pummeling a companion planet with a barrage of X-rays a hundred thousand times more intense than the Earth receives from the Sun. New data suggest that high-energy radiation is evaporating about 5 million tons of matter from the planet every second. This result gives insight into the difficult survival path for some planets. ... > full story

Graphene may open the gate to future terahertz technologies (September 13, 2011) -- Nestled between radio waves and infrared light is the terahertz (THz) portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. By adding a nanoscale bit of graphene, researchers have found a better way to tune radiation for a THz transmitter. ... > full story

Astronomers find extreme weather on an alien world: Cosmic oddball may harbor a gigantic storm (September 13, 2011) -- A University of Toronto-led team of astronomers has observed extreme brightness changes on a nearby brown dwarf that may indicate a storm grander than any seen yet on a planet. Because old brown dwarfs and giant planets have similar atmospheres, this finding could shed new light on weather phenomena of extra-solar planets. ... > full story

First proof in patients of an improved 'magic bullet' for cancer detection and radio-therapy (September 13, 2011) -- Oncologists have long sought a powerful "magic bullet" that can find tumors wherever they hide in the body so that they can be imaged and then destroyed. ... > full story

Nuclear detector: New materials hold promise for better detection of nuclear weapons (September 13, 2011) -- Scientists have developed new materials that can detect hard radiation, a very difficult thing to do. The method could lead to a handheld device for detecting nuclear weapons and materials, such as a "nuclear bomb in a suitcase" scenario. The materials perform as well as materials that have emerged from five decades of research and development. ... > full story

Is smartphone technology the future of US elections? (September 13, 2011) -- With more and more Americans upgrading to smartphones, and as smartphone capabilities continue to improve, even the US government is considering innovative ways to harness this advancing technology. Human factors/ergonomics researchers have evaluated the potential benefits of using smartphones to enable online voting in future US elections and will present their findings at an upcoming meeting. ... > full story

Ferroelectrics could pave way for ultra-low power computing (September 13, 2011) -- Engineers have shown that it is possible to reduce the minimum voltage necessary to store charge in a capacitor, an achievement that could reduce the power draw and heat generation of today's electronics. They used ferroelectric materials to amplify the charge accumulated at the capacitor for a given voltage, a phenomenon called negative capacitance. ... > full story

Parabolic mirrors concentrate sunlight to power lasers (September 13, 2011) -- Borrowing from modern telescope design, researchers have proposed a way to concentrate sunlight to ramp up laser efficiency. ... > full story

Taming light: Mastering the fine structuring of ultrashort light fields (September 13, 2011) -- Physicists have generated for the first time “white” light pulses. They are able to control their field on a time scale shorter than an optical oscillation. These new tools hold promise for unprecedented control of the motion of electrons. ... > full story

Fast, cheap, and accurate: Detecting CO<sub>2</sub> with a fluorescent twist (September 13, 2011) -- Detecting specific gases in the air is possible using a number of different existing technologies, but typically all of these suffer from one or more drawbacks including high energy cost, large size, slow detection speed, and sensitivity to humidity. Overcoming these deficiencies with a unique approach, scientists have designed an inexpensive new material capable of quick and accurate detection of a specific gas under a wide variety of circumstances. ... > full story

Four new reports update Security Content Automation Protocol (September 13, 2011) -- The U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has released four new publications that detail specifications to be used by the latest version of the Security Content Automation Protocol for managing IT security in large organizations. ... > full story

Two new publications provide a cloud computing standards roadmap and reference architecture (September 13, 2011) -- The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has published two new documents on cloud computing: the first edition of a cloud computing standards roadmap and a cloud computing reference architecture and taxonomy. Together, the documents describe an agenda for cloud computing standards development and an overall framework for cloud computing that can be used government-wide. ... > full story

Blood vessels from your printer? (September 13, 2011) -- Researchers have been working on growing tissue and organs in the laboratory for a long time. Today, tissue engineering enables us to build up artificial tissue, although science still hasn't been successful with larger organs. ... > full story

Memorial image taken on Mars on Sept. 11, 2011 (September 13, 2011) -- A view of a memorial to victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center towers was taken on Mars on Sept. 11, 2011, on the 10th anniversary of the attacks. ... > full story

Methodology applied to historical walls may explain why moss gathers and how paint blackens (September 13, 2011) -- For the correct restoration of deteriorated works of cultural heritage, it helps to know what causes the degradation in the first place. There are studies that characterize these types of damage in detail, but that rarely touch on the origin and development of the deterioration. A chemist has now come up with an analytical methodology with the intention of filling this need. ... > full story

Sustainability scientists suggest how countries can cooperate on climate (September 12, 2011) -- Experts suggest using game theory and a scalable method of rewards and punishments (called linear compensation) to help develop strategies that encourage all nations to participation fully in greenhouse gas mitigation programs. ... > full story

Health fears over CO<sub>2</sub> storage are unfounded, study shows (September 12, 2011) -- Capturing carbon dioxide from power stations and storing it deep underground carries no significant threat to human health, despite recently voiced fears that it might, a new study shows. Researchers found that the risk of death from poisoning as a result of exposure to CO2 leaks from underground rocks is about one in 100 million -- far less than the chances of winning the lottery jackpot. ... > full story

Nanopatterning technique throws new light on photovoltaics (September 12, 2011) -- Do better with less. That is the challenge that Swiss researchers have set for themselves. Their specialty: manufacturing solar cells that are one thousand times thinner than conventional cells. In order to boost the output of the cells, they have developed a new nanopatterning technique. ... > full story

'Trojan Horse' particle sneaks chemotherapy in to kill ovarian cancer cells (September 12, 2011) -- A common chemotherapy drug has been successfully delivered to cancer cells inside tiny microparticles using a method inspired by our knowledge of how the human immune system works. The drug, delivered in this way, reduced ovarian cancer tumors in an animal model by 65 times more than using the standard method. This approach is now being developed for clinical use. ... > full story

New clues to molecular understanding of autism (September 12, 2011) -- The first transgenic mouse model of a rare and severe type of autism called Timothy Syndrome is improving the scientific understanding of autism spectrum disorder in general and may help researchers design more targeted interventions and treatments. ... > full story

Physicist detects movement of macromolecules engineered into our food (September 12, 2011) -- Toxin proteins are genetically engineered into our food because they kill insects by perforating body cell walls, and now researchers studying membrane proteins have detected the molecular mechanism involved. ... > full story

Astronomers find 50 new exoplanets: Richest haul of planets so far includes 16 new super-Earths (September 12, 2011) -- Astronomers using the European Southern Observatory's world-leading exoplanet hunter HARPS have announced a rich haul of more than 50 new exoplanets, including 16 super-Earths, one of which orbits at the edge of the habitable zone of its star. By studying the properties of all the HARPS planets found so far, the team has found that about 40% of stars similar to the Sun have at least one planet lighter than Saturn. ... > full story

Airplanes: New tool analyzes black-box data for flight anomalies (September 12, 2011) -- Scientists have created a new tool that analyzes black-box data for flight anomalies. An airplane's digital flight-data recorder, or "black box," holds massive amounts of data, documenting the performance of engines, cockpit controls, hydraulic equipment and GPS systems, typically at regular one-second intervals throughout a flight. Inspectors use such data to reconstruct the final moments of an accident, looking for telltale defects that may explain a crash. More recently, analysts have probed black-box data in an effort to prevent such accidents from ever occurring. Using software tools that can rapidly search data, operators can flag problem areas and determine whether a plane needs to be pulled off the line to be physically inspected, or if there are problems with flight procedures. ... > full story

Breath and sweat used to detect trapped humans (September 12, 2011) -- Molecules in their breath, sweat and skin have been used to detect humans in a simulation of a collapsed building, raising the prospect of portable sensors for use in real-life situations, such as the devastating aftermath of the 9/11 attacks and more recent disasters in New Zealand and Japan. ... > full story

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