ScienceDaily Technology Headlines -- for Tuesday, September 20, 2011 ~ techdeck

ScienceDaily Technology Headlines

for Tuesday, September 20, 2011

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Researchers reinforce gas hydrate strategy: New study goes deeper in proving simple technique to pinpoint valuable energy source (September 20, 2011) -- A new study expands upon previous research to locate and quantify the amount of methane hydrates -- a potentially vast source of energy -- that may be trapped under the seabed by analyzing shallow core samples. The paper should silence the skeptics, the researchers said. ... > full story

Fast switching and printable transistor invented (September 20, 2011) -- A fully functional, fast switching and printable transistor in cheap plastic has just been invented. ... > full story

Scientists solve long-standing plant biochemistry mystery (September 19, 2011) -- Scientists have discovered how an enzyme "knows" where to insert a double bond when desaturating plant fatty acids. Understanding the mechanism may lead to new ways to engineer plant oils as a renewable replacement for petrochemicals. ... > full story

Unzipping DNA mysteries: Physicists discover how a vital enzyme works (September 19, 2011) -- With an eye toward understanding DNA replication, researchers have learned how a helicase enzyme works to actually unzip the two strands of DNA. ... > full story

Black hole, star collisions may illuminate universe's dark side (September 19, 2011) -- Researchers have unveiled a ready-made method for detecting the collision of stars with an elusive type of black hole that is on the short list of objects believed to make up dark matter. Such a discovery could serve as observable proof of dark matter and provide a much deeper understanding of the universe's inner workings. ... > full story

Catching a breath -- wirelessly: Noninvasive method to watch for SIDS, help surgery patients (September 19, 2011) -- Engineers who built wireless networks that see through walls now are aiming the technology at a new goal: noninvasively measuring the breathing of surgery patients, adults with sleep apnea and babies at risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). ... > full story

Self-steering automated tractor offers more precision in the field (September 19, 2011) -- A farmer rising at the crack of dawn to till his fields in a tractor all day? This could soon become a thing of the past. Scientists have now engineered a fully automated, self-steering robotic tractor. ... > full story

Brightest gamma ray on Earth -- for a safer, healthier world (September 19, 2011) -- The brightest gamma ray beam ever created -- more than a thousand billion times more brilliant than the sun -- has been produced in research that could open up new possibilities for medicine. Physicists have discovered that ultra-short duration laser pulses can interact with ionized gas to give off beams that are so intense they can pass through 20 cm of lead and would take 1.5 m of concrete to be completely absorbed. The ray could have several uses, such as in medical imaging, radiotherapy and radioisotope production for PET (positron emission tomography) scanning. The source could also be useful in monitoring the integrity of stored nuclear waste. ... > full story

Volcanic ash and aircraft safety (September 19, 2011) -- A pioneering technology to study volcanic ash will help advise the aircraft industry as to whether it is safe to fly following an explosive volcanic eruption. ... > full story

'Inexhaustible' source of hydrogen may be unlocked by salt water, engineers say (September 19, 2011) -- A grain of salt or two may be all that microbial electrolysis cells need to produce hydrogen from wastewater or organic byproducts, without adding carbon dioxide to the atmosphere or using grid electricity, according to engineers. ... > full story

Why carbon nanotubes spell trouble for cells (September 19, 2011) -- Carbon nanotubes and other long nanomaterials can spell trouble for cells. The reason: Cells mistake them for spheres and try to engulf them. Once they start, cells cannot reverse course, and complete ingestion never occurs. Researchers detail for the first time how cells interact with carbon nanotubes, gold nanowires and asbestos fibers. ... > full story

Sequencing 'dark matter' of life: Elusive genomes of thousands of bacteria species can now be decoded (September 19, 2011) -- Researchers have developed a new method to sequence and analyze the 'dark matter' of life -- the genomes of thousands of bacteria species previously beyond scientists' reach, from microorganisms that produce antibiotics and biofuels to microbes living in the human body. ... > full story

Colloidal quantum dots: Performance boost next-generation solar cell technology (September 19, 2011) -- Researchers have created the most efficient solar cell ever made based on colloidal quantum dots (CQD). Quantum dots are nanoscale semiconductors that capture light and convert it into an energy source. Because of their small scale, the dots can be sprayed on to flexible surfaces, including plastics. This enables the production of solar cells that are less expensive to produce and more durable than the more widely known silicon-based version. In a new study, the researchers demonstrate how the wrappers that encapsulate the quantum dots can be shrunk to a mere layer of atoms. ... > full story

Put down that game controller: Researcher suggests video games may not boost cognition (September 19, 2011) -- Wouldn't it be nice if all those hours kids spent glued to their PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 or Nintendo DS video games actually resulted in something tangible? Better grades, perhaps? Improved concentration? Superior driving skills? Over the past decade, many studies and news media reports have suggested that action video games such as Medal of Honor or Unreal Tournament improve a variety of perceptual and cognitive abilities. But in a new paper, psychologists critically reevaluate those claims. ... > full story

Gamers succeed where scientists fail: Molecular structure of retrovirus enzyme solved, doors open to new AIDS drug design (September 19, 2011) -- Online gamers have solved the structure of a retrovirus enzyme whose configuration had stumped scientists for over a decade. This is the first instance that researchers are aware of in which gamers solved a longstanding scientific problem. The discovery was achieved through Foldit, which allows players to collaborate and compete in predicting protein molecule structures. Foldit is an example of engaging the public in scientific discovery by using games to solve hard problems that can't be solved by either people or computers alone. ... > full story

First fluorescence-guided ovarian cancer surgery (September 19, 2011) -- The first fluorescence-guided surgery on an ovarian cancer patient was performed using an imaging agent attached to a modified form of the vitamin folic acid, which acts as a "homing device" to seek out and attach to ovarian cancer cells. Surgeons were able to see clusters of cancer cells as small as one-tenth of a millimeter -- 30 times smaller than the smallest they could detect using standard techniques. ... > full story

Quantum behavior with a flash: Laser pulses can reveal quantum features of large objects (September 19, 2011) -- Just as a camera flash illuminates unseen objects hidden in darkness, a sequence of laser pulses can be used to study the elusive quantum behavior of a large "macroscopic" object, scientists report. This method enables experiments that push the boundaries of the quantum world to larger and larger scales. ... > full story

Ground glass solution for cleaner water (September 19, 2011) -- British science has led to a use for waste glass that cannot be recycled that could help clean up polluted waterways by acting as an ion-exchange filter to remove lead, cadmium and other toxic metals. ... > full story

Tests under way on the sunshield for NASA's Webb Telescope (September 19, 2011) -- NASA is testing an element of the sunshield that will protect the James Webb Space Telescope's mirrors and instruments during its mission to observe the most distant objects in the universe. The sunshield will consist of five tennis court-sized layers to allow the Webb telescope to cool to its cryogenic operating temperature of minus 387.7 degrees Fahrenheit (40 Kelvin). ... > full story

NASA's Webb Telescope completes mirror-coating milestone (September 19, 2011) -- NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has reached a major milestone in its development. The mirrors that will fly aboard the telescope have completed the coating process at Quantum Coating Inc. in Moorestown, N.J. The telescope's mirrors have been coated with a microscopically thin layer of gold, selected for its ability to properly reflect infrared light from the mirrors into the observatory's science instruments. The coating allows the Webb telescope's "infrared eyes" to observe extremely faint objects in infrared light. ... > full story

Robots are coming to aircraft assembly (September 19, 2011) -- Up to now, aircraft have been put together in huge assembly cells, but to build the necessary facilities is expensive and time-consuming. That is why researchers have come up with a flexible assembly-line concept that features robots working in the same way they do in automotive production. One of this future assembly line's elements is a versatile component gripper made of lightweight CFRP (carbon fiber reinforced plastic). ... > full story

New light on detection of bacterial infection: Polymers fluoresce in the presence of bacteria (September 18, 2011) -- Researchers have developed polymers that fluoresce in the presence of bacteria, paving the way for the rapid detection and assessment of wound infection using ultra-violet light. ... > full story

Safer skies: New algorithm could help prevent midair collisions (September 18, 2011) -- The FAA has mandated that by 2020, all aircrafts must be equipped with a new tracking system that broadcasts GPS data, providing more accurate location information than ground-based radar. Researchers now have early result of an investigation, a new algorithm that uses data from the tracking system to predict and prevent collisions between small aircraft. ... > full story

Lasers could be used to detect roadside bombs (September 18, 2011) -- Scientists have just developed a laser that could detect roadside bombs. The laser potentially has the sensitivity and selectivity to canvas large areas and detect improvised explosive devices -- weapons that account for around 60 percent of coalition soldiers' deaths. ... > full story

3-D face models that give animators intuitive control of expressions (September 18, 2011) -- Flashing a wink and a smirk might be second nature for some people, but computer animators can be hard-pressed to depict such an expression realistically. Now scientists have created computerized models derived from actors' faces that reflect a full range of natural expressions while also giving animators the ability to manipulate facial poses. ... > full story

Opportunity on verge of new discovery: Mars rover poised on rock that may yield yet more evidence of a wet Red Planet (September 17, 2011) -- The Mars rover Opportunity, which was designed to operate for three months and to rove less than a mile, has now journeyed more than seven years crossing more than 21 miles. Today, it is poised at the edge of a heavily eroded impact basin, the possible location of clay minerals formed in low-acid wet conditions on the red planet. ... > full story

Gamma-ray bursts shed light on the nature of dark energy (September 17, 2011) -- Dark energy is the basic constituent of the today's Universe, one that is responsible for its accelerated expansion. Although astronomers observe the cosmological effects of the impact of dark energy, they still do not know exactly what it is. A new method for measuring the largest distances in the Universe helps solve the mystery. A key role is played by the most powerful cosmic explosions -- gamma-ray bursts. ... > full story

How single stars lost their companions (September 16, 2011) -- Not all stars are loners. In our home galaxy, the Milky Way, about half of all stars have a companion and travel through space in a binary system. But explaining why some stars are in double or even triple systems while others are single has been something of a mystery. Now a team of astronomers think they have the answer -- different stellar birth environments decide whether a star holds on to its companion. ... > full story

Biochemical cell signals quantified: Data capacity much lower than expected, scientists find (September 16, 2011) -- Just as cell phones and computers transmit data through electronic networks, the cells of your body send and receive chemical messages through molecular pathways. The term "cell signaling" was coined more than 30 years ago to describe this process. For the first time, scientists have quantified the data capacity of a biochemical signaling pathway and found a surprise -- it's lower than a dial-up modem. ... > full story

Shake, rattle and … power up? New device generates energy from small vibrations (September 16, 2011) -- Today's wireless-sensor networks can do everything from supervising factory machinery to tracking environmental pollution to measuring the movement of buildings and bridges. Working together, distributed sensors can monitor activity along an oil pipeline or throughout a forest, keeping track of multiple variables at a time. While uses for wireless sensors are seemingly endless, there is one limiting factor to the technology -- power. A new tiny energy harvester picks up a wider range of vibrations than current designs, and is able to generate 100 times the power of devices of similar size. ... > full story

Smartphone battery life could dramatically improve with new invention (September 16, 2011) -- A new "subconscious mode" for smartphones and other WiFi-enabled mobile devices could extend battery life by as much as 54 percent for users on the busiest networks. ... > full story

Electronic bucket brigade could boost solar cell voltages (September 16, 2011) -- Some ferroelectric materials can develop extremely high voltages when light falls on them, which might greatly improve solar cells if scientists could figure out how they do it. Researchers have solved the mystery for one ferroelectric, bismuth ferrite, revealing a principle that should apply to other materials too. The secret is an electronic "bucket brigade" that passes electrons stepwise from one electrically polarized region to the next. ... > full story

Carbon nanoparticles break barriers -- and that may not be good (September 16, 2011) -- In a new study, researchers studied cellular alterations in the urine-blood barrier in the kidney caused by repeated exposure to low concentrations of carbon nanoparticles. Among the first to study concentrations of these tiny particles that are low enough to mimic the actual exposure of an ordinary individual, researchers say this is the initial step to understanding the assault on the human body of accidental exposure to CNPs. ... > full story

New method for detecting lung cancer unveiled (September 16, 2011) -- When lung cancer strikes, it often spreads silently into more advanced stages before being detected. In a new article, biological engineers and medical scientists reveal how their discovery could provide a much earlier warning signal. ... > full story

Researchers create new Urban Network Analysis toolbox (September 16, 2011) -- Researchers have created a new Urban Network Analysis (UNA) toolbox that enables urban designers and planners to describe the spatial patterns of cities using mathematical network analysis methods. Such tools can support better informed and more resilient urban design and planning in a context of rapid urbanization. ... > full story

Small distant galaxies host supermassive black holes, astronomers find (September 16, 2011) -- Using the Hubble Space Telescope to probe the distant universe, astronomers have found supermassive black holes growing in surprisingly small galaxies. The findings suggest that central black holes formed at an early stage in galaxy evolution. ... > full story

Archivist in the sound library: New model for speech and sound recognition (September 16, 2011) -- A new mathematical model mimics the process of speech and noise recognition in the human brain efficiently. It may explain experimental findings that remained unclear so far. ... > full story

New study quantifies use of social media in Arab Spring (September 16, 2011) -- After analyzing more than three million tweets, gigabytes of YouTube content and thousands of blog posts, a new study finds that social media played a central role in shaping political debates in the Arab Spring. Conversations about revolution often preceded major events, and social media has carried inspiring stories of protest across international borders. ... > full story

Balloon-based experiment to measure gamma rays 6,500 light years distant (September 16, 2011) -- Beginning Sunday, September 18, 2011 at NASA's launch facility in Fort Sumner, New Mexico, space scientists will attempt to send a balloon up to 130,000 feet with a one-ton instrument payload to measure gamma rays from the Crab Pulsar, the remains of a supernova explosion that lies 6,500 light years from Earth. ... > full story

NASA Mars research helps find buried water on Earth (September 15, 2011) -- A NASA-led team has used radar sounding technology developed to explore the subsurface of Mars to create high-resolution maps of freshwater aquifers buried deep beneath an Earth desert, in the first use of airborne sounding radar for aquifer mapping. ... > full story

Meteor likely cause of Southwest U.S. light show (September 15, 2011) -- A meteor is the most probable cause of a bright, colorful fireball witnessed by people in a wide swath of the southwestern United States, according to NASA. ... > full story

Mobile phone electromagnetic field affects local glucose metabolism in the human brain, Finnish study finds (September 15, 2011) -- Recent PET-measurements in Turku, Finland, show that the GSM mobile phone electromagnetic field suppresses glucose metabolism in temporoparietal and anterior temporal areas of the hemisphere next to the antenna. ... > full story

Cancer information on Wikipedia is accurate, but not very readable, study finds (September 15, 2011) -- It is a commonly held that information on Wikipedia should not be trusted, since it is written and edited by non-experts without professional oversight. But researchers have found differently, according to a new study. ... > full story

New material synthesized: Graphene nanoribbons inside of carbon nanotubes (September 15, 2011) -- Physicists from Sweden and Finland have found an efficient way to synthesize graphene nanoribbons directly inside of single-walled carbon nanotubes. ... > full story

NASA's Kepler discovery confirms first planet orbiting two stars (September 15, 2011) -- The existence of a world with a double sunset, as portrayed in the film Star Wars more than 30 years ago, is now scientific fact. NASA's Kepler mission has made the first unambiguous detection of a circumbinary planet -- a planet orbiting two stars -- 200 light-years from Earth. ... > full story

Scientists take first step towards creating 'inorganic life' (September 15, 2011) -- Scientists in Scotland say they have taken their first tentative steps towards creating 'life' from inorganic chemicals potentially defining the new area of 'inorganic biology'. ... > full story

Milky Way's spiral arms are the product of an intergalactic collision course; Models show dark matter packs a punch (September 15, 2011) -- Astronomers have shown how the Milky Way galaxy's iconic spiral arms form, according to new research. A dwarf galaxy named Sagittarius loaded with dark matter has careened twice through our much larger home galaxy in the past two billion years, according to telescope data and detailed simulations, and is lined up to do it again. As the galaxies collide, the force of the impact sends stars streaming from both in long loops. ... > full story

Preschoolers' grasp of numbers predicts math performance in school years; Early number sense linked to elementary math scores (September 15, 2011) -- A new study reports that the precision with which preschoolers estimate quantities, prior to any formal education in mathematics, predicts their mathematics ability in elementary school, according to researchers. ... > full story