Space Season: ScienceDaily Technology Headlines -- for Friday, April 8, 2011

ScienceDaily Technology Headlines

for Friday, April 8, 2011

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Cause of short gamma-ray bursts determined (April 8, 2011) -- A new supercomputer simulation shows the collision of two neutron stars can naturally produce the magnetic structures thought to power the high-speed particle jets associated with short gamma-ray bursts. The study provides the most detailed glimpse of the forces driving some of the universe's most energetic explosions. ... > full story

Element germanium under pressure matches predictions of modern condensed matter theory (April 8, 2011) -- Although its name may make many people think of flowers, the element germanium is part of a frequently studied group of elements, called IVa, which could have applications for next-generation computer architecture as well as implications for fundamental condensed matter physics. New research reveals details of the element's transitions under pressure. Their results show extraordinary agreement with the predictions of modern condensed matter theory. ... > full story

Research into batteries will give electric cars the same range as gas cars, experts say (April 8, 2011) -- Li-air batteries are a promising opportunity for electric cars. The Achilles' heel of the electric car is the limited energy density of the batteries, which will only provide short drives. ... > full story

iPad helps archaeologists (April 8, 2011) -- A new approach to conducting archaeological research is revolutionizing methods of recording history, a field that is steeped in tradition. ... > full story

Mathematical model simulating rat whiskers provides insight into sense of touch (April 7, 2011) -- Researchers have developed a mathematical model that will allow them to simulate how rats use their whiskers to sense objects around them. The model enables further research that may provide insight into the human sense of touch. ... > full story

If plants generate magnetic fields, they're not saying (April 7, 2011) -- Physicists are using some of the world's most sensitive magnetic field detectors to determine whether plants, like animals, produce magnetic fields. Sensitive magnetometers now can monitor brain or heart activity in humans, but scientists want to know whether plants also generate small fields during rapid processes. Their failure to detect biomagnetism in the world's largest flower during its hot flashes sets an upper limit for plants. ... > full story

Simple arithmetic for faster, more secure websites (April 7, 2011) -- Faster, more secure logins for multimedia sites might be possible thanks to a new approach to website and database security. Boolean logins would allow thousands if not millions of users to more quickly access the content to which they are entitled, such as music, video and images. The same approach might also reduce the risk of hackers accessing the materials illicitly. ... > full story

Black hole may have ripped star apart causing unprecedented explosion (April 7, 2011) -- Astronomers are studying one of the most puzzling cosmic blasts yet observed. More than a week later, high-energy radiation continues to brighten and fade from its location. Astronomers say that the unusual blast likely arose when a star wandered too close to its galaxy's central black hole. Intense tidal forces tore the star apart, and the infalling gas continues to stream toward the hole. ... > full story

Fukushima-related radioactive materials measured across entire Northern Hemisphere (April 7, 2011) -- Since the double disaster of the 9.0 magnitude earthquake and tsunami that affected hundreds of thousands of people and seriously damaged the Fukushima Daichi power plant in Japan on 11 March 2011, minute traces of radioactive emissions from Fukushima have spread across the entire Northern Hemisphere. A monitoring network designed to detect signs of nuclear explosions picked up these traces from the stricken power plant. To date, more than 30 radionuclide stations that are part of the International Monitoring System have provided information on the spread of radioactive particles and noble gases from the Fukushima accident. ... > full story

Deep-space travel could create heart health woes for astronauts (April 7, 2011) -- Astronauts anticipate more trips to the moon and manned missions to Mars. But exposure to cosmic radiation outside the Earth's magnetic field could be detrimental to their arteries. ... > full story

Technique for letting brain talk to computers now tunes in speech (April 7, 2011) -- Researchers have used a technique, usually associated with identifying epilepsy, for the first time to show that a computer can listen to our thoughts. The scientists demonstrated that humans can control a cursor on a computer screen using words spoken out loud and in their head. ... > full story

Surveillance system to cut risk of space debris hitting satellites (April 7, 2011) -- The growing quantity of space debris is a serious threat to satellites and other spacecraft, which risk being damaged or even destroyed. A new European space surveillance system is being developed to ward off the danger of collisions in orbit. ... > full story

Common nanoparticles found to be highly toxic to Arctic ecosystem (April 7, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered that nanoparticles, which are now present in everything from socks to salad dressing and suntan lotion, may have irreparably damaging effects on soil systems and the environment. ... > full story

Personal 'geo data' as sensitive as private genetic information, experts argue (April 7, 2011) -- Precise geographical data that pinpoints your whereabouts at any given time should be legally defined as sensitive data on a par with one's genetic information, according to legal experts in Denmark. The EU is investigating what kind of data should be covered by legislation and the team argues that so-called "geo data" must be included in this assessment. ... > full story

New device promises safer way to deliver powerful drugs (April 7, 2011) -- A new drug delivery device promises to unlock the potential of photosensitive chemicals to kill drug-resistant infections and perhaps cancer tumors as well. ... > full story

Two dying stars to be reborn as one (April 7, 2011) -- White dwarfs are dead stars that pack a Sun's-worth of matter into an Earth-sized ball. Astronomers have just discovered an amazing pair of white dwarfs whirling around each other once every 39 minutes. This is the shortest-period pair of white dwarfs now known. Moreover, in a few million years they will collide and merge to create a single star. ... > full story

Micro aircraft improves avionic systems and sensors (April 7, 2011) -- Myriad sensors and systems provide modern aircraft with data for flight control. But a bird's eye perspective is also of great benefit when measuring pollutants, searching for missing persons and even in archaeological research. Postgraduate students have now developed an unmanned aerial vehicle that can be deployed for many such tasks. It has just successfully completed its maiden flight. ... > full story

Tungsten may not be the best shot for making 'green' bullets (April 7, 2011) -- With efforts underway to ban lead-based ammunition as a potential health and environmental hazard, scientists are reporting new evidence that a prime alternative material for bullets -- tungsten -- may not be a good substitute. The report found that tungsten accumulates in major structures of the immune system in animals. ... > full story

Off the hook: Who gets phished and why (April 7, 2011) -- Communication researchers have found that if you receive a lot of email, habitually respond to a good portion of it, maintain a lot of online relationships and conduct a large number of transactions online, you are more susceptible to email phishing expeditions than those who limit their online activity. ... > full story

Taming carbon nanotubes (April 7, 2011) -- Carbon nanotubes have many attractive properties, and their structure and areas of application can be compared with those of graphene, the material for whose discovery the most recent Nobel Prize was awarded. In order to be able to exploit these properties, however, it is necessary to have full control of the manufacturing process. Scientists are now closing in on the answer. ... > full story

Shopping online, privacy, data protection and third-party tracking (April 7, 2011) -- In the wake of yet another e-commerce data breach in which the names and email addresses of millions of online shoppers and credit card users have been accessed illegally, researchers in the US suggest that privacy discussions, and ultimately legislation must urgently focus on the expanding roles of third-parties handling pervasive online customer profiles. ... > full story

Nano fitness: Helping enzymes stay active and keep in shape (April 6, 2011) -- Scientists have developed a new technique for boosting the stability of enzymes, making them useful under a much broader range of conditions. They confined lysozyme and other enzymes inside carefully engineered nanoscale holes, or nanopores. Instead of denaturing, these embedded enzymes mostly retained their 3-D structure and exhibited a significant increase in activity. ... > full story

Third dimension of specific cell cultivation (April 6, 2011) -- Researchers have succeeded in cultivating cells in specific locations on 3-D structures. The fascinating thing is that the cells are offered small "holds" in the micrometer range on the scaffold, to which they can adhere. Adhesion is possible only on these holds, not on the remaining structure. For the first time, cell adhesion and, hence, cell shape are influenced precisely in three dimensions. ... > full story

Improving high-speed optical data transfer by employing ideas from TV antennas (April 6, 2011) -- Standard TV antennas receive signals carried by electromagnetic waves with frequencies in the MHz range and convert them into pulses of electric currents in the connected cables. The antenna connects two very different length scales: the carrier wavelength, ranging from centimeters to meters, and the size of the wiring, typically on the millimeter scale. Now, physicists have successfully applied this radiofrequency antenna concept to the optical wavelength range. ... > full story

NASA's Spitzer discovers time-delayed jets around young star (April 6, 2011) -- Astronomers have discovered that two symmetrical jets shooting away from opposite sides of a blossoming star are experiencing a time delay: knots of gas and dust from one jet blast off four-and-a-half years later than identical knots from the other jet. The finding, which required the infrared vision of NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope, is helping astronomers understand how jets are produced around forming stars, including those resembling our sun when it was young. ... > full story

The 'molecular octopus': A little brother of 'Schroedinger’s cat' (April 6, 2011) -- For the first time, the quantum behavior of molecules consisting of more than 400 atoms was demonstrated by scientists. The research also sheds new light on an important aspect of the famous thought experiment known as "Schroedinger's cat". ... > full story

Renewal of a life and physical sciences research program at NASA could facilitate longer, farther human space missions (April 6, 2011) -- By elevating its life and physical sciences research program, NASA could achieve the biological understanding and technical breakthroughs needed to allow humans to be sent deeper into space, according to a new report. ... > full story

Frozen comet's watery past: Discovery challenges paradigm of comets as 'dirty snowballs' frozen in time (April 6, 2011) -- Scientists have found convincing evidence for the presence of liquid water in a comet, shattering the current paradigm that comets never get warm enough to melt the ice that makes up the bulk of their material. ... > full story

Nanopolymer shows promise for helping reduce cancer side effects (April 6, 2011) -- A biochemist has demonstrated a process using nanotechnology to better assess whether cancer drugs hit their targets, which may help reduce drug side effects. ... > full story

Electron microscopy: New type of genetic tag illuminates life in never-before-seen detail (April 6, 2011) -- By modifying a protein from a plant that is much favored by science, researchers have created a new type of genetic tag visible under an electron microscope, illuminating life in never-before-seen detail. ... > full story

Scientists develop new technology for stroke rehabilitation (April 6, 2011) -- Devices which could be used to rehabilitate the arms and hands of people who have experienced a stroke have been developed by researchers in the UK. ... > full story

Toward a solution to nerve agent exposure: Chemist uses supercomputers to test reagents for new treatments (April 5, 2011) -- A chemist is harnessing the power of supercomputing systems to help develop a new drug that will regenerate a critical enzyme in the human body that "ages" after a person is exposed to deadly organophosphorus nerve agents. ... > full story

Cost-effective manure management, thanks to computer-simulated farms (April 5, 2011) -- Scientists have used computer-simulated farms with the support of field research to compare the environmental impact and economic efficacy of using alternative manure application methods in farming systems. ... > full story

Economics, physics are roadblocks for mass-scale algae biodiesel production, study finds (April 5, 2011) -- Companies looking to engineer an eco-friendly diesel fuel have more red lights in their path. According to researchers, making petroleum diesel completely green would not only bend the laws of physics, it would cost too much green. ... > full story

Invisibility cloaks and more: Force of acoustical waves tapped for metamaterials (April 5, 2011) -- A very simple bench-top technique that uses the force of acoustical waves to create a variety of 3-D structures will benefit the rapidly expanding field of metamaterials and their myriad applications -- including "invisibility cloaks." ... > full story

History of nuclear power needs to be addressed, expert says (April 5, 2011) -- The long-standing conflicts over nuclear power and the risks of radiation exposure are nothing new -- in fact, the debate over the damaged Fukushima Dai-Ichi plant in Japan are similar to arguments happening between scientists, governmental agencies and the public since 1945, according to an expert on the history of science. ... > full story

Scientists find new type of mineral in historic meteorite (April 5, 2011) -- Researchers have found a new mineral named "Wassonite" in one of the most historically significant meteorites recovered in Antarctica in December 1969. ... > full story

Nanoparticles improve solar collection efficiency (April 5, 2011) -- Using minute graphite particles 1,000 times smaller than the width of a human hair, mechanical engineers hope to boost the efficiency -- and profitability -- of solar power plants. ... > full story

Device enables computer to identify whether user is male or female (April 5, 2011) -- Researchers in Spain have developed a system that analyses a video signal in real time and calculates the gender of the faces pictured in the images. This way, a computer can determine whether the faces pictured in the images or videos belong to a man or a woman. ... > full story

Air France wreckage located nearly 2.5 miles below surface of Atlantic Ocean (April 5, 2011) -- A search team has located the wreckage of Air France Flight 447 some 3,900 meters, or nearly 2.5 miles, below the surface of the Atlantic Ocean off Brazil's northeastern coast. ... > full story

Vibrant colors in vertical silicon nanowires: Surprising phenomenon may lead to greater sensitivity in image sensor devices (April 5, 2011) -- Engineers may soon be singing, "I'm going to wash that gray right out of my nanowires," thanks to a colorful discovery by a team of researchers. In contrast to the somber gray hue of silicon wafers, the scientists demonstrated that individual, vertical silicon nanowires can shine in all colors of the spectrum. ... > full story

Self-cooling observed in graphene elctronics (April 5, 2011) -- With the first observation of thermoelectric effects at graphene contacts, researchers have found that graphene transistors have a nanoscale cooling effect that reduces their temperature. Using an AMF tip to measure temperature, they found that thermoelectric cooling effects can be stronger at graphene contacts than resistive heating, so graphene transistors are self-cooling. ... > full story

Oxygen sensor invention could benefit fisheries to breweries (April 5, 2011) -- Monitoring oxygen levels in water has applications for oil spills, fish farming, brewing beer and more -- and a researcher is poised to help supply that need. The concept of oxygen sensors isn't new. The challenge, however, has been manufacturing one that can withstand fluctuations in temperature, salinity, carbon dioxide, phosphates and biological wastes. Physicist Ruby Ghosh was able to overcome those obstacles as well as build one that provides real-time data and is relatively inexpensive. ... > full story

Mars in Spain: Subterranean springs in central pre-Pyrenees of Catalonia pose new questions for planetary geomorphology (April 5, 2011) -- A new study on the origin and evolution of peculiar morphologies created by ancient subterranean springs in the central pre-Pyrenees of Catalonia (Spain) pose new questions for planetary geomorphology research. Similar to small volcanoes, these formations until now had only been described in Australia and closely resemble gigantic forms found on Mars. The study may shed new light on the origin of these formations and the search for water on the Red Planet. ... > full story

Chemists produce first high-resolution RNA 'nano square' (April 4, 2011) -- Chemists have produced the first high resolution structure of a nano-scale square made from ribonucleic acid, or RNA. ... > full story

'In-depth' radar: Seeing what lies beneath the surface (April 4, 2011) -- Where do the water pipes and electric cables lie? Could valuable cultural artefacts be hidden here? And how high is the salt concentration on the road today? A georadar can reveal what lies below the surface, providing information that can be extremely useful to industry. A Norwegian researcher wants to evaluate how georadar could be utilized. ... > full story

The Art of Making Stars (April 4, 2011) -- It might look like an abstract painting, but this splash of colors is in fact a busy star-forming complex called Rho Ophiuchi. NASA's Wide-field Infrared Explorer, or WISE, captured the picturesque image of the region, which is one of the closest star-forming complexes to Earth. ... > full story

Formaldehyde: Poison could have set the stage for the origins of life (April 4, 2011) -- Formaldehyde, a poison and a common molecule throughout the universe, is likely the source of the solar system's organic carbon solids -- abundant in both comets and asteroids. Scientists have long speculated about the how organic, or carbon-containing, material became a part of the solar system's fabric. New research shows that these complex organic solids were likely made from formaldehyde in the primitive solar system. ... > full story