Space Season: ScienceDaily Technology Headlines -- for Thursday, April 14, 2011

ScienceDaily Technology Headlines

for Thursday, April 14, 2011

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Star formation linked to sonic booms (April 14, 2011) -- Nearby interstellar clouds contain networks of tangled gaseous filaments, according to new observations. Intriguingly, each filament is approximately the same width, hinting that they may result from interstellar sonic booms throughout our Galaxy. ... > full story

Lightning-fast materials testing using ultrasound (April 14, 2011) -- For years, ultrasound has proven to be a valuable tool in non-destructive materials testing. However, the demands of modern production conditions are increasing all the time. Researchers have now developed a new, more reliable process that delivers testing results at a rate that is up to a hundredfold higher. ... > full story

New fracture resistance mechanisms provided by graphene (April 14, 2011) -- Graphene can be used to enhance the toughness of ceramics, new research shows. This discovery -- which increased the resulting ceramic composite's fracture resistance by over 200 percent -- could potentially be used to enhance toughness for a wide range of high performance ceramic materials for aerospace and other applications. ... > full story

Scientists give computers 'hindsight' to anticipate the future: Useful in online auctions (April 13, 2011) -- Scientists have developed an algorithm to measure variables on the fly and minimize the amount of "virtual regret" a computer program might experience. This research could have an effect on the decision-making processes of computers as they manage online auctions. ... > full story

Ceramic coatings may protect jet engines from volcanic ash (April 13, 2011) -- Last year's billion shutdown of European airspace following a volcanic eruption in Iceland alerted everyone to the danger that ash clouds can pose to aircraft engines. Now, researchers have discovered that a new class of ceramic coatings could offer jet engines special protection against volcanic ash damage in the future. ... > full story

Volcanoes reveal the cooling of Mars (April 13, 2011) -- The mantle of Mars is possibly cooling by 30-40°C every billion years. Based on satellite observations of the composition of the planet's volcanic rocks, researchers have reached this conclusion after reconstructing for the first time the thermal evolution of the planet over the past 4 billion years. These values indicate that cooling is slower than on Earth (70-100°C per billion years) and highlight the specific nature of our planet, where thermal evolution is affected by plate tectonics. ... > full story

Device proves solar cell potential of high bandgap inorganic nanowire arrays (April 13, 2011) -- Proving a theoretical concept for improving the light absorption capabilities of a class of semiconductor materials long-considered impractical for solar energy collection, a team of researchers has successfully fabricated and tested an array of "quantum coaxial cables" -- nanowires structured from inorganic materials that can be fabricated cost-effectively to produce a durable and efficient solar cell. ... > full story

First comprehensive gene map of the human brain: More than 90 percent similarity among humans (April 13, 2011) -- Researchers have released the world's first anatomically and genomically comprehensive human brain map, a previously unthinkable feat made possible through leading-edge technology and more than four years of rigorous studies and documentation. ... > full story

Controlled production of nanometric drops (April 13, 2011) -- When a drop falls on a lotus flower it remains on the surface without wetting it. This is due, firstly, to the chemical components of the leaves of this plant, which are hydrophobic and therefore repel water, and, secondly, to the nanostructure of the surface, which augments the repellent effect. Taking these nanostructural properties as a starting point, researchers have carried out a study in which they demonstrate the physical conditions required for the controlled production of drops between the micro- and nanoscales. ... > full story

Toward a computer model of the brain: New technique poised to untangle brain's complexity (April 12, 2011) -- Scientists have moved a step closer to being able to develop a computer model of the brain after developing a technique to map both the connections and functions of nerve cells in the brain together for the first time. ... > full story

Public relatively unconcerned about nanotechnology risks (April 12, 2011) -- A new study finds that the general public thinks getting a suntan poses a greater public health risk than nanotechnology or other nanoparticle applications. The study compared survey respondents' perceived risk of nanoparticles with 23 other public-health risks. ... > full story

Rainbow-trapping scientist now strives to slow light waves even further (April 12, 2011) -- An electrical engineer who previously demonstrated experimentally the "rainbow trapping effect" -- a phenomenon that could boost optical data storage and communications -- is now working to capture all the colors of the rainbow. ... > full story

Better lasers for optical communications (April 12, 2011) -- A new laser procedure could boost optical fiber communications. The technique could become essential for the future expansion of the Internet, and it also opens up new frontiers in basic research. ... > full story

'Alternative vote' electoral system could lock out extremist candidates, UK researcher says (April 12, 2011) -- Moving to an alternative vote (AV) electoral system could lock extremist candidates out of office and ensue that the least popular politician has the least chance of winning, according to a voting researcher in the UK. ... > full story

Cause of irradiation-induced instability in materials' surfaces discovered (April 12, 2011) -- A new discovery about the dynamic impact of individual energetic particles into a solid surface improves our ability to predict surface stability or instability of materials under irradiation over time. The finding may lead to the design of improved structural materials for nuclear fission and fusion power plants, which must withstand constant irradiation over decades. It may also accelerate the advent of fusion power, which does not produce radioactivity. ... > full story

First galaxies were born much earlier than expected (April 12, 2011) -- Using the amplifying power of a cosmic gravitational lens, astronomers have discovered a distant galaxy whose stars were born unexpectedly early in cosmic history. This result sheds new light on the formation of the first galaxies, as well as on the early evolution of the Universe. ... > full story

Forensics: Developing a tool for identification -- even using very degraded DNA samples (April 12, 2011) -- Frequently the only biological material available to identify persons is DNA in a very degraded state. In these cases, the kits usually employed to carry out DNA identifications do not produce accurate results, given that all the DNA is not available. Biochemists have now developed a tool for identifying persons from these small fragments of DNA. ... > full story

World's smallest wedding rings: Interlocking rings of DNA visible through scanning force microscope (April 12, 2011) -- DNA nanotechnology makes use of the ability of natural DNA strains' capacity for self asssembly. Researchers in Germany were able to create two rings of DNA only 18 nanometers in size, and to interlock them like two links in a chain. One of the researchers, who got married during the time he was working on the nano-rings, believes that they are probably the world's smallest wedding rings. ... > full story

Space jets in a bottle (April 12, 2011) -- By creating space-like conditions in a slim 4-meter vessel, researchers have helped confirm the behavior of astrophysical jets -- streams of charged particles shot out by supermassive black holes and young stars, which stretch several hundred thousand light years across space. ... > full story

How antifreeze proteins bind to surface of ice crystals: Finding may end 30-year debate (April 12, 2011) -- A chance observation by a researcher might have ended a decades-old debate about the precise way antifreeze proteins bind to the surface of ice crystals. ... > full story

Tissue engineers use new system to measure biomaterials, structures (April 12, 2011) -- As cells assemble into a donut shape and ascend a hydrogel cone, they do work and thereby reveal the total power involved in forming a three-dimensional structure. That measure not only could help tissue engineers understand their living building materials better, but could also add insight to the understanding of natural tissue formation. ... > full story

'Green energy' advance: Tandem catalysis in nanocrystal interfaces (April 12, 2011) -- In a development that holds intriguing possibilities for green energy technologies such as artificial photosynthesis, researchers have created the first bilayered metal-metal oxide nanocrystals to feature multiple catalytic sites on nanocrystal interfaces. These multiple catalytic sites allow for multiple, sequential catalytic reactions to be carried out selectively and in tandem. ... > full story

Complex composite materials: Replacement found for rare material indium tin oxide (April 12, 2011) -- Researchers have developed a replacement for indium tin oxide. The replacement material is a transparent, conducting film produced in water, and based on electrically conducting carbon nanotubes and plastic nanoparticles. ... > full story

Why academic start-up companies can fail (April 12, 2011) -- Many academic spin-out companies face significant difficulties in transforming an initial idea into a wealth-creating and sustainable business, according to an empirical analysis of 160 such companies formed in Italy during a five-year period. The research suggests that a lack of entrepreneurial orientation by the researchers promoting and managing the spin-out companies is to blame. ... > full story

Diesel-engine exhaust filter reduces harmful particles by 98 percent (April 11, 2011) -- A commercially available particle trap can filter microscopic pollutants in diesel-engine exhaust and prevent about 98 percent of them from reaching the air, according to new research. ... > full story

Fracking controversy: Using water, sand and chemicals to extract natural gas from shale (April 11, 2011) -- The turmoil in oil-producing nations is triggering turmoil at home, as rising oil prices force Americans to pay more at the pump. Meanwhile, there's a growing industry that's promising jobs and access to cheaper energy resources on American soil, but it's not without its controversy. ... > full story

Physicists discover new way to visualize warped space and time (April 11, 2011) -- When black holes slam into each other, the surrounding space and time surge and undulate like a heaving sea during a storm. This warping of space and time is so complicated that physicists haven't been able to understand the details of what goes on -- until now. ... > full story

NASA astronaut Cady Coleman, Jethro Tull's Ian Anderson perform first space-Earth flute duet (April 11, 2011) -- Harmony reached new heights recently as NASA astronaut Cady Coleman, circling Earth aboard the International Space Station, and musician Ian Anderson, founder of the rock band Jethro Tull, collaborated for the first space-Earth duet. ... > full story

Saturn's moon Titan shaped by weather, not ice volcanoes? (April 11, 2011) -- Have the surface and belly of Saturn's smog-shrouded moon, Titan, recently simmered like a chilly, bubbling cauldron with ice volcanoes, or has this distant moon gone cold? In a newly published analysis, scientists analyzing data collected by the Cassini spacecraft suggest Titan may be much less geologically active than some scientists have thought. ... > full story

Free software makes computer mouse easier for people with disabilities (April 11, 2011) -- As the population ages, more people are having trouble with motor control, but now scientists have invented two mouse cursors that make clicking targets a whole lot easier. ... > full story

Virtual reality lab focuses on conservation (April 11, 2011) -- Timber! Cutting down a tree in a virtual forest can bring new ideas of conservation crashing down on you If a tree falls in a virtual reality forest, will anyone hear an environmental message? They will, as long as they were the ones who cut down the make-believe redwood. Cutting down a virtual redwood with a virtual chainsaw may lead you to save trees by recycling more paper. That finding is an example of how real-world behavior can be changed by immersing people in virtual reality environments. ... > full story

New research advances understanding of lead selenide nanowires (April 11, 2011) -- Scientists have shown how to control the characteristics of semiconductor nanowires made of a promising material: lead selenide. ... > full story

NASA's Jupiter-bound spacecraft arrives in Florida (April 11, 2011) -- NASA's Juno spacecraft has arrived in Florida to begin final preparations for a launch this summer. The spacecraft was shipped from Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, to the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., on April 8, 2011. The solar-powered Juno spacecraft will orbit Jupiter's poles 33 times to find out more about the gas giant's origins, structure, atmosphere and magnetosphere. ... > full story

Cutting-edge X-ray free electron laser facility unveiled in japan (April 11, 2011) -- RIKEN and the Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute (JASRI) have cut the ribbon on a new cutting-edge X-ray Free Electron Laser (XFEL) facility in Harima, the first such facility in Japan and only the second in the whole world. Nicknamed 'SACLA' (SPring-8 Angstrom Compact Free Electron Laser), the new XFEL’s intense beams will open a unique window onto the minuscule structure of molecules and rapid reaction of chemical species. ... > full story

'Good cholesterol' nanoparticles seek and destroy cancer cells (April 10, 2011) -- High-density lipoprotein's hauls excess cholesterol to the liver for disposal, but new research suggests "good cholesterol" can also act as a special delivery vehicle of destruction for cancer. ... > full story

Giant batteries for green power (April 10, 2011) -- In the future, the growing amounts of solar and wind energy will need to be stored for dark or low-wind periods. One solution is redox flow batteries that can supply current for up to 2000 households. Scientists are now working on these fluid batteries of the future. ... > full story

Are we only a hop, skip and jump away from controlled molecular motion? (April 10, 2011) -- Scientists may very well be a hop, skip and jump away from controlled molecular motion, according to a new study. Controlling how molecules move on surfaces could be the key to more potent drugs that block the attachment of viruses to cells, and will also speed development of new materials for electronics and energy applications. ... > full story

Newly merged black hole eagerly shreds stars (April 9, 2011) -- A galaxy's core is a busy place, crowded with stars swarming around an enormous black hole. When galaxies collide, it gets even messier as the two black holes spiral toward each other, merging to make an even bigger gravitational monster. Once it is created, the monster goes on a rampage. The merger kicks the black hole into surrounding stars. There it finds a hearty meal, shredding and swallowing stars at a rapid clip. ... > full story

Test moves U.S. Navy a step closer to lasers for ship self-defense (April 9, 2011) -- U.S. Navy researchers have successfully tested a solid-state, high-energy laser from a surface ship, which disabled a small target vessel. ... > full story

NASA's next Mars rover nears completion (April 8, 2011) -- Assembly and testing of NASA's Mars Science Laboratory spacecraft is far enough along that the mission's rover, Curiosity, looks very much as it will when it is investigating Mars. ... > full story

NASA telescope ferrets out planet-hunting targets (April 8, 2011) -- Astronomers have come up with a new way of identifying close, faint stars with NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer satellite. The technique should help in the hunt for planets that lie beyond our solar system, because nearby, hard-to-see stars could very well be home to the easiest-to-see alien planets. ... > full story

Nature helps to solve a sticky problem: Beetle foot pads may inspire novel artificial adhesives (April 8, 2011) -- The arrays of fine adhesive hairs or 'setae' on the foot pads of many insects, lizards and spiders give them the ability to climb almost any natural surface. Researchers have found that the different forces required to peel away these adhesive hairs from surfaces are what allows beetles to adhere to diverse surfaces, thereby reducing the risk of detachment. Their study provides the first adhesive force measurements from single microscopic setae in a live animal. ... > full story

Quantum mapmakers complete first voyage through spin liquid (April 8, 2011) -- Scientists have mapped a state of matter called 'quantum spin liquid', whose existence was proposed in the 1970s but which has only been observed recently. ... > full story

Nanoparticles increase biofuel performance, lower emissions (April 8, 2011) -- A new study shows that the addition of alumina nanoparticles can improve the performance and combustion of biodiesel, while producing fewer emissions. ... > full story

Personal touch: Hearing a heartbeat has the same effect as looking each other in the eye (April 8, 2011) -- Hearing the heartbeat of someone you are talking to gives the same feeling of personal contact as looking each other in the eye. ... > full story

Simple chemical cocktail shows first promise for limb re-growth in mammals (April 8, 2011) -- Move over, newts and salamanders. The mouse may join you as the only animal that can re-grow their own severed limbs. Researchers are reporting that a simple chemical cocktail can coax mouse muscle fibers to become the kinds of cells found in the first stages of a regenerating limb. Their study is the first demonstration that mammal muscle can be turned into the biological raw material for a new limb. ... > full story

Mussel adhesive inspires tough coating for living cells (April 8, 2011) -- Inspired by Mother Nature, scientists are reporting development of a protective coating with the potential to enable living cells to survive in a dormant condition for long periods despite intense heat, dryness and other hostile conditions. They liken the coating to the armor that encloses the spores that protect anthrax and certain other bacterial cells, making those microbes difficult to kill. ... > full story

Chemical engineers have designed molecular probe to study disease (April 8, 2011) -- Chemical engineers expect that their new process to create molecular probes may eventually result in the development of new drugs to treat cancer and other illnesses. ... > full story