ScienceDaily Technology Headlines -- for Monday, June 27, 2011 ~ Technology

ScienceDaily Technology Headlines

for Monday, June 27, 2011

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Fermilab experiment weighs in on neutrino mystery (June 27, 2011) -- Scientists have just announced the results from a search for a rare phenomenon, the transformation of muon neutrinos into electron neutrinos. The result is consistent with and significantly constrains a measurement reported 10 days ago by the Japanese T2K experiment, which announced an indication of this type of transformation. ... > full story

Generating 'green' electricity: Waste heat converted to electricity using new alloy (June 27, 2011) -- Engineering researchers have recently discovered a new alloy material that converts heat directly into electricity. This revolutionary energy conversion method is in the early stages of development, but it could have wide-sweeping impact on creating environmentally friendly electricity from waste heat sources. ... > full story

New tool makes programs more efficient without sacrificing safety functions (June 27, 2011) -- Computer programs are incorporating more and more safety features to protect users, but those features can also slow the programs down by 1,000 percent or more. Researchers have developed a software tool that helps these programs run much more efficiently without sacrificing their safety features. ... > full story

A breath of fresh air for detecting vitamin B12 deficiency (June 26, 2011) -- Researchers have developed a new test to detect the levels of vitamin B12 using your breath, allowing for a cheaper, faster, and simpler diagnosis that could help to avoid the potentially fatal symptoms of B12 deficiency. ... > full story

Space research gives birth to new ultrasound tools for health care in orbit, on Earth (June 26, 2011) -- Space biomedical researchers have developed tools that expand the use of ultrasound to provide better health care for astronauts during flight. The benefits are not just limited to spaceflight, though. These tools are now being used to improve health care around the world, especially in remote and underserved locations. ... > full story

'Orca ears' inspire researchers to develop ultrasensitive undersea microphone (June 25, 2011) -- Researchers have developed a microphone that can be used at any depth in the ocean, even under crushing pressure, and is sensitive to a wide range of sounds, from a whisper in a library to an explosion of TNT. They modeled their device after the extraordinarily acute hearing of orcas. ... > full story

'Quantum magic' without any 'spooky action at a distance' (June 25, 2011) -- Quantum mechanical entanglement is at the heart of the famous quantum teleportation experiment and was referred to by Albert Einstein as "spooky action at a distance". Researchers have used a system which does not allow for entanglement, and still found results which cannot be interpreted classically. ... > full story

Tracing cancer back to its source using computer dissection (June 25, 2011) -- A new computer-based system can distinguish between apparently similar secondary tumors and allow a cancer specialist to trace the metastases back to the site of the original cancer in the patient's body. ... > full story

New insights into the cohesive forces of crystal structures (June 25, 2011) -- A new study has shown that under certain conditions the interactions between carbon-hydrogen (CH) groups, commonly found in organic compounds, may be much stronger than previously thought. ... > full story

Astronomers reach for the stars to discover new cancer therapy (June 25, 2011) -- Research on celestial bodies may have an impact on the human body. Astronomers are working with medical physicists and radiation oncologists to develop a potential new radiation treatment -- one that is intended to be tougher on tumors, but gentler on healthy tissue. ... > full story

Mantis shrimp eye could improve high-definition CDs, DVDs (June 24, 2011) -- The eye of the peacock mantis shrimp has led an international team of researchers to develop a two-part waveplate that could improve CD, DVD, blu-ray and holographic technology, creating even higher definition and larger storage density. ... > full story

High technology, not low taxes, may drive US states' economic growth (June 24, 2011) -- High-tech training may trump tax breaks for creating more jobs and improving a state's economy, according to a new study by economists. ... > full story

Optical circuit enables new approach to quantum technologies (June 24, 2011) -- Scientists have demonstrated a fundamental building block for quantum computing that could soon be employed in a range of quantum technologies. ... > full story

Genes at the flick of a light switch: Human cells fitted with synthetic signaling cascade (June 24, 2011) -- Researchers from Switzerland have fitted human cells with a synthetic signaling cascade that can be used to switch on and regulate genes via blue light. This "gene light switch" makes interesting therapies possible, which could be used to treat type 2 diabetes, for instance. ... > full story

Sun and planets constructed differently than thought, NASA mission suggests (June 24, 2011) -- Researchers analyzing samples returned by NASA's 2004 Genesis mission have discovered that our sun and its inner planets may have formed differently than previously thought. ... > full story

Next-generation gene sequencing brings personal genomics closer, IDs mutation in new syndrome (June 24, 2011) -- Harnessing the new generation of rapid, highly accurate gene-sequencing techniques, a research team has identified the disease-causing mutation in a newly characterized rare genetic disease, by analyzing DNA from just a few individuals. The power and speed of the innovative bioinformatics tool marks a step toward personalized genomics -- discovering causative mutations in individual patients. The previously unknown lethal syndrome has affected infant boys in two unrelated families. ... > full story

Physicist's discovery alters conventional understanding of sight (June 24, 2011) -- Physicists shed new light on how the visual process is initiated. For almost 50 years, scientists have believed that light signals could not be initiated unless special light-receptor molecules in the retinal cells first changed their shape in a process called isomerization. However, researchers have now demonstrated that visual signals can be initiated in the absence of isomerization. ... > full story

Brain-like computing a step closer to reality (June 24, 2011) -- The development of 'brain-like' computers has taken a major step forward. A new study involved the first ever demonstration of simultaneous information processing and storage using phase-change materials. This new technique could revolutionize computing by making computers faster and more energy-efficient, as well as making them more closely resemble biological systems. ... > full story

Building a better math teacher (June 24, 2011) -- For years, it has been assumed that teachers -- specifically math teachers -- need to master the content they intend to teach. And the best way to do this is to take courses beyond that content. Yet new research does not support this common belief. There is little evidence that advanced courses in mathematics contribute to more effective teaching. ... > full story

Physicists observe 'campfire effect' in blinking nanorod semiconductors (June 24, 2011) -- When semiconductor nanorods are exposed to light, they blink in a seemingly random pattern. By clustering nanorods together, physicists at the University of Pennsylvania have shown that their combined "on" time is increased dramatically providing new insight into this mysterious blinking behavior. ... > full story

Smaller companies hit hardest during emerging market crises (June 24, 2011) -- A study of the reaction by the United States stock market to international financial crises shows that small companies are often hit hardest, and the impact is above and beyond what would be expected given their exposure to global market factors. ... > full story

When matter melts: Scientists map phase changes in quark-gluon plasma (June 24, 2011) -- For a few millionths of a second after the big bang, quarks could move freely, but soon normal matter "froze out" of this quark-matter soup. For the first time scientists have compared quantum theory calculations and data from the STAR experiment at Brookhaven's Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider to map out the energies and temperatures where ordinary matter melts and the quark-gluon plasma freezes. ... > full story

Computational software provides rapid identification of disease-causing gene variations (June 24, 2011) -- Scientists have developed a new software tool called VAAST, the Variant Annotation, Analysis and Selection Tool -- a probabilistic disease-causing mutation finder for individual human genomes. ... > full story

Getting more innovative with Facebook? (June 24, 2011) -- Digital meeting places are one of the initiatives that can provide more innovative workplaces, according to new study. ... > full story

Flames of Betelgeuse: New image reveals vast nebula around famous supergiant star (June 23, 2011) -- Astronomers have imaged a complex and bright nebula around the supergiant star Betelgeuse in greater detail than ever before. This structure, which resembles flames emanating from the star, is formed as the behemoth sheds its material into space. ... > full story

Smartphone app helps you find friends in a crowd (June 23, 2011) -- Can a smartphone app enable meaningful, face-to-face conversation? Engineers are trying to find out, with software that helps people locate their friends in a crowd -- and make new friends who share similar interests. ... > full story

Dawn spacecraft nears start of year-long stay at giant asteroid Vesta (June 23, 2011) -- NASA's Dawn spacecraft is on track to begin the first extended visit to a large asteroid. The mission expects to go into orbit around Vesta on July 16 and begin gathering science data in early August. Vesta resides in the main asteroid belt and is thought to be the source of a large number of meteorites that fall to Earth. ... > full story

Model helps pinpoint cyanobacterial genes that capture the sun's energy (June 23, 2011) -- A new model of the single-celled marine cyanobacterium Cyanothece could help researchers use blue-green algae to make renewable energy by predicting which of its genes are central to capturing energy from sunlight. ... > full story

Scientists a step closer to understanding 'natural antifreeze' molecules (June 23, 2011) -- Scientists have made an important step forward in their understanding of cryoprotectants -- compounds that act as natural "antifreeze" to protect drugs, food and tissues stored at sub-zero temperatures. ... > full story

Youth cybercrime linked to friends' influence (June 23, 2011) -- Peer influence and low self-control appear to be the major factors fueling juvenile cybercrime such as computer hacking and online bullying, according to a new study. ... > full story

Properties of 'confined' water within single-walled carbon nanotube pores clarified (June 23, 2011) -- Water and ice may not be among the first things that come to mind when you think about single-walled carbon nanotubes, but a Japan-based research team hoping to get a clearer understanding of the phase behavior of confined water in the cylindrical pores of carbon nanotubes zeroed in on confined water's properties and made some surprising discoveries. ... > full story

Harnessing electron spin: Toward a new breed of computers that can process data using less power (June 23, 2011) -- Harnessing the magnetic moment, or spin, of electrons rather than their electric charge, physicists have achieved a breakthrough toward the development of a new breed of computing devices that can process data using less power. ... > full story

New technique yields troves of information from nanoscale bone samples (June 23, 2011) -- A new technique allows researchers to collect large amounts of biochemical information from nanoscale bone samples. Along with adding important new insights into the fight against osteoporosis, this innovation opens up an entirely new proteomics-based approach to analyzing bone quality. It could even aid the archeological and forensic study of human skeletons. ... > full story

'Super sand' for better purification of drinking water (June 23, 2011) -- Scientists have developed a way to transform ordinary sand -- a mainstay filter material used to purify drinking water throughout the world -- into a "super sand" with five times the filtering capacity of regular sand. The new material could be a low-cost boon for developing countries, where more than a billion people lack clean drinking water, according to a new article. ... > full story

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

Driving 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

Solar wind samples give insight into birth of solar system (June 23, 2011) -- The first oxygen and nitrogen isotopic measurements of the Sun are complete, demonstrating that they are very different from the same elements on Earth. These results were the top two priorities of NASA's Genesis mission, which crashed on reentry to Earth. But the Los Alamos National Laboratory's Solar Wind Concentrator survived the crash and eventually yielded today's solar secrets. ... > full story

NASA Mars rover arrives in Florida after cross-country flight (June 23, 2011) -- NASA's next Mars rover, also known as Curiosity, has completed the journey from its California birthplace to Florida in preparation for launch this fall. ... > full story

New application for iPhone may support monitoring and research on Parkinson's disease (June 23, 2011) -- Researchers have developed a novel iPhone application that may enable persons with Parkinson's disease and certain other neurological conditions to use the ubiquitous devices to collect data on hand and arm tremors and relay the results to medical personnel. ... > full story

Neutrino oscillations caught in the act (June 23, 2011) -- Physicists at the T2K experiment in Japan have announced that, for the first time, they have most likely detected the transformation of muon neutrinos into electron neutrinos. With a probability of over 99%, the observation of this phenomenon will, if confirmed, be a major step towards understanding the physics of elementary particles and will open the way to new research into the asymmetry between matter and antimatter. ... > full story

Cassini samples the icy spray of Enceladus water plumes (June 23, 2011) -- The NASA/ESA/ASI Cassini-Huygens mission has directly sampled the water plumes jetting into space from Saturn’s moon Enceladus. The findings from these fly-throughs are the strongest evidence yet for the existence of large-scale saltwater reservoirs beneath the moon’s icy crust. ... > 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