Science & Technology - Oct 12, 2011 11:12 - 0 Comments

Monkeys move virtual avatar with brain

DUKE (US) — In a first-ever demonstration of a two-way interaction between a primate brain and a virtual body, two monkeys employ brain power alone to move an avatar hand and identify the texture of virtual objects. (more…)

Science & Technology - Oct 12, 2011 10:34 - 1 Comment

Gamma rays from pulsar defy explanation

MCGILL U. (CAN) — Astrophysicists have detected pulsed gamma-ray emission from the Crab pulsar at energies far beyond what current theoretical models of pulsars can explain. (more…)

Science & Technology - Oct 11, 2011 11:25 - 1 Comment

‘Hot hands’ keep athletes on win streak

YALE (US) — Athletes on a winning streak are likely to stay on one, according to new evidence that supports the “hot hand” phenomenon. (more…)

Science & Technology - Oct 10, 2011 11:25 - 0 Comments

Petri dish takes pics with cell phone camera

CALTECH (US) — The imaging sensor chips that form the heart of built-in cell phone cameras are helping engineers transform the way cell cultures are imaged by serving as the platform for a “smart” petri dish. (more…)

Science & Technology - Oct 10, 2011 10:21 - 0 Comments

Raw sewage harbors mystery viruses

U. PITTSBURGH (US) — Thousands of novel, undiscovered viruses, some of which could affect human health, are believed to be hiding in raw sewage, new research shows. (more…)

Science & Technology - Oct 7, 2011 11:34 - 2 Comments

Sulphur gives battery 10x more storage

STANFORD (US) — By combining sulfur-coated hollow carbon nanofibers and an electrolyte additive, researchers have designed a battery that overcomes the storage challenges of current lithium-ion versions. (more…)

Science & Technology - Oct 6, 2011 10:37 - 1 Comment

‘Caste’ genes evolve quickly in social bugs

GEORGIA TECH (US) — Genes responsible for different sexes, life stages, and castes in fire ants, honeybees, and other social insects evolve faster than others not involved in those functions, according to new research. (more…)

Science & Technology - Oct 6, 2011 8:23 - 0 Comments

Extreme cave fish with ‘alien’ appetites

TEXAS A&M (US) — Could life exist on planets less hospitable than our own? Scientists studying a tiny Mexican fish say it’s quite possible. (more…)

Science & Technology - Oct 5, 2011 11:18 - 1 Comment

Surprising way neurons react to faces

CALTECH (US) — Researchers studying how brain cells respond to human faces have recorded a novel behavior in neurons. (more…)

Science & Technology - Oct 5, 2011 10:08 - 0 Comments

Teams compete to forecast quakes

UC DAVIS (US) — The best earthquake forecasts are about 10 times more accurate than a random prediction, according to new research. (more…)

Science & Technology - Oct 4, 2011 10:33 - 8 Comments

Solar wind whips up Mercury’s poles

U. MICHIGAN (US) — Sodium and oxygen particles kicked up by a blistering solar wind at Mercury’s poles are the primary components of the planet’s wispy atmosphere, according to data from NASA’s Messenger spacecraft. (more…)

Science & Technology - Oct 4, 2011 9:49 - 0 Comments

Cheap sugars could be biofuel bargain

IOWA STATE (US) — Engineers have developed a way to make low-cost sugars from biomass, a discovery that has the potential to reduce the cost of producing biofuels. (more…)

Science & Technology - Oct 4, 2011 9:39 - 0 Comments

Pump may help materials self repair

U. ILLINOIS (US) — Researchers have demonstrated a pumping method to deliver pressurized liquid healing agents into artificial microvascular systems. (more…)

Science & Technology - Oct 3, 2011 16:52 - 0 Comments

Solar tablets coming to schools in India

RICE (US) — The I-slate, a low-cost electronic version of the hand-held blackboard slates used by millions of Indian children, has proven to be an effective learning tool, according to a yearlong study. (more…)

Science & Technology - Oct 3, 2011 10:30 - 0 Comments

Super rare ‘monster’ star discovered

U. LEEDS (UK) — Astrophysicists have identified one of our galaxy’s largest and rarest stars, a yellow hypergiant, caught in its final throes. (more…)

Science & Technology - Oct 3, 2011 9:54 - 0 Comments

Mercury flooded by volcanic gush

BROWN (US) — Vast plains around Mercury’s north pole were created more than 3.5 billion years ago by lava flows that covered 6 percent of the planet’s surface—an area that would cover nearly 60 percent of the continental U.S. (more…)

Science & Technology - Oct 3, 2011 9:39 - 1 Comment

Self-cleaning cloth breaks down chemicals

UC DAVIS (US) — A new self-cleaning fabric made from cotton can kill bacteria and break down toxic chemicals such as pesticide residues when exposed to light. (more…)

Science & Technology - Oct 3, 2011 6:00 - 0 Comments

One-dose contraceptive for cats

U. FLORIDA (US) — A single dose of a contraceptive vaccine can make most female cats infertile for several years. (more…)

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