Science & Technology
Science & Technology - Apr 7, 2010 10:32 - 1 Comment
Decisions rely on ‘maps’ more than memory
CARNEGIE-MELLON (US)—The old “mouse in a maze” experiment has yielded new insight into how the brain functions, revealing a new understanding of the hippocampus’ role in memory. (more…)
Science & Technology - Apr 6, 2010 10:09 - 0 Comments
Fossil record offers mixed bag of information
U. CHICAGO (US)—Paleontologists can’t always get what they want, to paraphrase the Rolling Stones, but sometimes they can get what they need. The fossil record captures both the broad sweep of evolutionary changes in life on earth as well as ecological responses to shorter–term local and regional environmental shifts. (more…)
Science & Technology - Apr 6, 2010 10:00 - 3 Comments
Plastics technology lets the sun in—for less
PRINCETON (US) —Mounting concerns about global warming and energy demand could be addressed by a new technique for producing electricity—conducting plastics that may dramatically lower the cost of manufacturing solar panels. (more…)
Science & Technology - Apr 3, 2010 11:56 - 0 Comments
Energy from noise clears up cloudy vision
PRINCETON (US)—A new technique for revealing images of hidden objects may one day allow pilots to peer through fog and doctors to see more precisely into the human body without surgery. (more…)
Science & Technology - Apr 3, 2010 11:21 - 2 Comments
Microchip makes sure the medicine goes down
U. FLORIDA (US)—No more sneaking medicine under the pillow. Engineers have come up with a prototype of a standard pill capsule that includes a tiny microchip and digestible antenna that automatically sends an alert when medicine is ingested. (more…)
Science & Technology - Apr 1, 2010 11:54 - 4 Comments
Molecular managers call the shots
YALE (US)—Similar to the way things work in social hierarchies, some molecular organisms give orders and some carry them out. (more…)
Science & Technology - Apr 1, 2010 8:43 - 0 Comments
‘Puckering’ causes friction on thin sheets
U. PENNSYLVANIA (US)—A team of nanotechnology researchers has used friction force microscopy to determine the nanoscale characteristics of four atomically-thin materials, discovering a universal characteristic for these very different materials. (more…)
Science & Technology - Mar 31, 2010 12:48 - 0 Comments
Barcodes reveal insects’ hidden habits
U. MINNESOTA (US)—DNA barcoding is giving researchers a faster way to study where insects go and what they eat along the way. (more…)
Science & Technology - Mar 31, 2010 11:06 - 4 Comments
Smashing success for Big Bang experiment
U. COLORADO (US)—Scientists crashed proton beams together at three and one-half times the highest energy levels ever recorded on March 30 in a quest to discover the physical conditions immediately following the Big Bang. (more…)
Science & Technology - Mar 30, 2010 12:47 - 0 Comments
How do you turn protein into glass?
DUKE (US)—Researchers have devised a method to dry and preserve proteins in a glassified form that seems to retain the molecules’ properties as workhorses of biology. (more…)
Science & Technology - Mar 29, 2010 15:14 - 1 Comment
In-sync brain waves form strong memories
CALTECH (US)—There may be only one chance to make a first impression, but what makes that impression form into a lasting memory? (more…)
Science & Technology - Mar 29, 2010 13:21 - 2 Comments
Electronic coffee snob sniffs out brands
U. ILLINOIS (US)—Coffee connoisseurs may think they can tell the difference between a Starbucks gourmet blend and a generic grab-and-go brew, but now researchers have created a nose that really does know the difference. (more…)
Best of 2010, Science & Technology - Mar 26, 2010 15:50 - 30 Comments
Surfer’s ‘everything theory’ wipes out
EMORY (US)—The “exceptionally simple theory of everything,” proposed by physicist Garrett Lisi in 2007, doesn’t hold water, according to mathematician Skip Garibaldi. (more…)
Science & Technology - Mar 26, 2010 15:08 - 1 Comment
Quantum doughnuts freeze light
U. WARWICK (UK)—Researchers have found a way to use doughnut-shaped byproducts of quantum dots to slow and even freeze light, opening up a wide range of possibilities from reliable and effective light-based computing to the possibility of “slow glass.” (more…)
Science & Technology - Mar 25, 2010 12:35 - 1 Comment
Climate mayhem let dinosaurs dominate
BROWN (US)—Widespread volcanic eruptions and a spike in atmospheric carbon dioxide wiped out dinosaurs’ biggest competitors, according to a new climate analysis, allowing dinosaurs to rule the Earth more than 200 million years ago. (more…)
Science & Technology - Mar 24, 2010 17:11 - 1 Comment
Tiny generators run on good vibrations
U. MICHIGAN (US)—Mini-generators could eventually produce enough electricity from random, ambient vibrations to power a wristwatch, pacemaker, or wireless sensor. (more…)
Science & Technology - Mar 24, 2010 15:46 - 0 Comments
‘Pac-Man’ particles connect the dots
NYU (US)—Physicists have created “handshaking” particles that link together based on their shape rather than randomly. The work offers a type of architecture that could enhance the creation of synthetic materials. (more…)
Science & Technology - Mar 24, 2010 12:52 - 0 Comments
Identifying birds by sniff, not song
INDIANA U (US)—Two recently diverged populations of a southern California songbird produce unique odors, suggesting smell could contribute to the reproductive isolation that accompanies the origin of new bird species. (more…)
