| | | Articles_Science, Research & Technology_2009
Power promotes hypocrisy, study finds
Dec. 29, 2009 - 2009 may well be remembered for its scandal-ridden headlines, from admissions of extramarital affairs by Moon like that in “Avatar” could be real, astronomers say Dec. 20, 2009 - In the new blockbuster film Avatar, humans visit the habitable—and inhabited— alien moon Pandora. Life-bearing Second “Mozart effect”? Premature babies may grow faster Dec. 14, 2009 - Hearing Mozart's music might make premature babies grow faster by reducing their rate of energy expenditure, a Scientists create “memories” in isolated brain slices
Dec. 27, 2009, Researchers report that they created apparent “memories” within slices of rodent brains kept alive in the laboratory. Minute organs in the ear can alter brain blood flow Dec. 27 2009, Minute organs hidden deep within the ear appear to directly alter blood flow to the brain, scientists have revealed. Troubleshooters that block cancer Dec. 26, 2009, Scientists have shown how a family of "limpet-like" proteins play a crucial role in repairing the DNA damage which can The first glimpse of dark matter?
Dec. 18, 2009, US scientists have reported the detection of signals that could indicate the presence of dark matter. Scientists capture deepest underwater volcanic eruption on film Dec. 18, 2009, (CNN) -- Scientists witnessed the eruption of the deepest underwater volcano and caught the entire event on film for the Octopus snatches coconut and runs Dec. 14, 2009, Underwater footage reveals that the creatures scoop up halved coconut shells before scampering away with them so 'Super-Earths' orbit nearby stars Dec. 15, 2009, Planet-hunters have discovered two "super-Earths" orbiting two nearby Sun-like stars. Newfound fossils said to clarify dinosaur evolution
Dec. 10, 2009 Paleontologists, helped by amateur volunteers, report that they have found a previously unknown meat-eating dinosaur To keep muscles strong, “garbage” must go Dec. 3, 2009 To maintain muscle strength with age, cells must get rid of garbage that slowly accumulates in them, just as a household Feeding birds could change their evolution Dec. 4, 2009 Feeding birds in winter is innocent fun, but it can have profound—and relatively quick—effects on the evolutionary future Life on the Red Planet? Methane results boost hopes Dec. 9, 2009 Very little methane gas can come to Mars from meteorites, scientists have found. That leaves microbes, they say, as one of THE LEGACY OF GALILEO GALILEI - SCIENCE, PHILOSOPHY, THEOLOGY in DIALOGUE
ROME, DEC. 3, 2009 (Zenit.org).- Four hundred years after he invented the first telescope, Galileo Galilei's legacy lives on, Blame game is “contagious” Nov. 20, 2009, Don't blame the messenger for these unpleasant findings, but the mere sight of someone in an organization blamed Large Hadron Collider sets world energy record 30 November 2009 - The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) experiment on the French-Swiss border has set a new world record for energy. Ants could inspire military strategies Nov. 9, 2009, A researcher has designed a system that uses ant colonies' behavior to help plan troop movements on battlefields. Do black holes zap galaxies into existence? Dec. 1, 2009, Which come first: the supermassive black holes that frantically devour matter, or the huge galaxies where they reside?
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Language learning may start in womb Nov. 6, 2009, From their first days, babies cry differently depending on the language their parents speak— showing some learning Stars' chemistry could give away planetary presence Nov. 11, 2009, A survey of stars with and without planets has turned up an easy way to detect which ones have them, astronomers Our oceans, extraterrestrial material? Nov. 17, 2009, Contrary to conventional views, the atmosphere and the oceans were perhaps not formed from vapors emitted during Scientists take the first step in unlocking origins of universe 25 November 2009 - After embarrassing breakdowns caused by bread-dropping birds and hugely expensive repairs, the world's Koreans make plastics without fossil fuel chemicals 23 November 2009 - Bioengineered plastics would be more environmentally-friendly than those from fossil fuel-based chemicals. Gene offers bowel cancer 'shield' 25 November 2009 - A gene known to shield the body from harmful chemicals may also protect against bowel cancer, a study Big bang simulator achieves first proton collisions 24 November 2009 - View from the central axis of the LHC (Large Hadron Collider) tunnel of the ATLAS underground facility with the Cern Large Hadron Collider restarts after 14 months 21 November 2009 - (CNN)The Large Hadron Collider experiment has re-started after a 14-month hiatus while the machine was Childhood abuse 'speeds up body's ageing process' 21 Nov - Physical or emotional abuse during childhood could speed up the body's ageing process, US research suggests. Huge $10 billion collider resumes hunt for 'God particle' 11 November 2009 - (CNN) -- Is the Large Hadron Collider being sabotaged from the future? Or merely by birds? 13 Nov - NASA says it has found a significant amount of frozen water on the moon. 'Significant' water found on Moon 13 November 2009 - Nasa's experiment last month to find water on the Moon was a major success, US scientists have announced. NASA finds water on moon 13 Nov - NASA says it has found a significant amount of frozen water on the moon. UNESCO unveils winners of three prizes for science 5 November 2009 - An Indian professor, a Vietnamese professor, a Tunisian expert in water management and the organization Scientists want debate on animals with human genes Mon Nov 9, 2009 7:06pm EST LONDON (Reuters) - A mouse that can speak? A monkey with Down's Syndrome? Dogs with Light from a cosmic “dark age” Oct. 28, 2009 Astronomers are reporting the discovery of the most distant object ever discovered, from a time when the first stars Distant moon may have oxygen in ocean Oct. 9, 2009 A global, liquid ocean on Jupiter's moon Europa may have plenty of oxygen available to support life—even animal-like It's not an earthquake—it's an aftershock from long ago Nov. 4, 2005 Earthquakes that occur on land far from the boundaries of tectonic plates may actually be aftershocks of large quakes Mars gullies flow with mud 2 Nov Martian water most likely flowed as slurries of mud rather than trickling streams, according to a recent NASA report. New space map reveals “mystery ribbon” Oct. 15, 2009 A NASA spacecraft has helped scientists build the first full map of our solar system showing its position with respect to Scientists find out how moon makes own water: report Oct. 16, 2009 Moon, like a big sponge, absorbs electrically charged particles from the Sun, which in turn combine with oxygen in some lunar dust to Scientists report giving flies false memories Oct. 15, 2009 Biologists say they have given flies memories of a bad experience they never had, by manipulating the activity of individual brain cells. Read more. Space hotel says it's on schedule to open in 2012
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Climate change: Can we even do it? Should we even try? Oct 29 (CNN) -- The Massachusetts Institute of Technology has long been known worldwide for its engineering programs, and a BIOTECHNOLOGY ISN'T RISK FREE, SAYS ECONOMIST ROME, OCT. 29, 2009 (Zenit.org).- Biotechnology might be the secret to ending the economic crisis, but it comes with both risks and Particle beams injected into LHC 26 Oct Engineers working on the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) have successfully injected beams of particles into two sections of the
Scientists find trawl of 32 new planets Oct 20 WASHINGTON (Reuters) - European astronomers announced they had found 32 new planets orbiting stars outside our solar 'Magnetic electricity' discovered 14 October 2009 - Researchers have discovered a magnetic equivalent to electricity: single magnetic charges that can behave and interact like electrical ones. LHC gets colder than deep space 16 October 2009 - The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) experiment has once again become one of the coldest places in the Universe.
Color plays “musical chairs” in brain Oct. 4, 2009
Scientists have managed to trick people's eyes into losing sight of a shape while continuing to perceive its color.
Huge “hidden” Saturn ring found Oct. 7, 2009
Observations from a space telescope have revealed the largest-known planetary ring in the Solar System, astronomers report.
NASA set to bomb the moon October 9, 2009, 1:17 pm
A NASA spacecraft and its trusty rocket stage are drawing ever closer to the moon to intentionally crash to their doom Friday, all in the name of science.
Exotic life forms: looking for life as we don't know it Sept. 23, 2009
Scientists at a new research institute are working to find out how life might evolve using chemicals not found in Earth-based life forms.
Hyenas cooperate better than chimps, study finds Sept. 30, 2009
Spotted hyenas may not be smarter than chimpanzees, but a study indicates the much-maligned, dog-like creatures beat out our ape relatives in cooperative problem-solving tests.
Moon may have water Data collected by three spacecrafts suggest there may be water on the Moon, scientists say. Pre-“Lucy” fossils reveal secrets Oct. 1, 2009
Scientists are reporting that they have for the first time thoroughly described Ardipithecus ramidus, a species of ape-like human ancestor that lived 4.4 million years ago in what is now Ethiopia.
Scientists find path to fountain of youth by Jean-Louis Santini - Thu Oct 1, 11:10 pm ET
WASHINGTON (AFP) - The fountain of youth may exist after all, as a study showed that scientists have discovered means to extend the lifespan of mice and primates.
Lower IQ's measured in spanked children Sept. 24, 2009
Children who are spanked have lower IQs worldwide, according to new research. Rough day at work? You might not feel like exercising Sept. 29, 2009
Have you ever sat down to work on a crossword puzzle only to find that afterwards you haven't the energy to exercise? Or have you come home from a rough day at the office with no energy to go for a run?
China completes 3D moon map: state media AAP September 29, 2009, 4:47 pm
China has completed a high-resolution, three-dimensional map of the entire surface of the moon, state media says.
NASA/Ames-controlled moon mission will add to new discovery of water Updated: 09/25/2009 03:16:23 AM PDT
A probe controlled from Ames Research Center that will hit the moon in two weeks may help unlock a major new scientific riddle, following NASA's stunning announcement Wednesday that the lunar surface is laced with water.
Male and female chromosomes do communicate with each other ANI 11 September 2009, 01:41pm IST
WASHINGTON: Scientists in the University of Leicester's Department of Genetics have for the first time revealed that the male and female do truly communicate, at least at the fundamental genetic level.
Memories persist even when forgotten, study suggests Sept. 9, 2009 A woman looks familiar, but you can't remember her name or where you met her. New research suggests the memory exists - you simply can't retrieve it. Tiny “T. rex” found Sept. 17, 2009
When you think of Tyrannosaurus rex, a few striking physical traits come to mind: an oversized head with powerful jaws, tiny forearms, and muscular runner's legs. 'Gene cure' for colour blindness Wednesday, 16 September 2009 18:03 UK Scientists say they are step closer to curing colour blindness using gene therapy. A US team were able to restore full colour vision to adult monkeys born without the ability to distinguish between the colours red and green. A robot that can take decisions REUTERS 8 September 2009, 11:28am IST
LYON (FRANCE): Robots that can make their own decisions have so far been confined to science fiction movies, but a child sized figure with big eyes... Coming soon: A robot controlled by human brain cells PTI 10 September 2009, 11:59am IST LONDON: British scientists are on track to develop a new robot which they claim will be controlled by a blob of human brain cells. Scientists: artificial steps against global warming may be dangerous, necessary Sept. 2, 2009 Humanity may be forced to take costly, untested and possibly dangerous artificial measures to curb global warming, if efforts to do so the natural way prove too feeble, a group of scientists says.
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Brain region linked to sense of personal space Aug. 30, 2009 In a finding that may shed light on the brain mechanisms involved in social behavior, neuroscientists say they have identified a brain structure responsible for our sense of personal space. Building block of life reported found in comet Aug. 18, 2009 Scientists have reported finding a fundamental building block of life in samples of comet Wild 2 brought to Earth by NASA's Stardust spacecraft. Oldest known black hole reported found Sept. 3, 2009
Astronomers have found a giant galaxy surrounding what they describe as the oldest and most distant black hole known.
Signs of recent Ice Age noted on Mars
Aug. 28, 2009
Mars has appparently undergone a recent Ice Age, scientists say. Researchers drew the conclusion based on the distribution of ice at and slightly below ground level near the Red Planet's polar regions.
Tiny “nanolaser” could change face of computing, telecom Aug. 31, 2009
Researchers say they have created the world's smallest semiconductor laser, a device that can generate visible light in a space smaller than a protein molecule.
Last great forest under threat, study finds Aug. 26, 2009
The world's last remaining “pristine” forest—the so-called boreal forest across large stretches of Russia, Canada and other northern countries—is under growing threat, researchers have found.
Single molecule's stunning image 28 August 2009 The detailed chemical structure of a single molecule has been imaged for the first time, say researchers. Earth sends 25,000 hellos to outer space
28 August 2009, More than 25,000 messages have been transmitted into outer space in a bid to reach a distant planet that may hold life. British plan to tackle asteroids 31 August 2009
A team of British scientists are developing plans for a spacecraft that could stop large asteroids from destroying the Earth.
Galaxy's 'cannibalism' revealed 3 September 2009
The vast Andromeda galaxy it's appeared to have expanded by digesting stars from other galaxies, researches has shown. Nanoelectronic transistor combined with biological machine could lead to better electronics 10 August, LIVERMORE, Calif. -- If manmade devices could be combined with biological machines, laptops and other
electronic devices could get a boost in operating efficiency. 'Magnetic' stem cells for hearts
17 August 2009, In animal trials, the cutting-edge treatment delivered the healing cells to the precise site of damage where their help was needed. Imaging of Ultraweak Spontaneous Photon Emission from Human Body Displaying Diurnal Rhythm
The human body literally glimmers. The intensity of the light emitted by the body is 1000 times lower than the sensitivity of our naked eyes Your Body Literally Glows With Light August 15, 2009,
The human body literally glows, emitting a visible light in extremely small quantities at levels that rise and fall with the day. Past research has shown that the body emits visible light, 1,000 times less intense than the levels which can be seen with the naked eye
UN examines how to use technology to minimize disaster damage in Asia-Pacific
11 August 2009 - Better utilizing information and communication technology (ICT) to prepare for and deal with catastrophic natural disasters in the Asia-Pacific region is the focus of a United Nations meeting in Bangkok, Thailand, today.
Read more
Meteor show reaches dazzling peak Wednesday, 12 August Skygazers are observing a dazzling sky show, as the annual Perseid meteor shower reaches its peak.
New planet displays exotic orbit 12 August - Astronomers have discovered the first planet that orbits in the opposite direction to the spin of its star.
Scientists closer to diabetes cure
ABC August 7, 2009, 10:46 am
Scientists have coaxed immature pancreatic cells to produce insulin in mice, a result that could lead to a cure for type one diabetes in humans .
Read more
"Dream therapy" set for a comeback? July 28, 2009 Similarities in brain activity between a special dreaming state and some forms of mental derangement suggest “dream therapy” may be ripe for a comeback in psychiatric treatment, a European Science Foundation workshop has concluded.
A new way to fix a broken heart? July 24, 2009 Researchers seem to have identified a new way to fix a broken heart, a report says. The scientists have devised a method to coax heart muscle cells into reentering the cell cycle, allowing the mature adult cells to divide and regenerate healthy heart tissue after a heart attack, according to mouse and rat studies described in the July 24 issue of the journal Cell.
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Ocean current changes predicted to be gradual July 18, 2009 In a rare bit of hopeful news linked to global warming, findings of a major new study are consistent with gradual changes of current systems in the North Atlantic Ocean, rather than a more sudden shutdown.
New UN online scheme allows free academic journal access to poorest nations
23 July 2009 - The United Nations has partnered with the scientific publishing industry to provide research institutions in least developed countries free access to online journals,
Barcode replacement shown off
27 July 2009 Could tiny tags replace barcodes? A replacement for the black and white stripes of the traditional barcode has been outlined by US researchers
Artificial brain '10 years away'
22 July 2009 A detailed, functional artificial human brain can be built within the next 10 years, a leading scientist has claimed.
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All Eyepieces on Jupiter After a Big Impact
Published: July 21, 2009 NASA released this infrared photo on Tuesday showing what scientists believe may be evidence that another object has crashed into Jupiter.
City floating on the sea could be just 3 years away
19 July 2009 A floating city off the coast of San Francisco may sound like science fiction, but it could be reality in the not-too-distant future.
New images of Moon landing sites
18 July 2009 A US spacecraft has captured images of Apollo landing sites on the Moon, revealing hardware and a trail of footprints left on the lunar surface.
Simple Tea Creates Nano Gold Particles for Fighting Cancer
July 16, 2009 (Natural News) Scientists have discovered a way to create cancer-fighting nanoparticles using nothing but gold salts and a cup of Darjeeling tea, according to a paper published in the Journal of Materials Chemistry.
Babies in the Womb Have Memories
Thursday, July 16, 2009 10:02 AM By: Jennifer Harper They weigh less than 3 pounds, usually, and are perhaps 15 inches long. But they can remember.
'Synthetic tree' claims to catch carbon in the air
updated 3:37 p.m. EDT, Mon June 22, 2009 LONDON, England (CNN) -- Scientists in the United States are developing a "synthetic tree" capable of collecting carbon around 1,000 times faster than the real thing.
A “theory of everything” is said to solve its first real- world problem
July 8, 2009 For the first time, researchers say they have solved a real-world problem using a very abstract “theory of everything” that often has been criticized as untestable.
Finding may help explain giant black holes
July 1, 2009 Astronomers are reporting that they have discovered a new class of mid-sized black hole, whose existence might help explain how the biggest black holes originated. Read more.
A “theory of everything” is said to solve its first real- world problem
July 8, 2009 For the first time, researchers say they have solved a real-world problem using a very abstract “theory of everything” that often has been criticized as untestable.
Scientists report capturing first image of memories being made
June 28, 2009 Courtesy McGill University and World Science staff Researchers say they have captured the first image of a mechanism underlying long-term memory formation, called protein translation.
Could coffee reverse Alzheimer's?
July 6, 2009 Coffee drinkers may have another reason to pour that extra cup. When aged mice bred to develop symptoms of Alzheimer's disease were given caffeine - the equivalent of five cups of coffee a day - their memory impairment was reversed, report University of South Florida researchers.
Monkeys live longer after eating lighter: study
July 9, 2009 A 20-year study on rhesus monkeys suggests that substantially reducing caloric intake slows the aging process and leads to longer life spans, possibly in humans also, researchers say. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Cancer fight in developing world gets boost from joint UN initiative
26May 2009 - Two United Nations agencies are launching a joint initiative aimed at strengthening and accelerating efforts to fight cancer in developing countries, using their respective strengths in the areas of health and radiation medicine. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Rife Revisited?
Last Updated Saturday, 04 July 2009 Will scientists someday be able to 'dial up' an electromagnetic treatment for some people's cancer? Possibly, according to scientists at eight laboratories in five countries, who published an interesting article recently in the Journal of Experimental Clinical Cancer Research(2009;28:51). |
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Moon probe returns first images
Friday 3rd July The US space agency's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) spacecraft has returned its first images since reaching the Moon on 23 June. The probe's two cameras returned images of a region in the lunar highlands south of Mare Nubium (Sea of Clouds). Device hopes to cut cancer chemotherapy
Monday, June 29, 2009 » 11:45am
Human trials of a cancer treatment which aims to dramatically cut the amount of chemotherapy patients need may begin within weeks at three Melbourne hospitals. 'Lightbulb' molecule has a bright future
16:43 23 June 2009 by Colin Barras
A single molecule that reliably emits white light could speed the development of low-energy LEDs for the next generation of light sources and displays, say chemists.
Gluttonous black holes power ancient cosmic 'blobs'
23:04 24 June 2009 by Rachel Courtland
Mysterious blobs of gas dotting the early universe seem to be lit by ravenous black holes at the hearts of massive galaxies, a new study suggests. Further study of the strange clouds could reveal how young galaxies regulate their meals to become the galaxies we see today. Oceans in Enceladus? Scientists can't decide
June 24, 2009
World Science staff
Two studies with contrasting results are leaving scientists scratching their heads as to whether there are underground oceans on Enceladus, a moon of Saturn.
Scientists warn of growing threat to global warming from unchecked gases - UN
22 June 2009 - An international team of scientific researchers has warned that hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) gases - used increasingly in insulation foam, air-conditioning and refrigeration - present a significant threat to global efforts to stabilize climate change, in ahead of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Brain energy use proposed as key to understanding consciousness
June 17, 2009
Courtesy Yale University and World Science staff
It takes high levels of brain energy to maintain consciousness. That suggests a new way to understand the properties of this still mysterious state of being, a group of Yale University researchers are reporting.
Giant black holes even bigger than thought: study
June 8, 2009
Courtesy American Astronomical Society and World Science staff
Astronomers have used computer simulations to calculate that a black hole at the heart of one the largest nearby galaxies is two to three times heavier than previously thought. Lion tamers step aside: beasts could be tamed through genes
June 12, 2009
Courtesy Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biologyand World Science staff Scientists say they have learned where genes responsible for tameness lie in the rat genome.
Study turns pigeons into “art critics”
June 19, 2009
World Science staff
You can have an eye for art. Or, you can have a bird's eye view of something. But both at the same time?
Birds didn't come from dinosaurs, study suggests
June 10, 2009
Courtesy Oregon State University and World Science staff
A new discovery about bird breathing abilities indicate birds probably didnʼt descend from any known dinosaurs, according to researchers at Oregon State University.
Researchers find “a touch of glass” in metal
June 18, 2009
Courtesy National Institute of Standards and Technology and World Science staff Metals and ceramics have more in common with
glass than has been previously recognized, a new study indicates.
NASA launches two probes to the moon
AAP June 19, 2009, 3:02 pm
NASA has sent two probes into space on a lunar exploration mission to scout water sources.
Radical new theory suggests Earth's magnetism may be linked to movement of ocean currents
New research suggests that Earth's magnetic field could be produced by ocean currents rather than molten metals swirling around its core as was previously thought.
When evolution isn't so slow and gradual
May 30, 4:23 am ET
SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) - A US weapons lab on Friday pulled back the curtain on a super laser with the power to burn as hot as a star.
US lab debuts super laser May 30, 4:23 am ET
SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) - A US weapons lab on Friday pulled back the curtain on a super laser with the power to burn as hot as a star.
“Missing link” ancestor reported found
May 19, 2009
Courtesy PLoS ONE and World Science staff Scientists say they have found a 47-million-year-old fossil that is a “missing link” from apes, monkeys and humans to other mammals. Close-up Look at Black Hole Reveals Feeding Frenzy
SPACE.com - Wed May 27, 1:17 pm ET
Astronomers are getting a close-up look at a cosmic eating machine: a spinning black hole that devours the mass equivalent of two Earths per hour, verging on the limit of its feeding ability. Supermassive black holes can weigh as much as a billion suns or more and are thought to reside at the centers of most, if not all, large galaxies Study links daydreaming to problem-solving
May 13, 2009 - Courtesy University of British Columbia and World Science staff
Our brains are much more active when we daydream than previously thought, a study has found. Memories stolen by Alzheimer's may be retrievable: study
May 7, 2009
Courtesy MIT and World Science staff
Researchers have pinpointed a gene said to be responsible for a 2007 breakthrough in which mice with Alzheimerʼs disease symptoms regained long-term memories and the ability to learn.
'Hidden photons' to send secret emails through Earth
24 April 2009 by Jon Cartwright
IF YOU shine a laser on the floor, where does the light go? With the right preparation, some of it might pop out at the other side of the world - an effect that could be exploited to transmit secret messages through the ground.
Why two geniuses delved into the occult
17:07 24 April 2009 by Amanda Gefter In his latest book, Deciphering the Cosmic Number, historian of science Arthur I Miller investigates the bizarre friendship between quantum physics pioneer Wolfgang Pauli and famed psychoanalyst Carl Jung. Read our review of Miller's book Innovation: Mind-reading headsets will change your brain
23 April 2009 by Tom Simonite In the coming months, cheap headsets that let you control technology with the electrical signals generated by your firing neurons will go on sale to the general public. Our relationship with technology - and our brains - will never be the same again. Dark matter may have ripped up early universe
24 April 2009 by Marcus Chown
BY ABOUT a billion years after the big bang, our universe was reionised. Hydrogen atoms were torn apart into electrons and protons, but the perpetrator has been something of a mystery. Could dark matter be responsible? The five greatest mysteries of antimatter
ANTIMATTER: NOT AS SCARY AS WE THINK
"No!" Vittoria said from above, breathless. "We must evacuate right now! You cannot take the antimatter out of here! If you bring it up, everyone outside will die!"
1. Where is all the antimatter? 2. How do you make antimatter? 3. Does antimatter fall up? 4. Can we make an anti-matter world? 5. Could antimatter be used to make the ultimate bomb?
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Scholars at odds over mysterious Indus script
19:00 23 April 2009 by Ewen Callaway
An as yet undeciphered script found on relics from the Indus valley constitutes a genuine written language, a new mathematical analysis suggests. The finding is the latest chapter in a bitter dispute over the interpretation of "Indus script". Physicists see the cosmos in a coffee cup
16 April 2009 From Earth's vantage point, the whole cosmos looks like a vast interplay of gravity and light that can extend far back into space and time. “As with any illumination pattern, some areas will be brighter than others,” Petters said. “And the brightest parts will be along
these caustic curves.” . Seemingly misplaced DNA acts as lenses
16 April 2009 DNA stains reveal that the nuclei of rod cells (top left) from a mouse!s retina have a different arrangement of DNA than ganglion cells (bottom left) or skin cells (right). Blue and red colors show where densely-packed inactive DNA called heterochromatin is located; green shows where active DNA is located Bugs build batteries.
03 April 2009 Green technology just went viral. Researchers have used viruses to create rechargeable batteries similar to those found in hybrid cars and laptops. Until now, batteries like this were made in chemically intensive, high-heat processes. The results could herald a low-energy, environmentally friendly alternative.
World's largest study of near-death experiences to start Courtesy University of Southampton and World Science staff The University of Southampton, U.K. announced it is launching this week the worldʼs largest-ever study on whether people have thoughts for a time while they are clinically “dead.” ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Scientists produce illusion of body-swapping
Courtesy Karolinska Institute and World Science staff
Cognitive neuroscientists at the Swedish medical university Karolinska Institute say they have made people perceive the bodies of mannequins and other people as their own. The findings are to appear Dec. 3 in the online research journal PLoS One. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ “Out of body” research attacks philosophical questions
Courtesy American Association for the Advancement of Science and World Science staff
Using virtual reality goggles to mix up sensory signals reaching the brain, scientists say they've induced “out-
of-body”-like experiences in healthy people, suggesting a possible explanation for a phenomenon often thought to be a figment of the imagination. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ What is consciousness? Study aims to settle debate
Research would also subject claims of “out of body” experiences to strict test
Special to World Science
In science, plenty of problems are hard. But just one is so gruesomelytrying that scientists themselves have termed it, well, “the hard problem.” How does consciousness arise—the living, aware experience ofbeing? ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Genetic Code Mashups to Create New Species
26 March 2009 Scientists have found that DNA can be randomly rearranged because of odd repeating structures that have been noticed in the genetic code of higher animals. Unfortunately this is one of those things that's good for the species as a whole (because of diversification) but extremely bad for the individuals (because of cancer, cancer and more cancer). International Artificial-Intelligence Team Builds Human Brain on a Silicon Chip
March 30 2009
Artificial intelligence investigators have built a fully silicon scale simulation of the human brain. The artificial neurons operate
faster than the organic model, are built to learn and adapt, and even have a cool movie-style acronym, FACETS. Crabs suffer, remember pain, study finds
March 27, 2009 Crabs not only suffer pain but remember it, a study has found. The research calls into question a popular view that when reflex without actual feeling. Read more Astronomers catch a “shooting star”
March 25, 2009 Asteroid 2008 TC3 has a humdrum name but an unusual distinction: it's the first space rock to have been spotted before it made a fiery rendezvous with our planet, astronomers say. Read more THE ROCKET THAT THINKS IT'S A JET
The SKYLON spaceplane is one step closer to realization thanks to European Space Agency and UK Government support for revolutionary British propulsion technology. Read more One Mars Rover Sees A Distant Goal, The Other Takes A New Route
Science Daily (Mar. 20, 2009) On a plain that stretches for miles in every direction, the panoramic camera on NASA's Mars rover. Opportunity has caught a first glimpse on the horizon of the uplifted rim of the big crater that has been Opportunity's long-term destination for six months. Mind-reading - experiment highlights how brain records memories
New research adds to mounting evidence that it's possible to read" memories just by looking at brain activity. Experimenters found that our notion of where we are is recorded in regular patterns, contrary to current scientific thinking. UNESCO awards recognize young scientists' contributions to biodiversity
Young scientists from around the world working on projects ranging from working to conserve mangrove forests in Iran to conserving orchids in Cuba have been recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for their work on biodiversity. Tiny space engine to push back against sunshine
Mar 18, European Space Agency researchers are preparing to test what they describe as the smallest, yet most precisely controllable engine ever built for space. It's designed to be sensitive enough to counteract the force of sunshine. Singapore firm debuts unique green technology Singapore: Ecospec Global Technology Pte Ltd (Ecospec), a homegrown research and technology company specialising in advanced water and oil treatment technologies, has developed a new green technology for the shipping industry which it believes will appeal to both shipowners and regulators and in the process, remove pollutants that contribute to global warming and degradation of the ocean environment. British-built robotic fish to detect pollution LONDON (AFP) - 20 March, A shoal of robotic fish which can detect pollution in the water are set to released into the sea off Spain, British scientists said Thursday. The fish, which are some 1.5 metres long and resemble carp, will be fitted with detectors which can identify the sources of pollution, such as ship fuel or chemicals in the water. Road-worthy plane? Or sky-worthy car? "Flying cars" have been a science-fiction staple for decades, but have never made for a practical commercial product. The graduates of MIT's Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics think their plane, called the Transition, could change that.
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Flying car takes wing: MIT alums' invention makes its first test flights (w/Video) At 7:40 a.m. on March 5, the winged car taxied down a runway in Plattsburgh, N.Y., took off, flew for 37 seconds and landed further down the runway -- a maneuver it would repeat about a half dozen times over the next two days. Brain lives at edge of chaos MOSCOW, March 16 (UPI) -- Russian space officials say they will select the winning design this month for the rocket intended to carry cosmonauts to the moon within a decade. Russia picking moon rocket design MOSCOW, March 16 (UPI) -- Russian space officials say they will select the winning design this month for the rocket intended to carry cosmonauts to the moon within a decade. Martian mountain may answer big question The Martian volcano Olympus Mons is about three times Mount Everest's height. But it's the small details that geologists Patrick McGovern and Julia Morgan are looking at in thinking about whether the Red Planet ever had - or still supports - life. Obama to reverse embryonic stem cell ban WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Obama is planning to sign an executive order Monday to overturn Bush-era policy that limited federal tax dollars for embryonic stem cell research, according to administration officials with the deliberations.
Scientists discover new species in ocean's depths Until last December, no one had ever seen the bottom of the Tasman Fracture, a trench that drops more than four kilometers below the surface of the ocean. A group of Australian and American researchers recently spent a month hundreds of kilometers southwest of the Tasmanian coast, exploring the fracture's depths. Black hole baldness reflected in more everyday objects: physicist New research from a Washington University in St. Louis physicist may help scientists find spinning black holes orbited by smaller black holes in space. Missing asteroids explained? Scientists have reported a case of missing asteroids and a possible explanation. The main asteroid belt is a zone containing millions of rocky objects orbiting the Sun between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.MESSAGE OF T.R.H. PRINCE PHILIPPE AND PRINCESS ELISABETH OF BELGIUM Princess Elisabeth Station Celebrations
The inauguration of the Princess Elisabeth Station on February 15th was a success and a dream come true. In the opening ceremony preceding the official inauguration, Alain Hubert reminded everyone that the International Polar Year had been the drive for Belgium's initiative to return to Antarctica in the name of science. Running hamsters, tapping fingers tapped for energy
Could hamsters solve the worlds energy crisis? Probably not, but a hamster wearing a power- generating jacket may be doing its own small part to provide a new and renewable source of electricity. Georgia Institute of Technology researchers report that they have generated electrical current from the hamsters movements as well as from a tapping finger. Both setups rely on nanotechnology, or molecular- scale machinery, to generate tiny amounts of current. Cosmologists aim to reveal first moments of time
Within a decade, a delicate measurement of primordial light might reveal evidence for the popular cosmic inflation theory, which proposes that a random, microscopic density fluctuations in the fabric of space and time spawned the universe. Such fluctuations would have led to a hot Big Bang, as astronomers call the sort of explosion believed to have given birth to the cosmos some 13.7 billion years ago. Researchers cracking code of the common cold
Scientists say they have put together the pieces of the genetic codes for all known strains of the pathogen responsible for the common cold, in work could lead to the �rst effective treatments for the illness. Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and the University of Wisconsin-Madison completed the genomic sequences of many strains of the virus, called the human rhinovirus, and assembled them into a family tree showing their relationships. In early humans, jaws of steel
Your mother always told you not to use your teeth as tools to open something hard, and she was right. Human skulls have small faces and teeth and aren't well-equipped to bite down forcefully on hard objects. Not so of our earliest ancestors, say scientists. Research published in last weeks online issue of the research journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggests nut-cracking abilities in our 2.5- million-year-old relatives that let them adapt to changing circumstances. Read more. Stem cell recipe gets even simpler
A simple recipe scientists earlier devised for making adult stem cells act like more powerful embryonic-like stem cells may have gotten simpler. A new report indicates a single chemical can convert stem cells from adult mice into the desired type. Stem cells are immature cells that haven't yet developed into specific types to form organs. A large body of medical research is aimed at using stem cells to grow new organs and heal tissue. Longevity gene may boost lifespan
A variation in a gene called FOXO3A seems to increase human life expectancy in populations worldwide, scientists report. Researchers at the Christian-Albrechts-University in Kiel, Germany, compared DNA from 388 German centenarians with those from 731 younger people. The findings appeared last week in the research journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Read more. Fossil snake said to length record
Scientists have recovered fossils from a 60-million-year-old South American snake whose length and weight might make today's anacondas and reticulated pythons seem a bit cuter and more cuddly. Named Titanoboa cerrejonensis by its discoverers, the size of the snake's vertebrae suggest it weighed 1,140 kilograms (2,500 pounds) and measured 13 meters nose to tail tip and that's a conservative estimate, researchers say. Read more.
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Micro-motors would fit to swim human arteries
Many complex surgies for stroke, hardened arteries or blood vessel blockages are about to become safer as researchers finalize the design of micro-motors small enough for injection into the bloodstream, scientists say. A paper published Jan. 20 in the Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering details how researchers are harnessing piezoelectricity the energy force most commonly used to trigger-start a gas stove to produce microbot motors a fourth of a millimetre wide. How puppy-dog eyes do their trick: chemistry
If you've ever wondered how just one doleful look from your dog always makes you for give that chewed-up shoe or almost anything else scientists may have an answer. A dog's gaze triggers release of the so-called trust hormone oxytocin in owners, according to Japanese researchers. Through DNA, breathing new life into old museum pieces
In 1902, the National Zoo in Washington D.C. brought in a unique and endangered animal called the thylacine, or Tasmanian Tiger a female and her three cubs. But by the mid-1930s, the thylacine was extinct, leaving behind only preserved museum specimens. Now, researchers are using DNA sequencing technology to analyze preserved thylacines, including one of those brought to the National Zoo Strange animal finds: Lungless frogs, crawling fish
Evolutionary biologists are still getting over their astonishment from two unrelated discoveries of remarkable species in the past week: a lungless frog and a bizarre, crawling fish. The frog finding represents first case of complete lunglessness in a frog, according to a report in the April 8 issue of the research journal Current Biology. Claim of alien cells in rain may fit historical accounts: study
A controversial theory, suggesting a strange red rain in India six years ago might have contained microbes from outer space, hasn't died. In fact, things might be getting even weirder. A new study suggests the claimed connection between scarlet rain and tiny celestial visitors may be consistent with historical accounts linking colored rain to meteor passings. Black holes came first, astronomers conclude
Astronomers may have solved a cosmic chicken-and-egg problem the question of which formed first in the early Universe, galaxies or the giant black holes found at their cores. It looks like the black holes came first. The evidence is piling up, said Chris Carilli of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in Charlottesville, Va. Black holes are objects so compact that their gravitational pull grows strong enough to suck in everything nearby, including light. Dancing molecules trapped Biology is chock full of art. For decades, scientists have probed some of the tiniest structures of life's basic building molecular blocks, such as DNA or proteins, rendering full color ball-and-stick models of them that fill the pages of journals and adorn the trophy cases of biology departments everywhere.
Researchers use light beams to grab molecules Using a beam of light shunted through a tiny silicon channel, researchers say they've created a nanoscale, or molecular-scale, trap that can capture individual DNA molecules. The work is part of research into systems designed to manipulate nanoscale objects so that they can be moved to desired places for analysis or for building tiny structures, such as machines. Same gene, different results
Scientists are learning to their surprise that a single gene very often functions differently in different parts of the body. Genes generally work by producing some molecule that serves a given function in the body. However, scientists have long known one gene can produce slightly different forms of the same molecule, by skipping or including certain alternative bits of genetic code.
Temporary collider shutdown a blow
A giant particle collider whose launch this month scientists hailed as historic must shut down until spring, a psychological blow to project participants, said the director-general of the research center operating the machine. The Large Hadron Collider, the biggest particle- smasher on Earth, is supposed to investigate secrets of the universe including what creates mass and what a mysterious dark matter pervading the cosmos might be.
Gene therapy success reported in blindness cases
A gene therapy was used to partially reverse blindness due to an inherited condition, doctors said this week, in clinical trial results hailed as one of the first clear successes for gene therapy. Researchers used the treatment..
At least 8 genes tied to obesity, all in brain At least eight genes are implicated in susceptibility to obesity, and all of them appear to work in the brain, scientists have found. The findings are published this week in the research journal Nature Genetics.
Scientists: cancer genome decoded
The genome of the cancerous tissue of an individual patient has been sequenced for the first time, identifying mutated genes with a likely a role in development of the cancer, researchers say. The data came from a patient with acute myeloid leukaemia,
Computers learn regret Scientists in Italy have developed computer programs that mimic human decision-making by using simulated regret to improve performance. The models do a better job than others in predicting some aspects of human decision- making, the researchers found. Craft ready to map outer solar system The first NASA satellite to image and map the dynamic interactions at the outer solar system where the hot wind from the Sun slam into cold,outer space is ready for launch Oct. 19, agency officials say. The two-year mission is to begin.... Martian salts not bad for life: Scientists Scientists with NASA's Phoenix Mars mission spoke Tuesday about an ongoing investigation of perchlorate salts detected in soil analyzed by the Phoenix Lander. Finding perchlorates is neither good nor bad for life,
Nanoparticles may seep through skin
Scientists are finding that particles that are barely there tiny objects known as nanoparticles that have found a home in electronics, food containers,sunscreens, and a variety of applications can breach our most personal protective barrier: the skin.
A brighter universe found: ours The Universe is twice as bright as previously believed: dust turns out to block about half the starlight from us, astronomers have found. Interstellar dust grains have a devastating effect on our measurements of the energy output from even nearby galaxies, said Richard Tuffs of the Max Plank Institute for Nuclear Physics...
Helping New Technologies Grow Into Businesses, the San Diego Way So far, San Diego remains a fertile breeding ground for entrepreneurs,despite the problems in the broader economy. That is due in large part to a nonprofit organization, Connect, that was created 23 years ago to bring together people knowledgeable about business and investment capital with researchers at the universities and research institutes in San Diego...
Space Lasers Keep Earths Air Clean Space laser technology is coming to our smokestacks and automobiles. Leave it to NASA to take its inventions to another level, helping to keep our air clean and breathable. A recent NASA invention, originally designed to help lasers control carbon monoxide in the cold environment of space, is now being tested for use here on Earth... ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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