Gizmag: Research Watch

Fish's piranha-proof scales could lead to tough, flexible body armor

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:23:15 -0600

Here's a question - if piranhas are so ferocious and will attack anything, why aren't they the only fish in the Amazon? Well, in some cases, it's because other fish possess bite-proof armor. The 300-pound (136-kg) Arapaima is just such a fish. In the dry season, when water levels get low, Arapaima are forced to share relatively small bodies of water with piranhas. Their tough-but-flexible scales, however, allow them to remain unharmed. A scientist from the University of California, San Diego is now taking a closer look at those scales, with an eye towards applying their secrets to human technology such as body armor. .. Continue Reading Fish's piranha-proof scales could lead to tough, flexible body armor

Section: Research Watch

Tags: Armor, Biomimicry, Fish, Flexible, University of California

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Further evidence that Mars once had oceans emerges

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 20:18:17 -0600

The European Space Agency (ESA) has provided more evidence that suggests the surface of Mars was once home to an ocean. Featuring ground-penetrating radar capabilities, the MARSIS (Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionosphere Sounding) radar aboard the ESA’s Mars Express spacecraft has detected sediments like that seen on an ocean floor... Continue Reading Further evidence that Mars once had oceans emerges

Section: Research Watch

Tags: Astronomy, ESA, Mars, Ocean, Spacecraft, Water

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Recording data using heat could lead to faster, more efficient magnetic recording devices

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:59:34 -0600

For the past several decades, it has been assumed that in order to store data on a magnetic medium, a magnetic field must be applied. Recently, however, an international team of scientists discovered that heat can be used instead of a magnetic field. Not only is this method reportedly more energy efficient, but it also theoretically allows for ten times the storage capacity and 300 times the performance of current hard drive technology... Continue Reading Recording data using heat could lead to faster, more efficient magnetic recording devices

Section: Research Watch

Tags: Computers, Data Storage, Hard Drive, Heat

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Cold plasma used to kill bacteria on raw chicken

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 15:24:50 -0600

Judging by the number of folks who fall prey to food-borne illness each year, food safety is serious business, especially when you consider that pathogens such as Campylobacter and Salmonella contaminate over 70 percent of the raw chicken meat tested. Now, recent research from a food safety team at Pennsylvania's Drexel University offers proof-of-concept for what may one day be a common approach to preventing food-borne illness from raw poultry and meat products - the use of high-energy, low temperature plasma to eliminate unwanted bacteria while leaving the food basically unchanged... Continue Reading Cold plasma used to kill bacteria on raw chicken

Section: Research Watch

Tags: Bacteria, Chicken, Food technology, Plasma

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New "Super-Earth" discovered only 22 light years away

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 20:00:46 -0600

An international team of scientists led by Professors Guillem Anglada-Escudé and Paul Butler from the Carnegie Institution for Science in the U.S. has discovered a potentially habitable Super-Earth that's "just" 22 light years away. The new Super-Earth has a mass that is 4.5 times larger than that of our planet and it revolves around its parent star in 28 days - a star that is significantly smaller than ours. This remarkable new discovery suggests that habitable planets could exist in a wider variety of environments than previously believed. .. Continue Reading New "Super-Earth" discovered only 22 light years away

Section: Research Watch

Tags: Carnegie Mellon, Exoplanet, NASA, Planet, Space, Super-Earth

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MIT envisions DIY solar cells made from grass clippings

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 18:58:14 -0600

Research scientist Andreas Mershin has a dream to bring inexpensive solar power to the masses, especially those in developing countries. After years of research, he and his team at MIT's Center for Bits and Atoms, along with University of Tennessee biochemist Barry Bruce, have worked out a process that extracts functional photosynthetic molecules from common yard and agricultural waste. If all goes well, in a few years it should be possible to gather up a pile of grass clippings, mix it with a blend of cheap chemicals, paint it on your roof and begin producing electricity. Talk about redefining green power plants!.. Continue Reading MIT envisions DIY solar cells made from grass clippings

Section: Research Watch

Tags: MIT, Nanotechnology, Nanowires, Photosynthesis, Photovoltaic, Solar Cell, Titanium dioxide, University of Tennessee

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Scientists use brain activity analysis to reconstruct words heard by test subjects

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:21:19 -0600

Last September, scientists from the University of California, Berkeley announced that they had developed a method of visually reconstructing images from peoples' minds, by analyzing their brain activity. Much to the dismay of tinfoil hat-wearers everywhere, researchers from that same institution have now developed a somewhat similar system, that is able to reconstruct words that people have heard spoken to them. Instead of being used to violate our civil rights, however, the technology could instead allow the vocally-disabled to "speak.".. Continue Reading Scientists use brain activity analysis to reconstruct words heard by test subjects

Section: Research Watch

Tags: Brain, Hearing, Perception, Speech, University of California

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Smart paint could slash costs of structural monitoring

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 22:55:05 -0600

Current monitoring of large structures such as bridges, wind turbines and mines generally relies on time consuming visual inspections that use specialized instrumentation and equipment. Translation: it's expensive. But if damage can be detected before any structural damage occurs, maintenance bills can also be significantly reduced and safety increased. Researchers at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow are tackling the issue with a smart paint they claim not only detects microscopic faults before structural damage occurs, but does so at a cost of just one percent of current widely used inspection methods... Continue Reading Smart paint could slash costs of structural monitoring

Section: Research Watch

Tags: Architecture, Bridge, Building and Construction, Monitoring, Paint, Sensors, University of Strathclyde

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Silkworms may help repair damaged hearts

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 14:46:27 -0600

Although people do regularly recover from heart attacks, the heart itself never entirely “gets better.” This is because cardiac muscle tissue doesn’t regenerate – any that dies in the event of a heart attack will only be replaced with inactive scar tissue, and the heart’s performance will be permanently compromised as a result. Scientists have responded by trying to develop heart patches made of materials that act as nanoscale scaffolds, upon which new cardiomyocytes (heart cells) can grow. Materials used for these scaffolds have included fibrin, nanofiber, gold nanowires and polymer. Now, new research is suggesting that silkworm silk may be a better choice than any of those... Continue Reading Silkworms may help repair damaged hearts

Section: Research Watch

Tags: Heart, Heart Disease, Max Planck Institute, Medical

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Is ultrasound the future of male contraception?

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 08:58:53 -0600

Using commercially-available ultrasound technology, scientists have successfully reduced sperm count in rats to a level that would cause infertility in men. Researchers managed to reduce motile sperm to 3 million per cauda epididymis (where sperm are stored), which equates to a Sperm Count Index of zero, measured two weeks after treatment. The research could re-open the door to the investigation of ultrasonic techniques as a practical human contraceptive... Continue Reading Is ultrasound the future of male contraception?

Section: Research Watch

Tags: Contraception, Ultrasound, University of North Carolina

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Synthetic cell membrane marks another step towards creation of fully artificial life forms

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 00:17:28 -0600

The cell membrane is one of the most important characteristics of a cell because it separates the interior of all cells from the extracellular environment and controls the movement of substances in and out of the cell. In a move that brings mankind another step closer to being able to create artificial life forms from scratch, chemists from the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), and Harvard University have created artificial self-assembling cell membranes using a novel chemical reaction. The chemists hope their creation will help shed light on the origins of life. .. Continue Reading Synthetic cell membrane marks another step towards creation of fully artificial life forms

Section: Research Watch

Tags: Cells, Harvard, Membrane, UCSD, University of California

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Perfectly secure cloud computing possible thanks to quantum physics

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 23:40:54 -0600

As numerous companies continue their push to get us to entrust our data to the cloud, there are many still justifiably concerned about the security of cloud computing-based services. Now an international team of scientists have demonstrated that perfectly secure cloud computing is possible by combining the power of quantum computing with the security of quantum cryptography. They carried out what they claim is the first demonstration of “blind quantum computing,” in which a quantum computation was carried out with the input, computation, and output all remaining unknown to the computer, and therefore, also any eavesdroppers... Continue Reading Perfectly secure cloud computing possible thanks to quantum physics

Section: Research Watch

Tags: cloud computing, Privacy, Quantum Computing, Security

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Graphene reveals yet another extraordinary property

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 04:25:35 -0600

Ever since University of Manchester scientists Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov first isolated flakes of graphene in 2004 using that most high-tech pieces of equipment - adhesive tape - the one-atom sheet of carbon has continued to astound researchers with its remarkable properties. Now Professor Sir Andre Geim, (he's now not only a Nobel Prize winner but also a Knight Bachelor), has led a team that has added superpermeability with respect to water to graphene's ever lengthening list of extraordinary characteristics... Continue Reading Graphene reveals yet another extraordinary property

Section: Research Watch

Tags: Graphene, Membrane, University of Manchester

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Researchers cloak free-standing 3D object using plasmonic metamaterials

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 21:52:08 -0600

We’ve previously seen – or should that be “not seen” – invisibility cloaks in the laboratory that are able to render two-dimensional objects invisible to microwaves. Such feats relies on the use of metamaterials – man-made materials that exhibit optical properties not found in nature and have the ability to guide light around an object. Now researchers at the University of Texas at Austin (UT) claim to have brought invisibility cloaks that operate at visible light frequencies one step closer by cloaking a three-dimensional object standing in free space with the use of plasmonic metamaterials... Continue Reading Researchers cloak free-standing 3D object using plasmonic metamaterials

Section: Research Watch

Tags: Invisibility, Metamaterials, University of Texas

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Goshawk flight could inspire next-gen agile UAVs

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:30:10 -0600

Research into goshawk flight could inform the design of next generation UAVS. Where prior research into bird flight has focused on steady flight, new research from MIT examines the patterns of birds adept at flying in "cluttered environments" to find principles applicable to robot motion planning. It's research that might one day find practical applications in engineering, including fast, agile UAVs... Continue Reading Goshawk flight could inspire next-gen agile UAVs

Section: Research Watch

Tags: Flight, Flight Simulation, Harvard, MIT, UAV

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New T-ray technology could help enable Star Trek-style “tricorders”

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 21:00:09 -0600

We recently looked at one of the potential contenders in the US$10 million Qualcomm Tricorder X PRIZE, which as the name suggests, was inspired by the medical tricorder of Star Trek fame. Now scientists have developed a new way of creating Terahertz (THz) or T-rays, which they say could help make handheld devices with tricorder-like capabilities a reality... Continue Reading New T-ray technology could help enable Star Trek-style “tricorders”

Section: Research Watch

Tags: A*STAR, Diagnostic devices, Imperial College, IMRE, Medical Imaging, Scanner, T-ray

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Hold onto your stomach - scientists create bubble-propelled gut-rocket

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 11:44:33 -0600

Scientists at the University of California, San Diego, have created what they claim is the first self-propelling, hydrogen-bubble-powered "microrocket" requiring no external source of fuel. In the most acidic solutions, these micromotors can reach speeds of 100 body lengths per second. It's claimed that the breakthrough could pave the way (or rather line the esophagus) towards stomach-going nanomotors which could provide imaging or precisely targeted drug treatment. In addition to self-propulsion, the gut-rockets can be steered, and made to collect and release a payload... Continue Reading Hold onto your stomach - scientists create bubble-propelled gut-rocket

Section: Research Watch

Tags: Nanotechnology, UCSD

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Microfluidic silicon probe could improve disease diagnostics

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 17:52:35 -0600

IBM scientists in Zurich have created a proof-of-concept device, that could change the way that human tissue samples are analyzed. Presently, samples must be stained with a biomarker solution in order to detect the presence of a disease. The staining process can be quite involved, however, plus it is subject to error – too much of the solution can cause inaccurate results, for instance. Additionally, it can sometimes be difficult to perform enough tests using the small amount of tissue extracted in most biopsies. The IBM technology, though it still involves staining, is said to offer a potential solution to these shortcomings... Continue Reading Microfluidic silicon probe could improve disease diagnostics

Section: Research Watch

Tags: Disease, IBM, Medical Imaging, Microfluidic

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Newly discovered molecule has potential to offset climate change and cool the planet

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 19:23:00 -0600

Researchers claim a newly discovered molecule found in the Earth’s atmosphere holds the potential to help offset global warming by actually cooling the planet. The molecule is a Criegee biradical or Criegee intermediate, which are chemical intermediaries that are powerful oxidizers of pollutants produced by combustion, such as nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide. They have the ability to naturally clean up the atmosphere by helping break down nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide to form sulfate and nitrate, which ultimately leads to cloud formation that could help cool the planet... Continue Reading Newly discovered molecule has potential to offset climate change and cool the planet

Section: Research Watch

Tags: Climate Change, Global Warming, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Sandia Labs, University of Bristol, University of Manchester

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Particle-free silver ink developed for printable electronics

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 16:54:08 -0600

There’s no doubt that we will soon be seeing a lot more in the way of low-cost electronic circuits that have been printed onto common, flexible materials such as plastic, paper or fabric. One of the key technological innovations making this possible is silver ink, which is used to print these circuits’ conductors. While such ink usually incorporates particles of silver suspended in a carrier liquid, a new type of ink created at the University of Illinois forgoes the particle approach, and is said to offer some distinct advantages as a result... Continue Reading Particle-free silver ink developed for printable electronics

Section: Research Watch

Tags: Flexible, Printable Electronics, Silver, University of Illinois

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Scientist closes in on creating a superlens

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 18:04:48 -0600

Some day, you may have a microscope on your smartphone camera that's as powerful as a scanning electron microscope. If you do, it will likely be thanks to research presently being conducted by Durdu Guney, an assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at Michigan Technological University. He is working on creating a metamaterial-based "superlens" - a long sought-after optically-perfect lens, that could use visible light to image objects as small as 100 nanometers across. .. Continue Reading Scientist closes in on creating a superlens

Section: Research Watch

Tags: Imaging, Lens, Michigan Tech, Microscope

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New "smart" polymer opens door for medical use of low-power near-infrared light

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 01:35:20 -0600

Researchers at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) have conducted initial testing of a new “smart” plastic material which may bring about new uses in medicine for near-infrared light (NIR). According to early experiments, the plastic material will break down into non-toxic particles in response to lower-power NIR. This may lead to improved treatment of, for example, tumors, or improvements in the release of tracing compounds and imaging agents for improved medical diagnostics applications... Continue Reading New "smart" polymer opens door for medical use of low-power near-infrared light

Section: Research Watch

Tags: Infrared, Medical, Polymer, University of California

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Jumping droplets could offer more efficient thermal management

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 13:02:56 -0600

When you have wet skin, you no doubt notice a cooling sensation as it dries. This is because the water droplets are carrying heat away from your skin with them, as they evaporate. Phase-change thermal diodes work the same way – through an evaporation and condensation process, they use liquid to transport heat away from things such as microchips. In most of these diodes, liquid placed on a hot surface evaporates, the vapor then rising onto a cooler surface, where it condenses back into liquid. In a closed-loop cycle, gravity subsequently carries that condensate back down to the hot surface, so it can once again be evaporated. Now, scientists from North Carolina's Duke University have discovered a method of getting condensed water droplets to jump back to the hot surface – and they can do so in any direction, including straight up... Continue Reading Jumping droplets could offer more efficient thermal management

Section: Research Watch

Tags: Cooling, Duke University, Heat, Thermal

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ATP-detecting nanosensors could help reduce laboratory animal testing

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 21:10:58 -0600

Animal testing is an area that elicits strong feelings on both sides of the argument for and against the practice. Supporters like the British Royal Society argue that virtually every medical breakthrough of the 20th century involved the use of animals in some way, while opponents say that it is not only cruel, but actually impedes medical progress by using misleading animal models. Whatever side of the argument researchers fall on, most would likely use an alternative to animal testing if it existed. And an alternative that reduces the need for animal testing is just what Fraunhofer researchers hope their new sensor nanoparticles will be... Continue Reading ATP-detecting nanosensors could help reduce laboratory animal testing

Section: Research Watch

Tags: Animals, Fraunhofer, Nanoparticles, Nanosensor, Nanotechnology

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Scientists trick immune system to treat autoimmune disease in mice

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 14:57:55 -0600

Researchers of Israel's Weizmann Institute of Science have achieved a significant new development which may have far reaching implications for the treatment of autoimmune diseases which attack the body's own tissue by mistake. The scientists have managed to convince the immune systems of mice to instead attack an enzyme significant to the body's autoimmune process known as matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP9). .. Continue Reading Scientists trick immune system to treat autoimmune disease in mice

Section: Research Watch

Tags: Disease, Medical, Treatment, Weizmann Institute

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