PhysOrg.com - latest science and technology news stories

Framed for child porn -- by a PC virus

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 13:40:04 EST

(AP) -- Of all the sinister things that Internet viruses do, this might be the worst: They can make you an unsuspecting collector of child pornography.

Sony offers 'Cloudy' early to people with its TVs

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 13:25:56 EST

(AP) -- In a bid to sell living room electronics and spur buzz for "Cloudy with A Chance of Meatballs," Sony Corp. is offering the movie for free to U.S. buyers of its Internet-connected TVs and Blu-ray players starting Monday.

Scientists visualize how bacteria talk to one another

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 13:25:31 EST

Using imaging mass spectrometry, researchers at the University of California, San Diego have developed tools that will enable scientists to visualize how different cell populations of cells communicate. Their study shows how bacteria talk to one another - an understanding that may lead to new therapeutic discoveries for diseases ranging from cancer to diabetes and allergies.

Deep creep means milder, more frequent earthquakes along Southern California's San Jacinto fault

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 13:23:32 EST

With an average of four mini-earthquakes per day, Southern California's San Jacinto fault constantly adjusts to make it a less likely candidate for a major earthquake than its quiet neighbor to the east, the Southern San Andreas fault, according to an article in the journal Nature Geoscience.

Findings show nanomedicine promising for treating spinal cord injuries

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 13:22:11 EST

(PhysOrg.com) -- Researchers at Purdue University have discovered a new approach for repairing damaged nerve fibers in spinal cord injuries using nano-spheres that could be injected into the blood shortly after an accident.

Developmental delay could stem from nicotinic receptor deletion

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 13:21:46 EST

The loss of a gene through deletion of genetic material on chromosome 15 is associated with significant abnormalities in learning and behavior, said a consortium of researchers led by Baylor College of Medicine in a report that appears online today in the journal Nature Genetics.

Advertisers face resistance to on-line tracking

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 06:20:01 EST

Campaigners are stepping up efforts to curb online tracking of Internet use by firms that deliver adverts tailored to the specific interests of consumers, as polls reveal widespread unease with the practice.

Japan eyes solar station in space as new energy source

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 05:50:01 EST

It may sound like a sci-fi vision, but Japan's space agency is dead serious: by 2030 it wants to collect solar power in space and zap it down to Earth, using laser beams or microwaves.

iPhone disappoints in China launch: analysts

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 05:40:01 EST

The official launch of Apple's iPhone in China has been disappointing at best for mobile operator China Unicom, with the grey market still booming and competitors offering worthy alternatives, experts say.

Landmark health bill passes House on close vote

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 05:20:01 EST

(AP) -- The Democratic-controlled House narrowly passed far-reaching health care legislation, handing President Barack Obama a hard-won victory on his chief domestic priority though the road ahead in the Senate promises to be rocky.

China sends panda expert to Taiwan to aid breeding

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 04:59:42 EST

(AP) -- Nothing like a little time apart to rekindle the affections that could lead to a baby panda.

W. Africa's last giraffes make surprising comeback

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 04:59:20 EST

(AP) -- A crisp African dawn is breaking overhead, and Zibo Mounkaila is on the back of a pickup truck bounding across a sparse landscape of rocky orange soil.

Software cos. eye key patent case in Supreme Court

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 04:57:46 EST

(AP) -- With the technology industry looking on, the Supreme Court on Monday will explore what types of inventions should be eligible for a patent in a pivotal case that could undermine such legal protections for software.

Bluebeat to battle EMI over Beatles songs

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 11:10:01 EST

US online music service Bluebeat said it plans to fight British recording label EMI over rights to stream and sell versions of Beatles songs.

Dinosaur prints found on NZealand's South Island

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 10:40:05 EST

Scientists have discovered the first evidence that dinosaurs roamed the South Island of New Zealand with 70-million-year-old footprints found in six locations.

Decision day for health care in the House

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 10:40:01 EST

(AP) -- President Barack Obama is trying to close the deal in the House on his health care overhaul, facing a make-or-break vote that's certain to be seen as a test of his presidency.

Prized mushroom collection returns to China

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 10:10:02 EST

(AP) -- A Chinese scholar persecuted during the Cultural Revolution for smuggling a rare collection of mushrooms out of China before World War II was honored Saturday when the collection was returned more than 70 years later.

Island village hit by suspected swine flu

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 10:00:02 EST

(AP) -- Suspected swine flu is sweeping a traditional Eskimo whaling village on a remote Alaska island - prompting an urgent medical mission to deliver help.

Microsoft websites top spots in September: comScore

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 10:00:01 EST

Industry tracker comScore on Friday released a study showing that Internet users in September spent more time at Microsoft websites that at any other online properties.

Brazil blackouts result of cyber hacking: report

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 09:59:44 EST

Massive power outages in Brazil in 2005 and 2007 that impacted millions were caused by cyber hackers attacking control systems, the US television network CBS said Sunday.

Russian rocket to launch from French Guiana in 2010

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 09:56:08 EST

A Russian rocket will next year for the first time blast off from a European launch pad in South America, officials said Saturday, as the first rockets headed for the site on board a ship.

Sea lions killed, but Columbia salmon toll rises

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 09:51:08 EST

(AP) -- Killing or removing 25 California sea lions over the past two years has not reduced the toll on salmon at the base of Bonneville Dam in the Columbia River.

Seattle team wins $900,000 in Space Elevator Games

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 09:45:52 EST

(AP) -- A Seattle team has collected a $900,000 prize in a NASA-backed competition to develop the concept of an elevator to space - an idea spurred by science fiction novels.

Higher carotid arterial stenting rates associated with poorer clinical outcomes

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 09:43:21 EST

Among eligible Medicare beneficiaries, increased use of carotid arterial stenting (CAS) procedures to treat carotid stenosis--the narrowing of the carotid artery--is associated with higher rates of mortality and adverse clinical outcomes, including heart attack and stroke, according to researchers from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.

Prevention experts urge modification to 2009 H1N1 guidance for health care workers

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:50:02 EST

Three leading scientific organizations specializing in infectious diseases prevention issued a letter to President Obama today expressing their significant concern with current federal guidance concerning the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) by healthcare workers in treating suspected or confirmed cases of 2009 H1N1 influenza.

Obesity causes 100,000 US cancers every year: study

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:30:01 EST

Obesity causes more than 100,000 incidents of cancer in the US every year, the American Institute for Cancer Research said in estimates published Friday.

eStadium application brings multimedia sports features to smartphones

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:11:37 EST

The intimate and spirited quarters of a stadium offer perhaps the most ideal venues to experience an athletic event. Or do they?

Norway court snubs call to block The Pirate Bay

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:09:54 EST

A court in Norway on Friday rejected calls from the entertainment industry to force communications giant Telenor to block its customers from accessing popular file sharing website The Pirate Bay.

UWM study explores why women leave engineering careers

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:09:34 EST

While only one in 10 male engineers leave their field by the time they reach their 30s, about one in four women are not working in engineering despite having completed the necessary education.

Ants are friendly to some trees, but not others

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:07:58 EST

Tree-dwelling ants generally live in harmony with their arboreal hosts. But new research suggests that when they run out of space in their trees of choice, the ants can get destructive to neighboring trees.