Slashdot Mirror
Domain: sciencedaily.com
Stories and comments across the archive that link to sciencedaily.com.
Stories · 442
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Plastic LEDs Break Telecommunications Barrier
5arah writes: "Science Daily has a mirror of an article about the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa and Hebrew University in Jerusalem discovering a way to get polymers to emit near-IR radiation. Once commercialized, such polymers could potentially cut the costs of the hundreds of millions of telecommunications terminals needed to bring fiber optic communications to individual homes, opening the family doors to global networks." -
Setting Micro Gears In Motion
jim.b0b writes: "ScienceDaily has a nice article on lateral Casimir force and its possible impact on Micro Machines. 'One can envision a device fabricated with two corrugated surfaces allowing for a sliding motion between the two surfaces. The normal Casimir force would move the membrane up and down in the vertical plane, while the lateral Casimir force would slide it back and forth. Thus, on a silicon chip you can have vertical and sliding motions of a micro device.'" -
Why Your Silverware Rusts
Judebert writes: "Watching your stainless steel silverware rust is enough to drive a geek to apoplexy. Not that you care, just that it is stainless, after all. Well, some clever Brits at the Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine have figured out Why Stainless Steel Corrodes and published a like-named article in Nature. Science Daily, as usual, mirrored their press release. When stainless steel goes, the results can be catastrophic. Especially considering that the stuff is used in Formula 1 engines, industrial equipment, and thousands of other places. Turns out the problem is sulfur in the steel / chromium alloy. But they've also figured out ways to fix the problem without resorting to very expensive low-sulphur steels." -
Microbes Make Electricity From Mud
Judebert writes "University of Massachusetts microbiologists have discovered that certain microbes, under ordinary conditions, create electricity from the mud they live in. The scientists used plain mud from Boston Harbor, mason jars, a few carbon electrodes, and some wiring to light a lightbulb with the Geobacter-supplied power. Apparently they're eating one of the electrodes, along with some complex organics, to do the deed. (The microbes, not the scientists.) With a bit of genetic engineering, they could be modified to eat toxic organic wastes, such as toluene, thereby providing electricity, lighting a light and warning you that there's something in the water. The UMass article has pictures, but if you're just interested in the text you can check out this Science Daily article instead." -
Computer Chips Exploding for Science
Judebert writes "While some may argue that any modern processor without a heat sink already exhibits this behavior, UCSD chemists have discovered that properly doped computer chips are actually explosive. Standard techniques are used, and they function just like normal computer chips. Better yet, they burn clean, making them ideal for chemical analysis. The article sites other uses, such as micromachine propulsion and military explosives, but I imagine this woudl make for the ultimate in copy protection, as well: "Unauthorized copy detected. This system will self-destruct in 10... 9..." Science Daily also has a copy." -
Computer Chips Exploding for Science
Judebert writes "While some may argue that any modern processor without a heat sink already exhibits this behavior, UCSD chemists have discovered that properly doped computer chips are actually explosive. Standard techniques are used, and they function just like normal computer chips. Better yet, they burn clean, making them ideal for chemical analysis. The article sites other uses, such as micromachine propulsion and military explosives, but I imagine this woudl make for the ultimate in copy protection, as well: "Unauthorized copy detected. This system will self-destruct in 10... 9..." Science Daily also has a copy." -
Worlds First Plastic Magnets
CrashRide writes: "Came across this story at www.sciencedaily.com about the worlds first plastic magnet. Not too useful for day-to-day stuff yet -- 'magnetic polymers are unstable unless they are in an oxygen-free environment at temperatures below 10 degrees Kelvin (more than 440 degrees below zero Fahrenheit; absolute zero, the point at which all motion stops, is zero degrees Kelvin)' but the possibilites are interesting." -
Genetic Algorithms "Naturally Select" Bett
Gregus writes "ScienceDaily reports that researchers at Purdue have used genetic algorithms to design optimal satellite constellation orbits that "engineers with years of aerospace experience were surprised by the higher performance offered by the unconventional design." The Purdue University release is here." -
Genetic Algorithms "Naturally Select" Bett
Gregus writes "ScienceDaily reports that researchers at Purdue have used genetic algorithms to design optimal satellite constellation orbits that "engineers with years of aerospace experience were surprised by the higher performance offered by the unconventional design." The Purdue University release is here." -
New model predicts explosive volcano in western US
Paintthemoon writes "A new study out of the UW-Madison of zircon & quartz crystals indicates that the Yellowstone 'hot spot' could erupt again in the near geologic future, with catastrophic results. Seems we're due for another round of volcanic activity which would be about a thousand times more powerful than Mt. Saint Helens. This is based on a new model of how the hot spot there recycles previously expelled molten rock, and gives new understanding of the mechanism involved. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2001/07/01072 3101806.htm" -
Light-Based Computers Using Quantum Principles
Maddog2030 cites a story at Science Daily, writing: "Here's an interesting twist to all the news on quantum computing. A computer running similarly to a quantum based computer, except it runs on light at similar speeds for particular tasks. It also rids itself of the many complications introduced by quantum computing." -
Compressed Air Energy Storage Power Plant
DarrinWest writes: "There is an article on Science Daily about a compressed air energy storage power plant in Ohio. Cool idea. It stores off-peak power by pushing compressed air into an old limestone mine, then bleeds it off to generate electricity during peaks. The mine was started in 1942 and closed in 1976, according to this article. The thing that is most amazing is the size! 338 Million cubic foot mine. It is 2200 feet below the ground and spans 7763 acres. At up to 1500psi, how much energy is this? As a fraction of nuke? What would happen if that bubble popped?" -
Compressed Air Energy Storage Power Plant
DarrinWest writes: "There is an article on Science Daily about a compressed air energy storage power plant in Ohio. Cool idea. It stores off-peak power by pushing compressed air into an old limestone mine, then bleeds it off to generate electricity during peaks. The mine was started in 1942 and closed in 1976, according to this article. The thing that is most amazing is the size! 338 Million cubic foot mine. It is 2200 feet below the ground and spans 7763 acres. At up to 1500psi, how much energy is this? As a fraction of nuke? What would happen if that bubble popped?" -
Improved Composites Manufacturing
JoeSilva writes: "I immediately thought this cheaper and faster process for manufacturing composite materials could really lend a hand to the goals of HyperCars a-la the Rock Mountain Institute folks, and Reusable Space Launchers a-la X-33/VentureStar, Roton, and others. The RMI folks have been advocating use of carbon fiber composites, but have noted that Aluminum has seen some favor with the Auto manufacturers, and one reason for that has been cost. The X-33 program was set way back due to a manufacturing failure in making what they claimed was the worlds largest carbon fiber composite fuel tank...in fact I recall reading that there was no AutoClave in the world big enough for the tank size for VentureStar. The X-33 was a smaller scale test vehicle...not a launcher. The new process can make whole boats and airplane fuselages." -
New Horizon For Nanotech
UserID 3.14 writes "It looks like faster chip-building tehnology is coming, and it may usher in the next wave of MEMS and nanotechnology with it. This article from Science Daily talks about a new electron-beam photolithography machine at JPL that rasterizes 10 times faster than the previous standard with a beam imprint that's half the size. Chip prototyping will go faster and the researchers there will be able to deal with features that are molecule-sized. Best of all, if you want to use the machine, they give a contact for further info." -
New Horizon For Nanotech
UserID 3.14 writes "It looks like faster chip-building tehnology is coming, and it may usher in the next wave of MEMS and nanotechnology with it. This article from Science Daily talks about a new electron-beam photolithography machine at JPL that rasterizes 10 times faster than the previous standard with a beam imprint that's half the size. Chip prototyping will go faster and the researchers there will be able to deal with features that are molecule-sized. Best of all, if you want to use the machine, they give a contact for further info." -
Fly's Ear Inspires Hearing Aid Design
capt.Hij writes: " Researchers at Cornell found a particular fly that is able to localize hearing as well as humans but on a faster time scale. The article says that other groups have been able to put a model of the fly's ear on silicone and have it working in the ultra-sonic frequency range. The article discusses applications in robotics and maybe even for hearing aides for people. It isn't clear how they manufactured the mechanical version, but it is real cool stuff. " -
Telemetry Made Simple: Rocket Phone Home
UserID 3.14 writes "This article from science daily talks about a communications module that will be strapped to the rockets of a shuttle or other payload delivery vehicle. It can be used to provide constant telemetry by making a cell phone call using the Globalstar Network. Does this mean that if you use a cell phone in space, even there people will ask you to step outside?" See NASA's web page about the Flight Modem, which seems to be very much a work in progress -
Telemetry Made Simple: Rocket Phone Home
UserID 3.14 writes "This article from science daily talks about a communications module that will be strapped to the rockets of a shuttle or other payload delivery vehicle. It can be used to provide constant telemetry by making a cell phone call using the Globalstar Network. Does this mean that if you use a cell phone in space, even there people will ask you to step outside?" See NASA's web page about the Flight Modem, which seems to be very much a work in progress -
Impartial Scientists In The Court Systems
jimmyUCB writes: "It looks like the American justice system may not be utterly doomed after all. This article from Science Daily says that the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) is paying scientists and engineers to be impartial tech tutors to judges so they don't have to listen to biased experts that are paid by defendants/plaintiffs. " -
Fluorescent Silver
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Nuclear Fuel For Superfast Interplanetary Travel
jdoire writes: "Using a thin metallic film of americium-242m, a rocket could reach Mars in only 2 weeks. This is made possible because the nuclear material could be used both as a source of energy and as a propellent material, making the engine very efficient and light weigth. Check ScienceDaily for the full story." -
"War Rooms" Double Software Productivity
matt20 writes "Teams of workers that labored together for several months in specially designed "war rooms" were twice as productive as their counterparts working in traditional office arrangements, a study by University of Michigan researchers has found. Say goodbye to little cubes; it's war baby. I used to get tons done in a living room full of other people watching tv, doing homework, and programming, but the biggest problem is always choosing the music. -
Artificial Nose Works By Color
Alien54 writes: "As reported here in the Science Daily News, chemists Kenneth Suslick and Neal Rakow at the University of Illinois have developed an artificial nose that is simple, fast and inexpensive - and works by visualizing odors. Called "smell-seeing" by its inventors, the technique is based on color changes that occur in an array of vapor-sensitive dyes known as metalloporphyrins - doughnut-shaped molecules that bind metal atoms. Metalloporphyrins are closely related to hemoglobin (the red pigment in blood) and chlorophyll (the green pigment in plants) Smell-seeing arrays have many potential uses, such as in the food and beverage industry to detect the presence of flavorings, additives or spoilage; in the perfume industry to identify counterfeit products; at customs checkpoints to detect banned plant materials, fruits and vegetables; and in the chemical workplace to detect and monitor poisons or toxins. The full text is available as a PDF file (but is recommended for chemistry geeks only)."Add that to the machines that analyze the "aura" of heated air that surrounds our bodies, and you can get a stinkometer the likes of which has been heretofore confined to the dark recesses of deodorant company imaginations. Till then, it looks like a cool approach to the problem of identifying smells electronically for all kinds of other purposes.
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Artificial Nose Works By Color
Alien54 writes: "As reported here in the Science Daily News, chemists Kenneth Suslick and Neal Rakow at the University of Illinois have developed an artificial nose that is simple, fast and inexpensive - and works by visualizing odors. Called "smell-seeing" by its inventors, the technique is based on color changes that occur in an array of vapor-sensitive dyes known as metalloporphyrins - doughnut-shaped molecules that bind metal atoms. Metalloporphyrins are closely related to hemoglobin (the red pigment in blood) and chlorophyll (the green pigment in plants) Smell-seeing arrays have many potential uses, such as in the food and beverage industry to detect the presence of flavorings, additives or spoilage; in the perfume industry to identify counterfeit products; at customs checkpoints to detect banned plant materials, fruits and vegetables; and in the chemical workplace to detect and monitor poisons or toxins. The full text is available as a PDF file (but is recommended for chemistry geeks only)."Add that to the machines that analyze the "aura" of heated air that surrounds our bodies, and you can get a stinkometer the likes of which has been heretofore confined to the dark recesses of deodorant company imaginations. Till then, it looks like a cool approach to the problem of identifying smells electronically for all kinds of other purposes.
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Adaptive Optics May Enable Super-Human Vision
jonwiley writes: "Science Daily reports in this article 'Adapting technology originally developed by astronomers to obtain better images of the heavens, a University of Rochester scientist has developed an optical system that has given research subjects an unprecedented quality of eyesight. The research dramatically improves the sight even of people who have 20/20 vision.'" I knew I should hold off on laser surgery. This and a bionic claw, and superhero fantasies are mine! -
Adaptive Optics May Enable Super-Human Vision
jonwiley writes: "Science Daily reports in this article 'Adapting technology originally developed by astronomers to obtain better images of the heavens, a University of Rochester scientist has developed an optical system that has given research subjects an unprecedented quality of eyesight. The research dramatically improves the sight even of people who have 20/20 vision.'" I knew I should hold off on laser surgery. This and a bionic claw, and superhero fantasies are mine! -
ICMP_HOST_BELOW_HORIZON - TCP/IP Into Orbit
Christopher Neufeld writes "As reported on ScienceDaily today, on April 10 of this year, some standard IP modules were uploaded to UoSAT-12, and got it answering pings. " -
ICMP_HOST_BELOW_HORIZON - TCP/IP Into Orbit
Christopher Neufeld writes "As reported on ScienceDaily today, on April 10 of this year, some standard IP modules were uploaded to UoSAT-12, and got it answering pings. " -
Physicists Find More Precise Gravity Number
DM writes "Physicists establish the most precise measurement ever achieved of Isaac Newton's gravitational constant and use this information to recalculate the mass of the earth. Check out the article at ScienceDaily." Now if they could only recalibrate to make me really buff, that would be nice. -
NASA + NCI = Nano-Explorers For Humans
SEWilco writes: "NASA and the National Cancer Institute will collaborate in developing microscopic explorers -- devices in a pill-sized capsule to detect, diagnose, and treat disease inside the human body. Following the links you find interesting NASA devices, such as pill-shaped biotelemetry transmitters and a biotelemeter 'Trisponder' to read the data." -
Galileo And Cassini Team Up
Bearpaw writes, "Trying to squeeze the last possible bit of use out of Galileo, NASA may team it up with the Saturn-bound Cassini for a joint mission. " The two will be perform some joint observations of the Jupiter system, as well as doing separate missions on the Jupiter system, including Ganymede as well. Hats off to the folks behind Galileo, whose official mission ended in 1997, but has kept on going. -
NSF awards $500,000 grant for Beowulf Cluster
ragnar! writes "National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded $500,000 to support a new parallel computing facility for Bartol. The "major research infrastructure" (MRI) grant will support a parallel system based on 100 linked processors, each of which will run at speeds up to 600 megahertz, connected by fast Ethernet hardware - very similar to the Avalon-Beowulf Cluster, developed by the Los Alamos Center for Nonlinear Studies and Goddard Space Flight Center. " -
Intellectual Pursuits May Create Brain Synapses
Bacteriophage writes "There's an interesting news scoop at Science Daily in which some neuroscientists have linked professions to 'brain power.' This may seem to some of you as obvious, the question is if people in 'intellectually stimulating' professions are smart the way they are because of 'nature or nurture,' whether or not they are predestined to take the careers they do, or possibly new synapses are being formed due to on-the-job stimulation." -
Intellectual Pursuits May Create Brain Synapses
Bacteriophage writes "There's an interesting news scoop at Science Daily in which some neuroscientists have linked professions to 'brain power.' This may seem to some of you as obvious, the question is if people in 'intellectually stimulating' professions are smart the way they are because of 'nature or nurture,' whether or not they are predestined to take the careers they do, or possibly new synapses are being formed due to on-the-job stimulation." -
Neural Net Outperfoms Human in Speech Recognition
orac2 writes "Here's a press release (with a real video clip) on a neural net that can recognise speech better than humans - even in noisy environments. The network uses just 11 neurons. They did it by incorporating an aspect of biological neural networks normally ignored by artificial networks; the timing of signals between neurons. Beyond the immediate application to speech recognition the wider implications for all neural networks are obvious. " Neurons. Mmm. -
Scientists map schematic of brain's fibers
jake_the_blue_spruce writes "A simplified press release here and an abstract of the actual paper here details a Washington University study where they used MRI to track nerve fiber bundles from different identified areas of the brain. They made a 3D map of the resulting schematic. It's a lot like the bus-level view of a computer, with the various known brain areas as black boxes connected by fiber bundles. Cool. "Downside is that you have to request an image of it from the article. But I still think my brain looks like my Trash-80. -
NASA collecting anti-matter with giant ballon
Doofus writes " It almost sounds like a science-fiction movie: NASA launched a 60-story-high balloon to the upper fringes of Earth's atmosphere to collect precious particles of some of the rarest stuff in the Universe -- antimatter -- and, just possibly, evidence that entire anti-galaxies exist. The press release is online. " Check out more coverage as well. -
Penguin Pets
Ellis D writes "It looks like pengiuns could make a good house pet according to an article over at ScienceDaily Mag. " Once again I just want an AIBO- they feed/recharge themselves. I imagine feeding a penguin would be a somewhat frightening experience. But a puffin would be so cute *grin*. -
Penguin Pets
Ellis D writes "It looks like pengiuns could make a good house pet according to an article over at ScienceDaily Mag. " Once again I just want an AIBO- they feed/recharge themselves. I imagine feeding a penguin would be a somewhat frightening experience. But a puffin would be so cute *grin*. -
New report reveals vulnerability in security
jgalun writes "An article on ScienceDaily reports on building machines, for $60,000, that can break 56bit keys in 10 hours. Anything under 80 bits is vulnerable. Meanwhile, most banks are using 40 bit protection and the US is restricting export of greater than 56 bit encryption software. " This doesn't surprise me that much, remembering the "Deep Crack" machine that conquered DES-II-2. -
Tiny CMOS Video Chips from Lucent
Steven M. writes "Lucent has developed a complete CMOS imaging system-on-a-chip. Just add case and lens. The Science Daily site has a picture of the chip next to a quarter, while the Wired site discusses some of the ethical questions an imaging system this small (Lucent predicts their design could be used to make marble sized cameras) and cheap (they predict prices dropping as low as US$0.50 Fifty Cents!). The design is also very low power (predicted life of three hours from a 9v battery, while a standard CCD chip would get a predicted half hour life on the same battery), and has predicted used ranging from security/survellance cameras, to handheld cameras and built in desktop and laptop monitor cameras for video conferencing. "