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Thursday, November 8, 2012

ScienceDaily: Top Science News

ScienceDaily: Top Science News


Human disease modeled in an organ-on-a-chip; 'Lung-on-a-chip' sets stage for next wave of research to replace animal testing

Posted: 07 Nov 2012 11:10 AM PST

Researchers have mimicked pulmonary edema in a microchip lined by living human cells. They used this "lung-on-a-chip" to study drug toxicity and identify potential new therapies to prevent this life-threatening condition. The study offers further proof-of-concept that human "organs-on-chips" hold tremendous potential to replace traditional approaches to drug discovery and development.

Quantum kisses change the color of nothing: New ways to measure the world at the scale of single atoms and molecules

Posted: 07 Nov 2012 10:29 AM PST

Even empty gaps have a color. Now scientists have shown that quantum jumps of electrons can change the color of gaps between nano-sized balls of gold. The new results set a fundamental quantum limit on how tightly light can be trapped.

Small lethal tools have big implications for early modern human complexity

Posted: 07 Nov 2012 10:29 AM PST

On the south coast of South Africa, scientists have found evidence for an advanced stone age technology dated to 71,000 years ago at Pinnacle Point near Mossel Bay. When combined with other findings of advanced technologies and evidence for early symbolic behavior from this region, the research documents a persistent pattern of behavioral complexity that might signal modern humans evolved in this coastal location.

Looking through an opaque material: Sharp pictures taken of objects hidden behind an opaque screen

Posted: 07 Nov 2012 10:27 AM PST

A team of researchers from the Netherlands and Italy has succeeded in making sharp pictures of objects hidden behind an opaque screen. 

Giant pterosaur needed cliffs, downward-sloping runways to taxi, awkwardly take off into air

Posted: 07 Nov 2012 10:21 AM PST

Quetzalcoatlus pushed the very boundaries of size to the brink, considered the largest flying animal yet to be discovered. Any larger, and it would have had to walk. But its bulk caused researchers to wonder how such a heavy animal with relatively flimsy wings became airborne.

Activating the 'mind's eye': Alternative vision using sounds

Posted: 07 Nov 2012 09:25 AM PST

Common wisdom has it that if the visual cortex in the brain is deprived of visual information in early infanthood, it may never develop properly its functional specialization, making sight restoration later in life almost impossible. Scientists have now shown that blind people -- using specialized photographic and sound equipment -- can actually "see" and describe objects and even identify letters and words.

How butterfly wings can inspire new high-tech surfaces

Posted: 07 Nov 2012 09:24 AM PST

Researchers here have taken a new look at butterfly wings and rice leaves, and learned things about their microscopic texture that could improve a variety of products.

Young 'cultured mini brain' develops activity peaks while it is still growing

Posted: 07 Nov 2012 07:17 AM PST

After a short period of growth, cultured networks of neurons regularly exhibit major activity in the absence of external stimulation. These "bursts" are entirely related to growth. At this stage, they have little to do with learning behavior, as the network is still too young to sustain a process of memory formation. This has now for the first time been simulated for networks ranging in size from 10,000 to 50,000 neurons. The simulations provide insight into the role of the growth process in initial activity.

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