ScienceDaily: Top Science News

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• Life-producing phosphorus carried to Earth by meteorites
• Saturn's metal-poor 'cousin' discovered with little telescope
• Seeing our errors keeps us on our toes
• Spintronics approach enables new quantum technologies
• Common control patterns govern swimming animals
• Catalyst could jump-start e-cars, green energy
• Bringing cheaper, 'greener' lighting to market with inkjet-printed hybrid quantum dot LEDs
• Roman seawater concrete holds the secret to cutting carbon emissions
• Wi-Fi signals enable gesture recognition throughout entire home
• Mental block: Professor discovers way to alter memory
• Hubble maps 3-D structure of ejected material around erupting star
• Anxious? Activate your anterior cingulate cortex with a little meditation
• Never forget a face? Researchers find women have better memory recall than men
• An 'extinct' frog makes a comeback in Israel
• Scientists create novel silicon electrodes that improve lithium-ion batteries
• Fukushima-derived radioactivity in seafood poses minimal poses minimal health risk, experts say
• Tiger moths: Mother Nature's fortune tellers

Life-producing phosphorus carried to Earth by meteorites Posted: 04 Jun 2013 12:35 PM PDT Scientists may not know for certain whether life exists in outer space, but research now shows that one key element that produced life on Earth was carried here on meteorites. In a new study, researchers reveal findings that explain how the reactive phosphorus that was an essential component for creating the earliest life forms came to Earth.

Saturn's metal-poor 'cousin' discovered with little telescope Posted: 04 Jun 2013 12:35 PM PDT Astronomers have discovered a hot Saturn-like planet in another solar system 700 light-years away.

Seeing our errors keeps us on our toes Posted: 04 Jun 2013 12:33 PM PDT If people are unable to perceive their own errors as they complete a routine, simple task, their skill will decline over time, researchers have found -- but not for the reasons scientists assumed. The researchers report that the human brain does not passively forget our good techniques, but chooses to put aside what it has learned.

Spintronics approach enables new quantum technologies Posted: 04 Jun 2013 12:33 PM PDT Researchers highlight the power of emerging quantum technologies in two recent articles. New technologies exploit quantum mechanics, the physics that dominates the atomic world, to perform disparate tasks such as nanoscale temperature measurement and processing quantum information with lasers.

Common control patterns govern swimming animals Posted: 04 Jun 2013 12:33 PM PDT What do swimmers like trout, eels and sandfish lizards have in common? According to a new study, the similar timing patterns that these animals use to contract their muscles and produce undulatory swimming motions can be explained using a simple model.

Catalyst could jump-start e-cars, green energy Posted: 04 Jun 2013 10:54 AM PDT Scientists have designed a new type of nanostructured-carbon-based catalyst that could pave the way for reliable, economical next-generation batteries and alkaline fuel cells, providing for practical use of wind- and solar-powered electricity, as well as enhanced hybrid electric vehicles.

Bringing cheaper, 'greener' lighting to market with inkjet-printed hybrid quantum dot LEDs Posted: 04 Jun 2013 10:54 AM PDT It's not easy going green. For home lighting applications, organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) hold the promise of being both environmentally friendly and versatile. Though not as efficient as regular light-emitting diodes (LEDs), they offer a wider range of material choices and are more energy efficient than traditional lights. OLEDs can also be applied to flexible surfaces, which may lead to lights or television displays that can be rolled up and stowed in a pocket.

Roman seawater concrete holds the secret to cutting carbon emissions Posted: 04 Jun 2013 10:54 AM PDT Scientists analyzed samples from a Roman breakwater submerged in the Bay of Naples for over two millennia, revealing the secrets of crystal chemistry that allow Roman seawater concrete to resist chemical attack and wave action for centuries. Materials and processes for manufacturing extraordinarily durable Roman maritime concrete released much less carbon than most modern concrete, presenting important opportunities for better quality and reduction of atmospheric carbon.

Wi-Fi signals enable gesture recognition throughout entire home Posted: 04 Jun 2013 10:42 AM PDT Researchers have shown it's possible to leverage Wi-Fi signals around us to detect specific movements without needing sensors on the human body or cameras. Using a Wi-Fi router and a few wireless devices in the living room, users could control their electronic devices from any room in the home with a simple gesture.

Mental block: Professor discovers way to alter memory Posted: 04 Jun 2013 10:42 AM PDT A series of studies shows it is possible to manipulate an existing memory simply by suggesting new or different information. The key is timing and recall of that memory.

Hubble maps 3-D structure of ejected material around erupting star Posted: 04 Jun 2013 09:15 AM PDT A flash of light from a stellar outburst has provided a rare look at the 3-D structure of material ejected by an erupting nova. Astronomers used NASA's Hubble Space Telescope to observe the light emitted by the close double-star system T Pyxidis, or T Pyx, a recurring nova, during its latest outburst in April 2011.

Anxious? Activate your anterior cingulate cortex with a little meditation Posted: 04 Jun 2013 08:40 AM PDT Scientists, like Buddhist monks and Zen masters, have known for years that meditation can reduce anxiety, but not how. Scientists have now succeeded in identifying the brain functions involved.

Never forget a face? Researchers find women have better memory recall than men Posted: 04 Jun 2013 08:39 AM PDT New research suggests women can remember faces better than men, in part because they spend more time studying features without even knowing it. And, researchers say a technique can help improve anyone's memories.

An 'extinct' frog makes a comeback in Israel Posted: 04 Jun 2013 08:34 AM PDT The first amphibian to have been officially declared extinct by the International Union for Conservation of Nature has been rediscovered in the north of Israel after some 60 years and turns out to be a unique "living fossil," without close relatives among other living frogs.

Scientists create novel silicon electrodes that improve lithium-ion batteries Posted: 04 Jun 2013 06:47 AM PDT Scientists have dramatically improved the performance of lithium-ion batteries by creating novel electrodes made of silicon and conducting polymer hydrogel, a spongy material similar to that used in contact lenses and other household products. The scientists developed a new technique for producing low-cost, silicon-based batteries with potential applications for a wide range of electrical devices.

Fukushima-derived radioactivity in seafood poses minimal poses minimal health risk, experts say Posted: 03 Jun 2013 03:31 PM PDT In 2012, biologists reported that they had detected radioactivity in Pacific bluefin tuna swimming off the California coast. The source of the radioactivity was Japan's Fukushima Dai-ichi powerplants, which were damaged by the strong earthquake and subsequent tsunami on 11 March 2011 and released large quantities of radioactivity into the Pacific Ocean. The news prompted widespread media interest and speculation as to the possible risks to seafood consumers posed by the levels of radioactivity found in the tuna. New research shows the likely doses of radioactivity ingested by humans consuming the contaminated fish, even in large quantities, is comparable to, or less than, the radiological dosages associated with other commonly consumed foods, many medical treatments, air travel and other background sources.

Tiger moths: Mother Nature's fortune tellers Posted: 03 Jun 2013 11:23 AM PDT A new study shows Bertholdia trigona, a species of tiger moth found in the Arizona desert, can tell if an echo-locating bat is going to attack it well before the predator swoops in for the kill – making the intuitive, tiny-winged insect a master of self-preservation.

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