ScienceDaily: Top Technology News

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• 'Dimer Molecules' Aid Study of Exoplanet Pressure, Hunt for Life
• Drug war violence in Mexico connected with desensitization in social media
• New technique targets C code to spot, contain malware attacks
• Bright pulses of light could make space veggies more nutritious
• Spiral galaxy spills blood and guts
• Novel quantum dot laser paves the way for lower-cost photonics
• Transparent, color solar cells fuse energy, beauty
• How social media shaped the 'drug war' in Mexico
• Tackling the tiniest technology to make gadgets smaller, faster and more efficient
• Research benefits surgeons making decisions on how to help their patients breathe easier
• How 19th century physics could change the future of nanotechnology
• Physics in 3-D? That's nothing: Try 0-D
• An environmentally friendly chemical reaction that does not waste any atoms
• Boron, discovered in 1808, gets a nano refresh
• Range of electrical frequencies that help heal chronic wounds tested by researchers
• Team models photosynthesis, finds room for improvement
• Research tests which nano system works best in killing cancer cells
• Researchers propose a new way to detect the elusive graviton
• Solution to planet-clogging plastics? Fully compostable bioplastic made from shrimp shells used to make objects
• What makes flying snakes such gifted gliders?
• Elastic glass: 'Fore! ' heads up, wide use of more flexible metallic glass coming your way
• Solar power: Making it less expensive and more efficient
• Artificial photosynthesis: Key intermediate steps in artificial photosynthesis reaction identified
• Virtual bees help to unravel complex causes of colony decline
• Standard-candle supernovae are still standard, but why?
• Virtually all red dwarf stars have at least one planet in orbit around them
• Quantum effects: Patterns of interfering massive particles
• Pulling polymers leads to new insights into their mechanical behavior

'Dimer Molecules' Aid Study of Exoplanet Pressure, Hunt for Life Posted: 04 Mar 2014 12:45 PM PST Astronomers have developed a new method of gauging the atmospheric pressure of exoplanets, or worlds beyond the solar system, by looking for a certain type of molecule. And if there is life out in space, scientists may one day use this same technique to detect its biosignature — the telltale chemical signs of its presence — in the atmosphere of an alien world.

Drug war violence in Mexico connected with desensitization in social media Posted: 04 Mar 2014 12:45 PM PST Amid times of crisis, citizens often turn to social media as a method to share information, make observations and vent. But as a professor's research into social media use amid the Mexican drug war shows, posts can reveal growing numbness, or desensitization, during times of protracted violence and stress.

New technique targets C code to spot, contain malware attacks Posted: 04 Mar 2014 11:18 AM PST Researchers have developed a new tool to detect and contain malware that attempts root exploits in Android devices. The tool improves on previous techniques by targeting code written in the C programming language -- which is often used to create root exploit malware, whereas the bulk of Android applications are written in Java.

Bright pulses of light could make space veggies more nutritious Posted: 04 Mar 2014 11:18 AM PST Exposing leafy vegetables grown during spaceflight to a few bright pulses of light daily could increase the amount of eye-protecting nutrients produced by the plants, according to a new study.

Spiral galaxy spills blood and guts Posted: 04 Mar 2014 11:17 AM PST A new Hubble image shows spiral galaxy ESO 137-001, framed against a bright background as it moves through the heart of galaxy cluster Abell 3627. This cluster is violently ripping the spiral's entrails out into space, leaving bright blue streaks as telltale clues to this cosmic crime.

Novel quantum dot laser paves the way for lower-cost photonics Posted: 04 Mar 2014 10:00 AM PST With the explosive growth of bandwidth demand in telecommunications networks, experts are continually seeking new ways to transmit increasingly large amounts of data in the quickest and cheapest ways possible. Photonic devices -- which convert light to electricity and vice versa -- offer an energy-efficient alternative to traditional copper network links for information transmission. Unfortunately, these devices are also almost always prohibitively pricey.

Transparent, color solar cells fuse energy, beauty Posted: 04 Mar 2014 10:00 AM PST Colorful, see-through solar cells could one day be used to make stained-glass windows, decorations and even shades that turn the sun's energy into electricity.

How social media shaped the 'drug war' in Mexico Posted: 04 Mar 2014 10:00 AM PST Over the past decade, increased access to the Internet, cellphones and other digital media has drastically changed the landscape of the so-called 'drug war' in Mexico. A new article examines how both sides of the drug war -- the cartel operatives as well as government and security forces -- have used and responded to digital and social media.

Tackling the tiniest technology to make gadgets smaller, faster and more efficient Posted: 04 Mar 2014 09:59 AM PST Researchers are discovering how to manipulate light to one day better view the world's tiniest objects through a super-lens, as well as how to hide an object in plain sight. The research focuses on exciting collective oscillations of metal electrons called plasmons, and on directing light through nanometer-thin metal films, about a thousand times thinner than a human hair. The result could empower integrated circuits or facilitate a super-lens with seven times the strength of a standard microscope, opening further research into fields such as studying microorganisms and viruses.

Research benefits surgeons making decisions on how to help their patients breathe easier Posted: 04 Mar 2014 09:59 AM PST Computer simulations have been developed for aircraft design to improve treatment of human airways. Computational Fluid Dynamics, or CFD, uses computer algorithms to solve the flow of air or fluids for various applications. These algorithms are typically applied toward the design of aircraft. While designing an aircraft, CFD is often considered both an accurate and less expensive approach before investing in building models and testing in air tunnels. But over the past decade or so, the application of CFD to biological flows to study medically-related problems, including respiratory disorders has gained a great deal of interest. The computer simulations traditionally used for aircraft design found use in treating health conditions such as cystic fibrosis, asthma, sleep apnea and snoring.

How 19th century physics could change the future of nanotechnology Posted: 04 Mar 2014 09:58 AM PST A new twist on a very old physics technique could have a profound impact on one of the most buzzed-about aspects of nanoscience. Researchers have found that their unique method of light-matter interaction analysis appears to be a good way of helping make better semiconductor nanowires.

Physics in 3-D? That's nothing: Try 0-D Posted: 04 Mar 2014 09:58 AM PST Zero-dimensional quantum dots could someday have a big effect on a variety of technologies, such as solar energy, lasers and medical diagnostics. This latest discovery is all about going small, but its significance is anything but. The research team's ability to control the confinement energy by varying the size of the quantum dot opens up a world of possibilities.

An environmentally friendly chemical reaction that does not waste any atoms Posted: 04 Mar 2014 09:58 AM PST A new chemical synthesis for alpha-arylated Carbonyl derivatives was developed. Members of this class of substances typically possess interesting biological and pharmacological properties and often find applications as medicines. The new technique allows such carbonyl derivatives to be generated easily and in an environmentally friendly manner.

Boron, discovered in 1808, gets a nano refresh Posted: 04 Mar 2014 09:55 AM PST The National Nanotechnology Initiative defines nanotechnology as the understanding and control of matter at the nanoscale, at dimensions of approximately 1 and 100 nanometers, where unique phenomena enable novel applications. Nanotechnology is taking the world by storm, revolutionizing the materials and devices used in many applications and products. A newly discovered two-dimensional boron structure possesses properties superior to those of graphene.

Range of electrical frequencies that help heal chronic wounds tested by researchers Posted: 04 Mar 2014 08:35 AM PST Hard-to-heal wounds, like diabetic ulcers, fester because of insufficient blood supply at the wound site. However, the application of an electrical stimulus can promote the growth of blood vessels, and new research examines the best stimulus parameters -- such as frequency and magnitude -- for successful therapy.

Team models photosynthesis, finds room for improvement Posted: 04 Mar 2014 08:35 AM PST Teaching crop plants to concentrate carbon dioxide in their leaves could increase photosynthetic efficiency by 60 percent and yields by as much as 40 percent, researchers report in a new study. The team used a computer model to simulate how adding genes from algae known as cyanobacteria might influence photosynthetic efficiency in plants.

Research tests which nano system works best in killing cancer cells Posted: 04 Mar 2014 08:35 AM PST Four iron-oxide nanoparticle systems were tested by scientists to see which, when heated, would likely work best as a tool for targeting cancer cells. In systematically studying the distinct magnetized nanoparticle systems with different structural and magnetic properties, the research team found that an unconfined nanoparticle system, which used an electromagnetic field to generate heat, was best able to transfer heat absorbed by cancer cells.

Researchers propose a new way to detect the elusive graviton Posted: 04 Mar 2014 08:35 AM PST A cosmologist and a physicist have proposed that measuring minute changes in the cosmic background radiation of the universe could be a pathway of detecting the telltale effects of gravitons.

Solution to planet-clogging plastics? Fully compostable bioplastic made from shrimp shells used to make objects Posted: 04 Mar 2014 08:35 AM PST Researchers have developed a method to carry out large-scale manufacturing of everyday objects using a fully degradable bioplastic isolated from shrimp shells. The objects exhibit many of the same properties as those created with synthetic plastics, but without the environmental threat. It also trumps most bioplastics on the market today in posing absolutely no threat to trees or competition with the food supply.

What makes flying snakes such gifted gliders? Posted: 04 Mar 2014 08:31 AM PST They slither, they hiss, they… fly? Don't let their wingless bodies fool you —- some snakes can glide as far as 100 feet through the air, jumping off tree branches and rotating their ribs to flatten their bodies and move from side to side. New research investigates the workings behind the flight and whether they can be applied to mechanical issues.

Elastic glass: 'Fore! ' heads up, wide use of more flexible metallic glass coming your way Posted: 04 Mar 2014 07:26 AM PST Tweaking the shearing characteristics of materials such as glass has important applications well beyond the sporting worldof glass-faced golf clubs, it's a matter of broader impact, aiding such fields as space science, electrical transformers, cell phone cases, and yes, golf clubs, because their mechanical and magnetic properties are highly adjustable.

Solar power: Making it less expensive and more efficient Posted: 04 Mar 2014 06:50 AM PST Researchers are reporting early results on a way to make solar-powered panels in lights, calculators and roofs lighter, less expensive, more flexible (therefore less breakable) and more efficient.

Artificial photosynthesis: Key intermediate steps in artificial photosynthesis reaction identified Posted: 04 Mar 2014 06:50 AM PST The first direct, temporally resolved observations of intermediate steps in water oxidation using cobalt oxide, an Earth-abundant solid catalyst, revealed kinetic bottlenecks whose elimination would help boost the efficiency of artificial photosynthesis systems.

Virtual bees help to unravel complex causes of colony decline Posted: 04 Mar 2014 06:48 AM PST Scientists have created an ingenious computer model that simulates a honey bee colony over the course of several years. The model was created to investigate the losses of honeybee colonies that have been reported in recent years and to identify the best course of action for improving honeybee health.

Standard-candle supernovae are still standard, but why? Posted: 04 Mar 2014 06:48 AM PST Scientists believed that Type Ia supernovae, the best cosmological standard candles, are similar in brightness because they suffer thermonuclear explosions when the white dwarf stars that are their progenitors reach 1.4 solar masses, the Chandrasekhar mass. Now astronomers have shown that white dwarfs exploding as Type Ia supernovae have a range of masses. Their light-curve widths are directly proportional to the mass involved in the explosion.

Virtually all red dwarf stars have at least one planet in orbit around them Posted: 04 Mar 2014 04:14 AM PST Three new planets classified as habitable-zone super-Earths are amongst eight new planets discovered orbiting nearby red dwarf stars. A new study identifies that virtually all red dwarfs, which make up at least three quarters of the stars in the Universe, have planets orbiting them. The research also suggests that habitable-zone super-Earth planets (where liquid water could exist and making them possible candidates to support life) orbit around at least a quarter of the red dwarfs in the Sun's own neighbourhood.

Quantum effects: Patterns of interfering massive particles Posted: 04 Mar 2014 04:12 AM PST A new study examines the nature of exchange interactions between identical particles, which only occur at the quantum level. Two-particle interference has been the focus of many studies, specifically in quantum optics with photons. However, interference between two massive, identical particles is not so well understood. Scientists have now uncovered a counterintuitive result whereby particles called bosons do not behave as expected-they are overlapping, and not interfering-due to the combination of interference and so-called exchange interaction. The latter is a quantum mechanical effect that alters their symmetry when identical particles are exchanged.

Pulling polymers leads to new insights into their mechanical behavior Posted: 04 Mar 2014 04:12 AM PST Scientists have pulled up isolated molecular chains from a gold surface, using the tip of an atomic force microscope (AFM). The observed signal provides insight into the detachment force and binding energy of molecules. Atomic force microscopy is a method normally used for imaging matter with very high resolution. The sharp tip of the microscope is used to scan the surface line by line. The resolution is so high, that single atoms can be seen.

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