Sci-Tech news

• Vulnerable nations launch 'V20' to fight climate change

  08-10-2015 23:50
  
  Finance ministers from 20 of the countries most vulnerable to climate change launched the "V20" group Thursday to marshal resources for their nations' fight against the impact of global warming.
  
  Read more

• Computer shipments sink under weight of strong dollar

  08-10-2015 23:33
  
  Worldwide shipments of personal computers sank in the recently ended quarter with a strong US dollar weighing down sales, market tracker Gartner reported on Thursday.
  
  Read more

• Plant biosensor could help African farmers fight parasitic 'witchweed'

  08-10-2015 23:24
  
  Engineering and biology professors at the University of Toronto have developed a new strategy for helping African farmers fight a parasitic plant that devastates crops.
  
  Read more

• Molecular characteristics of mammalian melanopsins for non-visual photoreception

  08-10-2015 23:22
  
  Researchers at Institute for Molecular Sciences reported that a mammalian photoreceptive protein melanopsin spontaneously releases the chromophore retinal. The property would be important to regulate non-visual photoreception in mammals. This work was carried out as a collaborative work of Drs. Hisao Tsukamoto and Yuji Furutani (Institute for Molecular Science) with Yoshihiro Kubo (National Institute for Physiological Sciences), David Farrens (Oregon Health and Science University), Mitsumasa Koy
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• 'Streams and Lakes' in Crater Tell Story of a Wet Mars

  08-10-2015 22:25 via feeds.nbcnews.com
  
  The Red Planet's past may have been more blue than we think. A new study suggests Gale Crater may once have been an enormous lake fed by streams.
  
  Read more

• VW may compensate owners of diesel cars for loss of value

  08-10-2015 21:30
  
  Volkswagen could compensate owners of diesel-powered cars that emit high levels of pollutants, possibly by paying them for the lost value of their vehicles, the company's top U.S. executive said Thursday.
  
  Read more

• Graft-digging editor joins Spain's online media race

  08-10-2015 21:10
  
  One of Spain's most prominent and controversial journalists has launched a major online newspaper, the latest in a range of websites shaking up the Spanish media in politically volatile times.
  
  Read more

• Netflix raising US price for most popular video plan by $1

  08-10-2015 21:01
  
  Netflix is raising the price of its Internet video service by $1 in the U.S. and several other countries to help cover its escalating costs for shows such as "House of Cards" and other original programming.
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Blue sky and red ice at Pluto, NASA spacecraft discovers

  08-10-2015 20:59
  
  The sky over Pluto may not be sunny but it's undoubtedly blue.
  
  Read more

• Blue skies, frozen water detected on Pluto

  08-10-2015 20:59
  
  Pluto has blue skies and patches of frozen water, according to the latest data out Thursday from NASA's unmanned New Horizons probe, which made a historic flyby of the dwarf planet in July.
  
  Read more

• Wet paleoclimate of Mars revealed by ancient lakes at Gale Crater

  08-10-2015 20:56
  
  We have heard the Mars exploration mantra for more than a decade: follow the water. In a new paper published October 9, 2015, in the journal Science, the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) team presents recent results of its quest to not just follow the water but to understand where it came from, and how long it lasted on the surface of Mars so long ago.
  
  Read more

• Federal truck size and weight study falls short of congressional requirements, says new report

  08-10-2015 20:54
  
  Although a U.S. Department of Transportation report on federal truck size and weight limits acknowledges gaps in addressing its legislative charge, a more comprehensive and useful response would have been possible, says a new letter report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The DOT's Comprehensive Truck Size & Weight Limits Study lacks a consistent and complete quantitative summary of the alternative configuration scenarios, and major categories of costs&mdas
  
  Read more

• NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP sees wind-shear battered extra-tropical Oho

  08-10-2015 20:53
  
  Infrared data from NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite showed Tropical Storm Oho weakening over cool waters and transitioning into an extra-tropical cyclone while being battered by strong wind shear.
  
  Read more

• NASA satellite data shows Joaquin becoming a post-Tropical Cyclone

  08-10-2015 20:51
  
  Infrared data from NASA's Aqua satellite showed Hurricane Joaquin weakening over cooler waters and transitioning into a post-tropical cyclone.An infrared image of Hurricane Joaquin was taken from the AIRS (Atmospheric Infrared Sounder) instrument aboard NASA's Aqua satellite on Oct. 7 at 15:41 UTC (11:41 a.m. EDT). The infrared data, which shows temperature, showed the highest, coldest clouds and the bulk of cold clouds were being pushed from the center to northeast of the center by westerly win
  
  Read more

• NASA sees a speedy Extra-Tropical Storm Choi-Wan

  08-10-2015 20:50
  
  NASA's Aqua satellite passed over Tropical Storm Choi-wan as it moved over cooler waters and was becoming an extra-tropical storm.
  
  Read more

• Team made new discoveries at the cellular and molecular levels about how the eye processes light

  08-10-2015 20:47
  
  An animal's ability to perceive light incorporates many complex processes. Now, researchers in Craig Montell's lab at UC Santa Barbara have used fruit flies and mice to make novel discoveries about sensory physiology at both cellular and molecular levels that are important for light processing.
  
  Read more

• UT Arlington, UW partner to design bioengineered REHEAL Glove to heal extremity trauma

  08-10-2015 20:46
  
  UT Arlington and University of Washington researchers are developing a healing glove that delivers needed medicine to an injured hand and speeds up healing so that rehabilitation can start sooner.
  
  Read more

• Researchers develop rapid method for water, soil pathogen screening

  08-10-2015 20:45
  
  Researchers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have developed a highly sensitive, cost-effective technology for rapid bacterial pathogen screening of air, soil, water, and agricultural produce in as little as 24 hours.
  
  Read more

• Renewables and consumer choices key to sustainable energy use in EU's food sector

  08-10-2015 20:44
  
  A report analysing the use of energy in the EU food industry finds that the share of renewable remains relatively small (7%) when compared to its part in the overall energy mix (15%). Progress in the decarbonisation of the food sector is challenging: while farmers and industry have made relevant efforts to improve their energy profile, consumers can also play their part by reducing meat consumption, buying locally and seasonally, and reducing food waste.
  
  Read more

• New method facilitates research on fuel cell catalysts

  08-10-2015 20:43
  
  While the cleaning of car exhausts is among the best known applications of catalytic processes, it is only the tip of the iceberg. Practically the entire chemical industry relies on catalytic reactions. Therefore, catalyst design plays a key role in improving these processes. An international team of scientists has now developed a concept, that elegantly correlates geometric and adsorption properties. They validated their approach by designing a new platinum-based catalyst for fuel cell applicat
  
  Read more

• Sony cuts PlayStation 4 price to match Xbox One

  08-10-2015 20:41
  
  Sony sliced $50 off the price of PlayStation 4 video game consoles Thursday, matching that of rival Xbox One ahead of the frantic holiday shopping season.
  
  Read more

• Sony Drops PlayStation 4 Price to $350 With Bundled Game

  08-10-2015 20:25 via feeds.nbcnews.com
  
  Sony announced a long-awaited price drop for the PlayStation 4, dropping it from $400 to $350.
  
  Read more

• How small is the smallest? New record of the tiniest free-living insect provides precision

  08-10-2015 20:24
  
  The long-lasting search and debate around the size and identity of the World's smallest free-living insect seems to have now been ended with the precise measurement and second record of the featherwing beetle species.
  
  Read more

• Ecuador volcano spews giant ash column

  08-10-2015 20:20
  
  Ecuador's Cotopaxi volcano, which began erupting in August after being dormant for 138 years, on Thursday coughed up a two-kilometer-high column of ash, officials said.
  
  Read more

• University of Houston spin-off company hits commercial milestone

  08-10-2015 20:09
  
  A company formed to commercialize graphene research conducted at the University of Houston's Center for Advanced Materials has been listed on the Chinese stock exchange, an important step in the company's capitalization and growth.
  
  Read more

• Rocket with secret payload launches from California coast

  08-10-2015 20:03
  
  A rocket carrying a secret payload for the U.S. government has successfully launched from the central California coast.
  
  Read more

• Urban runoff killing coho salmon, but simple solution within reach

  08-10-2015 20:00
  
  Toxic runoff from highways, parking lots and other developed surfaces is killing many of the adult coho salmon in urban streams along the West Coast, according to a new study that for the first time documents the fatal connection between urban stormwater and salmon survival.
  
  Read more

• Scientists discover essential amino acid sensor in key growth-regulating metabolic pathway

  08-10-2015 20:00
  
  Whitehead Institute scientists have at last answered the long-standing question of how the growth-regulating pathway known as mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) detects the presence of the amino acid leucine—itself a key player in modulating muscle growth, appetite, and insulin secretion.
  
  Read more

• Researchers create inside-out plants to watch how cellulose forms

  08-10-2015 20:00
  
  Researchers have been able to watch the interior cells of a plant synthesize cellulose for the first time by tricking the cells into growing on the plant's surface.
  
  Read more

• Math story time at home bolsters achievement in school

  08-10-2015 20:00
  
  Adding math talk to story time at home is a winning equation for children's math achievement, according to new research from the University of Chicago.
  
  Read more

• Evidence for functional redundancy in nature

  08-10-2015 20:00
  
  One of biology's long-standing puzzles is how so many similar species can co-exist in nature. Do they really all fulfill a different role? Massive data on beetles now provide strong evidence for the idea that evolution can drive species into groups of look-a-likes that are functionally similar, according to a study by an international consortium of scientists led by Wageningen University, Netherlands.
  
  Read more

• Ancient genome from Africa sequenced for the first time

  08-10-2015 20:00
  
  The first ancient human genome from Africa to be sequenced has revealed that a wave of migration back into Africa from Western Eurasia around 3,000 years ago was up to twice as significant as previously thought, and affected the genetic make-up of populations across the entire African continent.
  
  Read more

• Netflix Hikes Price of Standard Plan to $9.99 a Month

  08-10-2015 19:48 via feeds.nbcnews.com
  
  The price hike will only immediately affect new customers. Existing customers will continue paying $8.99 a month until October 2016.
  
  Read more

• See Facebook's New Emoji 'Reactions'

  08-10-2015 19:33
  
  Facebookrevealed today it is testing "Reactions," a set of six emoji that can be chosen when liking a post simply doesn't feel right.
  
  Read more

• Tech geeks to the rescue as Lagos finds its digital saviors

  08-10-2015 19:24 via rss.cnn.com
  
  In Nigeria, a country with some 180 million people and many more electronic gadgets, when a tech issue strikes, most people will generally get their devices fixed at informal market stalls.
  
  Read more

• Google's Parent Company Alphabet Buys All 26 Letters

  08-10-2015 19:21
  
  Alphabet, the parent company is Google, is making sure it has everything from A to Z covered online. Literally.
  
  Read more

• Human 'mini brains' grown in labs may help solve cancer, autism, Alzheimer's

  08-10-2015 19:18 via rss.cnn.com
  
  A Harvard medical pioneer calls it "astounding" — an "incredible achievement" and a "quantum leap forward" in the battle against cancer, autism, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.
  
  Read more

• Enhanced-Sensitivity NMR Reveals New Details on Protein Structure

  08-10-2015 18:59 via scitechdaily.com
  
  Using a new technique based on dynamic nuclear polarization, scientists hope to gain more insight into protein structure and function. Proteins can fold in different ways depending on their environment. These different configurations change the function of the protein; misfolding is frequently associated with diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Until now, it has been […]
  The post Enhanced-Sensitivity NMR Reveals New Details on Protein Structure appeared first on SciT
  
  Read more

• Views of Home: Earth Shines in Apollo Mission Photos

  08-10-2015 18:54 via feeds.nbcnews.com
  
  Thousands of Apollo mission photos, many never seen before, were posted last week on Flickr by an archivist.
  
  Read more

• Yale Cardiologists Identify a Potential Therapeutic Target for Pulmonary Hypertension

  08-10-2015 18:41 via scitechdaily.com
  
  In a newly published study, Yale scientists detail the discovery of a novel cell type that is essential to the development of pulmonary hypertension and promises to lead to improved therapies. Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death worldwide. As a prime example, pulmonary hypertension is especially lethal, with one-half of patients dying within […]
  The post Yale Cardiologists Identify a Potential Therapeutic Target for Pulmonary Hypertension appeared first on SciTech Daily
  
  Read more

• Austria launches language app for migrant children

  08-10-2015 18:30
  
  Austria's government, under pressure from the far-right over the migrant crisis, announced on Thursday a new app for smartphones and tablets to help foreign children learn German.
  
  Read more

• New Horizons Spacecraft Reveals Blue Skies and Water Ice on Pluto

  08-10-2015 18:22 via scitechdaily.com
  
  New color images from NASA’s New Horizons Spacecraft reveal blue atmospheric hazes and water ice on Pluto. “Who would have expected a blue sky in the Kuiper Belt? It’s gorgeous,” said Alan Stern, New Horizons principal investigator from Southwest Research Institute (SwRI), Boulder, Colorado. The haze particles themselves are likely gray or red, but the […]
  The post New Horizons Spacecraft Reveals Blue Skies and Water Ice on Pluto appeared first on SciTech Daily.
  
  Read more

• VW executive: Any fix for car owners could take year or more

  08-10-2015 18:20
  
  Volkswagen's top U.S. executive apologized Thursday as the emissions-rigging scandal engulfing the world's largest automaker deepened and members of Congress said the company violated the public's trust.
  
  Read more

• NASA Scientists Reveal the Role of Electrons in Pulsating Auroras

  08-10-2015 18:10 via scitechdaily.com
  
  Using satellites, a ground-based array of all-sky cameras, and some spectacular aurora borealis, a team of scientists has uncovered evidence for an unexpected role that electrons have in creating the dancing auroras. Though humans have been seeing auroras for thousands of years, we have only recently begun to understand what causes them. In this study, […]
  The post NASA Scientists Reveal the Role of Electrons in Pulsating Auroras appeared first on SciTech Daily.
  
  Read more

• How USGS Is Using Twitter to Detect Earthquakes

  08-10-2015 18:08 via feeds.nbcnews.com
  
  Drop, cover and tweet. As that becomes common procedure after a tremor, the U.S. Geological Survey is using Twitter to detect earthquakes.
  
  Read more

• Facebook says no to 'dislike' button but tests 'sad' and 'angry'

  08-10-2015 18:08
  
  Facebook will begin testing a new feature allowing users to express a range of emotions on posts in Ireland and Spain from Friday—but there will be no "dislike" button, the social network said.
  
  Read more

• Beyond 'Like:' 5 ways you might soon emote on Facebook

  08-10-2015 18:08
  
  Sometimes "Like" just doesn't cut it. So how about Love or Angry? Haha or Sad? Or just Yay or Wow?
  
  Read more

• Waste water treatment plants fail to completely eliminate new chemical compounds

  08-10-2015 18:07
  
  Deformities, feminisation and fall in reproductive capacity are some of the effects that living organisms can be afflicted by due to changes in the endocrine system caused by these compounds. A study conducted on the Basque coast by a research group indicates that the most polluted waters, the ones with the highest levels of bioconcentration, the highest percentage of intersex fish, etc. exist around waste water treatment plants. Most of these plants are not equipped to eliminate the new compoun
  
  Read more

• Shhh... to make ocean conservation work we should keep the noise down

  08-10-2015 18:05
  
  Quiet areas should be sectioned off in the oceans to give us a better picture of the impact human generated noise is having on marine animals, according to a new study published in Marine Pollution Bulletin. By assigning zones through which ships cannot travel, researchers will be able to compare the behavior of animals in these quiet zones to those living in noisier areas, helping decide the best way to protect marine life from harmful noise.
  
  Read more

• Researchers unlock secrets of troublesome Tribble protein

  08-10-2015 18:00
  
  Scientists from New Zealand and Australia have created the first three-dimensional image of a key protein involved in the development of blood and other cancers.
  
  Read more

Follow @NewslockSciTech on Twitter!