Sci-Tech news

• Paying your pals with digital options from Venmo to Facebook

  12-11-2015 23:50
  
  Cash is passe, say digital mavens. If you really want to pay your friends back for that pizza party, use an app to shoot money to their mobile-phone number—or their Facebook account.
  
  Read more

• Navy gets OK for exercises, says little effect on orcas

  12-11-2015 23:38
  
  The U.S. Navy has received authorization from federal biologists to expand sonar testing and other warfare training off the coast of Washington, Oregon and Northern California.
  
  Read more

• GoPro shares go downhill, slide below IPO price

  12-11-2015 23:16
  
  US mini-camera maker GoPro, which gained notoriety and a devoted following of extreme sports enthusiasts, on Thursday ended the stock market trading day below its debut price.
  
  Read more

• CLIMATE COUNTDOWN: When's a Warming Treaty Not a Treaty?

  12-11-2015 23:09
  
  CLIMATE COUNTDOWN:Negotiators try to craft an international warming accord minus GOP Senate
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Breeding flexibility helps migratory songbirds adjust to climate warming

  12-11-2015 22:18
  
  Phenological mismatches, or a mistiming between creatures and the prey and plants they eat, is one of the biggest known impacts of climate change on ecological systems. But a Dartmouth-led study finds that one common migratory songbird has a natural flexibility in its breeding time that has helped stave off mismatches, at least for now.
  
  Read more

• Gemini Planet Imager Exoplanet Survey—one year into the survey

  12-11-2015 22:15
  
  The Gemini Planet Imager Exoplanet Survey (GPIES) is an ambitious three-year study dedicated to imaging young Jupiters and debris disks around nearby stars using the GPI instrument installed on the Gemini South telescope in Chile. On November 12, at the 47th annual meeting of the AAS's Division for Planetary Sciences in Washington DC, Franck Marchis, Chair of the Exoplanet Research Thrust of the SETI Institute and a scientist involved in the project since 2004, will report on the status of the s
  
  Read more

• Colors of a comet

  12-11-2015 22:12
  
  OSIRIS, the scientific imaging system of ESA's Rosetta mission to comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, shows a surface with subtle, but significant color variations.
  
  Read more

• Team maps gas emissions from comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko

  12-11-2015 22:09
  
  The European Space Agency's Rosetta spacecraft began orbiting comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko in August 2014, providing the closest and most detailed look at a comet to date. Now, a team led by astronomers at the University of Maryland has used data from Rosetta's Optical, Spectroscopic and Infrared Remote Imaging System (OSIRIS) cameras to generate maps of multiple gas emissions just above the comet's surface.
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Main-belt asteroid shows evidence of march collision

  12-11-2015 22:04
  
  The main-belt asteroid (493) Griseldis was probably hit by another object last March. The results were reported on November 12 at the annual meeting of the Division for Planetary Sciences of the American Astronomical Society near Washington, DC.
  
  Read more

• Researchers shed new light on the origins of Earth's water

  12-11-2015 22:02
  
  Water covers more than two-thirds of Earth's surface, but its exact origins are still something of a mystery. Scientists have long been uncertain whether water was present at the formation of the planet, or if it arrived later, perhaps carried by comets and meteorites.
  
  Read more

• More than meets the eye: Delta Orionis in Orion's belt

  12-11-2015 21:57
  
  One of the most recognizable constellations in the sky is Orion, the Hunter. Among Orion's best-known features is the "belt," consisting of three bright stars in a line, each of which can be seen without a telescope.
  
  Read more

• Fermi satellite detects first gamma-ray pulsar in another galaxy

  12-11-2015 21:53
  
  Researchers using NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope have discovered the first gamma-ray pulsar in a galaxy other than our own. The object sets a new record for the most luminous gamma-ray pulsar known.   
  
  Read more

• Apple apologizes after black teens ejected from store

  12-11-2015 21:51
  
  Apple apologized on Thursday after a group of black teenagers was asked to leave one of its retail stores in Melbourne, where a staffer had expressed concern they would shoplift.
  
  Read more

• A day in the life of a well-connected home courtesy of Intel

  12-11-2015 21:50
  
  Headline after headline, home-smart objects appear regularly as promises of the connected home of tomorrow. Trouble is, we don't easily get the connection; we don't easily absorb the whole picture about these individual objects working together.
  
  Read more

• New research extends classic quantum optics phenomenon

  12-11-2015 21:06
  
  Physicists at the University of Southampton have extended the theory of resonance fluorescence, a classic phenomenon in quantum optics, to 2D nanostructures that have novel light emission properties.
  
  Read more

• Rings and pacifiers: Health gadgets get sophisticated

  12-11-2015 20:51
  
  After the smartphone and fitness bracelet, here comes the smart ring. And the smart pacifier, and smart rollator.
  
  Read more

• Brazil fines Volkswagen $13 million over emissions scheme

  12-11-2015 20:51
  
  The Brazilian government says its environmental protection agency has fined Volkswagen $13 million over the German automaker's emissions cheating scheme.
  
  Read more

• Sony tries to make its pricy Vue TV service more popular

  12-11-2015 20:50
  
  Sony is trying to get more people on its TV service by allowing customers to sign up without a PlayStation.
  
  Read more

• Mexico hopes to see 3-4 times more monarch butterflies

  12-11-2015 20:48
  
  The number of monarch butterflies reaching their wintering grounds in central Mexico this year may be three to four times higher than the previous season, authorities said Thursday.
  
  Read more

• New research shows La Nina is not helping Hawai'i's rainfall and groundwater

  12-11-2015 20:12
  
  Historically when El Niño events occur, Hawai'i has experienced nearly six months of drought, from November to April. Conversely, during La Niña events rainfall has been greater than normal - building up Hawai'i's groundwater supply. New research published this month in the Journal of Climate by scientists at the University of Hawai'i - Mānoa, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, and NOAA's Honolulu National Weather Service (NWS) Office, determined that th
  
  Read more

• Finland to build world's first permanent nuke waste facility

  12-11-2015 20:10
  
  Finland's government gave the green light Thursday for the construction of the world's first permanent repository designed to store nuclear waste for 100,000 years.
  
  Read more

• Superconductor survives ultra-high magnetic field

  12-11-2015 20:09
  
  Physicists from the universities of Groningen and Nijmegen (the Netherlands) and Hong Kong have discovered that transistors made of ultrathin layers molybdeendisulfide (MoS2) are not only superconducting at low temperatures but also stay superconducting in a high magnetic field. This is a unique phenomenon with exciting promises for the future. The experiments were the first to have been performed at the High Field Magnet Laboratory in Nijmegen, jointly operated by Radboud University and the FOM
  
  Read more

• Miniaturizable magnetic resonance: Microscopic gem key to new development in magnetic lab-on-a-chip technology

  12-11-2015 20:05
  
  A garnet crystal only one micrometre in diameter was instrumental in a University of Alberta team of physicists creating a route to "lab-on-a-chip" technology for magnetic resonance, a tool to simplify advanced magnetic analysis for device development and interdisciplinary science.
  
  Read more

• CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing: Check three times, cut once

  12-11-2015 20:03
  
  Two new studies from the University of California, Berkeley, should give scientists who use CRISPR-Cas9 for genome engineering greater confidence that they won't inadvertently edit the wrong DNA.
  
  Read more

• Oceans—and ocean activism—deserve broader role in climate change discussions

  12-11-2015 20:00
  
  When President Barack Obama visited the shrinking Exit Glacier in September, he pointed to a very obvious sign of our warming planet literally at his feet.
  
  Read more

• Gift Guide: Sturdy, sleek, small action cameras abound

  12-11-2015 20:00
  
  Action cameras are getting smaller, lighter, better and more connected. Whether you're looking to gift one to a thrill-seeking bungee jumper or a mountain-bike recreationist, there are several cameras capable of shooting high-quality footage.
  
  Read more

• Ancient mass extinction led to dominance of tiny fish

  12-11-2015 20:00
  
  When times are good, it pays to be the big fish in the sea; in the aftermath of disaster, however, smaller is better.
  
  Read more

• Analysis exposes faster disintegration of major Greenland glacier

  12-11-2015 20:00
  
  A study appearing in Science magazine today shows a vast ice sheet in northeast Greenland has begun a phase of speeded-up ice loss, contributing to destabilization that will cause global sea-level rise for "decades to come."
  
  Read more

• YouTube enters music streaming with eye on casual fan

  12-11-2015 19:42
  
  YouTube on Thursday entered the increasingly crowded field of music streaming, hoping to reach a new audience through a user-friendly service that seizes on the video giant's vast variety.
  
  Read more

• NASA spies Extra-Tropical Storm Kate racing through North Atlantic

  12-11-2015 19:33
  
  On November 12 at 4 a.m. EST the National Hurricane Center issued the last advisory on Extra-Tropical Cyclone Kate, located several hundred miles south-southeast of Cape Race, Newfoundland. NOAA's GOES-East satellite captured a visible light image of the storm.
  
  Read more

• NASA adds up rainfall from two historic Yemen tropical cyclones

  12-11-2015 19:33
  
  One week ago to the day Cyclone Chapala, the first Category 1 cyclone to strike Yemen in recorded history made landfall in Yemen, then a second tropical cyclone named Megh made landfall. The Global Precipitation Measurement mission or GPM satellite provided a look at rainfall rates and totals dropped by the historic double tropical cyclones.
  
  Read more

• Grabbing a parasite by the tail: Team solves 'jumping gene' mystery

  12-11-2015 19:31
  
  Deep within your DNA, a tiny parasite lurks, waiting to pounce from its perch and land in the middle of an unsuspecting healthy gene. If it succeeds, it can make you sick.
  
  Read more

• Team trains Watson AI to 'chat,' spark more creativity in humans

  12-11-2015 19:29
  
  Georgia Institute of Technology researchers are exploring and pushing the boundaries of artificial intelligence (AI) by partnering with one of AI's most notable citizens—IBM's Watson—to advance how computers could help humans creatively solve problems in a wide variety of professions.
  
  Read more

• A 'blood rain' infiltrates villages of Spain

  12-11-2015 19:27
  
  The rainwater that fell in some of the villages of Zamora (Spain) last autumn brought along a strange traveller: a green microalgae that turns a reddish colour when in a state of stress. Once this microalgae was deposited into fountains and tanks it wasn't long before the water turned red. Researchers from the University of Salamanca have shone light on this 'blood rain' phenomenon, yet they have not yet been able to identify the mysterious origin of these little algae which are also present in
  
  Read more

• Carbon accumulation by US forests may slow over the next 25 years

  12-11-2015 19:25
  
  Currently, the carbon sequestered in U.S. forests partially offsets the nation's carbon emissions and reduces the overall costs of achieving emission targets to address climate change - but that could change over the next 25 years.
  
  Read more

• Increased deforestation could substantially reduce Amazon basin rainfall

  12-11-2015 19:24
  
  Continued deforestation of the Amazon rainforest could diminish the amount of rain that falls in the Amazon River basin, finds a new study. These declines in rainfall could potentially alter the region's climate, disrupting rainforest ecosystems and impacting local economies, according to the study's authors.
  
  Read more

• Binghamton University professor develops framework for teaching networks

  12-11-2015 19:21
  
  A framework co-developed by a Binghamton University researcher could help future scientists improve their understanding of all types of networks, from social media channels to beehives.
  
  Read more

• For better sales, connect with coworkers

  12-11-2015 19:20
  
  For successful salespeople, it's all about who you know - particularly within your own firm.
  
  Read more

• Today's disposable society: Pharmaceuticals and other contaminants of emerging concern

  12-11-2015 19:13
  
  An increasing amount of drugs taken by humans and animals make it into our streams and waterways, and pharmaceutical pollution has had catastrophic ecosystem consequences despite low levels of concentration in the environment. The effect of pharmaceuticals and other contaminants of emerging concern on the environment will be addressed in a special issue of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. Much progress has been made in the recent years on the topic and this special issue will illustrate t
  
  Read more

• Team of appraisers across six states find home buyers will pay premium for solar homes

  12-11-2015 19:12
  
  Photovoltaics added value to homes in six markets, according to a new report titled "Appraising into the Sun: Six-State Solar Home Paired-Sales Analysis," led by a researcher from the U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) and a home appraisal expert. Researchers engaged a team of seven appraisers from across the six states to determine the value that solar photovoltaic (PV) systems added to single-family homes using the industry-standard paired-sales va
  
  Read more

• The rise of do-it-yourself biology: A look at the Baltimore underground science space

  12-11-2015 19:11
  
  The Wilson Center's Synthetic Biology Project has released a short documentary on the growth of the do-it-yourself biology (DIYbio) movement as seen through a community DIYbio lab in Baltimore, Maryland.
  
  Read more

• Researchers pinpoint roadblocks to lab-grown stem cells' maturation

  12-11-2015 19:10
  
  Johns Hopkins researchers report that a new study of mouse cells has revealed reasons why attempts to grow stem cells to maturity in the laboratory often fail, and provided a possible way to overcome such "developmental arrest."
  
  Read more

• Owner of LA Times, Chicago Tribune expects to cut jobs 7 pct

  12-11-2015 19:08
  
  The owner of the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune and other newspapers says it expects a buyout offer to cut its staff by 7 percent.
  
  Read more

• Ancient Milky Way Stars Contain Clues About The Early Universe

  12-11-2015 18:19 via scitechdaily.com
  
  An international team of astronomers has discovered some of the oldest stars in the Milky Way. These stars could contain vital clues about the early Universe, including an indication of how the first stars died. These stars, which have been at the very center of the Milky Way for billions of years, contain extremely low […]
  The post Ancient Milky Way Stars Contain Clues About The Early Universe appeared first on SciTech Daily.
  
  Read more

• NIST team proves 'spooky action at a distance' is really real

  12-11-2015 18:16
  
  Einstein was wrong about at least one thing: There are, in fact, "spooky actions at a distance," as now proven by researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
  
  Read more

• Dutch navigator TomTom inks deal for maps for Uber

  12-11-2015 18:10
  
  Dutch vehicle navigations systems maker TomTom said Thursday it has inked a deal with Uber to supply the US ride-sharing service's drivers with maps in more than 300 cities globally.
  
  Read more

• MIT Engineers Develop a Shockwave-Based Process for Desalination of Water

  12-11-2015 18:05 via scitechdaily.com
  
  Chemical engineers from MIT have developed an efficient shockwave-based process to treat salty, brackish or contaminated water to make it usable. As the availability of clean, potable water becomes an increasingly urgent issue in many parts of the world, researchers are searching for new ways to treat salty, brackish or contaminated water to make it […]
  The post MIT Engineers Develop a Shockwave-Based Process for Desalination of Water appeared first on SciTech Daily.
  
  Read more

• Wild birds choose love over food

  12-11-2015 18:00
  
  Wild birds will sacrifice access to food in order to stay close to their partner over the winter, according to a study by Oxford University researchers.
  
  Read more

• New stem cell gene correction process puts time on researchers' side

  12-11-2015 18:00
  
  Researchers from the Morgridge Institute for Research and the Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MCRI) in Australia have devised a way to dramatically cut the time involved in reprogramming and genetically correcting stem cells, an important step to making future therapies possible.
  
  Read more

• Extinction can spread from predator to predator, study finds

  12-11-2015 18:00
  
  The extinction of one carnivore species can trigger the demise of fellow predators, conservation biologists at the University of Exeter have confirmed.
  
  Read more

Follow @NewslockSciTech on Twitter!