Sci-Tech news

• Scientists: Let's Build a Map for Making People

  02-06-2016 23:34 via nbcnews.com
  
  Scientists proposed building a full human genome -- a map for making people -- in the lab.
  
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• Ex-Oracle employee accuses company of accounting chicanery

  02-06-2016 20:01
  
  A former employee in Oracle's finance department is accusing the business software maker of trying to pressure her into cooking the books in an effort to boost the company's stock price.
  
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• EU states to be asked to ratify climate deal in June

  02-06-2016 20:01
  
  EU member states will be asked collectively to ratify the landmark Paris agreement to fight climate change within two weeks, French environment minister Segolene Royal said Thursday.
  
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• World's fastest multiframe digital X-ray camera created

  02-06-2016 20:00
  
  An adversary who steps inside a boxer's sense of rhythm may land a punch the boxer never saw coming.
  
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• Scientists reconstruct the history of asteroid collisions

  02-06-2016 20:00
  
  An international study, in which Spain's National Research Council (CSIC) participates, reveals that asteroids have endured a multitude of impact strikes since their formation 4,565 million years ago. Scientists have reconstructed a timeline of these collisions using a physics-based model which reproduces the process through time, comparing its results with present-day information about chondrite meteorites. The work appears in the Astrophysical Journal.
  
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• Scientists identify mutation that causes muffs and beards to grow on chickens

  02-06-2016 20:00
  
  The growth of long facial feathers, creating the appearance of muffs and beards on chickens, is caused by a chromosomal rearrangement affecting a gene involved in feather development, report Xiaoxiang Hu of the China Agricultural University in Beijing and colleagues, in a new study published on June 2 in PLOS Genetics.
  
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• Scientists find surprising magnetic excitations in a metallic compound

  02-06-2016 20:00
  
  Some three-dimensional materials can exhibit exotic properties that only exist in "lower" dimensions. For example, in one-dimensional chains of atoms that emerge within a bulk sample, electrons can separate into three distinct entities, each carrying information about just one aspect of the electron's identity—spin, charge, or orbit. The spinon, the entity that carries information about electron spin, has been known to control magnetism in certain insulating materials whose electron spins
  
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• Researchers unlock new CRISPR system for targeting RNA

  02-06-2016 20:00
  
  Researchers from the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the National Institutes of Health, Rutgers University- New Brunswick and the Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology have characterized a new CRISPR system that targets RNA, rather than DNA.
  
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• Researchers develop technique allowing them to map important regulatory DNA regions

  02-06-2016 20:00
  
  For a long time dismissed as "junk DNA", we now know that also the regions between the genes fulfil vital functions. Mutations in those DNA regions can severely impair development in humans and may lead to serious diseases later in life. Until now, however, regulatory DNA regions have been hard to find. Scientists around Prof. Julien Gagneur, Professor for Computational Biology at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and Prof. Patrick Cramer at the Max Planck Institute (MPI) for Biophysical
  
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• New radio map of Jupiter reveals what's beneath colorful clouds

  02-06-2016 20:00
  
  Astronomers using the upgraded Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array in New Mexico have produced the most detailed radio map yet of the atmosphere of Jupiter, revealing the massive movement of ammonia gas that underlies the colorful bands, spots and whirling clouds visible to the naked eye.
  
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• Microplastic particles threaten fish larvae

  02-06-2016 20:00
  
  In a new study, published in Science, researchers from Uppsala University found that larval fish exposed to microplastic particles during development displayed changed behaviors and stunted growth which lead to greatly increased mortality rates. The researchers discovered that larval perch that had access to microplastic particles only ate plastic and ignored their natural food source of free-swimming zooplankton.
  
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• Meta-lens works in the visible spectrum, sees smaller than a wavelength of light

  02-06-2016 20:00
  
  Curved lenses, like those in cameras or telescopes, are stacked in order to reduce distortions and resolve a clear image. That's why high-power microscopes are so big and telephoto lenses so long.
  
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• Dogs were domesticated not once, but twice... in different parts of the world, research shows

  02-06-2016 20:00
  
  The question, 'Where do domestic dogs come from?', has vexed scholars for a very long time. Some argue that humans first domesticated wolves in Europe, while others claim this happened in Central Asia or China. A new paper, published in Science, suggests that all these claims may be right. Supported by funding from the European Research Council and the Natural Environment Research Council, a large international team of scientists compared genetic data with existing archaeological evidence and sh
  
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• A new energy source within the cells

  02-06-2016 20:00
  
  All our cells require the small molecule, ATP, generated in the mitochondria to cover the energy required for cell metabolism, dynamics and growth. To a lower extent and particularly in cancer cells, ATP can also be generated in the cytoplasm from the energy gained during degradation of glucose. These sources of ATP are sufficient to cover the energetic needs of cells in normal conditions. However, in response to stress-inducing external signals or to extensive DNA damage, the cells need to glob
  
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• Bones and Shells May Lead to a New Formula for Concrete

  02-06-2016 19:38 via scitechdaily.com
  
  Engineers from MIT are seeking to redesign concrete by using bones and shells as blueprints for a stronger, more durable concrete. In a paper published online in the journal Construction and Building Materials, the team contrasts cement paste — concrete’s binding ingredient — with the structure and properties of natural materials such as bones, shells, […]
  The post Bones and Shells May Lead to a New Formula for Concrete appeared first on SciTech Daily.
  
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• Flash of light, loud boom over Phoenix skies likely a meteor

  02-06-2016 19:37
  
  An expert in meteorites says a bright flashing light and loud boom over the skies in metro Phoenix looks like a single meteor burning up as it entered the Earth's atmosphere at thousands of miles per hour.
  
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• New Horizons Reveals Secrets from Pluto’s ‘Twilight Zone’

  02-06-2016 19:20 via scitechdaily.com
  
  New images from the New Horizons Spacecraft reveal the complex atmospheric haze layers of Pluto. NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft took this stunning image of Pluto only a few minutes after closest approach on July 14, 2015. The image was obtained at a high phase angle –that is, with the sun on the other side of […]
  The post New Horizons Reveals Secrets from Pluto’s ‘Twilight Zone’ appeared first on SciTech Daily.
  
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• Hubble Reveals Universe Is Expanding Faster Than Expected

  02-06-2016 19:10 via scitechdaily.com
  
  Using NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, astronomers reveal that the universe is expanding 5 percent to 9 percent faster than expected. “This surprising finding may be an important clue to understanding those mysterious parts of the universe that make up 95 percent of everything and don’t emit light, such as dark energy, dark matter and dark […]
  The post Hubble Reveals Universe Is Expanding Faster Than Expected appeared first on SciTech Daily.
  
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• 9 Tech Gifts for the Dads and Grads in Your Life

  02-06-2016 19:05 via nbcnews.com
  
  Even though dads and graduates might not always have a lot in common, their tastes in fun technology can be pretty similar.
  
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• Dubai to build 1,000-megawatt solar power plant

  02-06-2016 18:49
  
  Dubai on Thursday announced plans to build a 1,000-megawatt solar power plant by 2030, the year it aims to turn to renewable energies for 25 percent of electricity needs.
  
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• Genetic code of red blood cells discovered

  02-06-2016 18:48
  
  Eight days. That's how long it takes for skin cells to reprogram into red blood cells. Researchers at Lund University in Sweden, together with colleagues at Center of Regenerative Medicine in Barcelona, have successfully identified the four genetic keys that unlock the genetic code of skin cells and reprogram them to start producing red blood cells instead.
  
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• Pick me! Pick me! How genes are selected to create diverse immune cell receptors

  02-06-2016 18:47
  
  Use of a new technique developed at the Babraham Institute has allowed researchers to take an in-depth look at the gene shuffling process that is responsible for our body's ability to recognise a vast range of foreign agents such as disease-causing microorganisms (pathogens). Failure in this process lies at the heart of a variety of immunodeficiency diseases and is also relevant to the decline in immune function observed with age.
  
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• NASA sees a redeveloped Tropical Depression Bonnie over North Carolina

  02-06-2016 18:44
  
  On the morning of June 2, the National Hurricane Center reported that post-tropical cyclone Bonnie has redeveloped into a tropical depression and was moving over the North Carolina Outer Banks. NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP Satellite and NOAA's GOES-East satellite captured imagery and an animation that showed the movement of the storm.
  
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• 3-D-printed weather stations fill gaps in developing world

  02-06-2016 18:16
  
  Scientists have successfully installed the first wave of low-cost weather stations that are designed to provide critically needed information to farmers and other residents in developing countries.
  
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• Nigeria launches clean-up in devastated oil spill region

  02-06-2016 18:12
  
  Nigeria's vice-president on Thursday launched a $1 billion oil pollution clean-up programme in the Niger delta, after President Muhammadu Buhari pulled out of visiting the restive region.
  
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• EU warns against curbing 'sharing economy' firms like Uber

  02-06-2016 18:12
  
  The EU on Thursday warned member states against banning "sharing economy" services such as Uber and Airbnb, especially if only to protect existing businesses from competition.
  
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• Tiny lasers enable next-gen microprocessors to run faster, less power-hungry

  02-06-2016 18:11
  
  A group of scientists from Hong Kong University of Science and Technology; the University of California, Santa Barbara; Sandia National Laboratories and Harvard University were able to fabricate tiny lasers directly on silicon—a huge breakthrough for the semiconductor industry and well beyond.
  
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• Dentin nanostructures—a super-natural phenomenon

  02-06-2016 18:10
  
  Dentin is one of the most durable biological materials in the human body. Researchers from Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin were able to show that the reason for this can be traced to its nanostructures and specifically to the interactions between the organic and inorganic components. Measurements performed at BESSYII, the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin's synchrotron radiation source, showed that it is the mechanical coupling between the collagen protein fibers and mineral nanoparticle
  
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• European identity continues to grow

  02-06-2016 18:09
  
  According to a new study published today in the journal Population Development and Review, 61% of citizens within the EU-15 see themselves as European in addition to or in lieu of their national identity in 2013, compared to 58% on average from 1996 to 2004. The largest increases were seen in Germany, Austria, Sweden, and Finland, and surprisingly also in Greece. In contrast the United Kingdom and France saw a decline in European identity, with the UK coming at the very bottom. The study was lim
  
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• Mayo Clinic uncovers how one gene, protein suppresses tumor formation

  02-06-2016 18:07
  
  Pten (short for phosphatase and tensin homolog) is a tumor suppressor that is defective in about 20-25 percent of all patients with cancers. Mayo Clinic researchers now have discovered that Pten safeguards against tumor formation by keeping chromosome numbers intact when a cell splits into two daughter cells. In this study, the last three amino acids of the Pten protein, which are often missing in human cancers, were found to be critical for forming an intact mitotic spindle, a structure require
  
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• Scientists discover oldest plant root stem cells

  02-06-2016 18:00
  
  Scientists at Oxford University have discovered the oldest known population of plant root stem cells in a 320 million-year-old fossil.
  
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• Hubble finds universe may be expanding faster than expected

  02-06-2016 17:47
  
  Astronomers using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope have discovered that the universe is expanding 5 percent to 9 percent faster than expected.
  
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• Driverless cars bound to frustrate motorists

  02-06-2016 17:43
  
  When self-driving cars start appearing on your commute, they're not likely to remind you of the swift Lexus vehicles in Minority Report.
  
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• NASA studies details of a greening Arctic

  02-06-2016 17:39
  
  The northern reaches of North America are getting greener, according to a NASA study that provides the most detailed look yet at plant life across Alaska and Canada. In a changing climate, almost a third of the land cover - much of it Arctic tundra - is looking more like landscapes found in warmer ecosystems.
  
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• When 'smart' apps become smart for real

  02-06-2016 17:37
  
  How can a smart application recognise and reason about a human's purposeful activities in order to be able to coach in a purposeful way? Esteban Guerrero at Umeå University in Sweden presents new computer-based methods for this that are based on activity-centric and argument-based theories.
  
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• Survey describes values, challenges of largest shareholder in US forests

  02-06-2016 17:36
  
  New research by the USDA Forest Service reveals the motivations, management activities, future plans, and challenges faced by the nearly 11 million families, individuals, trusts, and estates, referred to as family forest owners. Collectively, family forest ownerships control 286 million acres of forestland, or 36 percent of the nation's forestland. The federal government is the nation's second largest forestland owner with 31 percent.
  
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• 3-D printing of patterned membranes opens door to rapid advances in membrane technology

  02-06-2016 17:21
  
  A new type of 3-D printing will make it possible for the first time to rapidly prototype and test polymer membranes that are patterned for improved performance, according to Penn State researchers.
  
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• Orca cultural groups found to be genetically distinct

  02-06-2016 17:19
  
  (Phys.org)—An international team of researchers has found that killer whale cultural groups have evolved to become genetically distinct from one another. In their paper published in the journal Nature Communications, the team describes how they obtained tissue samples from individual orcas from groups spanning the globe, sequenced the genomes of 50 different individuals and then outline what they found in comparing the results of one group to another.
  
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• Singing in the rain: A new species of rain frog from Manu National Park, Amazonian Peru

  02-06-2016 17:09
  
  A new rain frog species has been described from Amazonian Peru and the Amazonian foothills of the Andes. The frog, given the name Pristimantis pluvialis, was found by researchers from Southern Illinois University Carbondale, the University of Michigan, and the National University of San Antonio Abad of Cusco in Peru. The discovery is published in the open access journal ZooKeys.
  
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• Oracle shares sink as lawsuit alleges sales were hyped

  02-06-2016 17:09
  
  Shares in Silicon Valley titan Oracle fell more than four percent Thursday after a former accountant alleged in a whistle-blower lawsuit that she was pressed to exaggerate cloud-computing sales data.
  
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• Finding the real treasure of the Incas: Two new frog species from an unexplored region

  02-06-2016 17:08
  
  Inaccessibility and mysticism surrounding the mist-veiled mountains of the central Andes make this region promising to hide treasures. With an area of 2197 km2, most of the Llanganates National Park, Ecuador, is nearly unreachable and is traversed only by foot. However, fieldwork conducted by researchers from the Museo de Zoología at Catholic University of Ecuador resulted in the discovery of a more real and tangible gem: biodiversity.
  
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• The 'Houdini' honey badger and other surprisingly clever animals

  02-06-2016 17:00
  
  "What's that, Lassie? Timmy has fallen down the well?" Lassie was the clever dog that always used to save the day, but stories of clever pets such as skateboarding dogs are well known. It is also widely acknowledged that animals such as monkeys, apes, whales and dolphins are extremely intelligent, but how do we actually define "clever"?
  
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• Studies in physics, brain science earn $1 million awards

  02-06-2016 16:59
  
  Nine scientists will share three $1 million prizes for discoveries in how the brain can change over time, how to move individual atoms around and how Albert Einstein was right again about the universe.
  
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• How candy makers shape nutrition science

  02-06-2016 16:59
  
  It was a startling scientific finding: Children who eat candy tend to weigh less than those who don't.
  
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• Web panels build customer loyalty

  02-06-2016 16:50
  
  Sally Fields's famous Academy Award outburst of gratitude - "You like me, you really like me" - apparently holds true for customers who are asked to participate in retailer-sponsored Web panels, according to an article forthcoming in the June 2016 issue of the Journal of Retailing. One result of these panels, which are growing in popularity, is that participants feel valued by being invited to take part and tend to express their gratitude by buying more and across more different product categori
  
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• New Epson robot force sensors enable automation of difficult tasks

  02-06-2016 16:50
  
  Seiko Epson Corporation today announced the development of its S250 series of high-precision force sensors. The S250 series, which will be rolled out worldwide from early June, will be available as an option for the company's six-axis and SCARA robots. Employing Epson's proprietary piezoelectric quartz sensing technology, the new force sensors are durable and sensitive, allowing them to accurately and consistently sense minimal amounts of force in six directions. This will allow customers to aut
  
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• Training the brains that explore brains: Experts call for change in neuroscience education

  02-06-2016 16:49
  
  Call them the Brain Generation—the tens of thousands of college and graduate students working toward degrees in neuroscience, and the high school students who want to join them someday.
  
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• Scientists need your help to spot ladybirds

  02-06-2016 16:48
  
  Scientists are calling on people who are out in their garden this summer to take part in The Ladybird Challenge and help discover how far an alien ladybird species in the UK is affecting other insects, including a wasp parasite.
  
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• How to price goods and service bundles

  02-06-2016 16:45
  
  For consumers with two left thumbs, purchasing a product that comes with installation included makes a lot of sense. But for retailers, the quandary is how to price the package in a way that's attractive to the buyer and profitable for the seller. Marketing Professors Jeffrey Meyer and Venkatesh Shankar posit a solution in "Pricing Strategies for Hybrid Bundles: Analytical Model and Insights." The article is forthcoming in the June 2016 issue of the Journal of Retailing.
  
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• Using network science to uncover the truth behind bloodshed, battles and conflict in the Sagas of Icelanders

  02-06-2016 15:30
  
  The Sagas of Icelanders are prose narratives that tell the stories of the trials and tribulations of the early societies of Icelandic settlers more than a thousand years ago.
  
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