Sci-Tech news

• Study yields new knowledge about materials for ultrasound and other applications

  16-09-2016 23:55
  
  The lighter wand for your gas BBQ, a submarine's sonar device and the ultrasound machine at your doctor's office all rely on piezoelectric materials, which turn mechanical stress into electrical energy, and vice versa. In 1997, researchers developed piezoelectric materials that were 10 times better at coupling electrical and mechanical responses than prior state-of-the-art materials. But even scientists did not understand why the newer materials were so responsive.
  
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• WATCH: Under the Hood of the New iPhone 7

  16-09-2016 23:43 via abcnews.go.com
  
  Check out the scene at Apple's flagship store in New York City on the release day of the new phone and watch.
  
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• WATCH: Pokemon GO Linked to Distracted Driving, Study Suggests

  16-09-2016 23:20 via abcnews.go.com
  
  Pokemon GO players have been on the hunt for months to "catch 'em all," but in a study published today, health experts are warning that being immersed in an augmented reality game can be a danger when people are behind the wheel.
  
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• Apple Aficionados Line Up for New IPhone 7

  16-09-2016 23:16 via abcnews.go.com
  
  Some people have waited in line for over a week to get one of the new iPhones.
  
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• New Jersey School Renamed for Alum Buzz Aldrin

  16-09-2016 22:41 via abcnews.go.com
  Students walking in the footsteps of the second man to step on the moon cheered as their New Jersey school was renamed after the famous alumnus
  
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• Johnson & Johnson to buy Abbott's vision unit for $4.33B

  16-09-2016 22:25
  
  Johnson & Johnson said Friday that it is paying more than $4.3 billion in cash to buy the eye health unit of Abbott Laboratories as it seeks to boost its vision business.
  
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• Yes, Pokemon Go Distracts Drivers: Research

  16-09-2016 20:50 via nbcnews.com
  
  The tweets don't lie: Pokemon Go players just can't resist playing and driving, a new study finds.
  
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• France strikes with longest-lasting lightning bolt

  16-09-2016 20:47
  
  At a little over seven seconds France's lasts the longest but America's is by far the biggest.
  
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• Phone Home: Galaxy Note 7 Users Face Samsung's Recall

  16-09-2016 20:44 via abcnews.go.com
  
  Consumers who shelled out $850 or more for the sleek Galaxy Note 7 are moving right through the stages of grief _ denial, anger, acceptance _ following Samsung's recall of smartphones that have been catching fire
  
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• Want to Ask a Question at the Presidential Debate? Use Facebook.

  16-09-2016 20:27 via nbcnews.com
  
  There's going to be one larger than life presence at the Presidential debates — and we're not just talking about Donald Trump.
  
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• Illinois, China study nutritional value of wheat bran for pigs

  16-09-2016 20:26
  
  Research conducted by the University of Illinois is helping determine the nutritional value of wheat bran in diets fed to pigs.
  
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• Astronomers Solve the Mystery of a Rare Change in the Behavior of a Supermassive Black Hole

  16-09-2016 20:17 via scitechdaily.com
  
  Using ESO’s Very Large Telescope along with the Hubble Space Telescope and Chandra X-ray Observatory, a team of astronomers has solved the mystery of a rare change in the behavior of a supermassive black hole at the center of a distant galaxy. It seems that the black hole is no longer being fed enough fuel […]
  The post Astronomers Solve the Mystery of a Rare Change in the Behavior of a Supermassive Black Hole appeared first on SciTech Daily.
  
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• NASA’s Cassini Spacecraft Begins Final Year of Its Voyage

  16-09-2016 20:02 via scitechdaily.com
  
  After more than 12 years of exploring Saturn, NASA’s Cassini Spacecraft has entered the final year of its voyage. The conclusion of the historic scientific odyssey is planned for September 2017, but not before the spacecraft completes a daring two-part endgame. Beginning on November 30, Cassini’s orbit will send the spacecraft just past the outer […]
  The post NASA’s Cassini Spacecraft Begins Final Year of Its Voyage appeared first on SciTech Daily.
  
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• Naples Prosecutors Investigate Suicide of Sex-Tape Subject

  16-09-2016 19:44 via abcnews.go.com
  Italian prosecutors in Naples have opened a criminal investigation after the suicide of a 31-year-old woman who had fought unsuccessfully to have a video showing her having sex expunged from the internet
  
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• Angering activists, Norway says to kill wolves

  16-09-2016 19:20
  
  Norway was accused of authorising the "mass slaughter" of its endangered wolf population on Friday after announcing that 47 of the predators would be killed by hunters.
  
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• Tesla to build California utility battery storage project

  16-09-2016 19:19
  
  Tesla announced Thursday that it will build a battery storage system at a California utility substation that will have the largest output of any existing lithium-ion storage facility.
  
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• Intel Expects Higher Revenue on Improving PC Demand

  16-09-2016 19:18 via abcnews.go.com
  Intel said that it sees signs of improving demand for personal computers, and the chipmaker now expects to make more revenue in the current quarter than it previously expected
  
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• US confident in election security despite threats

  16-09-2016 18:55
  
  The US homeland security chief said Friday authorities have confidence in the integrity of electoral systems despite growing cybersecurity threats.
  
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• New method of engineering polymer brush patterns promises to cut down processing time while adding versatility in design

  16-09-2016 18:43
  
  Antimicrobial cutting boards. Flame-retardant carpets. Friction-resistant bearings. Engineered surfaces add value to the things we use, providing extra layers of safety, easing their operation, preserving their quality or adding utility.
  
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• High-tech and low-cost solutions to handle urban waste

  16-09-2016 18:04
  
  Low-cost interventions, big data analysis and new regulations on landfills are key factors for the smart management of waste in cities. There are several ongoing studies and trials underway across Europe, with both researchers and city planners looking for efficient solutions.
  
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• NIST releases new 'family' of standardized genomes

  16-09-2016 17:59
  
  With the addition of four new reference materials (RMs) to a growing collection of "measuring sticks" for gene sequencing, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) can now provide laboratories with even more capability to accurately "map" DNA for genetic testing, medical diagnoses and future customized drug therapies. The new tools feature sequenced genes from individuals in two genetically diverse groups, Asians and Ashkenazic Jews; a father-mother-child trio set from Ashkenazi
  
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• FAA contemplating whether millions of drones will fill skies

  16-09-2016 17:51
  
  So many people are registering drones and applying for drone pilot licenses that federal aviation officials said Friday they wonder if there will eventually be millions of unmanned aircraft crowding the nation's skies.
  
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• Five things to know about VW's 'dieselgate' scandal

  16-09-2016 17:50
  
  It has been a year since Volkswagen admitted to fitting millions of cars with cheating software to dupe emissions tests, plunging the German auto giant into one of the biggest scandals ever to hit the industry.
  
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• August equals July as hottest month in modern times

  16-09-2016 17:50
  
  August equalled July as the hottest month in modern times, the UN's weather agency said Friday, warning that extraordinary temperatures were "set to become the new norm".
  
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• Software maker: Warned Tesla about hands-free Autopilot use

  16-09-2016 17:49
  
  The company that made software that controls Tesla Motors' Autopilot system says it warned the automaker not to allow drivers to take their hands off the steering wheel while using the system but was ignored.
  
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• Software co.: We warned Tesla about hands-free Autopilot use

  16-09-2016 17:49
  
  The company that made the camera and computer system for Tesla Motors' semi-autonomous Autopilot says the electric car maker ignored its warnings of safety problems.
  
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• Protest targets rail line over Kenya's oldest wildlife park

  16-09-2016 17:49
  
  Angry protesters marched in Kenya's capital on Friday against plans to build an elevated railway line over the country's oldest national park, saying the project will threaten wildlife that includes lions, leopards and giraffes.
  
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• Agency says driverless cars will need OK once Uber charges

  16-09-2016 17:49
  
  The state agency that regulates taxicabs and transportation businesses in Pennsylvania says it doesn't have jurisdiction over free trips in self-driving cars being offered by Uber, but it will once the company starts charging money.
  
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• Judge OKs extradition of British man on US hacking charges

  16-09-2016 17:43
  
  A British man accused of hacking into U.S. military and government computer systems and stealing confidential information should be extradited to the United States to face trial, a judge ruled Friday.
  
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• AP, other media sue FBI for details on iPhone hacking tool

  16-09-2016 17:43
  
  The Associated Press and two other news organizations sued the FBI on Friday to learn who the government paid and how much it spent to hack into an iPhone in its investigation into last year's San Bernardino, California, massacre.
  
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• WATCH: Apple Aficionados Line Up for New iPhone

  16-09-2016 16:31 via abcnews.go.com
  
  Some people have waited in line for over a week to get one of the new iPhones.
  
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• Fin24.com | ‘HIV healing’ prophet launches SA mobile network

  16-09-2016 16:17
  
  Prophet Shepherd Bushiri - whose website claims he has brought a 'dead boy back to life’ and ‘healed’ an HIV positive couple - is launching a mobile network this weekend.
  
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• WATCH: First Customers in Line Enter the Apple Store to Buy the New iPhone 7

  16-09-2016 15:58 via abcnews.go.com
  
  ABC News' Paul Blake takes a look at the newly released models of the iPhone and Apple Watch.
  
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• Researchers eye gaming as tool for boosting computer science skills, diversity in middle schools

  16-09-2016 15:30
  
  An interdisciplinary team of researchers from North Carolina State University and the University of Florida is launching an initiative that will use a custom-designed video game to boost computational thinking in middle school science classrooms. The goal is not only to improve educational outcomes, but also to foster gender and racial diversity in computer science and other science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields.
  
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• Amazon Echo will bring genuinely helpful AI into our homes much sooner than expected

  16-09-2016 15:20
  
  What's all the fuss about the voice-activated home speaker that Amazon is due to release in the UK and Germany in late September? This gadget has been available in the US for over a year and has proven a minor hit, with sales estimates between 1.6m and 3m. But these figures belie the potential impact this kind of artificial intelligence device could have on our lives in the near future.
  
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• Fin24.com | IN PICS: Huawei's gadgets for SA at new store

  16-09-2016 15:18
  
  Huawei South Africa opened the first two customer service centres in Johannesburg and Cape Town.
  
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• News24.com | Media24 to launch Huffington Post in South Africa

  16-09-2016 15:16
  
  Media24 and The Huffington Post are joining forces to launch HuffPost South Africa - the first Sub-Saharan Africa edition.
  
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• Light causes drosophila to take longer midday nap

  16-09-2016 15:10
  
  Fruit flies' activity peaks in the morning and late afternoon. The insects extend their midday siesta on long summer days. Researchers from the University of Würzburg have now discovered what triggers this behaviour. A miniature pair of eyelets also discovered in Würzburg in the late 1980s plays a crucial role in this context.
  
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• iPhone launch generates excitement, frustration (Update)

  16-09-2016 15:09
  
  Apple delivered its new iPhones on Friday in a global launch marked by long queues at its retail stores but also frustration over the sellout of some models.
  
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• iPhone launch generates crowds, queues worldwide (Update)

  16-09-2016 15:09
  
  Apple's global iPhone launch Friday was marked by excitement and frustration as fans queued to find scarce models of the coveted smartphone.
  
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• iPhone 7 launches in bid to revive Apple's fortunes

  16-09-2016 15:09
  
  Apple's iPhone 7 launch generated trademark queues and brisk sales in stores around the world on Friday, but excitement mixed with frustration due to supply shortages that left many fans empty-handed.
  
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• Understanding intent crucial to improving race relations

  16-09-2016 15:00
  
  Improving race relations starts with understanding whether people feel an incident of racial discrimination was intentional or not, says a new study by UTM management professor Sonia Kang. This applies in situations ranging from a workplace to an interaction between police and demonstrators.
  
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• Virtual Reality a Little Too Real as Gamers Caught Groping

  16-09-2016 14:53 via nbcnews.com
  
  Virtual reality got a little too real at the Tokyo Game Show on Friday when gamers lined up at one exhibition and got touchy-feely with a mannequin.
  
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• Why researchers look for white stains on Edvard Munch's masterpiece with DESY's X-rays

  16-09-2016 14:50
  
  With the help of the brilliant X-ray radiation from DESY's research light source PETRA III, scientists have solved a decades-old mystery from the world of art: A team led by Dr. Geert Van der Snickt of the University of Antwerp unravelled the nature of mysterious white spots on the famous painting "The Scream" by the Norwegian artist Edvard Munch. Contrary to popular assumption the stains are not bird droppings - and neither simply white color. Instead, the X-ray examination shows that the patch
  
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• Meet AISOY1 the robot, autism therapy assistant

  16-09-2016 14:49
  
  Researchers at the Universidad Miguel Hernández (UMH) and AISOY Robotics are collaborating to expand the potential of their robot assistant for the treatment of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Specifically, the goal is to explore the ways in which the AISOY robot can enhance therapy sessions at the UMH University Clinic.
  
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• Image: Poyang Lake viewed by Sentinel-1

  16-09-2016 14:45
  
  Southern China's Poyang Lake is the largest freshwater lake in the country. Located in Jiangxi province, this lake is an important habitat for migrating Siberian cranes, many of which spend the winter there.
  
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• Deep insight into interfaces between materials

  16-09-2016 14:44
  
  Interfaces between different materials and their properties are of key importance for modern technology. Together with an international team, physicists of Würzburg University have developed a new method that allows them to closely analyze these interfaces and to model their properties.
  
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• Single-photon detector for potential encryption and sensing apps

  16-09-2016 14:40
  
  Individual photons of light now can be detected far more efficiently using a device patented by a team including the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), whose scientists have overcome longstanding limitations with one of the most commonly used type of single-photon detectors. Their invention could allow higher rates of transmission of encrypted electronic information and improved detection of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
  
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• Sequencing DNA in space

  16-09-2016 14:30
  
  Ever since the first strands of DNA were sequenced in the 1970s, researchers understood the profound significance of analyzing genetics for a wide range of medical and biological research.
  
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• Researchers develop simple saliva test to diagnose asthma

  16-09-2016 14:29
  
  A new test which can diagnose asthma from a patient's saliva has been developed by Loughborough University.
  
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