Sci-Tech news

• People who hear voices in their head can also pick up on hidden speech

  22-08-2017 21:43
  
  ScienceThe secret to both might lie in how our brains experience the world
  Psychologists have long wondered why some even psychologically healthy people hear voices. A new study sheds some light on the cause.
  
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• Facebook losing teens to Instagram-Snapchat: forecast

  22-08-2017 21:33
  Facebook use in the US will slow as teens and young adults opt for smartphone image-sharing services Instagram and Snapchat, according to an eMarketer forecast released on Tuesday.
  
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• Self-powered paper-based 'SPEDs' may lead to new medical-diagnostic tools

  22-08-2017 21:30
  A new medical-diagnostic device made out of paper detects biomarkers and identifies diseases by performing electrochemical analyses - powered only by the user's touch - and reads out the color-coded test results, making it easy for non-experts to understand.
  
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• Could Stem Cells be the Link Between Bacteria and Cancer?

  22-08-2017 20:54 via scitechdaily.com
  New research shows that the bacterium sends stem cell renewal in the stomach into overdrive – and stem cell turnover has been suspected by many...
  The post Could Stem Cells be the Link Between Bacteria and Cancer? appeared first on SciTech Daily.
  
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• Online Shopping Killed Retail ... but Now It's Coming Back to Save It

  22-08-2017 20:30 via nbcnews.com
  Brick-and-mortar retailers are looking for salvation in an unlikely place: The e-commerce rivals blamed with causing their recent challenges in the first place.
  
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• Fin24.com | How Vodacom's data blunder happened

  22-08-2017 20:26
  
  Vodacom said the technically glitch that drained data bundles from a significant number of its customers on Monday, was sparked by a configuration change to the network’s billing system.
  
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• It goes to 11: Florida lab sets new magnet strength record

  22-08-2017 19:59
  Florida's National High Magnetic Field Laboratory is reclaiming its status as home to the world strongest magnet.
  
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• No, Seriously, Don't Look at the Sun During the Eclipse Without Special Glasses - New York Times

  22-08-2017 19:48 via nytimes.com
  New York Times
  No, Seriously, Don't Look at the Sun During the Eclipse Without Special Glasses
  New York Times
  Reputable vendors of eclipse eyeglasses are required to print their name and address on the glasses or in the packaging, along with instructions and warnings. Credit Curtis Compton/Atlanta Journal-Constitution, via Associated Press. We're all guilty of ...
  Ten Surprises For Scientists And Skywatchers During The Total Solar EclipseForbes
  St. Louis's First Total Solar Eclipse Since 1
  
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• Verizon's always-on throttling is an afront to customers and net neutrality - Engadget

  22-08-2017 19:47 via engadget.com
  Engadget
  Verizon's always-on throttling is an afront to customers and net neutrality
  Engadget
  Well, it was nice while it lasted. Today Verizon (the biggest carrier in the US) announced it was doing away with its simple and fair unlimited wireless-data plan and complicating things by instead offering three plans. Two of those cost more, and all ...
  Verizon's throttled Unlimited plans are a necessary evilMashable
  Why did Verizon kill the Unlimited plan that everyone loved?BGR
  Verizon Introduces N
  
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• Electrons Flowing Like Liquid in Graphene

  22-08-2017 19:40 via scitechdaily.com
  By observing the unusual movement of electrons in graphene, scientists have uncovered a new understanding of the physics of conductive materials. Graphene is many times...
  The post Electrons Flowing Like Liquid in Graphene appeared first on SciTech Daily.
  
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• Study finds that gravity, 'mechanical loading' are key to cartilage development

  22-08-2017 19:16
  Mechanical loading, or forces that stimulate cellular growth for development, is required for creating cartilage that is then turned to bone; however, little is known about cartilage development in the absence of gravity or mechanical loads. Now, in a study led by the University of Missouri, bioengineers have determined that microgravity may inhibit cartilage formation. Findings reveal that fracture healing for astronauts in space, as well as patients on bed rest here on Earth, could be compromi
  
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• Hormonal tug-of-war helps plant roots navigate their journey through the soil

  22-08-2017 19:13
  A sophisticated mechanism that allows plant roots to quickly respond to changes in soil conditions has been identified by an international research team.
  
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• Galaxy Note 8 or Android Oreo: What excites you more? (The 3:59, Ep. 271) - CNET

  22-08-2017 19:05 via cnet.com
  CNET
  Galaxy Note 8 or Android Oreo: What excites you more? (The 3:59, Ep. 271)
  CNET
  It's a big week in tech, with Google revealing the latest update to its Android mobile operating system and Samsung preparing to announce its Galaxy Note 8 phone. Android 8.0 finally received its official name, Oreo, with Google announcing the moniker ...
  Promo Hints At Galaxy Note 8's DeX Support & EU Release DateAndroid Headlines
  Everything we know about the Galaxy Note 8BGR
  Samsung Galaxy Note 8 price, sp
  
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• Android 8.0: The complete Oreo FAQ - Computerworld

  22-08-2017 19:03 via computerworld.com
  Computerworld
  Android 8.0: The complete Oreo FAQ
  Computerworld
  Oh — hello, Oreo! After months of discussion, developer previews and beta releases, Google's latest and greatest Android software is finally upon us. Android 8.0, aka Oreo, is officially named, numbered and on its way into the world — and that means ...
  What's New in Android 8.0 OreoGotta Be Mobile
  Android Oreo: When Your Smartphone Will Get It?ValueWalk
  How To Get Android 8.0 Oreo On Your Pixel Or Nexus Right NowFo
  
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• Newest solar cells underperform in cloudy countries

  22-08-2017 18:58
  To determine how efficient new solar cells convert sunlight into electricity, small sample cells are tested under ideal conditions. However, the reported efficiency is not very representative of the actual annual yield when the cells are placed onto a rooftop and exposed to the Dutch weather. In an article published in ACS Energy Letters on August 22, 2017, AMOLF researchers present a model that predicts how the next generation of solar cells will perform under realistic conditions.
  
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• New approach makes lightest automotive metal more economic, useful

  22-08-2017 18:55
  Magnesium—the lightest of all structural metals—has a lot going for it in the quest to make ever lighter cars and trucks that go farther on a tank of fuel or battery charge.
  
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• No microbes? No problem for caterpillars

  22-08-2017 18:53
  The microbiome seems ubiquitous: humans and many other species rely on billions of tiny organisms in their guts to aid in digestion, metabolism and other functions. Now, scientists at the University of Colorado Boulder are questioning the idea that the microbiome is universal among animals.
  
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• Study links fish stress hormones to whether they take the bait

  22-08-2017 18:30
  Take a fish out of water and its stress hormones will go up. Adrenaline and noradrenaline, the "fight or flight" hormones, peak first, followed more gradually by cortisol. A new study finds that largemouth bass whose cortisol levels rise most after a brief bout of stress are inherently harder to catch by angling.
  
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• Researchers devise microreactor to study formation of methane hydrate

  22-08-2017 18:30
  Researchers at the NYU Tandon School of Engineering are using a novel means of studying how methane and water form methane hydrate that allows them to examine discrete steps in the process faster and more efficiently.
  
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• ESO’s VLT Discovers New Way to Fuel Black Holes

  22-08-2017 18:30 via scitechdaily.com
  ESO’s Very Large Telescope has revealed a previously unknown way to fuel supermassive black holes. Observations of “Jellyfish galaxies” show a new way to fuel...
  The post ESO’s VLT Discovers New Way to Fuel Black Holes appeared first on SciTech Daily.
  
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• Did staring at the eclipse damage my eyes?

  22-08-2017 18:23
  
  HealthIf you're wondering, you're (really) not alone.
  So you looked. Everyone told you not to, but you did. Rest easy—eye pain isn't one of the signs of retinal damage.
  
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• Accelerating the mobile web: 'Vroom' software could double its speed

  22-08-2017 18:20
  Despite that most web traffic today comes from smartphones and tablets, the mobile web remains inconveniently slow. Even on fast 4G networks, a page takes 14 seconds to load on average—an eternity in today's connected world.
  
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• Getting hold of quantum dot biosensors

  22-08-2017 18:10
  Quantum dots (QDs) have found so many applications in recent years, they can now be purchased with a variety of composite structures and configurations. Some are available suspended in a biologically friendly fluid, making them well poised to serve as biomarkers for single-molecule tagging and tracking. But suppose you wanted to trap and move one of these single nanoparticle tags the same way other biologists might grab tissue samples with a tweezer?
  
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• Physicists Reveal Unified Theory for Fundamental Forces

  22-08-2017 18:07 via scitechdaily.com
  New research suggests that the “swimmers” of the natural world — from ships at sea to microorganisms floating through the bloodstream to ubiquitous quantum particles...
  The post Physicists Reveal Unified Theory for Fundamental Forces appeared first on SciTech Daily.
  
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• Verizon tweaks prices, cuts video quality on unlimited plans

  22-08-2017 18:04
  Verizon is raising the price of its unlimited plan while introducing a slightly cheaper, more limited version as wireless carriers battle each other for customers.
  
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• 4 hidden Mac tweaks to speed up your computer

  22-08-2017 18:01
  
  DIYTake macOS to the next level.
  Is your Mac computer crawling to a standstill? It doesn't have to be that way—try these advanced tricks to grant macOS the best possible performance.
  
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• How humans and their gut microbes may respond to plant hormones

  22-08-2017 18:00
  A bowl of salad contains more than vitamins and minerals. Plant matter also includes remnants of the hormones plants produce to control how they grow, age, and manage water intake. Recently, scientists have reported that our gut microbes and cells may respond to these hormones and even produce similar molecules of their own. In an opinion article published August 22 in the journal Trends in Plant Science, researchers in France explore how plant hormones may influence human health.
  
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• A silent search for dark matter

  22-08-2017 17:59
  Results from its first run indicate that XENON1T is the most sensitive dark matter detector on Earth. The sensitivity of the detector—an underground sentinel awaiting a collision that would confirm a hypothesis—stems from both its size and its "silence." Shielded by rock and water, and purified with a sophisticated system, the detector demonstrated a new record low radioactivity level, many orders of magnitude below surrounding material on Earth.
  
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• Should Age of Empires IV reinvent the series? - PC Gamer

  22-08-2017 17:54 via pcgamer.com
  PC Gamer
  Should Age of Empires IV reinvent the series?
  PC Gamer
  Age of Empires IV has been announced at Gamescom 2017 and veteran RTS developer Relic Entertainment is making it. It's a pleasant surprise because we love Age of Empires, of course, but also because the series is an interesting fit for a studio famous ...
  Age of Empires IV is officially in the works, from Company of Heroes and Homeworld developer RelicPCWorld
  Microsoft announces Age of Empires IVThe Verge
  Age of Empires 4 announced
  
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• Bond dissociation energies for transition metal silicides accurately determined

  22-08-2017 17:23
  Transition metal silicides, a distinct class of semiconducting materials that contain silicon, demonstrate superior oxidation resistance, high temperature stability and low corrosion rates, which make them promising for a variety of future developments in electronic devices. Despite their relevance to modern technology, however, fundamental aspects of the chemical bonding between their transition metal atoms and silicon remain poorly understood. One of the most important, but poorly known, prope
  
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• Volcanoes and Glaciers Seen from Space

  22-08-2017 17:11 via feedproxy.google.com
  One of the most exciting aspects of geosciences in the 21st century is the ability to watch geologic events from space. We can see an eruption or earthquake as it happens—sometimes catching it in the act. We can also roll back the film and look at what things were like in images taken beforehand. It is one of the most fundamental changes to how we look at earth processes since we were able to go the other way and see rocks at a microscopic level.Here are two great examples. The first is
  
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• Does It Snow on Mars?

  22-08-2017 17:08 via feedproxy.google.com
  Given that there are ambitious plans to colonize Mars in the near future, it is surprising how much we still have to learn about what it would be like to actually live on the planet. Take the weather, for instance. We know there are wild fluctuations in Mars’s climate – and that it is very windy and at times cloudy (though too cold and dry for rainfall). But does it snow? Might settlers on Mars be able to see the red planet turn white? A new study surprisingly suggests so.Mars is cl
  
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• Orange is the new green: How orange peels revived a Costa Rican forest

  22-08-2017 17:05
  In the mid-1990s, 1,000 truckloads of orange peels and orange pulp were purposefully unloaded onto a barren pasture in a Costa Rican national park. Today, that area is covered in lush, vine-laden forest.
  
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• For sale: China's brand new, souped-up tanks

  22-08-2017 17:00
  
  From Our Blogs: Eastern Arsenal The country shows off new infantry-fighting vehicles.
  China shows off new infantry fighting vehicles, including one built from converted tank, and an explosive missile defense system for tanks. Read on.
  
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• Professor calls for federal guarantee of quality education for kids

  22-08-2017 16:50
  American children, no matter where they live or what school they attend, deserve to be guaranteed a quality education, much as we guarantee a safety net for seniors, argued Professor Marta Tienda of Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. Without a federal guarantee to restore the "educational social contract," she wrote, the United States will never close educational achievement gaps or restore its schools to their former international preeminence.
  
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• What's the annual value of trees? $500 million per megacity, study says

  22-08-2017 16:48
  In the megacities that are home to nearly 10 percent of the world's 7.5 billion people, trees provide each city with more than $500 million each year in services that make urban environments cleaner, more affordable and more pleasant places to live.
  
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• How do international development projects affect property values?

  22-08-2017 16:40
  When looking to buy a home or other property in the U.S., location is typically at the top of the list—many buyers value properties with access to amenities like schools, parks, and an easy commute. But is that value shared by home buyers in developing countries? University of Illinois economist Hope Michelson looked at property transactions in Kenya near what she assumed would be a highly desirable location and found the real estate mantra, "location, location, location," wasn't necessari
  
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• Sales newbies, don't fret—just go above and beyond

  22-08-2017 16:30
  Good news for novice salespeople worried about becoming successful: Expressing your gratitude to customers by going above and beyond your job description may be as effective as developing long-term relationships with them, indicates a first-of-its-kind study.
  
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• We Played SNES Classic And It Has Rewind Now - Kotaku

  22-08-2017 16:11 via kotaku.com
  Kotaku
  We Played SNES Classic And It Has Rewind Now
  Kotaku
  I tried out the SNES Classic, and found that Nintendo has made some small but meaningful improvements to it over the NES Classic. I have no idea why, since the thing would sell out in 30 seconds anyway even if it were covered in rusty needles. Instead ...
  SNES Classic preorders are available today at physical GameStop storesThe Verge
  SNES Classic Edition Pre-Orders Are Sold Out Almost EverywhereForbes
  Nintendo's Super NES Classic Editio
  
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• Walking through space in NASA's Virtual Reality Lab - The Verge

  22-08-2017 16:04 via theverge.com
  The Verge
  Walking through space in NASA's Virtual Reality Lab
  The Verge
  Astronauts aren't made in a day. To first qualify for a mission assignment in space, NASA's astronaut candidates typically have to complete up to two years of training here on Earth. And that includes a rotating roster of activities, workouts, and ...
  How ISS astronauts saw the eclipseEarthSky
  See Latest Videos of the 2017 Total Solar Eclipse, from Across US and SpaceSpace.com
  How Astronauts on the International Space Stati
  
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• Research team uses computation and experiment to understand how novel material properties form

  22-08-2017 15:59
  Since the dawn of Enlightenment-era chemistry and physics, scientists have tried to document materials' properties different conditions. These investigations spawned the field of materials science and have helped humanity create aircraft and spacecraft, revolutionize healthcare, and build industrial processes to create products from adhesives and cosmetics to jet fuel and fertilizers.
  
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• Schools need to encourage broader participation in science learning outside of the classroom

  22-08-2017 15:57
  Schools are failing to offer sufficient opportunities for students from diverse backgrounds to engage in science-based learning outside of the classroom, and should be doing more to open up participation, according to new research published in the International Journal of Science Education.
  
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• Fin24.com | Here’s how to get your Vodacom data back

  22-08-2017 15:49
  
  Network provider Vodacom has made good on its promise to reimburse customers after a data depletion error, but not everyone has been refunded.
  
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• Iran in talks to unblock Twitter, says new minister

  22-08-2017 15:40
  Iran's new communications minister said Tuesday that negotiations were underway with Twitter to unblock the service, which has been banned for years despite being used even by the country's supreme leader.
  
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• Officials: Do not eat fish caught in Shenango River

  22-08-2017 15:36
  State officials are warning people not to eat fish caught in a stretch of a western Pennsylvania river after tests found extremely high levels of a potentially dangerous chemical.
  
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• Rare white koala born at Australian zoo

  22-08-2017 15:35
  A koala at an Australian zoo has given birth to a rare white joey, staff announced Tuesday.
  
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• Personifying places can boost travel intentions

  22-08-2017 15:33
  People who see animals as people and assign human traits to non-human objects are more likely to travel to destinations that are presented as being human-like, according to Queensland University of Technology (QUT) research.
  
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• Religious affiliation impacts language use on Facebook

  22-08-2017 15:32
  Are you more likely to use words like "happy" and "family" in your social media posts? Or do you use emotional and cognitive words like "angry" and "thinking?" The words you use may be a clue to your religious affiliation. A study of 12,815 U.S. and U.K. Facebook users finds use of positive emotion and social words is associated with religious affiliation whereas use of negative emotion and cognitive processes is more common for those who are not religious than those who are religious.
  
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• Why tiger snakes are on a winner

  22-08-2017 15:31
  Australian tiger snakes have "hit the jackpot" because prey cannot evolve resistance to their venom.
  
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• Unconventional quantum systems may lead to novel optical devices

  22-08-2017 15:30
  (Phys.org)—Physicists have experimentally demonstrated an optical system based on an unconventional class of quantum mechanical systems that could lead to the development of new quantum optical devices. The system is called a "PT-symmetric quantum walk," since it consists of single photons that occupy a superposition of states, called quantum walks, that obey parity-time (PT) symmetry—the property in which a system's coordinates in space and time can have their signs reversed without
  
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