Technology News

This desert moss has the potential to grow on Mars

The desert moss Syntrichia caninervis is a promising candidate for Mars colonization thanks to its extreme ability to tolerate harsh conditions lethal to most life forms. The moss is well known for its ability to tolerate drought conditions, but researchers now report that it can also survive freezing temperatures as low as 196 C, high levels of gamma radiation, and simulated Martian conditions involving these three stressors combined. In all cases, prior dehydration seemed to help the plants cope.
Sun, 30 Jun 2024 15:30:52 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240630153052.htm

Tiny bright objects discovered at dawn of universe baffle scientists

A recent discovery by NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) confirmed that luminous, very red objects previously detected in the early universe upend conventional thinking about the origins and evolution of galaxies and their supermassive black holes.
Fri, 28 Jun 2024 12:52:41 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240628125241.htm

Soft, stretchy electrode simulates touch sensations using electrical signals

A team of researchers has developed a soft, stretchy electronic device capable of simulating the feeling of pressure or vibration when worn on the skin. This device represents a step towards creating haptic technologies that can reproduce a more varied and realistic range of touch sensations for applications such as virtual reality, medical prosthetics and wearable technology.
Fri, 28 Jun 2024 12:52:35 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240628125235.htm

Wireless receiver blocks interference for better mobile device performance

Researchers developed a new wireless receiver that can block strong interference signals at the earliest opportunity, which could improve the performance of a mobile device.
Fri, 28 Jun 2024 12:52:27 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240628125227.htm

Study reveals why AI models that analyze medical images can be biased

Researchers have found that artificial intelligence models that are most accurate at predicting race and gender from X-ray images also show the biggest 'fairness gaps' -- that is, discrepancies in their ability to accurately diagnose images of people of different races or genders.
Fri, 28 Jun 2024 12:52:10 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240628125210.htm

Researchers develop fastest possible flow algorithm

Computer scientists have written a network flow algorithm that computes almost as fast as is mathematically possible. This algorithm computes the maximum traffic flow with minimum transport costs for any type of network. It thus solves a key question in theoretical computer science. The superfast algorithm also lays the foundation for efficiently computing very large and dynamically changing networks in the future.
Fri, 28 Jun 2024 12:52:01 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240628125201.htm

Too many missing satellite galaxies found

Bringing us one step closer to solving the 'missing satellites problem,' researchers have discovered two new satellite galaxies.
Fri, 28 Jun 2024 12:49:50 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240628124950.htm

Breakthrough research makes cancer-fighting viral agent more effective

Researchers have made a significant breakthrough by discovering that the drug 4-OI can enhance the effectiveness of a cancer-fighting viral agent. This may lead to treatment of cancers that are otherwise resistant to therapies.
Fri, 28 Jun 2024 12:49:38 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240628124938.htm

New class of Mars quakes reveals daily meteorite strikes

An international team of researchers combine orbital imagery with seismological data from NASA's Mars InSight lander to derive a new impact rate for meteorite strikes on Mars. Seismology also offers a new tool for determining the density of Mars' craters and the age of different regions of a planet.
Fri, 28 Jun 2024 12:48:57 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240628124857.htm

Visual explanations of machine learning models to estimate charge states in quantum dots

To form qubit states in semiconductor materials, it requires tuning for numerous parameters. But as the number of qubits increases, the amount of parameters also increases, thereby complicating this process. Now, researchers have automated this process, overcoming a significant barrier to realizing quantum computers.
Thu, 27 Jun 2024 23:26:23 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240627232623.htm

The future of metals research with artificial intelligence

A research team has developed an optimal artificial intelligence model to predict the yield strength of various metals, effectively addressing traditional cost and time limitations.
Thu, 27 Jun 2024 23:26:21 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240627232621.htm

Materials research revolutionized by a small change

Scientists develop the next generation of highly efficient memory materials with atom-level control.
Thu, 27 Jun 2024 17:22:55 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240627172255.htm

Synthetic fuels and chemicals from CO2: Ten experiments in parallel

Why do just one experiment at a time when you can do ten? Researchers have developed an automated system, which allows them to research catalysts, electrodes, and reaction conditions for CO2 electrolysis up to ten times faster. The system is complemented by an open-source software for data analysis.
Thu, 27 Jun 2024 17:22:45 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240627172245.htm

Light-controlled artificial maple seeds could monitor the environment even in hard-to-reach locations

Researchers have developed a tiny robot replicating the aerial dance of falling maple seeds. In the future, this robot could be used for real-time environmental monitoring or delivery of small samples even in inaccessible terrain such as deserts, mountains or cliffs, or the open sea. This technology could be a game changer for fields such as search-and-rescue, endangered species studies, or infrastructure monitoring.
Thu, 27 Jun 2024 17:22:42 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240627172242.htm

The density difference of sub-Neptunes finally deciphered

The majority of stars in our galaxy are home to planets. The most abundant are the sub-Neptunes, planets between the size of Earth and Neptune. Calculating their density poses a problem for scientists: depending on the method used to measure their mass, two populations are highlighted, the dense and the less dense. Is this due to an observational bias or the physical existence of two distinct populations of sub-Neptunes? Recent work argues for the latter.
Thu, 27 Jun 2024 17:22:26 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240627172226.htm

No more stressing out over structural formulas

Structural formulas are a source of dread for many students, but they're an essential tool in biology lessons. A study has now shown that the stress levels of students working with chemical formulas are significantly reduced if they are given simple tips on how to deal with these formulas.
Thu, 27 Jun 2024 17:22:24 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240627172224.htm

New materials: Synthetic pathway for promising nitride compounds discovered

Chemists have successfully synthesized Ruddlesden-Popper nitrides for the first time, opening the door to new materials with unique properties.
Thu, 27 Jun 2024 17:22:16 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240627172216.htm

First specific PET scan for TB could enable more effective treatment

A more accurate way to scan for tuberculosis (TB) has been developed, using positron emission tomography (PET). The team has developed a new radiotracer, which is taken up by live TB bacteria in the body. Radiotracers are radioactive compounds which give off radiation that can be detected by scanners and turned into a 3D image. The new radiotracer, called FDT, enables PET scans to be used for the first time to accurately pinpoint when and where the disease is still active in a patient's lungs.
Thu, 27 Jun 2024 17:22:01 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240627172201.htm

Just 4% of teen academy prospects play elite soccer (football)

Just four per cent of talented teen academy prospects make it to the top tier of professional football, a new study has shown. A sample of nearly 200 players, aged between 13-18, also revealed only six per cent of the budding ballers even go on to play in lower leagues.
Thu, 27 Jun 2024 17:21:37 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240627172137.htm

New deep-learning model outperforms Google AI system in predicting peptide structures

Researchers have developed a deep-learning model, called PepFlow, that can predict all possible shapes of peptides -- chains of amino acids that are shorter than proteins, but perform similar biological functions. Peptides are known to be highly flexible, taking on a wide range of folding patterns, and are thus involved in many biological processes of interest to researchers in the development of therapeutics.
Thu, 27 Jun 2024 17:21:25 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240627172125.htm

Aromatic compounds: A ring made up solely of metal atoms

The term aromaticity is a basic, long-standing concept in chemistry that is well established for ring-shaped carbon compounds. Aromatic rings consisting solely of metal atoms were, however, heretofore unknown. A research team recently succeeded in isolating such a metal ring and describing it in full.
Thu, 27 Jun 2024 17:21:14 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240627172114.htm

Cheaper, more convenient method to detect asbestos

Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) has long been the gold standard for detecting asbestos fibers in air samples drawn at construction sites. But researchers have found that a cheaper, less labor-intensive method, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), can work just as well in most cases. The new finding could help reduce the estimated $3 billion spent on asbestos remediation in this country every year.
Thu, 27 Jun 2024 17:21:07 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240627172107.htm

Common plastics could passively cool and heat buildings with the seasons

By restricting radiant heat flows between buildings and their environment to specific wavelengths, coatings engineered from common materials can achieve energy savings and thermal comfort that goes beyond what traditional building envelopes can achieve.
Thu, 27 Jun 2024 17:20:53 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240627172053.htm

Intriguing new tool for tendon healing: nanoparticles for precision drug delivery

Harnessing nanoparticles to deliver drugs precisely to a surgically repaired tendon is a promising new approach that reduced scar tissue formation and improved mechanical function.
Thu, 27 Jun 2024 17:20:19 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240627172019.htm

Characterization of the extraordinary thermoelectric properties of cadmium arsenide thin films

If there's one thing we humans are good at, it's producing heat. Significant amounts, and in many cases most of the energy we generate and put into our systems we lose as heat, whether it be our appliances, our transportation, our factories, even our electrical grid.
Thu, 27 Jun 2024 17:20:12 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240627172012.htm

Scientists use computational modeling to guide a difficult chemical synthesis

Researchers have discovered a new way to drive chemical reactions that could generate a wide variety of azetidines -- four-membered nitrogen heterocycles that have desirable pharmaceutical properties.
Thu, 27 Jun 2024 17:19:54 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240627171954.htm

New, holistic way to teach synthetic biology

Synthetic biology combines principles from science, engineering and social science, creating emerging technologies such as alternative meats and mRNA vaccines; Deconstructing synthetic biology across scales gives rise to new approach to uniting traditional disciplines; Case studies offer a modular, accessible approach to teaching at different institutions.
Thu, 27 Jun 2024 17:19:39 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240627171939.htm

Simple new process stores CO2 in concrete without compromising strength

By using carbonated -- rather than still -- water during the concrete manufacturing process, a team of engineers has discovered a new way to store carbon dioxide (CO2) in the ubiquitous construction material.
Wed, 26 Jun 2024 17:35:58 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240626173558.htm

Understanding quantum states: New research shows importance of precise topography in solid neon qubits

A new study shows new insight into the quantum state that describes the condition of electrons on an electron-on-solid-neon quantum bit, information that can help engineers build this innovative technology.
Wed, 26 Jun 2024 17:35:54 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240626173554.htm

Public perception of scientists' credibility slips

New analyses find that public perceptions of scientists' credibility -- measured as their competence, trustworthiness, and the extent to which they are perceived to share an individual's values -- remain high, but their perceived competence and trustworthiness eroded somewhat between 2023 and 2024. The research also found that public perceptions of scientists working in artificial intelligence (AI) differ from those of scientists as a whole.
Wed, 26 Jun 2024 17:35:45 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240626173545.htm

Solar technology: Innovative light-harvesting system works very efficiently

Researchers are reporting progress on the road to more efficient utilization of solar energy: They have developed an innovative light-harvesting system.
Wed, 26 Jun 2024 15:22:21 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240626152221.htm

A chip-scale Titanium-sapphire laser

With a single leap from tabletop to the microscale, engineers have produced the world's first practical Titanium-sapphire laser on a chip, democratizing a once-exclusive technology.
Wed, 26 Jun 2024 15:21:56 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240626152156.htm

Precision instrument bolsters efforts to find elusive dark energy

Dark energy -- a mysterious force pushing the universe apart at an ever-increasing rate -- was discovered 26 years ago, and ever since, scientists have been searching for a new and exotic particle causing the expansion. Physicists combined an optical lattice with an atom interferometer to hold atoms in place for up to 70 seconds -- a record for an atom interferometer -- allowing them to more precisely test for deviations from the accepted theory of gravity that could be caused by dark energy particles such as chameleons or symmetrons. Though they detected no anomalies, they're improving the experiment to perform more sensitive tests of gravity, including whether gravity is quantized.
Wed, 26 Jun 2024 15:21:50 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240626152150.htm

New tool enables faster, more cost-effective genome editing of traits to improve agriculture sustainability

New research had the goal of reducing the time and cost it takes to bring an improved crop to the marketplace to improve agriculture sustainability.
Wed, 26 Jun 2024 15:21:43 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240626152143.htm

Microrobot-packed pill shows promise for treating inflammatory bowel disease in mice

Engineers have developed a pill that releases microscopic robots, or microrobots, into the colon to treat inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The experimental treatment, given orally, has shown success in mice. It significantly reduced IBD symptoms and promoted the healing of damaged colon tissue without causing toxic side effects.
Wed, 26 Jun 2024 15:21:31 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240626152131.htm

AI generated exam answers go undetected in real-world blind test

Experienced exam markers may struggle to spot answers generated by Artificial Intelligence (AI), researchers have found.
Wed, 26 Jun 2024 15:21:20 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240626152120.htm

Mechanical computer relies on kirigami cubes, not electronics

Researchers have developed a kirigami-inspired mechanical computer that uses a complex structure of rigid, interconnected polymer cubes to store, retrieve and erase data without relying on electronic components. The system also includes a reversible feature that allows users to control when data editing is permitted and when data should be locked in place.
Wed, 26 Jun 2024 15:21:15 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240626152115.htm

Shocked quartz reveals evidence of historical cosmic airburst

Researchers continue to expand the case for the Younger Dryas Impact hypothesis. The idea proposes that a fragmented comet smashed into the Earth's atmosphere 12,800 years ago, causing a widespread climatic shift that, among other things, led to the abrupt reversal of the Earth's warming trend and into an anomalous near-glacial period called the Younger Dryas.
Wed, 26 Jun 2024 15:20:57 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240626152057.htm

Pillars of creation star in new visualization from NASA's Hubble and Webb telescopes

Made famous in 1995 by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, the Pillars of Creation in the heart of the Eagle Nebula have captured imaginations worldwide with their arresting, ethereal beauty. Now, NASA has released a new 3D visualization of these towering celestial structures using data from NASA's Hubble and James Webb space telescopes. This is the most comprehensive and detailed multiwavelength movie yet of these star-birthing clouds.
Wed, 26 Jun 2024 15:20:53 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240626152053.htm

A new study highlights potential of ultrafast laser processing for next-gen devices

A new study uncovers the remarkable potential of ultrafast lasers that could provide innovative solutions in 2D materials processing for many technology developers such as high-speed photodetectors, flexible electronics, biohybrids, and next-generation solar cells.
Wed, 26 Jun 2024 15:20:44 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240626152044.htm

Study finds innovative cuffless blood pressure device streamlines and enhances hypertension management

A study evaluated a cuffless monitor that uses optical sensors to record blood pressure continually and efficiently, without disruption to the patient.
Wed, 26 Jun 2024 15:20:38 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240626152038.htm

Scientists discover high-risk form of endometrial cancer -- and how to test for it -- using AI

A discovery promises to improve care for patients with endometrial cancer, the most common gynecologic malignancy. Using artificial intelligence (AI) to spot patterns across thousands of cancer cell images, the researchers have pinpointed a distinct subset of endometrial cancer that puts patients at much greater risk of recurrence and death, but would otherwise go unrecognized by traditional pathology and molecular diagnostics. The findings will help doctors identify patients with high-risk disease who could benefit from more comprehensive treatment.
Wed, 26 Jun 2024 15:20:24 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240626152024.htm

An optical lens that senses gas

A research team has developed a small optical lens, only a few millimeters in size, whose refractive behavior changes in the presence of gas. This 'intelligent' behavior of the micro-lens is enabled by the hybrid glass material from which it is made. The molecular structure of the lens consists of a three-dimensional lattice with cavities that can accommodate gas molecules, thereby affecting the optical properties of the material.
Wed, 26 Jun 2024 15:20:12 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240626152012.htm

Towards non-toxic antifouling agents: A novel method for total synthesis of scabrolide F

Norcembranolide diterpenes, isolated from the soft corals of the genus Sinularia, are important compounds for the development of new drugs, owing to their diverse biological activities. However, total synthesis methods for these compounds are scarce. Now, a team of researchers has achieved the total synthesis of scabrolide F, a norcembranolide diterpene. They also revealed its non-toxic antifouling properties. This novel method can lead to the development of new drugs and antifouling agents.
Wed, 26 Jun 2024 15:20:07 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240626152007.htm

Surprising phosphate finding in NASA's OSIRIS-REx asteroid sample

Early analysis of the asteroid Bennu sample returned by NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission has revealed dust rich in carbon, nitrogen, and organic compounds, all of which are essential components for life as we know it. Dominated by clay minerals, particularly serpentine, the sample mirrors the type of rock found at mid-ocean ridges on Earth. The magnesium-sodium phosphate found in the sample hints that the asteroid could have splintered off from an ancient, small, primitive ocean world.
Wed, 26 Jun 2024 15:19:25 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240626151925.htm

Light-weight microscope captures large-scale brain activity of mice on the move

With a new microscope that's as light as a penny, researchers can now observe broad swaths of the brain in action as mice move about and interact with their environments.
Wed, 26 Jun 2024 15:19:13 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240626151913.htm

Researchers develop new training technique that aims to make AI systems less socially biased

Researchers have created a new, cost-effective training technique for artificial intelligence systems that aims to make them less socially biased.
Tue, 25 Jun 2024 21:00:27 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240625210027.htm

Researchers discover new flat electronic bands, paving way for advanced quantum materials

Scientists predict the existence of flat electronic bands at the Fermi level, a finding that could enable new forms of quantum computing and electronic devices.
Tue, 25 Jun 2024 20:59:43 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240625205943.htm

Your future medications could be personalized for you on a 3D printer

Scientists are helping to develop standards and safety protocols that would allow pharmacies to print drugs onsite at a dosage best for you.
Tue, 25 Jun 2024 20:56:49 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240625205649.htm

Next platform for brain-inspired computing

Computers have come so far in terms of their power and potential, rivaling and even eclipsing human brains in their ability to store and crunch data, make predictions and communicate. But there is one domain where human brains continue to dominate: energy efficiency.
Tue, 25 Jun 2024 20:56:46 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240625205646.htm

Wildfires increasingly threaten oil and gas drill sites, compounding potential health risks

More than 100,000 oil and gas wells across the western U.S. are in areas burned by wildfires in recent decades, a new study has found, and some 3 million people live next to wells that in the future could be in the path of fires worsened by climate change.
Tue, 25 Jun 2024 20:56:44 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240625205644.htm

New evidence for how heat is transported below the sun's surface

Solar physicists have revealed the interior structure of the sun's supergranules, a flow structure that transports heat from the sun's hidden interior to its surface. The researchers' analysis of the supergranules presents a challenge to the current understanding of solar convection.
Tue, 25 Jun 2024 20:56:38 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240625205638.htm

Moving objects precisely with sound

Researchers have succeeded in directing floating objects around an aquatic obstacle course using only soundwaves. Their novel, optics-inspired method holds great promise for biomedical applications such as noninvasive targeted drug delivery.
Tue, 25 Jun 2024 20:56:34 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240625205634.htm

Telltale greenhouse gases could signal alien activity

If aliens modified a planet in their solar system to make it warmer, we'd be able to tell. A new study identifies the artificial greenhouse gases that would be giveaways of a terraformed planet.
Tue, 25 Jun 2024 20:56:32 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240625205632.htm

Robots face the future

Researchers have found a way to bind engineered skin tissue to the complex forms of humanoid robots. This brings with it potential benefits to robotic platforms such as increased mobility, self-healing abilities, embedded sensing capabilities and an increasingly lifelike appearance. Taking inspiration from human skin ligaments, the team included special perforations in a robot face, which helped a layer of skin take hold.
Tue, 25 Jun 2024 20:50:41 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240625205041.htm

3D-printed chip sensor detects foodborne pathogens for safer products

Researchers have developed a new method for detecting foodborne pathogens that is faster, cheaper, and more effective than existing methods. Their microfluidic chip uses light to detect multiple types of pathogens simultaneously and is created using 3D printing, making it easy to fabricate in large amounts and modify to target specific pathogens. The researchers hope their technique can improve screening processes and keep contaminated food out of the hands of consumers.
Tue, 25 Jun 2024 20:50:37 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240625205037.htm

Marsquakes may help reveal whether liquid water exists underground on red planet

If liquid water exists today on Mars, it may be too deep underground to detect with traditional methods used on Earth. But listening to earthquakes that occur on Mars -- or marsquakes -- could offer a new tool in the search.
Tue, 25 Jun 2024 20:49:21 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240625204921.htm

First of its kind detection made in striking new Webb image

For the first time, a phenomenon astronomers have long hoped to directly image has been captured by NASA's James Webb Space Telescope's Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam). In this stunning image of the Serpens Nebula, the discovery lies in the northern area of this young, nearby star-forming region.
Mon, 24 Jun 2024 12:56:43 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240624125643.htm

Meet CARMEN, a robot that helps people with mild cognitive impairment

Meet CARMEN, short for Cognitively Assistive Robot for Motivation and Neurorehabilitation -- a small, tabletop robot designed to help people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) learn skills to improve memory, attention, and executive functioning at home.
Mon, 24 Jun 2024 12:56:40 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240624125640.htm

Geologists expect Chang'e-6 lunar surface samples to contain volcanic rock and impact ejecta

On June 25, China's Chang'e-6 (CE-6) lunar probe is set to return to Earth, carrying the first surface samples collected from the farside of the Moon. In anticipation of this historic event, scientists are publishing their predictions for the unique materials that may be found in the CE-6 samples.
Mon, 24 Jun 2024 12:56:33 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240624125633.htm