http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/matter_energy/ News in Engineering, Chemistry and Physics. Read about energy news, nanotechnology and more. Full-text, images, free. en-us Sun, 08 Nov 2009 19:05:01 EST Sun, 08 Nov 2009 19:05:01 EST 60 http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gif http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/matter_energy/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091106201101.htm Pay attention, Shaq: Two engineers have figured out the best way to shoot a free throw -- a frequently underappreciated skill that gets more important as the game clock winds down. Sun, 08 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091106201101.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105121213.htm Most biopsies following mammograms reveal benign abnormalities, not cancer. But women may not have to endure the medical costs, stress and potential complications that accompany such invasive biopsies forever. A biomedical engineering researcher is making progress on an "optical biopsy" that has the potential to determine whether growths are cancerous without ever puncturing the skin. Sun, 08 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105121213.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091106194235.htm A novel method of detection of cervical cancer cells has now been developed. The method uses nonspecific adhesion of silica beads to cells. Sun, 08 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091106194235.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104132700.htm Technological advance in the study of gene expression and regulation in the genome's 3-D folding and looping state through the development of a novel technology. Sun, 08 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104132700.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091106102658.htm Researchers in Spain have designed a system for the mobility of military troops within a battlefield following the mechanisms used by ant colonies to move. The scientists have used settings of Panzer General, a commercial war video game, for the development of this software. Sat, 07 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091106102658.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091106084245.htm The future for magentic nanoparticles (mNPs) appears bright With the design of "theranostic" molecules. Magentic nanoparticles could play a crucial role in developing one-stop tools to simultaneously diagnose, monitor and treat a wide range of common diseases and injuries. Sat, 07 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091106084245.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104101539.htm A dentist carrying out root canal treatment will need to use a variety of compounds. These do not always bond together properly and sometimes expensive follow-up treatment has to be performed. But a new class of material meets the requirements, and solves the problem. Sat, 07 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104101539.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104111737.htm A theoretical physicist has developed a method for calculating the motions and forces of thousands of atoms simultaneously over a wider range of time scales than previously possible. The method overcomes a longstanding timing gap in modeling nanometer-scale materials and many other physical, chemical and biological systems at atomic and molecular levels. Sat, 07 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104111737.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105172421.htm As global temperatures and energy costs continue to soar, renewable sources of energy will be key to a sustainable future. An attractive replacement for gasoline is biofuel, and in two new studies, scientists have analyzed the genome structures of bioethanol-producing microorganisms, uncovering genetic clues that will be critical in developing new technologies needed to implement production on a global scale. Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105172421.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104132819.htm Materials scientists have come up with what they believe is a new way to model the formation of glasses, a type of amorphous solid that includes common window glass. Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104132819.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105132454.htm Scientists are making progress toward development of an "artificial leaf" that mimics a real leaf's chemical magic with photosynthesis -- but instead converts sunlight and water into a liquid fuel such as methanol for cars and trucks. Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105132454.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105132500.htm LifeFlow is a new device that applies a sophisticated algorithm to a computer-controlled IV drip to improve the efficiency of disaster response in the field. Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105132500.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091019122840.htm Researchers have previously been able to analyse which sugar structures are to be found on certain proteins, but not exactly where on the protein they are positioned. Fri, 06 Nov 2009 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091019122840.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102111834.htm A new generation of high-energy (>kJ) petawatt (HEPW) lasers is being constructed worldwide to study high intensity laser matter interactions, including fast ignition. Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102111834.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091106102700.htm An international team of scientists has shown how the chemistry of surface reactions underpinning catalysis can be modeled accurately with computers. Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091106102700.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091106102656.htm The manufacture of parts by compaction and sintering involves filling a die with metal powder. Research scientists have simulated this process for the first time to achieve an evenly distributed powder density. This improves the cost-efficiency of sintering. Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091106102656.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091106102654.htm Polishing metal surfaces is a demanding but monotonous task, and it is difficult to find qualified young specialists. Polishing machines do not represent an adequate alternative because they cannot get to difficult parts of the surface. A new solution is provided by laser polishers. Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091106102654.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091106095640.htm SNM applauds the US House of Representatives for its passage of H.R. 3276 -- the American Medical Isotopes Production Act of 2009. Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091106095640.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104132702.htm New insight into how nature handles some fundamental processes is guiding researchers in the design of tailor-made proteins for applications such as artificial photosynthetic centers, long-range electron transfers, and fuel-cell catalysts for energy conversion. Thu, 05 Nov 2009 23:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104132702.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104101623.htm Using portable 3-D laser technology, scientists have electronically preserved a rare 110 million-year-old fossilized dinosaur footprint excavated in 1933, and built into the wall of a bandstand at a Texas courthouse. The laser image preserves an original track used to describe a species of dinosaur identified in 1935 as ichnospecies Eubrontes glenrosensis. Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104101623.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104101628.htm The eyes may be the mirror to the soul, but the iris reveals a person's true identity. A new report demonstrates that iris recognition algorithms can maintain their accuracy even with compact images, affirming their potential for large-scale identity management applications. Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104101628.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102171217.htm Researchers have improved an enzyme that degrades dense scar tissue that forms when the central nervous system is damaged -- and developed a new system to deliver it, ultimately enabling spinal cord regeneration. Thu, 05 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102171217.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104000927.htm In their natural form, conch pearls are among the rarest pearls in the world. For more than 25 years, all attempts at culturing pearls from the queen conch have been unsuccessful -- until now. For the first time, novel and proprietary seeding techniques to produce beaded and non-beaded high-quality cultured pearls from the queen conch have been developed by scientists. Thu, 05 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104000927.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104132708.htm Professor Yosi Shacham-Diamand of Tel Aviv University's Department of Engineering, working with a team of European Union scientists, has successfully wired a state-of-the-art artificial hand to existing nerve endings in the stump of a severed arm. The device, called "SmartHand," resembles -- in function, sensitivity and appearance -- a real hand. Thu, 05 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104132708.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102103325.htm A time-varying bubble of electron density in the wake of an ultra-intense laser pulse traps the ambient plasma electrons and accelerates them to high energy producing collimated monoenergetic beams for medical, technological, and physics applications. Thu, 05 Nov 2009 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102103325.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104101625.htm Searching for a needle in a haystack may seem futile, but it's worth it if the needle is a hard-to-detect protein that may identify a person prone to a heart attack. Researchers have taken the first steps toward standardizing the measurement of a blood protein whose presence in higher-than-normal levels may predict an elevated risk for cardiovascular disease. Thu, 05 Nov 2009 02:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104101625.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102112050.htm A telemedicine system based on a modified version of the Bluetooth wireless protocol can transfer patient data, such as medical images from patient to the health-care provider's mobile device for patient assessment almost four times as fast as conventional Bluetooth and without the intermittent connectivity problems. Thu, 05 Nov 2009 02:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102112050.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105143712.htm University of Utah chemists demonstrated the first conclusive link between the size of catalyst particles on a solid surface, their electronic properties and their ability to speed chemical reactions. The study is a step toward the goal of designing cheaper, more efficient catalysts to increase energy production, reduce Earth-warming gases and manufacture a wide variety of goods from medicines to gasoline. Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105143712.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105121037.htm A boat tail, a tapering protrusion mounted on the rear of a truck, leads to fuel savings of 7.5 percent. This is due to dramatically improved aerodynamics, as shown by road tests conducted by the Dutch PART (Platform for Aerodynamic Road Transport) public-private partnership platform. Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105121037.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091103145607.htm The common household chemical hydrogen peroxide, also made naturally by living cells, appears to be involved in regulation of circadian rhythms, according to a new study. Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091103145607.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091103144822.htm Engineers are assessing systematic production methods that could make the costs of algae oil production more reasonable, helping move the U.S. from fossil fuel dependency to renewable energy replacements. Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091103144822.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029161253.htm Scientists have developed a new building material that is fire resistant to temperatures in excess of 1100 degrees Celsius, is made largely from recycled material and is as versatile as concrete. Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029161253.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029211534.htm North American car manufacturers have come bottom of the league in the largest ever international study of the global automobile sector's sustainability performance. Wed, 04 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029211534.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091103121611.htm Longer toes and a unique ankle structure provide sprinters with the burst of acceleration that separates them from other runners, according to biomechanists. Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091103121611.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091103153752.htm Laser labeling of fruit and vegetables is used to "etch" information on produce, thereby eliminating the need for common sticker-type labels. The technology has been licensed for use on a variety of fruits and vegetables and is being used in New Zealand, Australia and Pacific Rim countries. Researchers in Florida who studied the impact of this new technology indicate the technology will offer the grapefruit industry a safe alternative to adhesive sticker labeling. Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091103153752.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091026105748.htm A Dutch researcher has shown that the yield of propene can be increased by adding cerium oxide during the production process. Propene is an important raw material for the chemical industry and its uses include the production of medical equipment. However, it is difficult to produce. Wed, 04 Nov 2009 02:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091026105748.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104140812.htm Physicists have created a quantum gas microscope that can be used to observe single atoms at temperatures so low the particles follow the rules of quantum mechanics, behaving in bizarre ways. The work represents the first time scientists have detected single atoms in a crystalline structure made solely of light, called a Bose Hubbard optical lattice. Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104140812.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104132821.htm Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's Julio Friedmann, in collaboration with the Center for American Progress, the Asia Society Center and with partner Monitor Group, today released the report, "A Roadmap for US-China Collaboration on Carbon Capture and Sequestration." Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104132821.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104123041.htm A new study shows that amputees who use running-specific prosthetic legs have no performance advantage over counterparts who use their biological legs. Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104123041.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104123029.htm Engineering researchers have fabricated a palm-sized, automated, micro-injector that can insert proteins, DNA and other biomolecules into individual cells at volumes exponentially higher than current procedures, and at a fraction of the cost. This will allow scientists to vastly increase preclinical trials for drug development and genetic engineering, and provide greater control of the process. Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104123029.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104122534.htm Scientists in Canada are reporting the development of a fast, inexpensive "dipstick" test to identify small amounts of pesticides that may exist in foods and beverages. Their paper-strip test is more practical than conventional pesticide tests, producing results in minutes rather than hours by means of an easy-to-read color-change, they say. Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104122534.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104122524.htm Predictions of grape yields are extremely important to juice processors and wineries but until recently, forecasting yields has relied on expensive and labor-intensive hand-sampling methods. However, a new approach, Trellis Tension Monitor has been developed that works by detecting weight change on trellised grapevines as the vine and grapes grow. Using 10 commercial vineyards, researchers found that TTM produced more-accurate estimates of yield than previous methods. Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104122524.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104122522.htm New scientific discoveries are moving society toward the era of "personalized solar energy," in which the focus of electricity production shifts from huge central generating stations to individuals in their own homes and communities. Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104122522.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104101543.htm Researchers are working to develop futuristic communications systems that could help protect frontline troops. Building on work completed recently for the UK Ministry of Defence, the project is aimed at investigating the use of arrays of highly specialized antennas that could be worn by combat troops to provide covert short-range person-to-person battleground communications. Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104101543.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091103144818.htm First responders who were exposed to caustic dust and toxic pollutants following the 2001 World Trade Center terrorist attacks suffer from asthma at more than twice the rate of the general US population, according to new data. Tue, 03 Nov 2009 23:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091103144818.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091101132539.htm A tiny cage of gold covered with a smart polymer responds to light, opening to empty its contents and resealing when the light is turned off. The smart nanocages could be used to deliver drugs directly to target sites, thus avoiding systemic side effects. Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091101132539.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102172517.htm Converting sunlight to electricity might no longer mean large panels of photovoltaic cells atop flat surfaces like roofs. Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102172517.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102172043.htm Researchers are collaborating on a study to determine if an imaging technique used by NASA to inspect the space shuttle can be used to predict tissue damage often experienced by breast cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy. The study is examining the utility of three-dimensional thermal tomography in radiation oncology. Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102172043.htm