Technologies & Strategies That Enable R&D
The Lead
Whirlpools on the nanoscale could multiply magnetic memory
May 22, 2013 11:04 am | by Paul Preuss, Berkeley Lab | News | Comments
Magnetic memories store bits of information in discrete units whose electron spins all line up in parallel, pointing one way or the opposite to signify a one or a zero. At the Advanced Light Source, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory scientists recently joined an international team to advance a new concept in magnetic memory, one in which spin orientation is controlled in magnetic nanodisks, allowing multi-bit storage.
2013 R&D 100 Awards: Deadline Approaches
March 21, 2013 2:00 pm | Articles | Comments
There is still time to prepare your entry in the 51st Annual R&D 100 Awards...
Multitasking plasmonic nanobubbles kill some cells, modify others
December 3, 2012 3:30 pm | by Mike Williams, Rice University | News | Comments
Researchers at Rice University have found a way to kill some diseased cells and treat others in...
Geoscientists cite need for basic research to unleash new energy sources
December 3, 2012 12:26 pm | News | Comments
Geological and environmental challenges facing developers of renewable energy and shale gas...
Theorists weigh in on where to hunt dark matter
May 22, 2013 11:26 am | News | CommentsNow that it looks like the hunt for the Higgs boson is over, particles of dark matter are at the top of the physics "Most Wanted" list. Dozens of experiments have been searching for them, but often come up with contradictory results. Theorists from the Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology believe they've come up with an algorithm that could help narrow the search for these elusive particles.
Power of Moore tornado dwarfs Hiroshima bomb
May 22, 2013 11:16 am | by Seth Borenstein, AP Science Writer | News | CommentsOn Tuesday, the National Weather Service gave the recent Moore, Okla., tornado the top-of-the-scale rating of EF5 for wind speed and breadth, and severity of damage. Wind speeds were estimated at between 200 and 210 mph. Everything had to come together just perfectly to create this killer tornado: wind speed, moisture in the air, temperature, and timing.
Test lead to doubling of fuel cell life
May 22, 2013 11:07 am | News | CommentsResearchers working to improve durability in fuel cell-powered buses, including a team from Simon Fraser University in Canada, have discovered links between electrode degradation processes and bus membrane durability. The team is quantifying the effects of electrode degradation stressors in the operating cycle of the bus on the membrane lifetime.
600-V Power Supply
May 22, 2013 10:30 am | Product Releases | CommentsHoefer Inc. has introduced a 600-V power supply to its range of electrophoresis power supplies. This mid-range power supply unit is designed for electrophoresis and blotting techniques including large-format and high-throughput applications.
Analysis Software for USB Protocol Analyzers
May 22, 2013 10:27 am | Product Releases | CommentsAgilent Technologies Inc. has introduced a new analysis software suite for the U4611A, U4611B, and U4612A family of USB protocol analyzers. The suite features MegaZoom technology, offering USB device designers insight into their designs’ behavior, and streamlining USB test and validation.
U.S. opens inspection into shuttered nuke plant
May 22, 2013 10:06 am | by EMERY P. DALESIO - AP Business Writer - Associated Press | News | CommentsFederal regulators are launching a special inspection of a nuclear power plant outside North Carolina's capital city that was forced to shut down last week. A Nuclear Regulatory Commission spokesman said Wednesday that two specialists will study what led up to the shutdown after a problem was uncovered using year-old data.
Researchers develop radioactive nanoparticles that target cancer cells
May 22, 2013 9:09 am | News | CommentsScientists in Missouri have successfully created nanoparticles made of a radioactive form of the element lutetium. By covering these particles with gold shells and attaching targeting agents, they have a tool that can seek out dangerous secondary lymphoma tumors. They recently demonstrated the nanoparticles can find the tumors without attaching to or damaging healthy cells.
Study: Nation equipped to grow serious amounts of pond scum for fuel
May 22, 2013 9:02 am | by Tom Rickey, PNNL | News | CommentsA new analysis shows that the nation's land and water resources could likely support the growth of enough algae to produce up to 25 billion gallons of algae-based fuel a year in the United States, one-twelfth of the country's yearly needs. The findings come from an in-depth look at the water resources that would be needed to grow significant amounts of algae in large, specially built shallow ponds.
Computational study tracks E. coli cells’ regulatory mechanisms
May 22, 2013 8:58 am | News | CommentsEnvironment is not the only factor in shaping cell regulatory patterns—and it might not even be the primary factor, according to a new Rice University study that looks at how cells’ protein networks relate to a bacteria’s genome. When environmental factors are eliminated from an evolutionary model, the researchers say, mutations and genetic drift can give rise to the patterns that appear.
Research suggests modular design competence can benefit new product development
May 22, 2013 8:52 am | News | CommentsSupplier integration refers to a supplier providing information and participating in decision-making during the development of new products and processes. A new research study suggests that supplier integration into the new product development process can be more beneficial if buyers increase their competency in conceiving of products in terms of modules that can be modified without changing an overall product design.
New technique may open new era of atomic-scale semiconductor devices
May 22, 2013 8:08 am | News | CommentsResearchers at North Carolina State University have developed a new technique for creating high-quality semiconductor thin films at the atomic scale—meaning the films are only one atom thick. The technique can be used to create these thin films on a large scale, sufficient to coat wafers that are two inches wide, or larger.
Atomic-scale investigations solve key puzzle of LED efficiency
May 22, 2013 7:58 am | News | CommentsFrom the high-resolution glow of flat screen televisions to light bulbs that last for years, light-emitting diodes (LEDs) continue to transform technology. Their full potential, however, remains untapped. A contentious controversy surrounds the high intensity of indium gallium nitride, with experts split on whether or not indium-rich clusters within the material provide the LED's remarkable efficiency.
Method unveiled for tailoring optical processors
May 22, 2013 7:36 am | News | CommentsRice University scientists have unveiled a robust new method for arranging metal nanoparticles in geometric patterns that can act as optical processors that transform incoming light signals into output of a different color. The team used the method to create an optical device in which incoming light could be directly controlled with light via a process known as “four-wave mixing.”
Biogen submits new MS drug for FDA approval
May 21, 2013 3:13 pm | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsSpecialty drugmaker Biogen Idec said Tuesday it submitted a new injectable multiple sclerosis drug to the Food and Drug Administration for U.S. market approval. The drug, called Plegridy, is intended to treat patients with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis.
Research shows how cosmic impact sparked devastating climate change
May 21, 2013 3:03 pm | by Tom Robinette, University of Cincinnati | News | CommentsAn international team of researchers may have found what cause a dramatic cooling near the end of the last major Ice Age more than 12,000 years ago. The recently published study, which involved the study of rock melted into carbon spherules, describes evidence of a major cosmic event near the end of the Ice Age. The ensuing climate change forced many species to adapt or die.
