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Whirlpools on the nanoscale could multiply magnetic memory
May 22, 2013 11:04 am | by Paul Preuss, Berkeley Lab | CommentsMagnetic 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.
U.S. opens inspection into shuttered nuke plant
May 22, 2013 10:06 am | by EMERY P. DALESIO - AP Business Writer - Associated Press | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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.
Amazon River exhales virtually all carbon taken up by rain forest
May 21, 2013 2:58 pm | by Hannah Hickey, University of Washington | CommentsUntil recently people believed much of the rain forest’s carbon floated down the Amazon River and ended up deep in the ocean. Research showed a decade ago that rivers exhale huge amounts of carbon dioxide, though it left open the question of how that was possible. A new study resolves the conundrum, proving that woody plant matter is almost completely digested by bacteria living in the Amazon River.
New method for producing clean hydrogen
May 21, 2013 2:43 pm | CommentsDuke University engineers have developed a novel method for producing clean hydrogen, which could prove essential to weaning society off of fossil fuels and their environmental implications. The Duke engineers, using a new catalytic approach, have shown in the laboratory that they can reduce carbon monoxide levels to nearly zero in the presence of hydrogen and the harmless byproducts of carbon dioxide and water.
Solar industry pushes for more use in Ga.
May 21, 2013 1:25 pm | by RAY HENRY - Associated Press - Associated Press | CommentsThe solar industry in Georgia is pushing a power monopoly to expand its use of solar energy as it plans to meet the state's electricity needs over the next two decades. State utility regulators heard testimony Tuesday on the energy plans from Southern Co. subsidiary Georgia Power, which must submit new plans every three years.
Researchers find potential brain switch for new behavior
May 21, 2013 12:49 pm | CommentsYou're standing near an airport luggage carousel and your bag emerges on the conveyor belt, prompting you to spring into action. How does your brain make the shift from passively waiting to taking action when your bag appears? A new study from investigators at the University of Michigan and Eli Lilly may reveal the brain's "switch" for new behavior.
