Alternative energy crops in space

Mar 9 | News

What if space held the key to producing alternative energy crops on Earth? That's what researchers are hoping to find in a new experiment on the International Space Station. The experiment, National Lab Pathfinder-Cells 3, is aimed at learning whether microgravity can help jatropha curcas plant cells grow faster to produce biofuel, or renewable fuel derived from biological matter.

Lunar tires, space MRSA, and resonating microfluidics

Mar 5 | RDBlog

I typically attend the annual Pittsburgh Conference on Analytical Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy each year in pursuit of specific coverage. This year, I sought out candidates for coverage in a vacuum technology article, and pulled together some instruments for a spectroscopy guide. But as busy as that kept me, it wasn’t all mass spectrometers and vacuum pumps on the show floor.  

New energy source comes from the common pea

Mar 5 | News

If harnessing the unlimited solar power of the sun were easy, we wouldn't still have the greenhouse gas problem that results from the use of fossil fuel. And while solar energy systems work moderately well in hot desert climates, they are still inefficient and contribute only a small percentage of the general energy demand. A new solution may be coming from an unexpected source—a source that may be on your dinner plate tonight.

Smaller Analytics

12/21/2009 | Featured Articles

Small, fast, and cost effective–those are the three words that most scientific laboratories look for in their analytical equipment. However, full-size laboratory equipment may seem like the only option for laboratories looking for highly accurate and high resolution analytical tools.

Genome of maize, most important U.S. crop, is finally published

11/20/2009 | News

Spanning 2.3 billion DNA base-pairs and containing about 32,500 genes, the maize genome has one-third more information than the human genome. This sequencing task, accomplished by Cold Spring Harbor Lab and several universities, is a landmark because it not only captures the reference version of maize, but also the haplotype map.

Industry partners join to make smarter cooking appliances

11/20/2009 | News

Dassault Systèmes and IBM have teamed up with Panasonic to accelerate the introduction of induced heating (IH) appliances, such as flat cooktops, into the Japanese market. These appliances generate heat through a process known as Joule heating or the transfer of heat through an electromagnetic field.

Additive copper-zinc interaction affects toxic response in soybean

11/11/2009 | News

Researchers at Cornell Univ. have investigated the copper-zinc interaction in two soils with different textures, using soybean growth and metal uptake into leaves to evaluate both toxicity and availability of these metals to the plants. Soybean crops were grown in pots in the field in two successive years after allowing copper and zinc sulfate-amended soils to age in the field for one year prior to the first planting.  

Scientist of the Year - Dr. Thomas C. Sparks

11/2/2009 | Scientist Of The Year

By some estimates, there are more than a million insect species in this world. Only a small percentage of this number is detrimental to the quality of our lives, but these are the species that drive research by scientists like Dr. Thomas C. Sparks, R&D Magazine’s 44th Scientist of the Year. The entomologist’s job is to know these insects, even down to the molecular level, to discover ways to keep them from destroying a very precious commodity: our food.

Understanding Contract Labs

10/21/2009 | Featured Articles

With pressure to get new products to market, companies are faced with meeting rigorous standards and the time consuming development and testing to make their products market ready. Since the development process is time consuming, taking from months, up to years, there is no doubt that outside, unbiased help could be beneficial. When faced with deadlines, companies turn to contract laboratories to meet their needs.

'Killer spices' provide eco-friendly pesticides for organic fruits and veggies

8/16/2009 | News

Researchers are reporting that well-known spices such as rosemary, thyme, clove and mint are becoming organic agriculture's key weapons against insect pests as the industry tries to satisfy demands for fruits and veggies among the growing portion of consumers who want food produced in more natural...

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Much ado about next to nothing

Mar 15

The recent review of the past 10 years of the National Nanotechnology Initiative--as presented by the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology--suggested the rise of nanomanufacturing as the near future of nanotechnology. But the actual proposed funding reflects a cautious approach, even about nanotech in general.

Lunar tires, space MRSA, and resonating microfluidics

Mar 5

I typically attend the annual Pittsburgh Conference on Analytical Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy each year in pursuit of specific coverage. This year, I sought out candidates for coverage in a vacuum technology article, and pulled together some instruments for a spectroscopy guide. But as busy as that kept me, it wasn’t all mass spectrometers and vacuum pumps on the show floor.  

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NuGard Coating Ashburn Hill

Jan 7

NuGard First Response Protective Clothing are lightweight coveralls, jackets, and pants that provide protection from heat and flame while keeping the wearers body temperature constant.

Multi-Touch Music Maker

Jan 7

Professor David Wessel shows his multi-touch interface that uses computer technologies that allow him to experiment with fine controls to "caress" the instrument.