ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• NASA Proposes Orion Spacecraft Test Flight In 2014; Agency Moves to Implement Deep Space Exploration Plan
• NASA develops super-black material that absorbs light across multiple wavelength bands
• Battered Tharsis Tholus volcano on Mars
• Galaxy DNA-analysis software is now available 'in the cloud'
• Researchers create extra-long electrical arcs using less energy
• New hybrid detector monitors alpha, beta, and gamma radiation simultaneously
• For new microscope images, less is more
• 'Noise' tunes logic circuit made from virus genes
• Precipitation variability in Northeast, Southwest linked in 1,000-year analysis
• Twitter tweets chart the social whirl
• Pre-birth brain growth problems linked to autism, study shows
• Surgical procedure does not appear to reduce risk of subsequent stroke for patients who have had 'mini-stroke'
• Cardiac stress imaging procedures more frequent among patients seen by physicians who provide and bill for these procedures
• Abnormal number of neurons in brains of children with autism, preliminary study finds
• Autism linked with excess of neurons in prefrontal cortex
• Hi-tech scans catch prehistoric mite hitching ride on spider
• Conservation scientists 'unanimous' in expectations of serious loss of biological diversity, study shows
• Which way you lean -- physically -- affects your decision-making
• Wood biofuel could be a competitive industry by 2020
• What the brain sees after the eye stops looking
• Adult living donor liver transplants safe, study finds
• Drinking water from plastic pipes: Is it harmful?
• Non-sticky chewing gum developed
• Diabetes linked to cognitive impairment in older adults, study suggests
• We all experience fantasy differently, which determines how much we enjoy it
• Carbon monoxide: The silent calmer? Inhaling low levels of CO reduces the impact of environmental stress, study suggests
• Can metals remember their shape at nanoscale, too?
• Infants with high hemoglobin concentration who received iron-fortified formula have poorer long-term developmental outcomes
• Routine iron fortification of infant formula linked to poorer development
• Farmed fish fed vegetable matter may have residual pesticides
• Ice Age paintings from the Swabian Jura, Southwestern Germany document the earliest painting tradition in Central Europe
• Generating ethanol from lignocellulose possible, but large cost reductions still needed
• NASA captures new images of large asteroid passing Earth
• Removing sugar-sweetened beverages from schools associated with reduced access to, but not consumption of these beverages among adolescents
• Neuromuscular warm-up associated with reduced lower extremity injuries in adolescent female athletes
• Web-based intervention appears ineffective for preventing weight gain in adolescents
• Study characterizes epigenetic signatures of autism in brain tissue
• Multi-site study finds wide variation in best-estimate clinical diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders
• Racial and ethnic variations in substance-related disorders among adolescents
• Ancient DNA provides new insights into cave paintings of horses
• Sea life 'must swim faster to survive' to survive climate change
• Economic cost of advanced liver disease
• Aging could influence climate change: Individual carbon dioxide emissions decline in old age
• Secrets of tunneling through energy barriers: How massless electrons tunnel through energy barriers in a carbon sheet called graphene

NASA Proposes Orion Spacecraft Test Flight In 2014; Agency Moves to Implement Deep Space Exploration Plan Posted: 08 Nov 2011 06:32 PM PST NASA plans to add an unmanned flight test of the Orion spacecraft in early 2014 to its contract with Lockheed Martin Space Systems for the multi-purpose crew vehicle's design, development, test and evaluation. This test supports the new Space Launch System that will take astronauts farther into space than ever before.

NASA develops super-black material that absorbs light across multiple wavelength bands Posted: 08 Nov 2011 06:30 PM PST NASA engineers have produced a material that absorbs on average more than 99 percent of the ultraviolet, visible, infrared, and far-infrared light that hits it -- a development that promises to open new frontiers in space technology.

Battered Tharsis Tholus volcano on Mars Posted: 08 Nov 2011 06:26 PM PST The latest image released from Mars Express reveals a large extinct volcano that has been battered and deformed over the eons. By Earthly standards, Tharsis Tholus is a giant, towering 8 kilometers above the surrounding terrain, with a base stretching over 155 x 125 km. Yet on Mars, it is just an average-sized volcano. What marks it out as unusual is its battered condition.

Galaxy DNA-analysis software is now available 'in the cloud' Posted: 08 Nov 2011 05:15 PM PST Galaxy -- an open-source, web-based platform for data-intensive biomedical and genetic research -- is now available as a "cloud computing" resource. The new technology will help scientists and biomedical researchers to harness such tools as DNA-sequencing and analysis software, as well as storage capacity for large quantities of scientific data.

Researchers create extra-long electrical arcs using less energy Posted: 08 Nov 2011 05:15 PM PST Photos taken by the researchers show plasma arcs up to 60 meters long casting an eerie blue glow over buildings and trees at the High Voltage Laboratory at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand.

New hybrid detector monitors alpha, beta, and gamma radiation simultaneously Posted: 08 Nov 2011 05:15 PM PST By combining three layers of detection into one new device, a team of researchers from Japan has proposed a new way to monitor radiation levels at power plant accident sites. The device would be more economical that using different devices to measure different types of radiation, and could limit the exposure times of clean-up workers by taking three measurements simultaneously.

For new microscope images, less is more Posted: 08 Nov 2011 05:15 PM PST When people email photos, they sometimes compress the images, removing redundant information and thus reducing the file size. Compression is generally thought of as something to do to data after it has been collected, but mathematicians have recently figured out a way to use similar principles to drastically reduce the amount of data that needs to be gathered in the first place. Now scientists have utilized this new theory, called compression sensing, to build a microscope that can make images of molecular vibrations with higher resolution and in less time than conventional methods. The microscope provides chemists with a powerful new experimental tool.

'Noise' tunes logic circuit made from virus genes Posted: 08 Nov 2011 05:15 PM PST In the world of engineering, "noise" – random fluctuations from environmental sources such as heat – is generally a bad thing. In electronic circuits, it is unavoidable, and as circuits get smaller and smaller, noise has a greater and more detrimental effect on a circuit's performance. Now some scientists are saying: if you can't beat it, use it.

Precipitation variability in Northeast, Southwest linked in 1,000-year analysis Posted: 08 Nov 2011 05:15 PM PST An analysis of precipitation data collected from a lakebed in New York and a Rhode Island estuary has provided a link between the variability of precipitation in the Northeast with that of the Southwest. The results validate climate models that predict an increasing number of extreme weather events.

Twitter tweets chart the social whirl Posted: 08 Nov 2011 05:14 PM PST The senior project of two computer science students aggregates Twitter 'tweets" into a real-time events guide.

Pre-birth brain growth problems linked to autism, study shows Posted: 08 Nov 2011 05:07 PM PST Children with autism have more brain cells and heavier brains compared to typically developing children, according to researchers. The small, preliminary study provides direct evidence for possible prenatal causes of autism.

Surgical procedure does not appear to reduce risk of subsequent stroke for patients who have had 'mini-stroke' Posted: 08 Nov 2011 05:07 PM PST Patients with thickening and blockage of the internal carotid artery (supplies blood to the brain) and hemodynamic cerebral ischemia (insufficient blood flow to the brain, sub-type of stroke) who had a surgical procedure performed to improve blood flow in the artery did not have a reduced rate of stroke after two years compared to similar patients who received medical therapy alone, according to a new study.

Cardiac stress imaging procedures more frequent among patients seen by physicians who provide and bill for these procedures Posted: 08 Nov 2011 05:07 PM PST Patients treated by physicians who billed for both technical (practice/equipment) and professional (supervision/ interpretation) components of nuclear and echocardiographic stress imaging tests were more likely to undergo such tests after coronary revascularization compared with patients of physicians who did not bill for these services, according to a new study.

Abnormal number of neurons in brains of children with autism, preliminary study finds Posted: 08 Nov 2011 05:07 PM PST In a small, preliminary study that included 13 male children, those with autism had an average 67 percent more prefrontal brain neurons and larger than average brain weight, than children without autism.

Autism linked with excess of neurons in prefrontal cortex Posted: 08 Nov 2011 05:05 PM PST A new study shows that brain overgrowth in boys with autism involves an abnormal, excess number of neurons in areas of the brain associated with social, communication and cognitive development.

Hi-tech scans catch prehistoric mite hitching ride on spider Posted: 08 Nov 2011 04:51 PM PST Scientists have produced amazing three-dimensional images of a prehistoric mite as it hitched a ride on the back of a 50-million-year-old spider. At just 176 micrometres long and barely visible to the naked eye, the mite -- trapped inside Baltic amber (fossil tree resin) -- is believed to be the smallest arthropod fossil ever to be scanned using X-ray computed tomography (CT) scanning techniques.

Conservation scientists 'unanimous' in expectations of serious loss of biological diversity, study shows Posted: 08 Nov 2011 04:51 PM PST The number of species recognized as endangered is ever increasing and a new study reveals the unanimity among conservation scientists of expectations of a major loss of biological diversity. The survey also shows a growing acceptance of controversial strategies such as 'triage' -- a decision to prioritize resources and not to intervene to save some highly threatened species.

Which way you lean -- physically -- affects your decision-making Posted: 08 Nov 2011 10:30 AM PST We're not always aware of how we are making a decision. Unconscious feelings or perceptions may influence us. Another important source of information -- even if we're unaware of it -- is the body itself.

Wood biofuel could be a competitive industry by 2020 Posted: 08 Nov 2011 10:30 AM PST Fuel made from wood could become a competitive commercial alternative to fuel made from corn by 2020 if the wood biofuel industry is supported, according to a new study.

What the brain sees after the eye stops looking Posted: 08 Nov 2011 10:30 AM PST When we gaze at a shape and then the shape disappears, a strange thing happens: We see an afterimage in the complementary color. Now a Japanese study has observed for the first time an equally strange illusion: The afterimage appears in a "complementary" shape -- circles as hexagons, and vice-versa.

Adult living donor liver transplants safe, study finds Posted: 08 Nov 2011 10:29 AM PST Desperately needed adult living donor liver transplantation is a safe surgery for the donor, according to researchers. The study looked at donor safety from a single center over a period of 10 years and found there were no patient deaths and no life-threatening complications requiring ICU care.

Drinking water from plastic pipes: Is it harmful? Posted: 08 Nov 2011 10:29 AM PST Pipe-in-pipe systems are now commonly used to distribute water in many homes. The inner pipe for drinking water is made of a plastic called cross-linked polyethylene. Are these pipes harmful to health and do they affect the taste and odor of drinking water?

Non-sticky chewing gum developed Posted: 08 Nov 2011 09:54 AM PST We find it on chairs, stuck under desks, on pavements or stuck to our shoes. Chewing gum is sticky - and it does not degrade easily. This leads to increased cleaning costs for our local authorities. However, an Irish professor has developed a novel process for creating biodegradable chewing gum.

Diabetes linked to cognitive impairment in older adults, study suggests Posted: 08 Nov 2011 08:59 AM PST For the past five years, a team led by researchers has been studying the effects of diabetes on cognitive health in older individuals and has determined that memory loss, depression and other types of cognitive impairment are a serious consequence of this widespread disease. Now, this team has identified a key mechanism behind this course of events.

We all experience fantasy differently, which determines how much we enjoy it Posted: 08 Nov 2011 08:59 AM PST Whether you love the "Harry Potter" series or despise it, there may be a psychological explanation behind your opinion. Researchers recently discovered that people experience fantasy differently, which explains why some people enjoy it more than others.

Carbon monoxide: The silent calmer? Inhaling low levels of CO reduces the impact of environmental stress, study suggests Posted: 08 Nov 2011 08:59 AM PST According to scientists, carbon monoxide (CO), a tasteless, colorless and odorless gas, is not only a danger to the environment but also highly toxic to human beings. Found in the exhaust of vehicles and generators, CO has been dubbed the "silent killer" because excessive inhalation is lethal, poisoning the nervous system and heart. Now, in a surprising twist, a researcher says that low levels of the poisonous gas carbon monoxide actually have a narcotic effect that helps city-dwellers cope with environmental stress in an urban setting.

Can metals remember their shape at nanoscale, too? Posted: 08 Nov 2011 07:46 AM PST Physicists have now visualized changes in shape memory materials down to the nanometric scale.

Infants with high hemoglobin concentration who received iron-fortified formula have poorer long-term developmental outcomes Posted: 08 Nov 2011 07:00 AM PST A 10-year follow-up study suggests that infants with high hemoglobin levels who received iron fortified infant formula have poorer long-term developmental outcomes, according to a new report.

Routine iron fortification of infant formula linked to poorer development Posted: 08 Nov 2011 06:44 AM PST Iron fortification has helped babies around the world, but a long-term study raises questions about the optimal amount of iron in infant formula.

Farmed fish fed vegetable matter may have residual pesticides Posted: 08 Nov 2011 06:43 AM PST Today, half of all the fish we eat comes from fish farms. The problem is that these fish are increasingly being fed vegetable matter, which could lead to a build-up of residual pesticides in them. A new test shows how high the risk of contamination really is.

Ice Age paintings from the Swabian Jura, Southwestern Germany document the earliest painting tradition in Central Europe Posted: 08 Nov 2011 04:54 AM PST Recent excavations conducted by the University of Tübingen at Hohle Fels Cave in the Swabian Jura of southwestern Germany have produced new evidence for the earliest painting tradition in Central Europe about 15,000 years ago.

Generating ethanol from lignocellulose possible, but large cost reductions still needed Posted: 08 Nov 2011 04:53 AM PST The production of ethanol from lignocellulose-rich materials such as wood residues, waste paper, used cardboard and straw cannot yet be achieved at the same efficiency and cost as from corn starch. A cost comparison has concluded that using lignocellulose materials is unlikely to be competitive with starch until 2020 at the earliest. The study did identify many opportunities for reducing costs and improving income within the lignocellulose-to-ethanol process, and provides insight into the priority areas that must be addressed in coming years.

NASA captures new images of large asteroid passing Earth Posted: 08 Nov 2011 04:06 AM PST NASA's Deep Space Network antenna in Goldstone, Calif. has captured new radar images of Asteroid 2005 YU55 passing close to Earth. The asteroid safely will safely fly past our planet slightly closer than the moon's orbit on Nov. 8. The last time a space rock this large came as close to Earth was in 1976, although astronomers did not know about the flyby at the time. The next known approach of an asteroid this size will be in 2028.

Removing sugar-sweetened beverages from schools associated with reduced access to, but not consumption of these beverages among adolescents Posted: 07 Nov 2011 01:27 PM PST State policies banning all sugar-sweetened beverages in schools are associated with reduced in-school access and purchase of these beverages, however these policies are not associated with a reduction in overall consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, according to a new report.

Neuromuscular warm-up associated with reduced lower extremity injuries in adolescent female athletes Posted: 07 Nov 2011 01:27 PM PST Integrating a coach-led neuromuscular warm-up prior to sports practice appeared to reduce the risk of lower extremity injuries in female high school soccer and basketball athletes, according to a new report.

Web-based intervention appears ineffective for preventing weight gain in adolescents Posted: 07 Nov 2011 01:27 PM PST A web-based computer-tailored intervention aiming to increase physical activity, decrease sedentary behavior, and promote healthy eating among adolescents was not associated with positive long-term outcome measures, but may have positive short-term effects on eating behaviors, according to a new report.

Study characterizes epigenetic signatures of autism in brain tissue Posted: 07 Nov 2011 01:27 PM PST Neurons in the prefrontal cortex of individuals with autism show changes at numerous sites across the genome, according to a new study.

Multi-site study finds wide variation in best-estimate clinical diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders Posted: 07 Nov 2011 01:27 PM PST In a study conducted at 12 university-based research sites, there was wide variation in how best-estimate clinical diagnoses within the autism spectrum were assigned to individual children.

Racial and ethnic variations in substance-related disorders among adolescents Posted: 07 Nov 2011 01:27 PM PST Substance use is widespread among adolescents in the United States, particularly among those of Native American, white, Hispanic and multiple race/ethnicity, and these groups are also disproportionally affected by substance-related disorders, according to a new report.

Ancient DNA provides new insights into cave paintings of horses Posted: 07 Nov 2011 01:22 PM PST An international team of researchers has used ancient DNA to shed new light on the realism of horses depicted in prehistoric cave paintings. The team, which includes researchers from the University of York, has found that all the colour variations seen in Paleolithic cave paintings – including distinctive 'leopard' spotting - existed in pre-domestic horse populations, lending weight to the argument that the artists were reflecting their natural environment.

Sea life 'must swim faster to survive' to survive climate change Posted: 07 Nov 2011 01:19 PM PST Fish and other sea creatures will have to travel large distances to survive climate change, international marine scientists have warned. Sea life, particularly in the Indian Ocean, the Western and Eastern Pacific and the subarctic oceans will face growing pressures to adapt or relocate to escape extinction, according to a new study.

Economic cost of advanced liver disease Posted: 07 Nov 2011 01:01 PM PST Health care costs for hepatitis C patients with end-stage liver disease are nearly 2.5 times higher than those in the early stages, according to a new study. Although infection with the hepatitis C virus increases health care costs overall, the specific impact of the disease's progressive severity on health care costs has previously not been well studied.

Aging could influence climate change: Individual carbon dioxide emissions decline in old age Posted: 07 Nov 2011 12:54 PM PST New demographic analysis reveals that the carbon dioxide emissions of the average American increase until around the age of 65, and then start to decrease. For the United States this means that, although the aging of the population will lead to a slight overall rise in CO2 emissions over the next four decades, the long-term trends indicate that increasing life expectancy will result in a reduction in emissions.

Secrets of tunneling through energy barriers: How massless electrons tunnel through energy barriers in a carbon sheet called graphene Posted: 07 Nov 2011 12:54 PM PST Electrons moving in graphene behave in an unusual way, as demonstrated by 2010 Nobel Prize laureates for physics Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov, who performed transport experiments on this one-carbon-atom-thick material. A review article explores the theoretical and experimental results to date of electrons tunneling through energy barriers in graphene.

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