Tag: physical sciences
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Students Develop Remote IED Detonation Technology
Two graduate students at Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland have developed a way to remotely detonate improvised explosive devices or IEDs, by using the energy from their electromagnetic impulses. Félix Vega and Nicolas Mora, both from Colombia, developed the technology as part of their doctoral theses, in cooperation with universities in Colombia.…
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Two Pesticides Linked to Higher Rates of Parkinson’s Disease
A new study by government and private research institutes shows higher rates of Parkinson’s disease among people using the highly restricted pesticides rotenone and paraquat. The findings were published recently in an online issue of the journal Environmental Health Perspectives. The research team found that people who used either pesticide developed Parkinson’s disease about 2.5…
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European Nanomaterial Reference Repository Created
The European Commission’s research center, based in Italy, has launched Europe’s first nanomaterial repository with a collection representing 25 different types of nanomaterials. The repository, operated by the EC’s Joint Research Centre is expected to aid in safety assessments of nanomaterials. Materials developed at nanoscale (1 nanometer = 1 billionth of a meter) offer a…
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Univ. Developing Prototype Air Passenger Liquid Scanner
A University of California at Davis professor is building a magnetic resonance device that can scan unopened bottles carried on airplanes by passengers. Matthew Augustine, a member of the UC Davis chemistry faculty, originally developed the technology to check the quality of wine. Augustine began experimenting with the technology some years ago to check sealed…
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Nursing Home Liquid, Cream, Inhaler Drug Error Rates Higher
A study in British nursing homes finds wide variations in medicinal delivery error rates depending on the formulation and type of delivery system. The results are published in the online edition of the journal BMJ Quality and Safety (paid subscription required). The research team from University of Leeds, University of London, and the London School…
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Company Plans Robotic Lunar Mission
Astrobotic Technology Inc. in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania has signed a contract with spacecraft company SpaceX to launch Astrobotic’s robotic payload to the moon on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The company says the mission could launch as soon as December 2013. The project is expected to search for water and deliver payloads, with the robot narrating…
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Nanolasers Grown on Silicon, Boost New Chip Prospects
Engineers at University of California – Berkeley have grown nanoscale lasers directly on a silicon surface, an achievement that opens new possibilities in microprocessors, biosensors, and optical-electronic chips. Their findings are published in a paper the appeared 6 February in an advanced online issue of the journal Nature Photonics (paid subscription required). Greater demands on…
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New Process Developed for Thin-Layered Nanomaterials
An international research team has devised a new, yet practical method for creating super-thin layered materials with chemical properties potentially useful to electronics and energy storage technologies. The team from Ireland, U.K., U.S., and Korea published their findings in the 4 February edition of the journal Science (paid subscription required). Materials built at nanoscale —…
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Long-Term Impacts of Biofuels on Land Analyzed
A team of university, government, and national laboratory researchers ran simulations to gauge the impact of biofuel feedstocks on agricultural land. The findings are published in the January/February 2011 issue of Agronomy Journal (free full-text access for 30 days following publication). The study, funded by the USDA’s Agriculture Research Service, simulated experiments lasting from 79…
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Engineers Advance Laser Welding for Bioanalytics
A research team at the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology (ILT) in Aachen, Germany has discovered a process to make laser welding more practical and less expensive. The most immediate applications of this advance are in miniaturized bioanalytic, i.e. lab-on-a-chip, technologies. Laser welding of plastic components has held promise, but also presented many limitations. It…