Science News

Similar to the artificial jellyfish model made this summer, the "walking" biological robot uses rat cardiac cells. The cells are placed onto hydrogel (gelatin-like polymer) which is then layered with cardiomyocetes from a 3-D printer. Read more here; http://www.nature.com/srep/2012/121115/srep00857/full/srep00857.html

http://phys.org/news/2012-03-efficiency.html Apparently this device actually puts out more energy than it consumes, converting some of the ambient room temperature heat to light in the process.

Synthetic Magnetism Used to Control Light: Opens Door to Nanoscale Applications That Use Light Instead of Electricity http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/10/121031151609.htm ScienceDaily (Oct. 31, 2012) — Stanford researchers in physics and engineering have demonstrated a device that produces a synthetic magnetism to exert virtual force on photons similar to the effect of magnets on electrons. The advance could yield a new class of nanoscale applications that use light instead of electricity. Promise of harnessing light. An advance could yield a new class of nanoscale applications that use light instead of electricity. (Credit: © mrage / Fotolia)

The closest Earth sized planet has been found orbiting Alpha Centauri, while too close to it's parent star to be earth like in climate it is close to the right size. http://www.space.com/18097-alpha-centauri-stars-planet-explained-infographic.html

http://blogs.reuters.com/great-debate/2012/04/09/mystery-of-the-disappearing-bees-solved/ A reason for everyone to only buy organic food perhaps? The use of these pesticides must stop.

Felix Baumgartner is today attempting to break the world records for Highest Freefall Jump and to be the first person to break the sound barrier without a vehicle. If anybody asks where the real men have gone, tell them that one of them is in a balloon more than 30 kilometres up. Those with "The Right Stuff" are still with us. Good Luck Felix. Gods speed.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/07/120718192607.htm Child's Behavior Linked to Father-Infant Interactions, Study Shows ScienceDaily (July 18, 2012) — Children whose fathers are more positively engaged with them at the age of three months have fewer behavioural problems at the age of twelve months, according to new research funded by the Wellcome Trust. The study suggests that interventions aimed at improving parent-child interaction in the early postnatal period may be beneficial to the child's behaviour later in life. Children whose fathers are more positively engaged with them at the age of three months have fewer behavioural problems at the age …

New site that contains an interactive tree of life. So far it's just for mammals but other groups are coming soon. http://www.onezoom.org/mammals.htm

The Nobel Prize in Physics 2012 was awarded jointly to Serge Haroche and David J. Wineland "for ground-breaking experimental methods that enable measuring and manipulation of individual quantum systems http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/physics/laureates/2012/ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-19879890

The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2012 was awarded jointly to Robert J. Lefkowitz and Brian K. Kobilka "for studies of G-protein-coupled receptors" http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/chemistry/laureates/2012/ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-19894971

Looks like they may have found a way to show that Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle may be wrong. The Uncertainty Principle of Quantum Mechanics is intuitive to a certain extent and is only one of a few primary foundation principles of Quantum Theory. Maybe its wording and formulations may need to be changed in the future. Other principles of QM are the Either Or, but not both at once, wave particle duality Principle of EM radiation, the Indeterminacy of particle state before observation, relating to Shroedingers Cat and quantum Entanglement. The Lack of Causality Principle: that events can happen by pure chance, their probability determined by statistics. W…

The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2012 was awarded jointly to Sir John B. Gurdon and Shinya Yamanaka "for the discovery that mature cells can be reprogrammed to become pluripotent" http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/medicine/laureates/2012/ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-19869673

http://news.discovery.com/space/warp-drive-possible-nasa-tests-100yss-120917.html Comments? Is this the real deal, or media twisting the facts?

http://www.nature.com/news/tantalizing-hints-of-room-temperature-superconductivity-1.11443 Anyone got any thoughts on if this could be possible?

In a study published in PloS one researchers have handed out questionaires to assess the moral orientation of the participants. After filling out the survey, candidates were asked to defend their position. The trick was that while turning over the sheets the wording in the question changed to the opposite of the original statement. Interestingly over 50% of the participants even argued for the opposite of their original attitude. PloS One Of course, this calls into question the validity of such surveys, but also shows the flexibility of attitudes to some extent.

http://www.guardian....hower-astronomy The Martians have retaliated quickly. This weekend there's a meteor shower. Keep an eye out.

http://phys.org/news/2012-09-world-atomic-microscope-chemical-bonds.html

In this publication the authors report the extensive creation of flint tool by the famous bonobo Kanzi. Stone tool production and utilization by bonobo-chimpanzees (Pan paniscus) Roffman, Itai; Savage-Rumbaugh, Sue; Rubert-Pugh, Elizabeth; Ronen, Avraham; Nevo, Eviatar (2012) PNAS (published before print) Supplementary material with video is found Here.

BEHAVIOR OF YOUNG CHILDREN UNDER CONDITIONS SIMULATING ENTRAPMENT IN REFRIGERATORS I love this kind of stuff. source: Journal of Pediatrics

It indicates that suicide victims often show the presence of T gondii, a parasite protoctistan organism (with several warm blooded hosts, especially the cat). T gondii can cause cell inflammation which then releases metabolites which can cause inflammation of brain tissues. People with inflammation in the brain are often seen to have committed suicide, presumably after autopsy evidence. Science Daily Although this is interesting news and is also interesting science, are the premises strong enough for the conclusion are are they weak enough for other factors to be considered? Any comments?

http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2004/23jan_entangled/ Spooky Atomic Clocks NASA-supported researchers hope to improve high-precision clocks by entangling their atoms. Listen to this story via streaming audio, a downloadable file, or get help. January 23, 2004: Einstein called it "spooky action at a distance." Now NASA-funded researchers are using an astonishing property of quantum mechanics called "entanglement" to improve atomic clocks--humanity's most precise way to measure time. Entangled clocks could be as much as 1000 times more stable than their non-entangled counterparts. This improvement would benefit pilots, …

Good news to the physicist community. I came across an excellent website on conceptual physics questions. Address of the website is (url removed by mod). The website has got worthful content and is very helpful to the student community.

Ann interesting article describing how young gorillas learned to spot and dismantle traps. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/07/120719-young-gorillas-juvenile-traps-snares-rwanda-science-fossey/?source=hp_dl2_news_smart_gorillas20120720

A connection between solar flare activity and radioactive decay may be used to predict solar flares more than a day in advance. http://www.gizmag.com/radioactive-solar-flare-warning-system/23702/ http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0927650512000928

A contest backed by google to place a telescope on the moon is moving closer to fruition... http://www.gizmag.com/iloa-lunar-telescope/23639/?utm_source