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Submission + - Missing link to 80-year-old physics theory explains Earth's magnetic field (ibtimes.co.uk)

Submitted by concertina226
concertina226 writes: Scientists from the Carnegie Institution for Science and Rutgers University have found a missing link that proves the original 1930s metal physics theory that thermal convection can drive magnetic-field generation is correct.

Recently, new studies have challenged the 80-year-old theory about thermal convection causing the Earth's magnetic field.

New calculations state that the resistivity of the molten metal at the Earth's core would be too low, thus generating a thermal conductivity that is too high.

If the thermal conductivity is too high, the liquid would not be able to rise, and thus thermal convection would not be possible, and therefore couldn't be the cause of the Earth's magnetic field.

Submission + - Spider spins electrically charged silk (sciencemag.org)

Submitted by sciencehabit
sciencehabit writes: In their quest to make ultrastrong yet ultrasmall fibers, the polymer industry may soon take a lesson from Uloborus spiders. Uloborids are cribellate spiders, meaning that instead of spinning wet, sticky webs to catch their prey, they produce a fluffy, charged, wool-like silk. A paper published online today in Biology Letters details the process for the first time. It all starts with the silk-producing cribellar gland. In contrast with other spiders, whose silk comes out of the gland intact, scientists were surprised to discover that uloborids’ silk is in a liquid state when it surfaces. As the spider yanks the silk from the duct, it solidifies into nanoscale filaments. This “violent hackling” has the effect of stretching and freezing the fibers into shape. It may even be responsible for increasing their strength, because filaments on the nanoscale become stronger as they are stretched. In order to endow the fibers with an electrostatic charge, the spider pulls them over a comblike plate located on its hind legs. The technique is not unlike the so-called hackling of flax stems over a metal brush in order to soften and prepare them for thread-spinning, but in the spider’s case it also gives them a charge. The electrostatic fibers are thought to attract prey to the web in the same way a towel pulled from the dryer is able to attract stray socks.

Submission + - Sony hackers threaten theaters with 9/11-style attack (usatoday.com) 1

Submitted by mpicpp
mpicpp writes: The Sony hackers story has taken a new and more ominous turn.

A message from the Guardians of Peace group warns of a 9/11-like attack on movie theaters that screen Seth Rogen and James Franco's North Korean comedy The Interview.

"The world will be full of fear," the message reads, according to Varietyand Buzzfeed, adding, "Remember the 11th of September 2001."

The National Association of Theatre Owners, is "not commenting at this time," said spokesman. Jackie Brenneman.

Film critic and historian Leonard Maltin was at a loss for words over the latest turn of unprecedented events.

"I don't know how to respond or react. I've never faced anything like this before," Maltin said. "There have been protests over films. But I cannot think of threats from an anonymous group like this."

Submission + - Mars Rover finds evidence of Taco Bell? (bbc.com)

Submitted by ColdWetDog
ColdWetDog writes: Most methane on earth has a biological origin — microbes, cows, burritos. It has been long observed that there is a very low level of methane production on Mars. It's specific origin is unclear. Certainly one answer would be some sort of biologic process. The Mars Rover, Curiosity has been sampling methane levels on a regular basis and has noted several small spikes.

A BBC article discusses the data further and offers some clues and further areas of research. Unfortunately it is a bit premature to postulate that the Martian Counsel can order takeout.

Submission + - Researchers make blood vessels grow by shining a light on skin (sciencemag.org)

Submitted by sciencehabit
sciencehabit writes: Any fan of Star Trek knows that simply shining light on an injury will heal many wounds in the future. Now scientists have brought that future a bit closer. In a new study, researchers have found a way to stimulate the growth of blood vessels—an important part of healing—by hitting the skin with ultraviolet light.

Submission + - Robot spots predatory worms, floating slime balls under Arctic ice (sciencemag.org)

Submitted by sciencehabit
sciencehabit writes: A lightweight, remotely operated vehicle that dove deep under Arctic ice has spotted under-ice algae, as well as tiny copepods, ctenophores (jellyfish), predatory marine worms called arrow worms, and abundant amounts of large floating slime balls, known to scientists as larvaceans. What links these lower members of the food web to seals and polar bears isn’t yet clear; scientists saw no evidence of the most obvious missing element—fish—during the expedition.

Submission + - Scientists solve mystery of spontaneously combusting rubble piles in Japan quake (sciencemag.org)

Submitted by sciencehabit
sciencehabit writes: Something strange happened in the aftermath of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that pummeled Japan. Months later, mysterious fires began breaking out in piles of brick and wood from damaged buildings. Researchers puzzled over what sparked the fires, but a new study offers a possible explanation: decomposing rice-straw flooring, called tatami mats, filled with fermenting microbes that generate large quantities of heat.

Submission + - Touring A Carnival Cruise Simulator: 210 Degrees Of GeForce-Powered Projection (hothardware.com) 2

Submitted by MojoKid
MojoKid writes: Recently, Carnival cruise lines gave tours of their CSMART facility in Almere, the Netherlands. This facility is one of a handful in the world that can provide both extensive training and certification on cruise ships as well as a comprehensive simulation of what it's like to command one. Simulating the operation of a Carnival cruise ship is anything but simple. Let's start with a ship that's at least passingly familiar to most people — the RMS Titanic. At roughly 46,000 tons and 882 feet long, she was, briefly, the largest vessel afloat. Compared to a modern cruise ship, however, Titanic was a pipsqueak. As the size and complexity of the ships has grown, the need for complete simulators has grown as well. The C-SMART facility currently sports two full bridge simulators, several partial bridges, and multiple engineering rooms. When the Costa Concordia wrecked off the coast of Italy several years ago, the C-SMART facility was used to simulate the wreck based on the black boxes from the ship itself. When C-SMART moves to its new facilities, it'll pick up an enormous improvement in processing power. The next-gen visual system is going to be powered by104 GeForce Grid systems running banks of GTX 980 GPUs. C-SMART executives claim it will actually substantially reduce their total power consumption thanks to the improved Maxwell GPU. Which solution is currently in place was unclear, but the total number of installed systems is dropping from just over 500 to 100 rackmounted units.

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