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Space

Submission + - First organic molecules found on alien world

Submitted by Galactic_grub
Galactic_grub writes: The planet in question — HD 189733b — is too hot for the molecules to signal life, but the discovery offers hope for understanding future discoveries of Earth-like worlds, says NewScientistSpace. Researchers from Caltech and University College London used the Hubble Space Telescope to peer at the planet and examined spectral signature of starlight filtered by the planet's atmosphere, to identify different chemicals.
Biotech

Submission + - Springy nanotubes could make artificial muscles

Submitted by moon_monkey
moon_monkey writes: Scientists have discovered that carbon nanotubes have remarkable springy properties, which could make them idea for use in artificial muscles. Currently, electroactive polymers are most commonly used to make artificial muscles, but these lack mechanical robustness. Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute tested the nanotubes by repeatedly squashing them between to metal plates. The work is reported in Nature Nanotechnology.
It's funny. Laugh.

Submission + - Pentagon developed 'laughing bullets'

Submitted by plasmadroid
plasmadroid writes: It might sound like a joke, but documents unearthed by New Scientist show that the Pentagon actually funded research into 'non-lethal' bullets that would also hit a target with a dose of laughing gas. That way, they'd not only be stunned but incapacitated by fits of giggles. Another idea was to put stink bombs inside rubber bullets. I guess it would work, but the idea of crowds of rioters giggling uncontrollably while being pelted with rubber bullets is truly bizarre...
Displays

Submission + - Tangible display makes 3D touchable 2

Submitted by moon_monkey
moon_monkey writes: Researchers in Japan have developed a display that makes 3D objects solid enough to grasp. The system, created by engineers at Japan's NTT, combines a 3D display with a haptic glove, making 3D items that look real but also feel solid to touch. Two cameras are used to image an object, to make the 3D image. A computer also uses this to render a solid representation. It could be used to inspect products remotely, or even to shake hands with someone on the other side of the world, the researchers say
Power

Submission + - Simple chemical trick to boost battery efficiency

Submitted by space_mongoose
space_mongoose writes: Hitachi reckons that a simple chemical additive could significantly improve battery life. Alkaline batteries have a positive electrode of manganese oxide and a negative electrode of finely powdered zinc, but zinc oxide forms around these grains of zinc. Hitachi's solution is to replace the zinc with a fine powder of zinc-aluminium alloy, displaces the zinc within the zinc oxide layer making it a much better conductor.
Media

Submission + - 'Racetrack' memory could gallop past the hard disk

Submitted by Galactic_grub
Galactic_grub writes: An experimental new type of memory that uses nanosecond pulses of electric current to push magnetic regions along a wire could dramatically boost the capacity, speed and reliability of storage devices. Magnetic domains are moved along a wire by pulses of polarized current, and there location is read by fixed sensors arranged along the wire. Previous experiments have been disappointing but now researchers have found that super-fast pulses of electricity prevent the domains from being obstructed by imperfections in the crystal.
Privacy

Submission + - Buildings could save energy by spying on workers

Submitted by Galactic_grub
Galactic_grub writes: In the future, your place of work (or apartment) may very well spy on you. But that doesn't mean it'll be able to name and shame you for all your nasty habits. Researchers at Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratory (MERL) have devised a 'dumb' surveillance system that monitors the movements of workers without identifying them individually. The idea is to have a computer system automatically configure the air-conditioning to save money, or illuminate the most appropriate escape signs in an emergency.
Sci-Fi

Submission + - DARPA developing defensive plasma shield

Submitted by galactic_grub
galactic_grub writes: According to this article at New Scientist, DARPA is developing a plasma shield that would allow troops to stun and disorientate enemies. The system will use a technology known as dynamic pulse detonation (DPD), which involves producing a ball of plasma with an intense laser pulse creates, and then a supersonic shockwave within the plasma using another pulse. The result is a gigantic flash and a loud bang in a the air.
Hardware Hacking

Submission + - Transistor made from a Bose-Einstein condensate

Submitted by holy_calamity
holy_calamity writes: US researchers have made a transistor from a Bose-Einstein condensate. They claim it to be the first step towards "atomic circuits" that run with atoms instead of electrons. "A small number of atoms can be used to control the flow of a large number of atoms, in much the same way that an FET uses a gate voltage to control a large electric current," says lead research Alex Zozulya. The abstract of their paper is freely available.

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