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Bubbles In Ice Could Be A Future Medium For Secret Codes

Scholars have developed a method to encode binary and Morse code messages in ice. A 'message in...

Nearly Complete Harbin Skull From 146,000 Years Ago Belongs To The Denisovan Lineage

The discovery of the Denisovans 15 years ago set off a chain of evolutionary research into how...

Humans Have Always Adapted To Changing Climates - It's Why We Conquered The World

In the Cradles of Civilization, there are entire cities covered in sand that were once thriving...

Social Media Addiction Behavior, Not Time, Is A Harbinger Of Young Mental Health

Screen time is a concern for parents and mental health advocates but looking at screen time may...

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Memristor - Memory With A Twist Thanks To NIST

Memristor - Memory With A Twist Thanks To NIST

Jun 02 2009 | comment(s)

Electronic memory chips may soon gain the ability to bend and twist, thanks to  engineers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)(1).   Not too exciting, right?   You probably don't spend a lot of time bending memory chips now but electronic components that can flex without breaking are coveted by portable device manufacturers for less Stretch Armstrong-type reasons; people have a tendency to drop their mp3 players and they could lead to small medical sensors that can be worn on the skin to monitor vital signs such as heart rate or blood sugar, benefitting patients with conditions that require constant maintenance.

Though some flexible components exist, creating flexible memory has been a technical barrier, according to NIST researchers.
A Progesterone Reason Gossip Is Good For You

A Progesterone Reason Gossip Is Good For You

Jun 02 2009 | comment(s)

Harmless gossip with a girlfriend can do wonders for a woman's mood and a University of Michigan study says they have an answer why: feeling emotionally close to a friend increases levels of the hormone progesterone, helping to boost well-being and reduce anxiety and stress.

A sex hormone that fluctuates with the menstrual cycle, progesterone is also present in low levels in post-menopausal women and in men. Earlier research has shown that higher levels of progesterone increase the desire to bond with others, but the current study is the first to show that bonding with others increases levels of progesterone. The study also links these increases to a greater willingness to help other people, even at our own expense.
Gender Gap Closing In Science Faculties

Gender Gap Closing In Science Faculties

Jun 02 2009 | comment(s)

When women  apply for faculty positions in math, science, and engineering at major research universities, they are interviewed and hired at rates equal to or higher than those for men, says a new report from the National Research Council.   Women are still underrepresented among those considered for tenure, but those who are considered receive tenure at the same or higher rates than men.

That means the gender gap is closing without quotas and with a consistent expectation of excellence.

The congressionally mandated report examines how women at research-intensive universities fare compared with men at key transition points in their careers. Two national surveys were commissioned to help address the issue.

ELAD - 'Artificial' Liver Uses Human Liver Cells

ELAD - 'Artificial' Liver Uses Human Liver Cells

Jun 02 2009 | comment(s)

ELAD, the Extracorporeal Liver Assist Device,  is a bedside system that treats blood plasma, metabolizing toxins and synthesizing proteins just like a real liver does.

Artificial livers have been attempted since the 1960s but because previous designs didn't use human liver cells, they couldn't adequately filter toxins or create chemicals essential to metabolism and blood-clotting.  ELAD is the first artificial organ for liver patients that uses immortalized human liver cells.

In cell biology, 'immortalization' is when a genetically engineered cell line can reproduce indefinitely.
Bed Bugs Get Short Sheeted - Using Their Own Chemical Signals

Bed Bugs Get Short Sheeted - Using Their Own Chemical Signals

Jun 02 2009 | comment(s)

Scientists here have determined that combining bed bugs' own chemical signals with a common insect control agent makes that treatment more effective at killing the bugs.  The researchers found that stirring up the bed bugs by spraying their environment with synthetic versions of their alarm pheromones makes them more likely to walk through agents called desiccant dusts, which kill the bugs by making them highly susceptible to dehydration.

A blend of two pheromones applied in concert with a silica gel desiccant dust proved to be the most lethal combination.
Privatize Foster Care And Help Kids More, Says Study

Privatize Foster Care And Help Kids More, Says Study

Jun 02 2009 | comment(s)

In these days of jaw-dropping trillion-dollar budgets and deficits along with current retirement obligations 7X the size of our economy, $6.3 billion may not sound like much.  But, hey, a billion here and a billion there, and pretty soon you are talking about real money.  

$6.3 billion what the United States potentially could save on each group of adolescents who enter foster care every year - and get better results.