ScienceDaily: Top Technology News

---

• New method of manufacturing smallest structures in electronics: Discovery could revolutionize semiconductors
• Implantable silk optics multi-task in body: Dissolvable micro-mirrors enhance imaging, administer heat, deliver and monitor drugs
• Autumn sets in rapidly on Saturn's giant moon
• Chemists invent powerful toolkit, accelerating creation of potential new drugs
• Giant black hole could upset galaxy evolution models
• Record-setting X-ray jet: X-rays from supermassive black hole 12.4 billion light years from Earth
• Hagfish slime as a model for tomorrow's natural fabrics
• Mix masters: Scientists image the molecular structure of polymer blends
• Researchers synthesize new kind of silk fiber, and use music to fine-tune material's properties
• Outside a vacuum: Model predicts movement of charged particles in complex media
• Experiments challenge fundamental understanding of electromagnetism
• Researchers identify ways to exploit 'cloud browsers' for large-scale, anonymous computing
• Could astronauts use a 3-D printer to make parts from moon rocks?
• Biggest black hole blast discovered: Most powerful quasar outflow ever found
• Graphite experiment shines new light on giant planets, white dwarfs and laser-driven fusion
• Graphene switches: Research group makes it to first base
• Synthetic molecule stores solar energy: Can be stored for several years, then used to generate heat on demand

New method of manufacturing smallest structures in electronics: Discovery could revolutionize semiconductors Posted: 28 Nov 2012 11:39 AM PST A completely new method of manufacturing the smallest structures in electronics could make their manufacture thousands of times quicker, allowing for cheaper semiconductors. Instead of starting from a silicon wafer or other substrate, as is usual today, researchers have made it possible for the structures to grow from freely suspended nanoparticles of gold in a flowing gas.

Implantable silk optics multi-task in body: Dissolvable micro-mirrors enhance imaging, administer heat, deliver and monitor drugs Posted: 28 Nov 2012 11:39 AM PST Researchers have demonstrated silk-based implantable optics that offer significant improvement in tissue imaging while simultaneously enabling photo thermal therapy, administering drugs and monitoring drug delivery. The devices also lend themselves to a variety of other biomedical functions. Biodegradable and biocompatible, these tiny mirror-like devices dissolve harmlessly at predetermined rates and require no surgery to remove them.

Autumn sets in rapidly on Saturn's giant moon Posted: 28 Nov 2012 10:23 AM PST As leaves fall and winter approaches in Earth's Northern Hemisphere, a change of seasons is also rapidly becoming noticeable in the southern hemisphere of Saturn's giant moon, Titan.

Chemists invent powerful toolkit, accelerating creation of potential new drugs Posted: 28 Nov 2012 10:22 AM PST Scientists have invented a set of chemical tools that is radically simplifying the creation of potential new drug compounds.

Giant black hole could upset galaxy evolution models Posted: 28 Nov 2012 10:21 AM PST Astronomers have discovered a black hole that could shake the foundations of current models of galaxy evolution. At 17 billion times the mass of the Sun, its mass is much greater than current models predict – in particular since the surrounding galaxy is comparatively small. This could be the most massive black hole found to date.

Record-setting X-ray jet: X-rays from supermassive black hole 12.4 billion light years from Earth Posted: 28 Nov 2012 09:15 AM PST A jet of X-rays from a supermassive black hole 12.4 billion light years from Earth has been detected. This is the most distant X-ray jet ever observed and gives astronomers a glimpse into the explosive activity associated with the growth of supermassive black holes in the early universe.

Hagfish slime as a model for tomorrow's natural fabrics Posted: 28 Nov 2012 08:22 AM PST Nylon, Kevlar and other synthetic fabrics: Step aside. If new scientific research pans out, people may be sporting shirts, blouses and other garments made from fibers modeled after those in the icky, super-strong slime from a creature called the hagfish.

Mix masters: Scientists image the molecular structure of polymer blends Posted: 28 Nov 2012 08:21 AM PST Using an enhanced form of 'chemical microscopy', researchers have shown that they can peer into the structure of blended polymers, resolving details of the molecular arrangement at sub-micrometer levels. The capability has important implications for the design of industrially important polymers like the polyethylene blends used to repair aging waterlines.

Researchers synthesize new kind of silk fiber, and use music to fine-tune material's properties Posted: 28 Nov 2012 08:21 AM PST Researchers have synthesized a new kind of silk fiber -- and find that music can help fine-tune the material's properties.

Outside a vacuum: Model predicts movement of charged particles in complex media Posted: 28 Nov 2012 08:21 AM PST It's a problem that has stumped scientists for years. Now researchers have developed a model that can predict the movements of charged particles, even in heterogeneous environments like cells, blood, or colloids.

Experiments challenge fundamental understanding of electromagnetism Posted: 28 Nov 2012 08:21 AM PST A cornerstone of physics, quantum electrodynamics, may require some updates if the findings of recent experiments on highly charged ions are confirmed.

Researchers identify ways to exploit 'cloud browsers' for large-scale, anonymous computing Posted: 28 Nov 2012 07:39 AM PST Researchers have found a way to exploit cloud-based Web browsers, using them to perform large-scale computing tasks anonymously. The finding has potential ramifications for the security of 'cloud browser' services.

Could astronauts use a 3-D printer to make parts from moon rocks? Posted: 28 Nov 2012 06:39 AM PST Imagine landing on the moon or Mars, putting rocks through a 3-D printer and making something useful – like a needed wrench or replacement part. "It sounds like science fiction, but now it's really possible,'' scientists say.

Biggest black hole blast discovered: Most powerful quasar outflow ever found Posted: 28 Nov 2012 06:37 AM PST Astronomers have discovered a quasar with the most energetic outflow ever seen, at least five times more powerful than any that have been observed to date. Quasars are extremely bright galactic centers powered by supermassive black holes. Many blast huge amounts of material out into their host galaxies, and these outflows play a key role in the evolution of galaxies. But, until now, observed quasar outflows weren't as powerful as predicted by theorists.

Graphite experiment shines new light on giant planets, white dwarfs and laser-driven fusion Posted: 28 Nov 2012 06:36 AM PST Researchers are dealing with unexpected results of an experiment with strongly heated graphite (up to 17,000 Kelvin). The findings may pose a new problem for physicists working in laser-driven nuclear fusion and may also lead astrophysicists to revise our understanding of the life cycle of giant planets and stars.

Graphene switches: Research group makes it to first base Posted: 27 Nov 2012 08:13 AM PST Ever since graphene was first isolated a few years ago, this quasi-two-dimensional network made up of a single layer of carbon atoms has been considered the magic material. Not only is graphene mechanically highly resilient, it also provides an interesting basis for new spintronic components that exploit the magnetic moment of conduction electrons. Now researchers have successfully managed to increase the graphene conduction electrons' spin-orbit coupling by a factor of 10,000 -- enough to allow them to construct a switch that can be controlled via small electric fields.

Synthetic molecule stores solar energy: Can be stored for several years, then used to generate heat on demand Posted: 27 Nov 2012 06:39 AM PST Researchers have developed a system which can store solar energy in chemical bonds. The system is based on a synthetic molecule that is changed by sunlight. The molecule can be transported and stored for several years and then used to generate heat on demand.

You are subscribed to email updates from ScienceDaily: Top Technology News To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610