ScienceDaily: Top Technology News

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• Pocket test measures fifty things in a drop of blood
• Soybeans a source of valuable chemical
• Microwave-assisted method for producing thin films
• Physicists achieve elusive 'evaporative cooling' of molecules
• Astronomy: Stars reveal the secret of aging well
• Unraveling the threads: Simplest cotton genome offers clues for fiber improvements
• Long-wavelength laser will take better 'fingerprints' of medicines than chemical analysis, research suggests
• Synthetic and biological nanoparticles combined to produce new metamaterials
• Closest single star like our sun may have habitable planet
• Paper waste used to make bricks
• The life-saving real world results of intelligent vehicle systems
• Artificial intelligence helps sort used batteries
• E-waste recycling -- at whose expense?

Pocket test measures fifty things in a drop of blood Posted: 19 Dec 2012 12:26 PM PST A new device about the size of a business card could allow health care providers to test for insulin and other blood proteins, cholesterol, and even signs of viral or bacterial infection all at the same time —- with one drop of blood.

Soybeans a source of valuable chemical Posted: 19 Dec 2012 11:23 AM PST The humble soybean could become an inexpensive new source of a widely used chemical for plastics, textiles, drugs, solvents and as a food additive.

Microwave-assisted method for producing thin films Posted: 19 Dec 2012 10:36 AM PST Scientists have demonstrated that assembly of so-called thin films is possible at low temperatures. They are working toward the assembly of thin films in a variety of materials.

Physicists achieve elusive 'evaporative cooling' of molecules Posted: 19 Dec 2012 10:33 AM PST Achieving a goal considered nearly impossible, physicists have chilled a gas of molecules to very low temperatures by adapting the familiar process by which a hot cup of coffee cools. Evaporative cooling has long been used to cool atoms to extraordinarily low temperatures. The process was used in 1995 to create the Bose-Einstein condensate. The latest demonstration marks the first time evaporative cooling has been achieved with molecules.

Astronomy: Stars reveal the secret of aging well Posted: 19 Dec 2012 10:33 AM PST Some people are in great shape at the age of 90, while others are decrepit before they're 50. We know that how fast people age is only loosely linked to how old they actually are -- and may have more to do with their lifestyle. A new study reveals that the same is true of star clusters.

Unraveling the threads: Simplest cotton genome offers clues for fiber improvements Posted: 19 Dec 2012 10:33 AM PST An international consortium has published a high-quality draft assembly of the simplest cotton genome. In the study, researchers traced the evolution of cotton and fiber development over millions of years. Additionally, bioenergy researchers hope to learn more about cellulose biosynthesis from the genome as each cotton strand is made of several cellulose coils, a target biomass for next-generation biofuels.

Long-wavelength laser will take better 'fingerprints' of medicines than chemical analysis, research suggests Posted: 19 Dec 2012 07:12 AM PST A laser capable of working in the terahertz range – that of long-wavelength light from the far infrared to 1 millimeter – takes a better 'fingerprint' of, say, a drug under investigation, than a traditional chemical analysis. Scientists have combined a free electron source with photonic crystals which has resulted in great flexibility within a compact laser.

Synthetic and biological nanoparticles combined to produce new metamaterials Posted: 19 Dec 2012 07:12 AM PST Scientists have succeeded in organizing virus particles, protein cages and nanoparticles into crystalline materials. These nanomaterials are important for applications in sensing, optics, electronics and drug delivery.

Closest single star like our sun may have habitable planet Posted: 19 Dec 2012 05:41 AM PST An international team of astronomers has discovered that Tau Ceti, one of the closest and most Sun-like stars, may host five planets -- with one in the star's habitable zone.

Paper waste used to make bricks Posted: 19 Dec 2012 05:40 AM PST Researchers have mixed waste from the paper industry with ceramic material used in the construction industry. The result is a brick that has low thermal conductivity meaning it acts as a good insulator. However, its mechanical resistance still requires improvement.

The life-saving real world results of intelligent vehicle systems Posted: 19 Dec 2012 05:40 AM PST Smart automotive technologies that help drivers avoid collisions, navigate and improve fuel efficiency should make roads safer, ease congestion and reduce pollution. But just how beneficial are they? Potentially very, according to vehicle manufacturers, researchers and automotive suppliers.

Artificial intelligence helps sort used batteries Posted: 19 Dec 2012 05:40 AM PST A new type of machine sorts used batteries by means of artificial intelligence (AI). One machine is now being used in the UK, sorting one-third of the country's recycled batteries.

E-waste recycling -- at whose expense? Posted: 19 Dec 2012 05:28 AM PST Computers, tablets and mobile phones are all popular consumer products. The lifespan of these devices is usually short, between two to four years. One researcher visited Pakistan to see how these common electronic devices are dismantled and recycled. She investigated the harsh living conditions of people working with e-waste.

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