ScienceDaily: Top Technology News

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• Quantum tricks drive magnetic switching into the fast lane
• Rotary valve could help propel craft to Mars one day
• A giant step toward miniaturization: Nanotechnology transforms molecular beams into functional nano-devices
• 'Dancing' silicon atoms discovered in graphene
• Green Pea galaxies could help astronomers understand early universe
• Shape from sound: New methods to probe the universe
• Astronomers anticipate 100 billion Earth-like planets
• Ionic thrusters generate efficient propulsion in air
• Search for dark matter: Experiment measures antimatter excess in cosmic ray flux
• NASA team investigates complex chemistry at Saturn's moon Titan
• Building quantum states with individual silicon atoms
• Taken under the 'wing' of the small magellanic cloud: First detection of X-ray emission from young stars with masses similar to our Sun outside our Milky Way galaxy
• Scientists build material that mimics squid beak: Promising step toward safer, more comfortable implants
• Breakthrough in hydrogen fuel production could revolutionize alternative energy market
• Light tsunami in a superconductor
• Physicists decipher social cohesion issues
• Quantum cryptography: On wings of light

Quantum tricks drive magnetic switching into the fast lane Posted: 03 Apr 2013 05:03 PM PDT Researchers in the U.S. and Greece have found a new way to switch magnetism that is at least 1000 times faster than currently used in magnetic memory technologies. Magnetic switching is used to encode information in hard drives, RAM and other computing devices.

Rotary valve could help propel craft to Mars one day Posted: 03 Apr 2013 05:00 PM PDT A rotary fuel delivery valve just might help us get manned space flights out of our immediate neighborhood one day, and it could have practical terrestrial applications.

A giant step toward miniaturization: Nanotechnology transforms molecular beams into functional nano-devices Posted: 03 Apr 2013 12:44 PM PDT Semiconductor nanowires are quasi-one-dimensional nanomaterials that have sparked a surge of interest as one of the most powerful and versatile nanotechnological building blocks with actual or potential impact on nanoelectronics, photonics, electromechanics, environmentally friendly energy conversion, biosensing, and neuro-engineering technologies.

'Dancing' silicon atoms discovered in graphene Posted: 03 Apr 2013 11:14 AM PDT Jumping silicon atoms are the stars of a newly discovered atomic scale ballet. The "dancing" movement of the silicon atoms was caused by the energy transferred to the material from the electron beam of the team's microscope.

Green Pea galaxies could help astronomers understand early universe Posted: 03 Apr 2013 11:14 AM PDT The rare Green Pea galaxies discovered by the general public in 2007 could help confirm astronomers' understanding of reionization, a pivotal stage in the evolution of the early universe.

Shape from sound: New methods to probe the universe Posted: 03 Apr 2013 10:13 AM PDT A new mathematical tool should allow scientists to use "sound" to help reveal the shape of the universe.

Astronomers anticipate 100 billion Earth-like planets Posted: 03 Apr 2013 10:13 AM PDT Researchers have proposed a new method for finding Earth-like planets and they anticipate that the number will be in the order of 100 billion. The strategy uses a technique called gravitational microlensing, currently used by a Japan-New Zealand collaboration.

Ionic thrusters generate efficient propulsion in air Posted: 03 Apr 2013 09:20 AM PDT Thrusters powered by ionic wind may be an efficient alternative to conventional atmospheric propulsion technologies. When a current passes between two electrodes -- one thinner than the other -- it creates a wind in the air between. If enough voltage is applied, the resulting wind can produce a thrust without the help of motors or fuel. Researchers have now found that ionic thrusters may be a far more efficient source of propulsion than conventional jet engines.

Search for dark matter: Experiment measures antimatter excess in cosmic ray flux Posted: 03 Apr 2013 08:53 AM PDT The international team running the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) today announced the first results in its search for dark matter. They report the observation of an excess of positrons in the cosmic ray flux. The results are consistent with the positrons originating from the annihilation of dark matter particles in space, but not yet sufficiently conclusive to rule out other explanations.

NASA team investigates complex chemistry at Saturn's moon Titan Posted: 03 Apr 2013 08:41 AM PDT A laboratory experiment at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., simulating the atmosphere of Saturn's moon Titan suggests complex organic chemistry that could eventually lead to the building blocks of life extends lower in the atmosphere than previously thought. The results now point out another region on the moon that could brew up prebiotic materials.

Building quantum states with individual silicon atoms Posted: 03 Apr 2013 08:27 AM PDT By introducing individual silicon atom 'defects' using a scanning tunneling microscope, scientists have coupled single atoms to form quantum states.

Taken under the 'wing' of the small magellanic cloud: First detection of X-ray emission from young stars with masses similar to our Sun outside our Milky Way galaxy Posted: 03 Apr 2013 07:42 AM PDT The Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) is one of the Milky Way's closest galactic neighbors. In fact, it was so bright that many navigators used this object to make their way across the oceans. A new composite image shows this galaxy like Ferdinand Magellan, who lends his name to the SMC, could never have imagined. New Chandra data of the SMC have provided the first detection of X-ray emission from young stars with masses similar to our Sun outside our Milky Way galaxy.

Scientists build material that mimics squid beak: Promising step toward safer, more comfortable implants Posted: 03 Apr 2013 07:42 AM PDT Researchers have turned to an unlikely model to make medical devices safer and more comfortable -- a squid's beak. Many medical implants require hard materials that have to connect to or pass through soft body tissue. This mechanical mismatch leads to problems. But the beak, which boasts a mechanical gradient that can act as a shock absorber, may provide a solution.

Breakthrough in hydrogen fuel production could revolutionize alternative energy market Posted: 03 Apr 2013 07:41 AM PDT Researchers have discovered a way to extract large quantities of hydrogen from any plant, a breakthrough that has the potential to bring a low-cost, environmentally friendly fuel source to the world.

Light tsunami in a superconductor Posted: 03 Apr 2013 06:26 AM PDT Superconductors are materials which conduct electric currents without any resistance. Scientists have managed to selectively influence this resistance-free conductivity with a powerful terahertz laser. This very precise laser light turns into a vortex which moves through the superconductor like a tsunami.

Physicists decipher social cohesion issues Posted: 03 Apr 2013 04:20 AM PDT Migrations happen for a reason, not randomly. A new study, based on computer simulation, attempts to explain the effect of so-called directional migration - migration for a reason - on cooperative behaviors and social cohesion. The authors devised a computer simulation of what they refer to as selfish individuals - those who are mainly concerned with their own interests, to the exclusion of the interests of others. In this study, they propose a new migration rule, dubbed directional migration, in existing models referred to as evolutionary game theory.

Quantum cryptography: On wings of light Posted: 03 Apr 2013 04:19 AM PDT Physicists have, for the first time, successfully transmitted a secure quantum code through the atmosphere from an aircraft to a ground station.

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