ScienceDaily: Top Technology News

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• Experiments show initial gain in fusion fuel
• First global geologic map of Jupiter's largest moon Ganymede details an icy world
• Motion-capture cameras, computer software assist skaters with jumps
• Technology decodes more information from single photons
• Plastic shopping bags make a fine diesel fuel
• The physics of curly hair
• Madagascar sells first forest carbon credits to Microsoft
• Stirring-up atomtronics in a quantum circuit: What’s so 'super' about this superfluid?
• Herding robots: New system combines control programs so fleets of robots can collaborate
• How stellar death can lead to twin celestial jets
• Physicists reveal novel magnetoelectric effect
• Four unknown galaxy clusters containing thousands of galaxies discovered 10 billion light years from Earth
• Helping preserve independent living for seniors
• New way to measure electron pair interactions
• Tech products can turn 'uncool' when they become too popular
• Gold and silica nanostars imitate the two faces of the god Janus
• New MRI/Ultrasound Imaging Improves Prostate Cancer Detection, Treatment

Experiments show initial gain in fusion fuel Posted: 12 Feb 2014 11:46 AM PST Ignition – the process of releasing fusion energy equal to or greater than the amount of energy used to confine the fuel – has long been considered the "holy grail" of inertial confinement fusion science. A key step along the path to ignition is to have "fuel gains" greater than unity, where the energy generated through fusion reactions exceeds the amount of energy deposited into the fusion fuel.

First global geologic map of Jupiter's largest moon Ganymede details an icy world Posted: 12 Feb 2014 11:45 AM PST Scientists have crafted the first global geologic map of Ganymede, illustrating the varied geologic character of the solar system's largest moon.

Motion-capture cameras, computer software assist skaters with jumps Posted: 12 Feb 2014 11:45 AM PST Physicists studying skating know that proper air position is critical to successful jumps. A computer simulation now enables skaters and their coaches to observe an athlete's actual movements on a computer screen and then see how those movements can be manipulated to improve jumping technique.

Technology decodes more information from single photons Posted: 12 Feb 2014 10:29 AM PST It's not quite Star Trek communications. Yet. But long-distance communications in space may be easier now that researchers have designed a clever detector array that can extract more information than usual from single particles of light.

Plastic shopping bags make a fine diesel fuel Posted: 12 Feb 2014 10:28 AM PST Plastic shopping bags, an abundant source of litter on land and at sea, can be converted into diesel, natural gas and other useful petroleum products, researchers report. The conversion produces significantly more energy than it requires and results in transportation fuels -- diesel, for example -- that can be blended with existing ultra-low-sulfur diesels and biodiesels.

The physics of curly hair Posted: 12 Feb 2014 10:28 AM PST The heroes and villains in animated films tend to be on opposite ends of the moral spectrum. But they're often similar in their hair, which is usually extremely rigid or -- if it moves at all -- is straight and swings to and fro. It's rare to see an animated character with bouncy, curly hair, since computer animators don't have a simple mathematical means for describing it. But now, researchers have developed the first detailed model for a 3-D strand of curly hair.

Madagascar sells first forest carbon credits to Microsoft Posted: 12 Feb 2014 10:26 AM PST The Government of Madagascar has approved carbon sales with Microsoft and its carbon offset partner, The CarbonNeutral Company, and Zoo Zurich.

Stirring-up atomtronics in a quantum circuit: What’s so 'super' about this superfluid? Posted: 12 Feb 2014 10:26 AM PST Atomtronics is an emerging technology whereby physicists use ensembles of atoms to build analogs to electronic circuit elements. Using lasers and magnetic fields, atomic systems can be engineered to have behavior analogous to that of electrons, making them an exciting platform for studying and generating alternatives to charge-based electronics. Using a superfluid atomtronic circuit, physicists have demonstrated a tool that is critical to electronics: hysteresis. This is the first time that hysteresis has been observed in an ultracold atomic gas.

Herding robots: New system combines control programs so fleets of robots can collaborate Posted: 12 Feb 2014 08:27 AM PST A new system combines simple control programs to enable fleets of robots -- or other "multiagent systems" -- to collaborate in unprecedented ways.

How stellar death can lead to twin celestial jets Posted: 12 Feb 2014 08:23 AM PST Astronomers know that while large stars can end their lives as violently cataclysmic supernovae, smaller stars end up as planetary nebulae -- colorful, glowing clouds of dust and gas. In recent decades these nebulae, once thought to be mostly spherical, have been observed to often emit powerful, bipolar jets of gas and dust. But how do spherical stars evolve to produce highly aspherical planetary nebulae?

Physicists reveal novel magnetoelectric effect Posted: 12 Feb 2014 08:21 AM PST New research reveals a novel magnetoelectric effect that may provide a route for using multiferroic materials for the application of RAM in computers and other devices.

Four unknown galaxy clusters containing thousands of galaxies discovered 10 billion light years from Earth Posted: 12 Feb 2014 05:24 AM PST Four unknown galaxy clusters each potentially containing thousands of individual galaxies have been discovered some 10 billion light years from Earth. An international team of astronomers used a new way of combining data from the two European Space Agency satellites, Planck and Herschel, to identify more distant galaxy clusters than has previously been possible. The researchers believe up to 2000 further clusters could be identified using this technique, helping to build a more detailed timeline of how clusters are formed.

Helping preserve independent living for seniors Posted: 12 Feb 2014 05:19 AM PST Single seniors lead a risky life: after a fall, they often lie on the floor several hours before their awkward predicament is discovered. A sensor system detects these emergency situations automatically and sends an emergency signal.

New way to measure electron pair interactions Posted: 11 Feb 2014 11:41 AM PST Measuring electron pair emission measurements has always been difficult because it was traditionally done using highly expensive synchrotron light sources, which are available in only a few laboratories worldwide. Now a team of researchers has developed a new way to measure the emission of electron pairs directly by combining two common laboratory instruments called time-of-flight spectrometers.

Tech products can turn 'uncool' when they become too popular Posted: 11 Feb 2014 11:11 AM PST In the tech world, coolness takes more than just good looks. Technology users must consider a product attractive, original and edgy before they label those products as cool, according to researchers.

Gold and silica nanostars imitate the two faces of the god Janus Posted: 11 Feb 2014 05:39 AM PST Researchers have designed nanoparticles with one half formed of gold branches and the other of silicon oxide. They are a kind of Janus particle, so-called in honor of the Roman god with two faces, which could be used in phototherapy in the future to treat tumors.

New MRI/Ultrasound Imaging Improves Prostate Cancer Detection, Treatment Posted: 10 Feb 2014 10:58 AM PST A new combination MRI-ultrasound imaging system can result in fewer biopsies and better treatment decisions for prostate cancer patients. The technology fuses MRI images with ultrasound to create a detailed, three-dimensional view of the prostate.

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ScienceDaily: Top Science News

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• Well-child visits linked to more than 700,000 subsequent flu-like illnesses
• Solving an evolutionary puzzle: Atlantic killifish thriving in highly polluted water
• First global geologic map of Jupiter's largest moon Ganymede details an icy world
• Help for a scarred heart: Scarring cells turned to beating muscle
• Plastic shopping bags make a fine diesel fuel
• Investigating the fiber of our being: How our gut bacteria metabolizes complex carbohydrates from fruits, vegetables
• The physics of curly hair
• Genome of American Clovis skeleton mapped: Ancestor of most present-day Native American populations
• New pathway for fear discovered deep within brain
• Jaw dropping: Scientists reveal how vertebrates came to have a face
• Revision to rules for color in dinosaurs suggests connection between color and physiology
• Herding robots: New system combines control programs so fleets of robots can collaborate
• From surf to turf: Archaeologists and chemists trace ancient British diets
• How stellar death can lead to twin celestial jets
• Four unknown galaxy clusters containing thousands of galaxies discovered 10 billion light years from Earth
• Fossils abound: 'Epic' new Burgess Shale site in Canada's Kootenay National Park
• Wasps use ancient aggression genes to create social groups

Well-child visits linked to more than 700,000 subsequent flu-like illnesses Posted: 12 Feb 2014 11:46 AM PST New research shows that well-child doctor appointments for annual exams and vaccinations are associated with an increased risk of flu-like illnesses in children and family members within two weeks of the visit. This risk translates to more than 700,000 potentially avoidable illnesses each year, costing more than $490 million annually.

Solving an evolutionary puzzle: Atlantic killifish thriving in highly polluted water Posted: 12 Feb 2014 11:46 AM PST For four decades, waste from nearby manufacturing plants flowed into the waters of New Bedford Harbor -- an 18,000-acre estuary and busy seaport. The harbor, which is contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and heavy metals, is one of the EPA's largest Superfund cleanup sites. It's also the site of an evolutionary puzzle that researchers have been working to solve.

First global geologic map of Jupiter's largest moon Ganymede details an icy world Posted: 12 Feb 2014 11:45 AM PST Scientists have crafted the first global geologic map of Ganymede, illustrating the varied geologic character of the solar system's largest moon.

Help for a scarred heart: Scarring cells turned to beating muscle Posted: 12 Feb 2014 10:29 AM PST Poets and physicians know that a scarred heart cannot beat the way it used to, but the science of reprogramming cells offers hope -- for the physical heart, at least.

Plastic shopping bags make a fine diesel fuel Posted: 12 Feb 2014 10:28 AM PST Plastic shopping bags, an abundant source of litter on land and at sea, can be converted into diesel, natural gas and other useful petroleum products, researchers report. The conversion produces significantly more energy than it requires and results in transportation fuels -- diesel, for example -- that can be blended with existing ultra-low-sulfur diesels and biodiesels.

Investigating the fiber of our being: How our gut bacteria metabolizes complex carbohydrates from fruits, vegetables Posted: 12 Feb 2014 10:28 AM PST New research begins to uncover how our gut bacteria metabolize the complex dietary carbohydrates found in fruits and vegetables.

The physics of curly hair Posted: 12 Feb 2014 10:28 AM PST The heroes and villains in animated films tend to be on opposite ends of the moral spectrum. But they're often similar in their hair, which is usually extremely rigid or -- if it moves at all -- is straight and swings to and fro. It's rare to see an animated character with bouncy, curly hair, since computer animators don't have a simple mathematical means for describing it. But now, researchers have developed the first detailed model for a 3-D strand of curly hair.

Genome of American Clovis skeleton mapped: Ancestor of most present-day Native American populations Posted: 12 Feb 2014 10:28 AM PST The Clovis people were not the first humans in America, but they represent the first humans with a wide expansion on the North American continent -- until the culture mysteriously disappeared only a few hundred years after its origin. Now genome mapping shows that some 80 percent of all present-day Native American populations on the two American continents are direct descendants of the Clovis boy's family.

New pathway for fear discovered deep within brain Posted: 12 Feb 2014 10:28 AM PST Fear is primal. In the wild, it serves as a protective mechanism, but for humans, fear is more complex. A normal amount keeps us safe. But too much fear, like PTSD, can prevent people from living healthy lives. Researchers are working to understand how the brain translates fear into action. Today, scientists announce the discovery of a new neural circuit that links the site of fear memory with a brain area that controls behavior.

Jaw dropping: Scientists reveal how vertebrates came to have a face Posted: 12 Feb 2014 10:27 AM PST Scientists present new fossil evidence for the origin of one of the most important and emotionally significant parts of our anatomy: the face. Scientists show how a series of fossils, with a 410 million year old armored fish called Romundina at its center, documents the step-by-step assembly of the face during the evolutionary transition from jawless to jawed vertebrates.

Revision to rules for color in dinosaurs suggests connection between color and physiology Posted: 12 Feb 2014 10:27 AM PST New research revising rules on deciphering color in dinosaurs may provide a tool for understanding the evolutionary emergence of flight and changes in dinosaur physiology. While surveying melanosome shape in fossil and extant specimens, a research team unexpectedly discovered that ancient maniraptoran dinosaurs, paravians, and living mammals and birds uniquely shared the evolutionary development of diverse melanosome shapes related to color. The similarity could relate to a key shift in dinosaurian physiology.

Herding robots: New system combines control programs so fleets of robots can collaborate Posted: 12 Feb 2014 08:27 AM PST A new system combines simple control programs to enable fleets of robots -- or other "multiagent systems" -- to collaborate in unprecedented ways.

From surf to turf: Archaeologists and chemists trace ancient British diets Posted: 12 Feb 2014 08:27 AM PST Studies of old rubbish dumps and dirty dishes have revealed that, 6,000 years ago, ancient Britons gave up their passion for fish to begin a love affair with milk.

How stellar death can lead to twin celestial jets Posted: 12 Feb 2014 08:23 AM PST Astronomers know that while large stars can end their lives as violently cataclysmic supernovae, smaller stars end up as planetary nebulae -- colorful, glowing clouds of dust and gas. In recent decades these nebulae, once thought to be mostly spherical, have been observed to often emit powerful, bipolar jets of gas and dust. But how do spherical stars evolve to produce highly aspherical planetary nebulae?

Four unknown galaxy clusters containing thousands of galaxies discovered 10 billion light years from Earth Posted: 12 Feb 2014 05:24 AM PST Four unknown galaxy clusters each potentially containing thousands of individual galaxies have been discovered some 10 billion light years from Earth. An international team of astronomers used a new way of combining data from the two European Space Agency satellites, Planck and Herschel, to identify more distant galaxy clusters than has previously been possible. The researchers believe up to 2000 further clusters could be identified using this technique, helping to build a more detailed timeline of how clusters are formed.

Fossils abound: 'Epic' new Burgess Shale site in Canada's Kootenay National Park Posted: 11 Feb 2014 05:38 AM PST Yoho National Park's 505-million-year-old Burgess Shale – home to some of the planet's earliest animals, including a very primitive human relative – is one of the world's most important fossil sites. Now, more than a century after its discovery, a compelling sequel has been unearthed: 42 kilometers away in Kootenay National Park, a new Burgess Shale fossil bed has been located that appears to equal the importance of the original discovery, and may one day even surpass it.

Wasps use ancient aggression genes to create social groups Posted: 10 Feb 2014 07:21 AM PST Aggression-causing genes appeared early in animal evolution and have maintained their roles for millions of years and across many species, even though animal aggression today varies widely from territorial fighting to setting up social hierarchies, according to researchers.

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ScienceDaily: Consumer Electronics News

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Stirring-up atomtronics in a quantum circuit: What’s so 'super' about this superfluid? Posted: 12 Feb 2014 10:26 AM PST Atomtronics is an emerging technology whereby physicists use ensembles of atoms to build analogs to electronic circuit elements. Using lasers and magnetic fields, atomic systems can be engineered to have behavior analogous to that of electrons, making them an exciting platform for studying and generating alternatives to charge-based electronics. Using a superfluid atomtronic circuit, physicists have demonstrated a tool that is critical to electronics: hysteresis. This is the first time that hysteresis has been observed in an ultracold atomic gas.

Physicists reveal novel magnetoelectric effect Posted: 12 Feb 2014 08:21 AM PST New research reveals a novel magnetoelectric effect that may provide a route for using multiferroic materials for the application of RAM in computers and other devices.

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

There is no winner in a robot war

High-frequency trading accounts for roughly half of US stock transactions, and the industry, which can involve roof lasers or strategically-located data centers, is shrinking as its profits “have collapsed”. But we finally have some actual data on how it affects markets. A new paper by Johannes Breckenfelder claims to be “the first empirical evidence on the competition between high-frequency traders (HFTs) and its influence on market quality.”

Breckenfelder looked at the Swedish market and found that if there’s only one HFT shop trading a given stock, then HFT improves liquidity in that stock. But when a second HFT firm joins in, and the algorithms start competing against each other for trades, volatility goes up and liquidity goes down.

HFT’s champions cite increased liquidity as one of the of benefits trading at high speeds.  But late last year, the Treasury Department’s Office of Financial Research found that HFT may “obscure price discovery, exaggerate illiquidity, increase volatility and contribute to extreme price changes.”

To Matt O’Brien, “liquidity is the last refuge of bullshitters”, and HFT is something akin to cheating, particularly if firms are paying to get early access to market data. “It's a tax on everybody else. And it's a tax that has basically no benefit,” he writes. Themis Trading has a long list of research on the negative sides of the HFT industry here. There’s much more -- plus GIFs, if you’re into that sort of thing  -- at Nanex, a market data firm. Nanex claims firms in Chicago and New York got advanced notice of Fed data in October, and the “resulting explosion of trading just 1 thousandth of a second after 2pm, was unprecedented in the history of Fed news announcements.”

In October, Felix wrote that HFT’s benefits were considerable before the financial crisis -- as technology advanced, algobots made for cheaper, more automatic trades for the wider public. But after blowups like the Flash Crash, that value, he wrote, morphed into risk. Stock market volumes, for one, have fallen, as algobots have gotten “so sophisticated at sparring with each other that they’re not even trading with each other any more.”

Noah Smith says it’s not quite clear that we should crack down on HFT firms based on Breckenfelder’s findings, which, he says, don’t speak to how the practice affects price efficiency, or how it may impact corporate finance. In fact, he suggests that the attrition of a algobot-vs-algobot war may turn high-frequency trading into “a small, self-limiting phenomenon”. -- Ryan McCarthy

On to today’s links:

UGH
How is it possible that the world is unprepared for rising rates -- again? - Eduardo Porter

Must Read
This is how American families go hungry - Ned Resnikoff

Servicey
How to succeed: 1) don't be nice 2) be irrationally overconfident 3) be a narcissist 4) be a psychopath - Chris Dillow

Distinctions
College is only worth it if you finish - AEI

Remuneration
Socialism in America (or, living wages) - Ingrid Robeyns
There's a shortage of pilots because the pay starts at $21,000 - Bloomberg Businessweek

Alpha
John Maynard Keynes, fund manager - NYT

Takedowns
Superfoods are dumb and they ruin a good meal - Jay Rayner

Good Luck With That
3 problems Congress should stop asking the Fed to solve - Fortune

Amazing
Hieronymus Bosch’s "600-years-old butt song from hell" - Chaos Controlled 123

Emerging Markets
How Turkey's prime minister lost the battle for low interest rates - Piotr Zalewski

Wonks
Short-term unemployment is the best predictor of wage growth - Liberty Street Economics

Good Questions
How do people survive when their unemployment benefits run out? - Ylan Mui

Tactless
Goldman handed out nail files and mirrors at a Harvard women's coding event - William Alden

Follow Counterparties on Twitter. And, of course, there are many more links at Counterparties.

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Meet The Next Jennifer Lawrence

Her name is Shailene Woodley. It's time to pass the proverbial torch. 2013 was the year of J-Law. But 2014? It might belong to Shailene Woodley. These celebs are flying solo this Valentine's Day. World, take notice. Ellen DeGeneres and Bruno Mars teamed up to prank an unsuspecting nurse. Well played, you guys. IN OTHER NEWS... Jerry O'Connell spoofed Shia LaBeouf in a competing pop-up art exhibit in LA. Turns out Jerry wants you to know that #IAMSORRYTOO. The nominees for the 86th Academy Awards posed for a group photo this week. And Pharrell wore his giant hat again. Hey, Taylor Swift. We see you there with that adorable new hair cut. Julia Louis-Dreyfus hung out with Joe Biden. When veeps collide, all of us win. Eva Mendes says she's going to watch "The Notebook" and cry this Valentine's Day. And then talked about pregnancy rumors. What does this all mean?? IN CASE YOU'D FORGOTTEN... Keri Russell was once on "Boy Meets World." She played Jessica, Mr. Feeny’s niece. We just wanted to make sure you hadn't forgotten. NBC / Via buzzsugar.com Get more stories on BuzzFeed Follow Celeb on Twitter This BuzzFeed email was sent to dwyld.kwu.yq4b5l8av2dw7@blogger.com | Unsubscribe Did a friend forward you this email? Sign up to get BuzzFeed in your inbox BuzzFeed, Inc. 200 Fifth Ave, 8th Floor, New York, NY 10010