FileMaker 11 delivers charting, 'on-the-fly' reporting
Apple-owned company on Tuesday releases next major version of its database product, FileMaker Pro 11.
Two Can Play at the Wired War Game
As the United States military increases the use of robots like unmanned drones in battle, it increases the danger that our enemies will take and adapt the technology to use against us, according to Peter Warren Singer, senior fellow and director of the 21st Century Defense Initiative at the Brookings Institution.
ScatterTunes sells digital albums with a visual twist
But will consumers be willing to download and install yet another media player to play ScatterTunes' V-Albums?
Google-China flap spurs federal plan to bypass censors
Members of Congress announce the Global Internet Freedom Caucus and a bill to spend federal dollars on research to "defeat Internet suppression and censorship."
Valve Opens Pipeline for Mac Gaming
Valve one of the largest distributors of online games, has announced that it will make its Steam online gaming service and proprietary gaming engine, Source, available on the Mac. The service, Steamworks for the Mac, comes equipped with Steam Play, a feature that allows play on either a PC or Mac at no additional charge.
Eliminate's 3G multiplayer: How'd they do that?
Ngmoco's Eliminate was one of the first games to offer 3G multiplayer on the iPhone. But how did they do it?
Is the Kindle finally ready for the Web?
If you own a Kindle, you also own a mobile Web browser. But chances are you never use it. That may be about to change.
New Project Puts Open Source Spin on Data Center Design
A new industry group hopes to improve the design and construction of data centers through the application of open source principles. Dubbed the "Open Source Data Center Initiative," the group was formed last week by GreenM3 along with the University of Missouri and ARG Investments.
Putting TiVo Premiere in context
After all the hype, the TiVo Premiere was greeted by disappointment by many gadget fans. But is there more to the story?
Malware found on HTC Android phone from Vodafone
HTC mobile device running Android was distributed by Vodafone with a botnet program on it, as well as Conficker and a password-stealing Trojan, Panda Labs says.
The iPad's Cruel Teaser
Apple debuted its first TV ads for the iPad during the Academy Awards television broadcast on Sunday, doing what Apple does best: showing us dozens of things we can do with an iPad in just a few seconds, all to the tune of some hip music we've never really listened to before. Yet these ads are like walking into a restaurant where the menu doesn't arrive -- we're hungry and salivating.
CNET News Daily Podcast: Tuesday's top headlines
Cisco finally makes its big announcement--and it's a router. Plus, Sony 3DTVs are on the way, and is the Drudge Report spreading malware?
Microsoft tweaks browser ballot code
After complaints the original algorithm was not doing the job, Redmond fixes the code shuffling the order of the browsers in its ballot screen for European users.
Energizer Jolts PCs With Malware
If you're using Energizer's Duo USB battery charger software to monitor your battery charging status, it's probably a good idea to shut it down and uninstall it pronto. The software designed to work with the Duo contains a backdoor Trojan that lets unauthorized users access a PC remotely, among other things.
Microsoft warns of zero-day IE hole on Patch Tuesday
New vulnerability in Windows and Office could allow an attacker to take control of IE 6 and IE 7 systems, software maker says.
Microsoft researcher wins Turing Award
Chuck Thacker, who helped pioneer key aspects of the PC, gets an honor seen as the Nobel Prize of computing. In an interview, he talks about the award, his work, and why he's not retiring anytime soon.
Security and Privacy? Forget About It
As the Obama administration grapples with the thorny issue of beefing up the United States' cybersecurity infrastructure, and as security experts warn of impending cyberwarfare, a debate is raging over how much surveillance is enough. One of the biggest problems about implementing cybersecurity is that it involves a measure of surveillance, and the line between surveillance and snooping is razor thin.
Foursquare unveils its SXSWi arsenal
In heated war with rival Gowalla for the geek seal of approval at the annual digital culture festival, Foursquare unveils new badges, new partners, and new promotions.
Analyst: Apple warned handset makers before suing HTC
An analyst report says that Apple gave plenty of warning that it intended to sue competitors it believed moved too close to iPhone's territory.
Google's Long-Term Prognosis: Death by CEO
Last week I was asked to comment on a study of CEOs. It found that young ones do better than old ones do, which kind of pissed me off. At the same time, like a lot of folks in my business, I've been looking back at the lessons learned from Steve Jobs, who is kind of the CEO gold standard, and comparing him to Eric Schmidt, who appears to be the most highly paid empty suit since John Sculley.
Businesses offer best path to money in smart grid
Dozens of companies are developing tools to get consumers involved in home energy management, but businesses are easier customers to serve, say smart-grid execs.
Indendix EEG lets you type with your brain
Austria's Guger Technologies is billing the device as the world's first commercial personal brain-machine speller.
Microsoft and the Incredible 'Internet Usage Tax'
It's not often that Linux Girl is struck speechless by some tidbit of news in the tech world, but every once in a while it happens. Last week, it happened. Amid all the high-level discussion of Internet security at the RSA Conference 2010 in San Francisco, Microsoft's Scott Charney actually suggested a government tax to help the company improve Windows security.
EFF knocks iPhone developer license agreement
The Electronic Frontier Foundation used the Freedom of Information Act to obtain a copy of the iPhone developer agreement from a federal agency and doesn't like what it found.
Samsung partners with Barnes & Noble on new e-reader
Samsung's $299 E6 eReader, which now has a tie-in with Barnes & Noble, is scheduled for an April or May release in the U.S.
Aperture's Makeover Delights Photogs
The new features in Apple's makeover of its image editing and archiving program Aperture appear to be a hit among photographers, even though the initial release of the application was so flawed an upgrade had to be released within two weeks of its launch. Aperture 3.0 ($199) has more than two hundred new features.
Is ad blocking the problem?
Ad blocking is an easy scapegoat for the online media industry, but blocking ad-blocking will only stymie the evolution of the online media business.
Drudge Report accused of serving malware, again
Drudge says a Senate committee has falsely accused the conservative news aggregation site of spreading malware, but a CNET reader says it's true.
Opera's All-Out Bid to Build the Best Browser
Usually software companies have the luxury of picking their own deadlines, and typically -- especially in the case of open source or free programs -- those deadlines are allowed to slip or even lapse. But the European Commission gave Opera a solid opportunity to get back in the game, to be discussed once again in the same company as Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, and Apple Safari.
In Chatroulette, the Web is closer to the real world
Chatroulette is receiving a lot of criticism, but perhaps the media are identifying it as something it's not.
Finland to get a Center of Water Efficiency Excellence
(VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland) Kemira Oyj and VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland will establish a Centre of Water Efficiency Excellence to Finland. The present Finnish competence of the water sector is being gathered into one center. The aim is to construct a new and unique competence of the water sector in Finland and to create new business opportunities for companies in the environmental technology sector.
Say It Ain't So, Microsoft
Although its operating system and apps are so buggy that new vulnerabilities are discovered with frightening regularity, Microsoft now wants Internet users to pony up to cover the cost of cybersecurity. The idea was put forth by Scott Charney, Redmond's vice president for trustworthy computing, during a speech at the RSA Conference 2010 security convention earlier this week.
Study suggests need for broader use of individualized learning plans for physicians
(University of California - Davis - Health System) Physicians would be better prepared for the accelerating rate of scientific discovery -- and more in step with the latest in patient-care -- if they added an important tool to their medical bags: a plan for how to keep pace with emerging health-care advances.
Laptop revolution: New class design saves schools money, space
(North Carolina State University) Universities around the country are struggling with shrinking budgets, even as they need to cater to the needs of an increasing number of students. New research from North Carolina State University shows that one way to cut down on costs, and simultaneously improve the learning experience, is to have students use the technology they already bring into the classroom.
YouTube's Auto-Captioning: Accessibility, Searchability, Profitability?
YouTube on Thursday opened its previously restricted automated captioning beta program to the public, saying it will help the hearing-impaired. Currently, the feature is only available for videos that contain speech in the English language, although YouTube plans to add other languages. Ultimately, the auto-captioning feature might help YouTube monetize its videos.
Care improving, cost saving Indiana Network for Patient Care expands
(Indiana University School of Medicine) The Indiana Network for Patient Care, one of the highest volume health information exchanges in the US is expanding beyond central Indiana. Created and operated by the Regenstrief Institute, INPC daily handles approximately 2.5 million secure transactions of clinically relevant data such as laboratory test results, medication and treatment histories, and other clinically important information in a standardized, electronic format.
The HaptiMap project aims to make maps accessible through touch, hearing and vision
(Elhuyar Fundazioa) If you are walking or cycling, and do not want to (or are unable to) spend most of your time focusing on a screen, the use of mobile devices tends to be a frustrating experience. The same is true in bright sunlight or if your eyesight is not good enough to see every detail on the mobile screen.
Cleveland researchers use natural and artificial sheaths to mend traumatic bone loss
(Case Western Reserve University) Melissa Knothe Tate, of Case Western Reserve University, and Ulf Knothe, of the Cleveland Clinic, have shown that the stem-cell rich periosteum sheath around bone can be used to mend serious bone loss faster and more simply than bone grafts. The pair has developed an artificial periosteum that can be implanted in patients who have too little of the natural covering left.
New method to grow arteries could lead to 'biological bypass' for heart disease
(Yale University) A new method of growing arteries could lead to a "biological bypass"-- or a noninvasive way to treat coronary artery disease, Yale School of Medicine researchers report with their colleagues in the April issue of Journal of Clinical Investigation.
Environmental engineers receive top science paper award for investigative work
(Virginia Tech) Research that contradicted years of government assertions that no residents in Washington D.C. had been harmed by years of unnecessary exposure to very high levels of lead in their potable water has received the Environmental Science and Technology Editor's Choice Award for Best Science Paper of 2009.
LED streetlights best buy for cities, Pitt researchers report in first cradle-to-grave comparison to common and emerging streetlamps
(University of Pittsburgh) University of Pittsburgh researchers have conducted the first cradle-to-grave assessment of light-emitting diode streetlights and determined that the increasingly popular lamps strike the best balance between brightness, affordability, and energy and environmental conservation when their life span -- from production to disposal -- is considered. LEDs consist of clusters of tiny, high-intensity bulbs and are extolled for their power efficiency and clear luminosity.
The life and death of online communities
(University of Haifa) The more heterogeneous the community of an online chat channel, the more chances the channel has to survive over time. This has been concluded in a new joint study carried out by researchers of the University of Haifa and the New Jersey Institute of Technology. "This study has shown that an essentially social characteristic significantly influences the survival chances of an online community," says Dr. Daphne Raban of the University of Haifa.
Study shows potential for using algae to produce human therapeutic proteins
(University of California - San Diego) Pharmaceutical companies could substantially reduce the expense of costly treatments for cancer and other diseases produced from mammalian or bacterial cells by growing these human therapeutic proteins in algae -- rapidly growing aquatic plant cells that have recently gained attention for their ability to produce biofuels.
Engineers deployed to Chile to study earthquake's impacts
(University of California - Berkeley) UC Berkeley engineers are traveling to Chile to help coordinate US reconnaissance efforts to document the effects of the massive 8.8 magnitude earthquake that struck the region on Feb. 27.
Researchers show how far South American cities moved in quake
(Ohio State University) The massive magnitude 8.8 earthquake that struck the west coast of Chile last month moved the entire city of Concepcion at least 10 feet to the west, and shifted other parts of South America as far apart as the Falkland Islands and Fortaleza, Brazil. These preliminary measurements, done by researchers including geophysicists on the ground in Chile, paint a much clearer picture of the power behind this temblor, believed to be the fifth-most-powerful since instruments have been available to measure seismic shifts.
FCC to Propose National Digital Literacy Corps - PC World
Samsung Finding New Ways to Push 3D to Users - PC World
On latest guitar game, players strum real strings - The Associated Press
Facebook Updates May Share Your Location Soon - PC World
Criticism mounts against Obama's plans to change NASA strategy - Washington Post
`Nobel of computing' goes to early PC designer - The Associated Press
Microsoft Fixes Eight Bugs, Warns Of IE Zero-Day - InformationWeek
HP Touts Flash as Killer App Against Apple's iPad - PC World
EFF knocks iPhone developer license agreement - CNET
As Chile shook, cities rolled to the west a bit
The Earth really did move during the massive Chile quake: Researchers say cities and islands physically shifted west a bit.
Court rejects that atom smasher would destroy world
A German woman has failed in a bid to force her country's government to halt experiments at the world's largest atom smasher which she feared would lead to the Earth's destruction.
Samsung, Panasonic start selling 3-D TVs
Samsung and Panasonic will start selling 3-D TVs in U.S. stores this week. This inaugurates what all TV makers hope is the era of 3-D viewing in the living room.
U.S.-born panda freed from quarantine in China
After a month in quarantine, American-born panda Tai Shan paced around his new home in southwest China as he was put on public display Tuesday for the first time since his much-anticipated arrival in the country.
NASA: Money key to more space shuttle flights
NASA's space shuttle manager says it wouldn't be hard to add more shuttle flights. The real question is money. Program manager John Shannon says it costs $200 million a month to keep the fleet flying.
Biggest, deepest crater exposes hidden, ancient moon
Shortly after the Moon formed, an asteroid smacked into its southern hemisphere and gouged out a truly enormous crater, the South Pole-Aitken basin, almost 1,500 miles across and more than five miles deep.
Exposure to letters A or F can affect test performance
Seeing the letter A before an exam can improve a student's exam result while exposure to the letter F may make a student more likely to fail, according to a new study.
Synthetic 'sea shells' made from chalk and materials used in disposable coffee cups
Scientists have made synthetic 'sea shells' from a mixture of chalk and polystyrene cups -- and produced a tough new material that could make our homes and offices more durable.
Physicists find way to see through paint, paper, and other opaque materials
New experiments show that it's possible to focus light through opaque materials and detect objects hidden behind them, provided you know enough about the material.
New light shed on how retina's hardware is used in color vision
Biologists have identified, in greater detail, how the retina's cellular hardware is used in color preference. The findings enhance our understanding of how eyes and the brain process color.
Bone marrow can harbor HIV-infected cells
Antiviral drugs have reduced AIDS to more of chronic disease rather than a death sentence, but why is the disease so hard to cure? New research shows that bone marrow, previously thought to be resistant to the virus, can contain latent forms of the infection. Targeting these reservoirs of latent cells may open the door to new treatments.
Google Tests TV Search Service - Wall Street Journal
Detroit wants to save itself by shrinking
Detroit, the very symbol of American industrial might for most of the 20th century, is drawing up a radical renewal plan that calls for turning large swaths of this now-blighted, rusted-out city back into the fields and farmland that existed before the automobile.
Chile earthquake moved whole city 10 feet to the west
The massive earthquake that struck near Maule in Chile, moved the entire city of Concepcion at least 10 feet to the west, experts have revealed.
German woman loses battle against atom-smasher
2 of oldest people in U.S. die: in N.H. 114, Mich. 113
Mary Josephine Ray, who was certified as the oldest person living in the United States, died Sunday at age 114 years, 294 days. On the same day, Daisey Bailey, who was 113 years old, 342 days, also died.
Newegg Counterfeit CPU Mess Finally Resolved
Guilty party is revealed customers will get their refunds
Extermination in paradise
Rats have long wreaked bloody devastation in the wildlife haven of South Georgia – now conservationists are planning brutal retaliation
Dietary supplements discouraged for prostate cancer patients
Prostate-specific dietary supplements should not be taken during radiation therapy treatments because they have been shown to increase the radiosensitivity of normal prostate cell lines, leading to normal tissue complications, according to a new study.
Women who drink moderately appear to gain less weight than nondrinkers
Normal-weight women who drink a light to moderate amount of alcohol appear to gain less weight and have a lower risk of becoming overweight and obese than nondrinkers, according to a new article.
Abused children more likely to suffer unexplained abdominal pain, nausea or vomiting
Children who have been abused psychologically, physically or sexually are more likely to suffer unexplained abdominal pain and nausea or vomiting than children who have not been abused, a new study concludes.
Listening in on single cells: Novel sensor array detects single molecules produced by living cells
Chemical engineers have built a sensor array that, for the first time, can detect single molecules of hydrogen peroxide emanating from a single living cell.
Like little golden assassins, 'smart' nanoparticles identify, target and kill cancer cells
Another weapon in the arsenal against cancer: nanoparticles that identify, target and kill specific cancer cells while leaving healthy cells alone.
Asexual plant reproduction may seed new approach for agriculture
A scientist has moved a step closer to turning sexually-reproducing plants into asexual reproducers, a finding that could have profound implications for agriculture.
Nanotube cuff is 'solar cell' for exhaust pipes
A new material based on nanotubes matches the efficiency of solar cells – but scavenges power from heat leaking from hot pipes, not sunlight
GE: Limit PCB contamination during Hudson dredging
General Electric Co. on Monday proposed a halting further dredging of the Hudson River if PCBs churned up by the work spread too much pollution downriver during the second phase of an ongoing cleanup.
Why chameleons are the only lizards that eat breakfast
High-speed video images show the lizards can catch prey with their rubber band-like tongues equally well whether their body temperature is a cool 15 °C or a warmer 35 °C
Chile quake moved a city by three metres
The magnitude 8.8 earthquake that struck Chile moved the city of Concepcion by around 3 metres
Independent Musicians Urge Net Neutrality -- But Only for "Legal" Content
Independent community is more vocal on topic than major labels
Formula reveals 11am is the ideal time for the perfect coffee break
A team of university experts have come up with a formula that proves that Elevenses really is the perfect time for a coffee break.
U.S. Air Force Outlines Future Spending, Aircraft Needs
The demand for F-35 is still there, but the USAF also has other aircraft it is interested in
Where are all the songbirds? Ask a hungry sparrowhawk
Researchers have found a link between the increase in the birds of prey since the 1960s and a fall in numbers of tree sparrows, bullfinches and reed buntings.
How UV rays are shining new light on masterpieces by founder of Italian Renaissance
Restoration experts have used ultra violet rays to shed new light on masterpieces by one of the Western World's greatest painters.
Did 'midwife molecule' assemble first life on Earth?
A previously unrecognised molecule, similar to a type found in meteorites, may have helped the first biomolecules assemble from their building blocks
Obesity as protection against metabolic syndrome, not its cause
The collection of symptoms that is the metabolic syndrome -- insulin resistance, high cholesterol, fatty liver, and a greater risk for diabetes, heart disease, and stroke -- are all related to obesity, but, according to a new review not in the way you probably think they are.
Shoulder function not fully restored after rotator cuff surgery, study finds
Shoulder motion after rotator cuff surgery remains significantly different when compared to the patient's opposite shoulder, according to researchers. In the study, researchers used X-rays providing a 3D view of motion of the arm bone in relation to the shoulder blade, to compared motion in the shoulders of 14 patients who had arthroscopic surgical repair of tendon tears and no symptoms in their other shoulders.
Is That Saturn's Moon Titan or Utah?
Planetary scientists have been puzzling for years over the honeycomb patterns and flat valleys with squiggly edges evident in radar images of Saturn's moon Titan. Now, working with a "volunteer researcher" who has put his own spin on data from NASA's Cassini spacecraft, they have found some recognizable analogies to a type of spectacular terrain on Earth known as karst topography.
Night at the museum
Photographer Richard Barnes explains the allure of museums for artists and why nothing beats the renovation of an old-fashioned diorama
Campylobacter bacteria in cattle manure may survive composting
Contrary to popular belief, some disease causing bacteria may actually survive the composting process. Researchers report that campylobacter bacteria in cattle manure can survive composting and persist for long periods in the final product.
Unhealthy foods become less popular with increasing costs
Adults tend to eat less pizza and drink less soda as the price of these items increases, and their body weight and overall calorie intake also appear to decrease, according to a new study.
A new method of growing arteries could lead to a "biological bypass" -- or a noninvasive way to treat coronary artery disease.
Earthquake in Chile -- a complicated fracture
(Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres) The extremely strong earthquake in Chile on 27 February this year was a complicated rupture process. Scientists ofthe GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences analyzed the first 134 seconds of the quake.
AIBS names emerging public policy leaders
(American Institute of Biological Sciences) The American Institute of Biological Sciences has selected Meredith Niles, a graduate student at the University of California, Davis, Ryan Richards, a graduate student at the University of Maryland, College Park, and Leslie Smith, a graduate student at the University of Rhode Island, to receive the 2010 AIBS Emerging Public Policy Leadership Award (EPPLA).
Musk ox population decline due to climate, not to humans, study finds
(Penn State) Scientists have discovered that the drastic decline in Arctic musk ox populations that began roughly 12,000 years ago was due to a warming climate rather than to human hunting. The research is the first study to use ancient musk ox DNA collected from across the animal's former geographic range to test for human impacts on musk ox populations.
NYU dental professor Dr. Timothy Bromage selected to receive the 2010 Max Planck Research Award
(New York University) New York University College of Dentistry's Dr. Timothy Bromage has been selected to receive the 2010 Max Planck Research Award. Dr. Bromage will collaborate with Dr. Friedemann Schrenk of Frankfurt's Senckenberg Research Institute to research the microanatomical structure of bones and teeth, and the links between metabolic states, growth rates, life spans, and biological features such as sex and body size.
Navy scientists support Haiti relief operations
(Naval Research Laboratory) Scientists at the Naval Research Laboratory at Stennis Space Center are supporting Haiti relief operations. The Marine Geosciences Division's Geospatial Sciences and Technology branch is providing a specially configured version of its patented NRL Tile Server and Geospatial Information Database that will host maps, imagery and other geospatial information for dedicated use in Haiti relief missions.
Deep sedimentation of acantharian cysts -- a reproductive strategy?
(National Oceanography Centre, Southampton (UK)) Spore-like reproductive cysts of enigmatic organisms called acantharians rapidly sink from surface waters to the deep ocean in certain regions, according to new research. Scientists suspect that this is part of an extraordinary reproductive strategy, which allows juveniles to exploit a seasonal food bonanza.
Unselfish molecules may have helped give birth to the genetic material of life
(Georgia Institute of Technology) One of the biggest questions facing scientists today is how life began. Scientists at Georgia Tech have discovered that small molecules could have acted as "molecular midwives" in helping the building blocks of life's genetic material form long chains and may have assisted in selecting the base pairs of the DNA double helix.
Carbon emissions 'outsourced' to developing countries
(Carnegie Institution) Scientists at the Carnegie Institution report that over a third of carbon dioxide emissions associated with consumption of goods and services in many developed countries are actually emitted outside their borders. The study finds that, per person, about 2.5 tons of carbon dioxide are consumed in the US but produced somewhere else. For Europeans, the figure can exceed four tons per person. Most of these emissions are outsourced to developing countries, especially China.
Cool model for a hot planet
(Binghamton University) In his recent book, "Strategic Bargaining and Cooperation in Greenhouse Gas Mitigations," Binghamton University's Zili Yang suggests ways governments might realistically work together to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. He also makes a case for curbing the use of fossil fuels -- whether they contribute to climate change or not.
AGU Journal highlights -- March 8, 2010
(American Geophysical Union) Featured in this release are research papers on the following topics: "Lack of arches doubled Arctic strait's sea-ice loss"; "Solar wind pulses help blow away Martian atmosphere"; "Patterns of colored organic matter reveal ocean features"; "Accurately estimating climate feedbacks"; "Ocean acidification: Simply predicting key depths"; and "Deep-ocean billows observed."
Asking 'what would nature do?' leads to a way to break down a greenhouse gas
(University of Michigan) A recent discovery in understanding how to chemically break down the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide into a useful form opens the doors for scientists to wonder what organism is out there -- or could be created -- to accomplish the task.University of Michigan biological chemist Steve Ragsdale and colleagues have figured out a way to efficiently turn carbon dioxide into carbon monoxide using visible light, like sunlight.
MIT researchers discover new way of producing electricity
(Massachusetts Institute of Technology) A team of scientists at MIT have discovered a previously unknown phenomenon that can cause powerful waves of energy to shoot through minuscule wires known as carbon nanotubes. The discovery could lead to a new way of producing electricity, the researchers say.
CSHL-Mexican team coaxes sexually reproducing plant to brink of asexual reproduction
(Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) In a paper to appear online in Nature February 7, plant geneticists at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory and the National Polytechnic Institute in Mexico report moving a step closer to the goal of turning plants that normally reproduce sexually into asexual reproducers, an outcome that would have profound implications for agriculture globally.
Newest NOAA Geostationary Satellite Reaches Orbit
NOAA and NASA officials announced a new Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES), launched tonight, successfully reached its initial orbit, joining four other GOES spacecraft that help NOAA forecasters track life-threatening weather and solar activity.
Results of ecosystem restoration research at Tahoe to be unveiled
(University of Nevada, Reno) More than 200 scientists, agency staff and managers, and stakeholders will meet over two days to present results aimed at measuring the success of ecosystem restoration in the Lake Tahoe Basin.
30 years later, what killed the dinosaurs is revisited
(University of California - San Diego) Scripps researcher among dozens making the case with new evidence that an asteroid impact caused a mass extinction 65.5 million years ago.
Scientists find signs of 'snowball Earth' amidst early animal evolution
(National Science Foundation) Geologists have found evidence that sea ice extended to the equator 716.5 million years ago, bringing new precision to a "snowball Earth" event long suspected to have taken place around that time.
Most extreme white dwarf binary system found with orbit of just 5 minutes
(University of Warwick) An international team of astronomers, including Professor Tom Marsh and Dr. Danny Steeghs from the University of Warwick, have shown that the two stars in the binary HM Cancri definitely revolve around each other in a mere 5.4 minutes. This makes HM Cancri the binary star with by far the shortest known orbital period. It is also the smallest known binary.
NJIT electrical engineer Yanchao Zhang receives NSF CAREER Award
(New Jersey Institute of Technology) Yanchao Zhang, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the department of electrical and computer engineering at NJIT, has received a National Science Foundation Faculty Early Career Development Award for his research project titled "Dependable Data Management in Heterogeneous Sensor Networks."
Experts reaffirm asteroid impact caused mass extinction
(University of Texas at Austin) Responding to challenges to the hypothesis that an asteroid impact caused a mass extinction on Earth 65 million years, a panel of 41 scientists re-analyzed data and provided new evidence, concluding that an impact in Mexico was indeed the cause of the mass extinction.
Oldest measurement of Earth's magnetic field reveals battle between sun and Earth for our atmosphere
(University of Rochester) Scientists at the University of Rochester have discovered that the Earth's magnetic field 3.5 billion years ago was only half as strong as it is today, and that this weakness, coupled with a strong wind of energetic particles from the young sun, likely stripped water from the early Earth's atmosphere.
University of Arizona receives contracts worth $6 million to support quest for dark energy
(University of Arizona) University of Arizona research and development groups were selected to develop and manufacture key technology for the first major undertaking to investigate the mystery of dark energy in the universe.
Revisiting chicxulub
(National Science Foundation) For decades, scientists have accumulated ever-larger datasets that suggest an enormous space rock crashed into the ocean off the Yucatan Peninsula more than 65 million years ago, resulting in the Cretaceous-Paleogene (K-Pg) extinction.
(NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center) Shortly after the moon formed, an asteroid smacked into its southern hemisphere and gouged out a truly enormous crater, the South Pole-Aitken basin, almost 1,500 miles across and more than five miles deep.
Turning up the heat: Finding out how well the Webb telescope's sunshield will perform
(NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center) Keeping an infrared telescope at very cold operating temperatures isn't an option, it's an absolute necessity. Serving as a radiation blocker, the Webb telescope sunshield is subjected to nearly 100,000 thermal watts of solar heat, and reduces that to one tenth of a watt on the cold side, a million to one reduction.
Lava likely made river-like channel on Mars
(NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center) Flowing lava can carve or build paths very much like the riverbeds and canyons etched by water, and this probably explains at least one of the meandering channels on the surface of Mars.
Asteroid killed off the dinosaurs, says international scientific panel
(Imperial College London) The Cretaceous-Tertiary mass extinction, which wiped out the dinosaurs and more than half of species on Earth, was caused by an asteroid colliding with Earth and not massive volcanic activity, according to a comprehensive review of all the available evidence, published today in the journal Science.
Phobos flyby success
(European Space Agency) Mars Express encountered Phobos last night, smoothly skimming past at just 67 km, the closest any manmade object has ever approached Mars' enigmatic moon. The data collected could help unlock the origin of not just Phobos but other "second generation" moons.
Bully galaxy rules the neighborhood
(ESA/Hubble Information Centre) In general, galaxies can be thought of as "social" -- hanging out in groups and frequently interacting. However, this recent NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image highlights how some galaxies appear to be hungry loners. These cosmic oddities have set astronomers on the "case of the missing neighbor galaxies."
Endangered Species Research publishes theme section on biologging science
(Stanford University - Hopkins Marine Station) Biologging -- the use of miniaturized electronic tags to track animals in the wild -- has revealed previously unknown information about a wide variety of ocean animals. Biologging science is showing researchers how animals work in the furthest reaches of the ocean environs. A collection of papers on Biologging Science is being published Wednesday, March 3, 2010, in the scientific journal Endangered Species Research, which features a wide array of cutting-edge biologging research from around the world.