Astrophysicists have discovered another example of a black hole in a globular star cluster for a total of three, upsetting 40 years of theories against their possible existence.
Tom Maccarone, a Texas Tech University associate professor of physics, said globular star clusters are large groupings of stars thought to contain some of the oldest stars in the universe and could have… read more
A brain stimulation technique that is used to treat tough cases of depression could be considerably improved with a new headpiece designed by University of Michigan engineers.
Computer simulations showed that the headpiece — a square array of 64 circular metallic coils — could one day help researchers and doctors hit finer targets in the brain that are twice as deep as they can reach… read more
Nanotechnology may provide new strategies for regenerative medicine, including better tools to improve or restore damaged tissues, according to a review paper that summarizes the current state of knowledge on nanotechnology with application to stem cell biology.
Researchers have found that the adhesion, growth, and differentiation of stem cells are likely controlled by their surrounding microenvironment, which contains both chemical and physical cues. These cues include the… read more
“From thousands of classified documents, the National Security Agency emerges as an electronic omnivore of staggering capabilities, eavesdropping and hacking its way around the world to strip governments and other targets of their secrets, all the while enforcing the utmost secrecy about its own operations,” The New York Times claims.
“A review of classified agency documents obtained by Mr. Snowden and shared with The New York Times… read more
Robots are beginning to move around in the world and perform tasks as humans do, The New York Times reports.
Many of the new generation of robots are tele-operated from a distance, but are increasingly doing tasks independent of direct human control. …
Today’s robot designers believe that their creations will become therapists, caregivers, guides and security guards, and will ultimately perform virtually any form of… read more
MIT chemists have built a sensor using carbon nanotubes that can monitor nitric oxide (NO) in living animals for more than a year.
Nitric oxide (NO) is one of the most important signaling molecules in living cells, carrying messages within the brain and coordinating immune system functions. In many cancerous cells, levels are perturbed.
“Nitric oxide has contradictory roles in cancer progression, and we need new… read more
A total of 6.9 zettabytes of media flows to individuals and households in a year — that’s 6.9 million million gigabytes.… read more
Google’s mysterious floating barge on San Francisco Bay will feature luxury showrooms and a party deck for the tech giant to market Google Glass and other gadgets to invitation-only clients, according to KPIX 5 in San Francisco.
The station cited “multiple sources” including at least one who has been aboard the barge, and said it was dreamed up at Google X, the company’s secret facility.… read more
“An obsession with growth has eclipsed our concern for sustainability, justice and human dignity. But people are not disposable — the value of life lies outside economic development,” writes philosopher, environmental activist, and author Vandana Shiva at The Guardian.
“Limitless growth is the fantasy of economists, businesses and politicians,” she says. “It is seen as a measure of progress. As a result, gross domestic product (GDP), which is supposed… read more
Which five futuristic technologies are likely to have the biggest impact by 2025? And what can people start doing, from today, to prepare for the changes and to ensure positive outcomes?
This London Futurists Hngout on Air featured a live discussion between futurists Kevin Russell,Peter Rothman, Riva-Melissa Tez, Clyde DeSouza, and José Luis Cordeiro.
When: 7 pm to 8.30 pm London time (2 pm to 3:30 pm EST) on… read more
Light stimulates brain activity during a cognitive task even in some people who are totally blind, according to a study conducted by researchers at the University of Montreal and Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
“We were stunned to discover that the brain still responds to light in these rare three completely blind patients despite having absolutely no conscious vision at all,” said senior co-author Steven… read more
The neurocam is the world’s first wearable camera system that automatically records what interests you, based on brainwaves, DigInfo TV reports.
It consists of a headset with a brain-wave sensor and uses the iPhone’s camera to record a 5-second GIF animation. It could also be useful for life-logging.
The algorithm for quantifying brain waves was co-developed by Associate Professor Mitsukura at Keio University.
The… read more
Playing the Super Mario 64 video game causes increased size in brain regions responsible for spatial orientation, memory formation and strategic planning as well as fine motor skills, a new study conducted at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development and Charité University Medicine St. Hedwig-Krankenhaus has found.
The positive effects of video gaming may also be useful in therapeutic interventions targeting psychiatric disorders.
To investigate… read more
Stanford professor Marc Levoy sees a combination of computational imaging and new-form-factor camera-equipped devices that will allow for a set of what he described as “superhero vision” capabilities, Extreme Tech reports.
Rapidly increasing processor power will help fuel this new world of powerful new photographic tools. Levoy, a pioneer in both computer graphics and computational imaging, noted that GPU power is growing by roughly 80% per year,… read more
MIT researchers have found that Kepler 78b, a small, intensely hot planet 400 light-years from Earth discovered by the researchers in August, shares Earth’s mass.
By analyzing the movement of its host star, Kepler 78, the scientists determined that the exoplanet is about 1.7 times as massive as the Earth.
From the same measurements, they calculated that the planet’s density is 5.3 grams… read more