The invisible RFID ink process developed by Somark involves a geometric array of micro-needles and an ink capsule, which is used to tattoo
an animal. The ink can be detected from 4 feet away — via Warren Ellis
Researchers at the University of Alberta Department of Medicine have shown that an existing small, relatively non-toxic molecule, dichloroacetate, causes regression in several different cancers. But there’s a catch: the drug isn’t patented, and pharmaceutical companies may not be interested in funding further research if the treatment won’t make them a profit. In findings that astounded
the researchers, the molecule known as DCA was shown to shrink lung, breast and brain tumours in both animal and human tissue experiments
Hewlett-Packard researchers have developed a novel way to create flexible electronic circuits that could make it routine by the end of the decade to modify and upgrade the circuitry in computer-based consumer products even after they have been sold. The technology grows out of an advance in nanocomputing, which involves creating circuitry on a molecular scale and making it interact with today’s silicon wires and transistors
By genetically removing a particular protein, scientists have developed cattle that seem to be resistant to mad cow disease. Dr Juergen Richt with the United States Department of Agriculture in Ames, Iowa and colleagues generated cattle lacking the prion protein and monitored them for growth and general health status from birth to 20 months of age
Gas-guzzling sports cars, four-wheel-drives and people carriers could be priced off the road within five years after a crackdown on carbon emissions to be announced by the European Commission this month. The average new car in 2012 will have to emit no more than 120 grams of carbon per kilometre under proposals to be announced by the European Environment Commissioner, Stavros Dimas
Researchers at Johns Hopkins University may have found a way to kill cancer cells without radiation or toxic chemicals. The group is taking the step of patenting the idea, as this new approach using sugars may hold real potential for the fight against cancer
An international team of researchers has discovered a new generation of optical molecules which interact 50% more strongly with light than any molecules ever tested. These organic molecules, known as chromophores, have been theorised by physicists at Washington State University, synthesised by chemists in China and tested for their actual optical properties by chemists in Belgium. But if they’re excellent candidates for being used in optical technologies such as optical switches and Internet connections, these new materials should not be used before several years — if ever
While some islands are sinking, last August another rose from the ocean, formed by volcanic activity and caught in the act by a passing yacht. What looked like a brown stain on the South Pacific turned out to be a spectacular drift of floating pumice stones stretching more than 16 km — and an indication an island was being born nearby
Ah, Pravda… it does bring the wacky: Russian scientists from the city of Novosibirsk, Siberia, made a sensational report at the international conference devoted to new methods of treatment and rehabilitation in narcology. The report was called Methods of painful impact to treat addictive behavior
. Siberian scientists believe that addiction to alcohol and narcotics, as well as depression, suicidal thoughts and psychosomatic diseases occur when an individual loses his or her interest in life. The absence of the will to live is caused with decreasing production of endorphins — the substance, which is known as the hormone of happiness. If a depressed individual receives a physical punishment, whipping that is, it will stir up endorphin receptors, activate the production of happiness
and eventually remove depressive feelings — via Improbable Research
It has long been known that the Toxoplasma gondii parasite alters its host’s behaviour, but now it seems the way it alters it depends on the sex of the host. A common parasite can increase a women’s attractiveness to the opposite sex but also make men more stupid. Infected men have lower IQs, achieve a lower level of education and have shorter attention spans. They are also more likely to break rules and take risks, be more independent, more anti-social, suspicious, jealous and morose, and are deemed less attractive to women. On the other hand, infected women tend to be more outgoing, friendly, more promiscuous, and are considered more attractive to men compared with non-infected controls
Two-hour flights to the other side of the world may seem like a scene from a science fiction movie; but the technology is in place, and a plane that can do just that is currently in development. While it looks like a scene from a flight simulator, the Astrox space plane is the real deal, and the Astrox Corporation says it could revolutionise the transportation industry. Traveling as fast as Mach 25 with at least 30 minutes of space shuttle-like views while in orbit is the highlight of this plane, and the Astrox Corporation, along with their partners, are claiming to have finally overcome their largest problem, mixing fuel
Optical microchips that can store light for short periods of time before sending it on its way have been constructed for the first time by researchers at IBM in the US. The work is an important breakthrough for chip designers who hope one day to use optical buffers
in superfast processors that rely on photons instead of electrons for their processing power
If you don’t believe that Santa Claus can deliver presents to millions of homes in a single night, Larry Silverberg, professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at North Carolina State University, explains that Santa’s society of elves has an understanding of physics and engineering that exceeds our own. In fact, Santa Claus and his crew really can deliver presents in one night because of their advanced knowledge of electromagnetic waves, the space/time continuum, nanotechnology, genetic engineering and computer science. For example, he doesn’t carry presents. He uses a nano-toymaker to fabricate toys grown atom by atom inside the children’s homes
Northwestern University researchers report that by combining organic and inorganic materials they have produced transparent, high-performance transistors that can be assembled inexpensively on both glass and plastics. Researchers have long worked on developing new types of displays powered by electronics without visible wires. But, until now, no one was able to develop materials for transistors that could be invisible
while still maintaining a high level of performance
Around the time that the great pyramids were built in Egypt and Stonehenge was erected in England, a young woman living in what is now Iran lost an eye and was fitted with a prosthetic device. The find supports speculation that such prosthetics were available to a fortunate few in the ancient world. The newly found eye looked like the real thing
A study by a team of neuroscientists and engineers has demonstrated that humans can follow a scent trail — an ability that most had assumed only animals possessed. Furthermore, the study demonstrated for the first time that humans make use of differential information from the two nostrils. The researchers blindfolded college students who crawled through grass to sniff out a chocolate-scented trail
In a new pact with NASA, Google will help to develop new search capabilities, imaging systems, and other technologies to help make space exploration more appealing to Internet users
The UK government has just given the go ahead to two large offshore wind-farm projects. Between them the schemes would produce enough renewable electricity to power about one million households. The larger London Array project covers 232km² between Margate in Kent and Clacton, Essex and will be the world’s biggest when it is completed. The £1.5bn scheme will have 341 turbines rising from the sea about 20km off the Kent and Essex coasts, as well as five offshore substations and four meteorological masts
Organic — or carbon-based — transistors are not new and can be used to design flexible computer displays, RFID tags and sensors. However, these organic single crystals could not be mass-produced because they needed to be individually handpicked. But now, researchers at Stanford University and the University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA) have developed a new method for building flexible organic transistor arrays. Even if the researchers have reached a density of 13 million crystals per square inch (or 2 million per square centimetre), there are still several issues to solve before this method can be used for commercial applications of these fast transistors
Panasonic said it has developed a lithium-ion battery that won’t overheat even if a short circuit occurs. The new battery includes a heat-resistive insulator inside the battery cell, next to an existing separator that insulates the anode and cathode. If that separator is punctured a short circuit occurs that typically causes the battery to overheat and in some circumstances catch fire. Panasonic said its insulation layer ensures that the battery won’t overheat even in the event of a short circuit
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