December 31, 2008 (Wednesday)

• The first high definition imprints (CymaGlyphs
  Cymatics
  Cymatics is the study of visible sound and vibration, a subset of modal phenomena. Typically the surface of a plate, diaphragm, or membrane is vibrated, and regions of maximum and minimum displacement are made visible in a thin coating of particles, paste, or liquid...
  
  ) of the sounds dolphin
  Dolphin
  Dolphins are marine mammals that are closely related to whales and porpoises. There are almost forty species of dolphin in 17 genera. They vary in size from and , up to and . They are found worldwide, mostly in the shallower seas of the continental shelves, and are carnivores, mostly eating...
  
  s make are taken. There is growing evidence dolphins can scan an object and then send that ultrasonic image to other dolphins; making their language picture based. (AlphaGalileo)

December 30, 2008 (Tuesday)

• Religion
  Religion
  Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
  
   may have evolved because it helps followers have more self-control. The trait is important for achieving long term goals, avoiding substance abuse and increased longevity. (Physorg)
• Exercise has been shown to improve memory by allowing glucose
  Glucose
  Glucose is a simple sugar and an important carbohydrate in biology. Cells use it as the primary source of energy and a metabolic intermediate...
  
   to be quickly absorbed by muscles. This improves the function of the dentate gyrus
  Dentate gyrus
  The dentate gyrus is part of the hippocampal formation. It is thought to contribute to new memories as well as other functional roles. It is notable as being one of a select few brain structures currently known to have high rates of neurogenesis in adult rats, .The dentate gyrus cells receive...
  
  , a part of the hippocampus
  Hippocampus
  The hippocampus is a major component of the brains of humans and other vertebrates. It belongs to the limbic system and plays important roles in the consolidation of information from short-term memory to long-term memory and spatial navigation. Humans and other mammals have two hippocampi, one in...
  
  , which is involved in learning and memory. (SciAm)

December 29, 2008 (Monday)

• Inorganic phosphate
  Phosphate
  A phosphate, an inorganic chemical, is a salt of phosphoric acid. In organic chemistry, a phosphate, or organophosphate, is an ester of phosphoric acid. Organic phosphates are important in biochemistry and biogeochemistry or ecology. Inorganic phosphates are mined to obtain phosphorus for use in...
  
  s– found in a variety of processed foods– may speed growth of lung cancer
  Lung cancer
  Lung cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, this growth can spread beyond the lung in a process called metastasis into nearby tissue and, eventually, into other parts of the body. Most cancers that start in lung, known as primary...
  
   tumors. (HeathNewsTrack)

December 27, 2008 (Saturday)

• A leap second
  Leap second
  A leap second is a positive or negative one-second adjustment to the Coordinated Universal Time time scale that keeps it close to mean solar time. UTC, which is used as the basis for official time-of-day radio broadcasts for civil time, is maintained using extremely precise atomic clocks...
  
   will be added to 2008 to synchronize Earth
  Earth
  Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
  
  's rotation with the time. (NYTimes)
• The Molecule of the Year 2008 is the anti- SAG 421-433 catalytic IgA as announced by Isidro T. Savillo, President of ISMCBBPR (International Society for Molecular and Cell Biology and Biotechnology Protocols and Researches). (ScientistSolutions) (IFCB)(UTH)

December 26, 2008 (Friday)

• Verizon wins a $33.15 million judgment against cybersquatter OnlineNIC. (Register)

December 24, 2008 (Wednesday)

• A PEW study shows the internet
  Internet
  The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
  
   has overtaken newspaper
  Newspaper
  A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
  
  s as a news source. (CNet)
• For the first time notebook
  Notebook
  A notebook is a book or binder composed of pages of notes, often ruled, made out of paper, used for purposes including recording notes or memoranda, writing, drawing, and scrapbooking....
  
   sales surpass desktop computer
  Desktop computer
  A desktop computer is a personal computer in a form intended for regular use at a single location, as opposed to a mobile laptop or portable computer. Early desktop computers are designed to lay flat on the desk, while modern towers stand upright...
  
  s. (eWeek)

December 23, 2008 (Tuesday)

• Lack of sleep
  Sleep
  Sleep is a naturally recurring state characterized by reduced or absent consciousness, relatively suspended sensory activity, and inactivity of nearly all voluntary muscles. It is distinguished from quiet wakefulness by a decreased ability to react to stimuli, and is more easily reversible than...
  
   linked to calcium deposits and a higher chance of heart disease
  Heart disease
  Heart disease, cardiac disease or cardiopathy is an umbrella term for a variety of diseases affecting the heart. , it is the leading cause of death in the United States, England, Canada and Wales, accounting for 25.4% of the total deaths in the United States.-Types:-Coronary heart disease:Coronary...
  
  . (NYTimes)
• Artificial human bone marrow
  Bone marrow
  Bone marrow is the flexible tissue found in the interior of bones. In humans, bone marrow in large bones produces new blood cells. On average, bone marrow constitutes 4% of the total body mass of humans; in adults weighing 65 kg , bone marrow accounts for approximately 2.6 kg...
  
   is created in a test tube. This will permit faster testing of new drugs. (EurekAlert)

December 22, 2008 (Monday)

• A new protein sequencing method would sequence an unknown antibody in under 36 hours, far faster than standard methods that take weeks or months. (ScienceDaily)
• Glasses developed by Joshua Silver
  Joshua Silver
  Professor Joshua D Silver is a UK physicist whose discoveries have included a new way to change the curvature of lenses, with significant application for the low-cost manufacture of corrective lenses....
  
   allow people in developing countries to adjust the thickness of the lenses to their prescription. The goal is to improve the sight of 1 billion people and to design the glasses to cost $1. (Guardian)
• A new way to protect teeth from cavities has been found by using silica nanoparticles. (ScienceDaily)
• The last large U.S. supplier of VHS
  VHS
  The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
  
   tapes sends out its final shipment. (LATimes)

December 21, 2008 (Sunday)

• The enzyme horseradish peroxidase
  Horseradish peroxidase
  The enzyme horseradish peroxidase , found in horseradish, is used extensively in biochemistry applications primarily for its ability to amplify a weak signal and increase detectability of a target molecule.-Applications:...
  
   along with hydrogen peroxide
  Hydrogen peroxide
  Hydrogen peroxide is the simplest peroxide and an oxidizer. Hydrogen peroxide is a clear liquid, slightly more viscous than water. In dilute solution, it appears colorless. With its oxidizing properties, hydrogen peroxide is often used as a bleach or cleaning agent...
  
   has been found to biodegrade carbon nanotube
  Carbon nanotube
  Carbon nanotubes are allotropes of carbon with a cylindrical nanostructure. Nanotubes have been constructed with length-to-diameter ratio of up to 132,000,000:1, significantly larger than for any other material...
  
  s. (Pitt)

December 19, 2008 (Friday)

• A new early cancer
  Cancer
  Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
  
   detection using magnetoresistance
  Magnetoresistance
  Magnetoresistance is the property of a material to change the value of its electrical resistance when an external magnetic field is applied to it. The effect was first discovered by William Thomson in 1856, but he was unable to lower the electrical resistance of anything by more than 5%. This...
  
   could be significantly more sensitive than standard tests. (TechReview)

December 18, 2008 (Thursday)

• Foresight Institute Feynman Prize winners announced. (ComputerWorld)
• Protein
  Protein
  Proteins are biochemical compounds consisting of one or more polypeptides typically folded into a globular or fibrous form, facilitating a biological function. A polypeptide is a single linear polymer chain of amino acids bonded together by peptide bonds between the carboxyl and amino groups of...
  
  s have been identified that regulate neuron
  Neuron
  A neuron is an electrically excitable cell that processes and transmits information by electrical and chemical signaling. Chemical signaling occurs via synapses, specialized connections with other cells. Neurons connect to each other to form networks. Neurons are the core components of the nervous...
  
   growth. (PhysOrg)
• Higher density biofuel
  Biofuel
  Biofuel is a type of fuel whose energy is derived from biological carbon fixation. Biofuels include fuels derived from biomass conversion, as well as solid biomass, liquid fuels and various biogases...
  
   has been made possible by creating long-chain alcohols with genetically modified Escherichia coli
  Escherichia coli
  Escherichia coli is a Gram-negative, rod-shaped bacterium that is commonly found in the lower intestine of warm-blooded organisms . Most E. coli strains are harmless, but some serotypes can cause serious food poisoning in humans, and are occasionally responsible for product recalls...
  
  . It is also less corrosive and easier to process. (PhysOrg)

December 16, 2008 (Tuesday)

• Researchers have found that by manipulation stem cell
  Stem cell
  This article is about the cell type. For the medical therapy, see Stem Cell TreatmentsStem cells are biological cells found in all multicellular organisms, that can divide and differentiate into diverse specialized cell types and can self-renew to produce more stem cells...
  
   electrical signals they can suppress or increase growth. They hope to use this to precisely control organ growth for transplantation. (NewScientist)
• Quantum memory stored in gas has been made to last 7.2 microseconds, two orders of magnitude longer than previously, sufficiently long to transmit over 1000 km. (NewScientist)

December 15, 2008 (Monday)

• The first Airborne Laser was successfully tested on the ground integrated with its aircraft. (NewScientist)
• Carbon nanotubes with structural defects built-in could make ideal circuits. (NewScientist)

December 12, 2008 (Friday)

• The first commercial self-healing coating
  Coating
  Coating is a covering that is applied to the surface of an object, usually referred to as the substrate. In many cases coatings are applied to improve surface properties of the substrate, such as appearance, adhesion, wetability, corrosion resistance, wear resistance, and scratch resistance...
  
  s are possibly months away, enabling robust protection of equipment and structures in harsh conditions. (TechReview)
• The Moon
  Moon
  The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
  
   will appear 14 per cent larger and 30 per cent brighter. Its orbit brings it 30,000 km closer to Earth every 15 years. This time it has coincided with a full moon. (CBC)

December 11, 2008 (Thursday)

• IBM
  IBM
  International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
  
   creates graphene
  Graphene
  Graphene is an allotrope of carbon, whose structure is one-atom-thick planar sheets of sp2-bonded carbon atoms that are densely packed in a honeycomb crystal lattice. The term graphene was coined as a combination of graphite and the suffix -ene by Hanns-Peter Boehm, who described single-layer...
  
   transistor
  Transistor
  A transistor is a semiconductor device used to amplify and switch electronic signals and power. It is composed of a semiconductor material with at least three terminals for connection to an external circuit. A voltage or current applied to one pair of the transistor's terminals changes the current...
  
  s able to clock 26 GHz
  GHZ
  GHZ or GHz may refer to:# Gigahertz .# Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger state — a quantum entanglement of three particles.# Galactic Habitable Zone — the region of a galaxy that is favorable to the formation of life....
  
  . (arxivblog)

December 10, 2008 (Thursday)

• Google
  Google
  Google Inc. is an American multinational public corporation invested in Internet search, cloud computing, and advertising technologies. Google hosts and develops a number of Internet-based services and products, and generates profit primarily from advertising through its AdWords program...
  
   releases its 2008 zeitgeist
  Zeitgeist
  Zeitgeist is "the spirit of the times" or "the spirit of the age."Zeitgeist is the general cultural, intellectual, ethical, spiritual or political climate within a nation or even specific groups, along with the general ambiance, morals, sociocultural direction, and mood associated with an era.The...
  
   list. (CTV)

December 9, 2008 (Tuesday)

• The mouse
  Mouse (computing)
  In computing, a mouse is a pointing device that functions by detecting two-dimensional motion relative to its supporting surface. Physically, a mouse consists of an object held under one of the user's hands, with one or more buttons...
  
   celebrates its 40th anniversary. (BBC)
• Research shows there could be no end in sight for Moore's Law
  Moore's Law
  Moore's law describes a long-term trend in the history of computing hardware: the number of transistors that can be placed inexpensively on an integrated circuit doubles approximately every two years....
  
  . The fast pace of growing computing power could be sustained for many years to come thanks to new research from the UK's National Physical Laboratory (NPL) that is applying advanced techniques to magnetic semiconductors. (PhysOrg)

December 8, 2008 (Monday)

• The article Virgin Killer
  Virgin Killer
  Virgin Killer is the fourth studio album by the German heavy metal band Scorpions. It was released in 1976 and was the first album of the band to attract attention outside Europe. The title is described as being a reference to time as the killer of innocence. The original cover featured a nude...
  
   on Wikipedia
  Wikipedia
  Wikipedia is a free, web-based, collaborative, multilingual encyclopedia project supported by the non-profit Wikimedia Foundation. Its 20 million articles have been written collaboratively by volunteers around the world. Almost all of its articles can be edited by anyone with access to the site,...
  
   has been blocked in the United Kingdom
  United Kingdom
  The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
  
   by the Internet Watch Foundation
  Internet Watch Foundation
  The Internet Watch Foundation is a non-governmental charitable body based in the United Kingdom. It states that its remit is "to minimise the availability of 'potentially criminal' Internet content, specifically images of child sexual abuse hosted anywhere, and criminally obscene adult content in...
  
   because the album cover depicts a naked child. It remains viewable on other U.K. websites and sparks a debate on internet censorship
  Internet censorship
  Internet censorship is the control or suppression of the publishing of, or access to information on the Internet. It may be carried out by governments or by private organizations either at the behest of government or on their own initiative...
  
   and free speech. (BBC)
• Broadcom
  Broadcom
  Broadcom Corporation is a fabless semiconductor company in the wireless and broadband communication business. The company is headquartered in Irvine, California, USA. Broadcom was founded by a professor-student pair Henry Samueli and Henry T. Nicholas III from the University of California, Los...
  
   releases the BCM4329 wireless chip that combines 802.11n Wi-Fi
  Wi-Fi
  Wi-Fi or Wifi, is a mechanism for wirelessly connecting electronic devices. A device enabled with Wi-Fi, such as a personal computer, video game console, smartphone, or digital audio player, can connect to the Internet via a wireless network access point. An access point has a range of about 20...
  
  , Bluetooth
  Bluetooth
  Bluetooth is a proprietary open wireless technology standard for exchanging data over short distances from fixed and mobile devices, creating personal area networks with high levels of security...
  
   and FM. This will allow portable devices to efficiently receive and send large files. (InformationWeek)

December 7, 2008 (Saturday)

• Intel says it has made further progress in developing a silicon-based avalanche photodetector. If done cost effectively it would greatly increase the speed and efficiency of processor communication. (eWeek)

December 4, 2008 (Thursday)

• Mars Science Laboratory
  Mars Science Laboratory
  The Mars Science Laboratory is a National Aeronautics and Space Administration mission with the aim to land and operate a rover named Curiosity on the surface of Mars. The MSL was launched November 26, 2011, at 10:02 EST and is scheduled to land on Mars at Gale Crater between August 6 and 20, 2012...
  
   is delayed 2 years to 2011 because of slower than expected progress on resolving issue. (BBC)

December 3, 2008 (Wednesday)

• University of Geneva
  University of Geneva
  The University of Geneva is a public research university located in Geneva, Switzerland.It was founded in 1559 by John Calvin, as a theological seminary and law school. It remained focused on theology until the 17th century, when it became a center for Enlightenment scholarship. In 1873, it...
  
   researchers create the first superconducting FET
  Fet
  Fet is a municipality in Akershus county, Norway. It is part of the Romerike traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Fetsund.Fet was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838...
  
   transistor
  Transistor
  A transistor is a semiconductor device used to amplify and switch electronic signals and power. It is composed of a semiconductor material with at least three terminals for connection to an external circuit. A voltage or current applied to one pair of the transistor's terminals changes the current...
  
  . This could spur the creation of much faster and more efficient microchip
  Integrated circuit
  An integrated circuit or monolithic integrated circuit is an electronic circuit manufactured by the patterned diffusion of trace elements into the surface of a thin substrate of semiconductor material...
  
  s. (NewScientist)

December 2, 2008 (Tuesday)

• Engineering piezoelectrics to a size of 21 nanometers can significantly increase the power it generates. This could make cell phones powered by voice vibrations possible. (ScienceDaily)