US space chief updates on asteroid lasso mission (Update)
Surrounded by engineers, NASA chief Charles Bolden inspected a prototype spacecraft engine that could power an audacious mission to lasso an asteroid and tow it closer to Earth for astronauts to explore.
View ArticleHubble reveals the ring nebula's true shape
(Phys.org) —The Ring Nebula's distinctive shape makes it a popular illustration for astronomy books. But new observations by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope of the glowing gas shroud around an old,...
View ArticleResearcher admits mistakes in stem cell study
A blockbuster study in which US researchers reported that they had turned human skin cells into embryonic stem cells contained errors, its lead author has acknowledged.
View ArticleGoogle Drive sports new view and scan enhancements
(Phys.org) —Google Drive has a new look and functions. The makeover in Google Drive features scanning and interface enhancements that put the user into "card" mode. The enhancements make it easy for...
View ArticleKing Richard III found in 'untidy lozenge-shaped grave'
An academic paper on the archaeology of the Search for Richard III reveals for the first time specific details of the grave dug for King Richard III and discovered under a car park in Leicester.
View ArticleUS panel rejects Motorola bid to block Xbox imports
The US International Trade Commission sided with Microsoft in a patent dispute with Google-owned Motorola Mobility that could have led to Xbox 360 videogame consoles being banned from import.
View ArticleScientists determine activation barrier in ammonia-sulfuric acid clusters...
(Phys.org) —Ammonia must overcome an energy barrier to join sulfuric acid and water to create clusters that can lead to cloud formation, according to scientists at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory...
View ArticleNew family of tiny crystals glow bright in LED lights
(Phys.org) —Minuscule crystals that glow different colors may be the missing ingredient for white LED lighting that illuminates homes and offices as effectively as natural sunlight.
View ArticleResearch aims to fix long-held, inaccurate insect model
(Phys.org) —In humans, a polymer called melanin determines skin, eye and hair color—the darker the skin, the more melanin in a person's body. For insects, melanin is a major aspect of their immune...
View ArticleUnderstanding the past and predicting the future by looking across space and...
(Phys.org) —Studying complex systems like ecosystems can get messy, especially when trying to predict how they interact with other big unknowns like climate change.
View ArticleDrones may violate international law
(Phys.org) —As President Obama gives a speech on national security—including defending U.S. use of drones to combat terrorism—Leila Sadat, JD, international law expert and professor of law at...
View ArticleResearch team finds that the ratio of component atoms vital to performance
There has been great interest in recent years in using tiny particles called quantum dots to produce low-cost, easily manufactured, stable photovoltaic cells. But, so far, the creation of such cells...
View ArticleThe ascent of man: Why our early ancestors took to two feet
A new study by archaeologists at the University of York challenges evolutionary theories behind the development of our earliest ancestors from tree dwelling quadrupeds to upright bipeds capable of...
View ArticleScientists develop advanced biological computer
(Phys.org) —Using only biomolecules (such as DNA and enzymes), scientists at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology have developed and constructed an advanced biological transducer, a computing...
View ArticleSensor on a chip: New technology holds potential for monitoring ecosystem,...
University of Delaware researchers are developing sensors that they hope will allow real-time, in situ detection of water and air pollutants in an inexpensive and environmentally friendly manner.
View ArticleScientists work out way to use pulsars to provide self navigation to...
(Phys.org) —A trio of German space scientists has worked out a way to use pulsars as navigation aids for space vehicles traveling in the solar system. As they describe in their paper uploaded to the...
View ArticleDetection of the cosmic gamma ray horizon: Measures all the light in the...
(Phys.org) —How much light has been emitted by all galaxies since the cosmos began? After all, every photon (particle of light) from ultraviolet to far infrared wavelengths ever radiated by all...
View ArticlePhysicists suggest possible existence of other kinds of dark matter
(Phys.org) —A team of Harvard University physicists has proposed the possible existence of a type of dark matter not described by current physics models. In their paper published in the journal...
View ArticleResearchers extend galvanic replacement reactions to metal oxide nanocrystals
(Phys.org) —A large team of researchers, most of which are based in Korea, has succeeded in extending the process of galvanic replacement reactions to ionic compounds. In their paper published in the...
View ArticleDark, massive asteroid to fly by Earth on May 31
It's 1.7 miles long. Its surface is covered in a sticky black substance similar to the gunk at the bottom of a barbecue. If it impacted Earth it would probably result in global extinction. Good thing...
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