Science News
We can read memories by analysing brain gene activity
New Scientist - 10 Apr 2018 18:50
Memories have unique genetic signatures that reveal what they are. The finding could lead to ways to read and alter memories in people with PTSD or phobias
This Memory Prosthesis Boosts Recall in Humans by Roughly 40 Percent
Singularity Hub - 10 Apr 2018 17:00
This one's for the books: in a jaw-dropping study, a team just turned the human brain from a read-only memory device to a rewritable one. “What?” you might ask. Of course the brain is rewritable. It's constantly usin...
Harnessing 'Rashba spin-Seebeck effect' phenomenon will enable commercial devices to turn waste heat into electricity
Phys.org - 10 Apr 2018 13:39
Mechanical engineers at the University of California, Riverside, have reported success in using inexpensive materials to produce thermoelectric devices that transform low-level waste heat into electricity.
New sodium-ion electrolyte may find use in solid-state batteries
EurekAlert! - 10 Apr 2018 06:00
(Penn State) A newly discovered structure of a sodium-based material allows the materials to be used as an electrolyte in solid-state batteries, according to researchers from Penn State and Pacific Northwest National Lab...
Man Develops Severe 'Thunderclap' Headaches After Eating World's Hottest Chili Pepper
Neuroscience News - 10 Apr 2018 21:26
A new study in BMJ Case Reports warns of the unexpected consequences of participating in hot chili pepper eating contests.
Later School Start Times Really Do Improve Sleep Time
Neuroscience News - 10 Apr 2018 19:41
Researchers reveal later school start times improve sleep quality in children.
Life on nearest exoplanet may have been wiped out by superflare
New Scientist - 10 Apr 2018 19:18
Bad news for life near Proxima Centauri - the star has been seen emitting explosive blasts of radiation that would destroy the ozone on its Earth-like planet
Discovery Sheds Light on How Neurodegenerative Diseases May Occur
Neuroscience News - 10 Apr 2018 18:57
Researchers report nitric oxide plays a key role in regulating neural function. The findings shed new light on how neurodegeneration may occur.
Optimized Perception in the Twilight Zone
Neuroscience News - 10 Apr 2018 18:53
A new study reveals our brains process weak visual stimuli better in the evenings and mornings than during daylight hours. Researchers say the transition from light to dark has greater influence on visual perception than...
Stealing Design Secrets from the Unexpected Master of Origami
Physics Buzz - 10 Apr 2018 18:25
According to folklore, earwigs like to crawl through the ears of sleeping humans, burrow into their brains, and lay eggs. Perhaps for this reason, or maybe because of their large rear-end pinchers, these insects tend to ...
Mini toolkit for measurements: New NIST chip hints at quantum sensors of the future
Phys.org - 10 Apr 2018 18:21
Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have created a chip on which laser light interacts with a tiny cloud of atoms to serve as a miniature toolkit for measuring important quantities su...
Alzheimer's Disease Redefined
Neuroscience News - 10 Apr 2018 18:11
Researchers have published a new research framework that defines Alzheimer's disease by brain changes, not symptoms.
Metamaterial device controls transmission and reflection of acoustic waves
Phys.org - 10 Apr 2018 18:05
Metamaterials researchers at Duke University have demonstrated the design and construction of a thin material that can control the redirection and reflection of sound waves with almost perfect efficiency.
Paralyzed Patient Feels Sensation Again
Neuroscience News - 10 Apr 2018 17:40
Researchers have successfully induced the sensations of touch and movement in the arm of a paralyzed man, with the help of a tiny array of electrodes implanted into the somatosensory cortex.
Diamond-based circuits can take the heat for advanced applications
Phys.org - 10 Apr 2018 17:00
When power generators like windmills and solar panels transfer electricity to homes, businesses and the power grid, they lose almost 10 percent of the generated power. To address this problem, scientists are researching ...
This Pouched Rat Can Sniff Out Tuberculosis in Kids
Live Science - 10 Apr 2018 16:26Polarization has strong impact on electrons, study shows
Phys.org - 10 Apr 2018 16:14
The movement of thousands of electrons underlies electronics. Yet, ubiquitous as electrons are, the particulars of their behavior continue to stump physicists. One phenomenon has proven especially puzzling: how electrons...
New light technique could result in less intrusive, more effective diagnosis for patients
Phys.org - 10 Apr 2018 15:40
A new method of using light to scan the human body, developed by researchers at the University of St Andrews, could result in less intrusive and more effective diagnosis for patients. The work is the result of a collabor...
Quantum simulator offers faster route for prime factorization
Phys.org - 10 Apr 2018 15:30
Factoring very large numbers into their prime "building blocks" is extremely difficult for classical computers, and this difficulty underlies the security of many cryptographic algorithms. While it's easy to factor the n...
Hard X-ray flash breaks speed record
Phys.org - 10 Apr 2018 15:08
Reactions in solar panels, catalytic converters, and other devices are governed by the quick motion of electrons. To capture the movement of these electrons, scientists use pulses of extremely high energy x-rays. The cha...
Physicists explore a safe alternative to X-ray security scanners
Phys.org - 10 Apr 2018 14:51
A team of physicists at the University of Sussex are developing the science to create a safe and efficient 'paint' that can reveal, with terahertz (THz) radiation, the contents of luggage or objects hidden in clothing.
Robots don't take people's jobs - they make new ones
New Scientist - 10 Apr 2018 14:30
A German study casts doubt on the story that automation will destroy jobs. Could it be true elsewhere?