ScienceDaily: Top Technology News

Volcanoes on Mars could be active, raising possibility Mars was recently habitable

Posted: 10 May 2021 04:25 PM PDT

New observations reveal that Mars could still be volcanically active, raising the possibility for habitable conditions in the near surface of Mars in recent history. Ongoing research investigates the possibility that the most recent volcanic activity on Mars, which occurred about 50,000 years ago, might have been triggered by a nearby asteroid impact that happened around the same time.

Graphene key for novel hardware security

Posted: 10 May 2021 02:19 PM PDT

As more private data is stored and shared digitally, researchers are exploring new ways to protect data against attacks from bad actors. Current silicon technology exploits microscopic differences between computing components to create secure keys, but artificial intelligence (AI) techniques can be used to predict these keys and gain access to data. Now, researchers have designed a way to make the encrypted keys harder to crack.

'Flipping' optical wavefront eliminates distortions in multimode fibers

Posted: 10 May 2021 01:15 PM PDT

Researchers have devised a novel technique to 'flip' the optical wavefront of an image for both polarizations simultaneously, so that it can be transmitted through a multimode fiber without distortion.

Stimulators could aid spinal cord, heart therapies

Posted: 10 May 2021 01:14 PM PDT

Engineers develop a new version of their wireless implant that allows for multiple stimulators to be programmed and magnetically powered from a single transmitter outside the body. The implants could be used to treat spinal cord injuries or as pacemakers.

Geoscientists find that shallow wastewater injection drives deep earthquakes in Texas

Posted: 10 May 2021 01:14 PM PDT

Geoscientists have found that shallow wastewater injection -- not deep wastewater injections -- can drive widespread deep earthquake activity in unconventional oil and gas production fields.

Integrating medical imaging and cancer biology with deep neural networks

Posted: 10 May 2021 11:39 AM PDT

Scientists have carried out a study investigating whether deep neural networks can represent associations between gene expression, histology, and CT-derived image features. They found that the network could not only reproduce previously reported associations but also identify new ones.

'Unmaking' a move: Correcting motion blur in single-photon images

Posted: 10 May 2021 10:31 AM PDT

Single-photon imaging is the future of high-speed digital photography and vastly surpasses conventional cameras in low-light conditions. However, fixing the blurring caused by the motion of independent objects remains challenging. Recently, researchers at developed an innovative de-blurring approach that accurately estimates the motion of individual objects and adjusts the final image accordingly. Their strategy produces high-quality images even in complex dynamic scenes and may find applications in medicine, science, and security.

How planets form controls elements essential for life

Posted: 10 May 2021 08:36 AM PDT

How a planet comes together has implications for whether it captures and retains the volatile elements, including nitrogen, carbon and water, that eventually give rise to life, according to scientists.

In the emptiness of space, Voyager I detects plasma 'hum'

Posted: 10 May 2021 08:36 AM PDT

NASA's Voyager I spacecraft has long since zipped past the edge of the solar system through the heliopause - the solar system's border with interstellar space - into the interstellar medium. Now, its instruments have detected the constant drone of interstellar gas (plasma waves).

3D printing lays the foundation for a new range of diagnostic tests

Posted: 10 May 2021 08:35 AM PDT

Researchers have developed a 3D printing technique that extends the possibilities of lateral flow testing. These tests are widespread in the form of the classic pregnancy test and the COVID-19 self-tests. With the new printing technique, advanced diagnostic tests can be produced that are quick, cheap, and easy to use.

Light emitters for quantum circuits

Posted: 10 May 2021 07:44 AM PDT

The promise of a quantum internet depends on the complexities of harnessing light to transmit quantum information over fiber optic networks. A potential step forward was reported today by researchers who developed integrated chips that can generate light particles on demand and without the need for extreme refrigeration.

This system helps robots better navigate emergency rooms

Posted: 10 May 2021 07:43 AM PDT

Computer scientists have developed a more accurate navigation system that will allow robots to better negotiate busy clinical environments in general and emergency departments more specifically. The researchers have also developed a dataset of open source videos to help train robotic navigation systems in the future.

Engineering diseased human skin in vitro

Posted: 10 May 2021 07:43 AM PDT

A research team develops an artificial diabetic skin based on 3D cell printing.

Firefighting chemical found in sea lion and fur seal pups

Posted: 10 May 2021 07:43 AM PDT

A chemical that the New South Wales government has recently partially banned in firefighting has been found in the pups of endangered Australian sea lions and in Australian fur seals. The finding represents another possible blow to Australian sea lions' survival. Hookworm and tuberculosis already threaten their small and diminishing population, which has fallen by more than 60 percent over four decades.

Chill out: Advanced solar tech runs cooler and lasts longer

Posted: 10 May 2021 07:43 AM PDT

New mechanisms for converting sunlight to electricity more efficiently are also beneficial for extending the lifespan of solar panels.

Reaching your life goals as a single-celled organism

Posted: 10 May 2021 07:43 AM PDT

How is it possible to move in the desired direction without a brain or nervous system? Single-celled organisms apparently manage this feat without any problems: for example, they can swim towards food with the help of small flagellar tails. A research team has now been able to simulate this process on the computer.

Universal equation for explosive phenomena

Posted: 10 May 2021 07:43 AM PDT

Climate change, a pandemic or the coordinated activity of neurons in the brain: In all of these examples, a transition takes place at a certain point from the base state to a new state. Researchers have discovered a universal mathematical structure at these so-called tipping points. It creates the basis for a better understanding of the behavior of networked systems.

Intersection of 2D materials results in entirely New materials

Posted: 10 May 2021 05:58 AM PDT

Physics researchers discover that assembling 2D materials into a 3D arrangement does not just result in 'thicker' 2D materials but instead produces entirely new materials. The nanomesh technologically is simple to produce and offers tunable material properties to meet the demands of future applications. The team's next goal is to use the nanomesh on Silicon (Si) waveguides to develop quantum optical communications.

Wastewater treatment system recovers electricity, filters water

Posted: 10 May 2021 05:56 AM PDT

A new process uses bacteria to filter wastewater while creating electricity.

Smartphone breath alcohol testing devices vary widely in accuracy

Posted: 09 May 2021 12:38 PM PDT

The latest generation of personal alcohol breath testing devices pair with smartphones. While some of these devices were found to be relatively accurate, others may mislead users into thinking that they are fit to drive, according to a new study.

Why hotter clocks are more accurate

Posted: 07 May 2021 11:05 AM PDT

A new experiment shows that the more energy consumed by a clock, the more accurate its timekeeping. This is the first time that a measurement has been made of the entropy -- or heat loss -- generated by a minimal clock tens of nanometers thick and 1.5 millimeters long. Understanding the thermodynamic cost involved in timekeeping is a central step along the way in the development of future technologies, as systems approach the quantum realm.

Unusual semimetal shows evidence of unique surface conduction states

Posted: 06 May 2021 07:55 AM PDT

Scientists experimentally verify the existence of exotic surface conduction states in topological semimetals (TSMs), materials that lie at the boundary between conductors and insulators, by performing voltage scans of these surface states on a thin film sample of a TSM. The findings can pave the way for future study and exploitation of such conduction states in realizing novel, quantum transport phenomena.

Open source tool can help identify gerrymandering in voting maps

Posted: 06 May 2021 07:54 AM PDT

Researchers describe the improved mathematical methodology of an open source tool called Gerrychain, which can help observers detect gerrymandering in a voting district plan by creating an ensemble of alternate maps that also meet legal voting criteria.