Weblog : News From the Web

Ethanol

Microbes to Take Over Ethanol Production?

Chemistry / Biochemistry

created 5 hours ago | popularity 4 / 5 (2) | comments 0

(PhysOrg.com) -- Not too long ago, it seemed that ethanol production was the wave of the future. The use of trash, wood chips or different types of plants -- usually grass or corn -- to make ethanol was considered ...


smoking, cigarette

Vaccine being developed to help smokers quit

Medicine & Health / Medications

created 8 hours ago | popularity 4.3 / 5 (3) | comments 1

(PhysOrg.com) -- Glaxo-SmithKline has joined forces with Nabi Pharmaceuticals to produce a vaccine to help smokers give up their addiction permanently.


Qualcomm's next e-book to use a mirasol display

Qualcomm's next e-book to use a mirasol display

Electronics / Consumer & Gadgets

created 10 hours ago | popularity 4.5 / 5 (6) | comments 2

(PhysOrg.com) -- Qualcomm subsidiary Mirasol is developing a new e-book reader with a color display that uses ambient light. The reader will be capable of displaying video smoothly, but the new features will ...


nuclear power plant

Doubts raised on nuclear industry viability

Physics / General Physics

created Nov 19, 2009 | popularity 3.2 / 5 (17) | comments 15

(PhysOrg.com) -- The investment in nuclear power has been growing around the world over the last few years, being viewed as a means for countries to control their energy security, avoid the price fluctuations ...


Angraecum sesquipedale ('Comet Orchid')

The evolution of orchids

Biology / Plants & Animals

created Nov 19, 2009 | popularity 4.8 / 5 (8) | comments 1

(PhysOrg.com) -- Charles Darwin and many other scientists have long been puzzled by the evolution of orchids, the largest and most diverse family of flowering plants on Earth. Now genetic sequencing is giving ...


"Walky" Project (Keio University in Tokyo)

iPhone Software That Controls Robot Movements (w/ Video)

Electronics / Robotics

created Nov 18, 2009 | popularity 5 / 5 (6) | comments 0

(PhysOrg.com) -- At the graduate school of media design at Keio University in Tokyo, a project called "Walky" is under developed. Researchers have developed specifically designed software for the iPhone that ...


Extinct goat Myotragus balearicus

Extinct goat was cold-blooded

Biology / Plants & Animals

created Nov 18, 2009 | popularity 4.9 / 5 (28) | comments 10

(PhysOrg.com) -- An extinct goat that lived on a barren Mediterranean island survived for millions of years by reducing in size and by becoming cold-blooded, which has never before been discovered in mammals.


Red Sea coral seen to feed on jellyfish

Red Sea coral seen to feed on jellyfish

Biology / Plants & Animals

created Nov 17, 2009 | popularity 4.5 / 5 (12) | comments 2

(PhysOrg.com) -- Corals depends on the products of photosynthetic algae for most of their food, but they also eat tiny plankton. Now, for the first time, there is evidence of a coral eating jellyfish.


'Rationalizer' bracelet tells traders when they're stressed

'Rationalizer' bracelet tells traders when they're stressed

Electronics / Consumer & Gadgets

created Nov 17, 2009 | popularity 4.3 / 5 (6) | comments 4

(PhysOrg.com) -- Philips Electronics and the Dutch bank ABN AMRO have joined forces to develop a "Rationalizer" bracelet system that detects stress levels and displays a warning to help day-traders avoid making ...


Diesel fuel

Genome Engineering Could Provide New Method of Creating Diesel

Chemistry / Biochemistry

created Nov 16, 2009 | popularity 3.3 / 5 (6) | comments 0

When we think of genetic engineering, our minds often jump to giant tomatoes and animal cloning. However, this is not always the case.


Maya

New insights into the life of the Maya

Other Sciences / Archaeology & Fossils

created Nov 16, 2009 | popularity 4.6 / 5 (15) | comments 7

(PhysOrg.com) -- Ancient artifacts are almost always concerned with rich and powerful religious and political leaders, but new excavations of an ancient Maya site have unearthed a pyramid decorated with murals ...


Google SPDY

Google's SPDY will speed up downloads

Technology / Internet

created Nov 16, 2009 | popularity 4.4 / 5 (15) | comments 7

(PhysOrg.com) -- As part of its effort to speed up the Web, Google is experimenting with SPDY, a new application layer protocol, that it hopes will speed up the conversation between browsers and Web servers ...


AKROD Knee Device

Robotic Devices Providing Home-Care Rehabilitation (w/ Video)

Electronics / Robotics

created Nov 13, 2009 | popularity 5 / 5 (4) | comments 0

(PhysOrg.com) -- A group of researchers, at Northeastern University, have developed several portable robotic devices to aid in the rehabilitation process of stroke victims. These devices are small enough for ...


Digital cloud may rise over London

Digital cloud may rise over London (w/ Video)

Technology / Hi Tech

created Nov 13, 2009 | popularity 2.8 / 5 (9) | comments 3

(PhysOrg.com) -- An international group of artists, engineers and architects have proposed an enormous "digital cloud" to turn London's skyline into an overhead display of data and images.


Road trains may be coming soon to Europe

Road trains may be coming soon to Europe (w/ Video)

Technology / Engineering

created Nov 13, 2009 | popularity 4.6 / 5 (18) | comments 22

(PhysOrg.com) -- Road trains linking vehicles together in a traveling convoy are planned for Europe. With only the lead vehicle being actively driven, the road trains would allow commuters to sleep, read a ...