Weblog : News From the Web

Angraecum sesquipedale ('Comet Orchid')

The evolution of orchids

Biology / Plants & Animals

created Nov 19, 2009 | popularity 4.8 / 5 (8) | comments 4

(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 ...


'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 ...


Google SPDY

Google's SPDY will speed up downloads

Technology / Internet

created Nov 16, 2009 | popularity 4.4 / 5 (18) | 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 ...


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.


Maya

New insights into the life of the Maya

Other Sciences / Archaeology & Fossils

created Nov 16, 2009 | popularity 4.6 / 5 (17) | 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 Go

Google Go gets going (w/ Video)

Technology / Software

created Nov 11, 2009 | popularity 4.2 / 5 (12) | comments 6

(PhysOrg.com) -- Google has introduced its new experimental programming language Go, which aims to combine speedy application development through simplified coding with high-speed program execution.


nuclear power plant

Doubts raised on nuclear industry viability

Physics / General Physics

created Nov 19, 2009 | popularity 3 / 5 (22) | comments 19

(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 ...


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 ...


A child sleeping (Sleep)

Dreams may have an important physiological function

Medicine & Health / Neuroscience

created Nov 12, 2009 | popularity 3.9 / 5 (27) | comments 12

(PhysOrg.com) -- Dreams have long been assumed to have psychological functions such as consolidating emotional memories and processing experiences or problems, but according to a Harvard psychiatrist and sleep ...


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 ...


Metal air battery

Metal-Air Battery Could Store 11 Times More Energy than Lithium-Ion

Technology / Energy

created Nov 05, 2009 | popularity 4.4 / 5 (48) | comments 12

(PhysOrg.com) -- A spinoff company from Arizona State University plans to build a new battery with an energy density 11 times greater than that of lithium-ion batteries for just one-third the cost. With a ...


baby mice

Early life stress has effects at the molecular level

Medicine & Health / Neuroscience

created Nov 12, 2009 | popularity 4.5 / 5 (12) | comments 0

(PhysOrg.com) -- A new study of mice suggests that stress and trauma in early life can have an impact on the genes and result in behavioral problems later in life.


curly hair

Single gene may cause curly hair

Medicine & Health / Genetics

created Nov 10, 2009 | popularity 4.4 / 5 (8) | comments 0

(PhysOrg.com) -- Scientists in Australia have identified a single gene that strongly influences whether you have curly or straight hair.


Solar LED lamps

Solar Cells with LEDs Provide Inexpensive Lighting

Technology / Energy

created Nov 09, 2009 | popularity 4.4 / 5 (17) | comments 2

(PhysOrg.com) -- Of the 1.5 billion people in developing countries who do not have electricity, many rely on kerosene lamps for light after the sun goes down. But now, researchers from Denmark have designed ...


"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 ...