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News | Archive (14 January 2009)
Medieval walls in Spain contain bits of bone
— 10:10 GMT | ChemistryIn a macabre discovery fit for Indiana Jones, archaeologists in Spain unearthed a 14th century brick oven with a unique role - to bake bones. Scientists report that the animal bones were burnt in the oven and mixed with other materials to produce a protective coating to strengthen the grand medieval walls of what is today Granada, Spain. In a study scheduled to appear in the 15 January issue of ACS' semi-monthly journal Analytical Chemistry, scientists describe how they found these materials thanks to a powerful new testing method…
Archaeopteryx had hearing similar to an emu
— 10:10 GMT | Geology and palaeontologyThe earliest known bird, magpie-sized Archaeopteryx lithographica could hear just the same as a modern emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae), demonstrating that Archaeopteryx was more bird-like rather than reptilian, according to new research published today. Using innovative modern technology, palaeontologists at the Natural History Museum in London have shown for the first time how the length of the inner ear of birds and reptiles can be used to accurately predict their hearing ability…
Standardising greywater treatment technologies
— 10:10 GMT | TechnologyA new protocol for testing greywater treatment technologies in Australia could boost efforts to conserve the nation's water resources. CSIRO's Water for a Healthy Country Flagship and the Smart Water Fund (a joint initiative of Melbourne's water businesses and the Victorian Government) have developed a practical, robust, sustainable method for testing whether greywater treatment technologies meet Australian standards…
'Two-faced' bioacids put a new face on carbon nanotube self-assembly
— 10:10 GMT | TechnologyNanotubes, the tiny honeycomb cylinders of carbon atoms only a few nanometres wide, are perhaps the signature material of modern engineering research, but actually trying to organise the atomic scale rods is notoriously like herding cats. A new study from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and Rice University, however, offers an inexpensive process that gets nanotubes to obediently line themselves up - that is, self-assemble - in neat rows, more like ducks…
Carnegie Mellon researchers develop new research tool
— 10:10 GMT | TechnologyA team of Carnegie Mellon University engineers led by Levent Burak Kara and Kenji Shimada have developed software that will let engineers design new products by simply sketching their ideas on a tablet computer…
High caffeine intake linked to hallucination proneness
— 10:10 GMT | HealthHigh caffeine consumption could be linked to a greater tendency to hallucinate, a new research study suggests. People with a higher caffeine intake, from sources such as coffee, tea and caffeinated energy drinks, are more likely to report hallucinatory experiences such as hearing voices and seeing things that are not there, according to the Durham University study…
Rheumatoid arthritis: Worse in women?
— 10:10 GMT | HealthWomen appear to suffer more from rheumatoid arthritis (RA) than men. This is revealed in research published in BioMed Central's open access journal Arthritis Research and Therapy…
Researchers identify another potential biomarker
— 10:10 GMT | HealthResearchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) have demonstrated that a recently discovered class of molecule called microRNA (miRNAs), regulate the gene expression changes in airway cells that occur with smoking and lung cancer. These findings, which appear in the on-line early edition of journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, may lead to a new, relatively non-invasive biomarker for smoking-related lung diseases…
Cognitive rehabilitation helps people with acquired brain injury
— 10:10 GMT | HealthCognitive rehabilitation after a serious brain injury or stroke can help the mind in much the same way that physical therapy helps the body, according to a new meta-analysis. Because the data suggest that treatment may work best when tailored to age, injury, symptoms, and time since injury, the findings may help establish evidence-based treatment guidelines. A full report is in the January issue of Neuropsychology, which is published by the American Psychological Association…
Microscopic 'hands' for building tomorrow's machines
— 10:10 GMT | ChemistryIn a finding straight out of science fiction, chemical and biomolecular engineers in Maryland are describing development of microscopic, chemically triggered robotic 'hands' that can pick up and move small objects. They could be used in laboratory-on-a-chip applications, reconfigurable microfluidic systems, and micromanufacturing, the researchers say. A report on their so-called 'microgrippers' is in the 3 December 2008 issue of the Journal of the American Chemical Society, a weekly publication…
Hubble catches heavyweight runaway star speeding from 30 Doradus
X-ray discovery points to location of missing matter