Tech | Page 1042 | Science Codex

Personal cooling units on the horizon

Firefighters entering burning buildings, athletes competing in the broiling sun and workers in foundries may eventually be able to carry their own, lightweight cooling units with them, thanks to a nanowire array that cools, according to Penn State materials researchers.

"Most electrocaloric ceramic materials contain lead," said Qing Wang, professor of materials science and engineering. "We try not to use lead. Conventional cooling systems use coolants that can be environmentally problematic as well. Our nanowire array can cool without these problems."

Canadian waters getting safer, but research gaps limit full understanding of shipping risks

Ottawa (April 28, 2016) - A new workshop report, Commercial Marine Shipping Accidents: Understanding the Risks in Canada, released today by the Council of Canadian Academies (CCA), explores risk by focusing on the likelihood of commercial marine shipping accidents across Canada as well as the potential social, economic, and environmental impacts of such accidents.

Taiwanese government should provide more support for solar panel industry

The Taiwanese government should provide subsidies for the solar panel industry to help it survive in that country, University of Exeter researchers have recommended.

Solar photovoltaic production in Taiwan is not competitive, a new study has found, and more support should be given to producers through publically-funded research and development.

Insect outbreaks reduce wildfire severity

Forest scientists have found an unexpected 'silver lining' to the insect outbreaks that have ravaged millions of trees across western North America.

While insect outbreaks leave trees looking like matchsticks, a new University of Vermont-led study finds these hungry critters significantly reduce wildfire severity.

The findings contrast sharply with popular attitudes - and some U.S. forest policies - which connect tree-eating insects with increased wildfire activity.

Water storage made prehistoric settlement expansion possible in Amazonia

The pre-Columbian settlements in Amazonia were not limited to the vicinities of rivers and lakes. One example of this can be found in the Santarém region in Brazilian Amazonia, where most archaeological sites are situated in an upland area and are the result of an expansion of settlements in the last few centuries before the arrival of Europeans. This is concluded by a research team consisting of archaeologists from the University of Gothenburg and Brazilian colleagues.

At last: Non-toxic and cheap thin-film solar cells for 'zero-energy' buildings

'Zero-energy' buildings -- which generate as much power as they consume -- are now much closer after a team at Australia's University of New South Wales achieved the world's highest efficiency using flexible solar cells that are non-toxic and cheap to make.

Until now, the promise of 'zero-energy' buildings been held back by two hurdles: the cost of the thin-film solar cells (used in façades, roofs and windows), and the fact they're made from scarce, and highly toxic, materials.

The social dilemma of dealing with Facebook troublemakers

Online troublemakers tend to be socially well connected. Some Facebook users therefore, remain friends online with troublemakers because they are worried about the repercussions if they 'unfriend' them.

This is the finding of a study by Sarah Buglass, a PhD student in the School of Social Sciences at Nottingham Trent University, who will presented her research this week at the British Psychological Society's Annual Conference in Nottingham.

Augmented games can increase the diversity of sports

Augmented climbing wall increases social interaction, helps to attract wider target audiences and empowers users to become content creators.

Augmented climbing wall operates as a huge touch screen. It combines body tracking with custom computer vision software, depth camera, and projected graphics. A conference paper about the system received a best paper honorary mention in the ACM CHI 2016, the leading conference on Human-Computer Interaction.

Cactus-inspired skin gives electric cars a spike

Inspired by the humble cactus, a new type of membrane has the potential to significantly boost the performance of fuel cells and transform the electric vehicle industry.

The membrane, developed by scientists from CSIRO and Hanyang University in Korea, was described today in the journal Nature.

The paper shows that in hot conditions the membrane, which features a water repellent skin, can improve the efficiency of fuel cells by a factor of four.

Bacteria beneficial to plants have spread across California

RIVERSIDE, Calif. - Scientists at the University of California, Riverside have discovered that a strain of beneficial nitrogen-fixing bacteria has spread across California, demonstrating that beneficial bacteria can share some of the same features that are characteristic of pathogens.

The bacteria, called Bradyrhizobium, form tumor-like nodules on the roots of plants and are able to 'fix' nitrogen by breaking it down and rendering it into forms that plants can easily metabolize.

Rosemary aroma can help older adults to remember to do things

The aroma of rosemary essential oil may improve ability of people over 65 to remember events and to remember to complete tasks at particular times in the future.

This is the finding of a study by post-graduate student Lauren Bussey, Lucy Moss and Dr Mark Moss of Northumbria University who will present their research today, Wednesday 27 April 2016, at the British Psychological Society's Annual Conference in Nottingham.

University of Illinois researchers create 1-step graphene patterning method

Researchers from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have developed a one-step, facile method to pattern graphene by using stencil mask and oxygen plasma reactive-ion etching, and subsequent polymer-free direct transfer to flexible substrates.

Coal-tar based sealcoats on driveways, parking lots far more toxic than suspected

CORVALLIS, Ore. - The pavement sealcoat products used widely around the nation on thousands of asphalt driveways and parking lots are significantly more toxic and mutagenic than previously suspected, according to a new paper published this week by researchers from Oregon State University.

Of particular concern are the sealcoat products based on use of coal tar emulsions, experts say. Studies done with zebrafish - an animal model that closely resembles human reaction to toxic chemicals - showed developmental toxicity to embryos.

Hybrid nanoantennas -- next-generation platform for ultradense data recording

A group of scientists from ITMO University in Saint Petersburg has put forward a new approach to effective manipulation of light at the nanoscale based on hybrid metal-dielectric nanoantennas. The new technology promises to bring about a new platform for ultradense optical data recording and pave the way to high throughput fabrication of a wide range of optical nanodevices capable of localizing, enhancing and manipulating light at the nanoscale. The results of the study were published in Advanced Materials.

Contamination in North Dakota linked to fracking spills

DURHAM, N.C. -- Accidental wastewater spills from unconventional oil production in North Dakota have caused widespread water and soil contamination, a new Duke University study finds.

Researchers found high levels of ammonium, selenium, lead and other toxic contaminants as well as high salts in the brine-laden wastewater, which primarily comes from hydraulically fractured oil wells in the Bakken region of western North Dakota.