Fear of being laughed at crosses cultural boundaries
Laughter is an emotional expression that is innate in human beings. This means laughing at others is also believed to be a universal phenomenon. However, the fear of being laughed at causes some people enormous problems in their social lives. view more (2009-10-15)
Erie County home to plant never before recorded in Pa.
Western Pennsylvania Conservancy (WPC) scientists have discovered a plant in Erie County that has never been recorded in Pennsylvania. view more (2009-09-28)
From graphene to graphane, now the possibilities are endless
Ever since graphene was discovered in 2004, this one-atom thick, super strong, carbon-based electrical conductor has been billed as a "wonder material" that some physicists think could one day replace silicon in computer chips. view more (2009-07-31)
Nepean Dyspepsia Index applies to functional dyspepsia in China
FD, a common non-organic disease in the world, greatly affects the patient's quality of life. However, treatment of FD is still controversial and no single therapy is uniformly effective, due, in part, to absence of a reliable evaluation instrument. view more (2009-07-16)
Study may aid efforts to prevent uncontrolled cell division in cancer
Researchers from the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have uncovered a remarkable property of the contractile ring, a structure required for cell division. view more (2009-05-29)
New research shows children take a toll on marital bliss
What married couples have suspected for years is now proven by researchers at the University of Denver (DU) and Texas A&M - children can add problems and stress to a marriage. view more (2009-04-09)
Argonne scientists pinpoint mechanism to increase magnetic response of ferromagnetic semiconductor
When squeezed, electrons increase their ability to move around. In compounds such as semiconductors and electrical insulators, such squeezing can dramatically change the electrical- and magnetic- properties. view more (2009-02-26)
Green IT not helping climate change
Richard Hawkins, Canada Research Chair in Science, Technology and Innovation Policy, says there is no evidence that information technologies necessarily reduce our environmental footprint. view more (2009-02-25)
Low risk for heart attack? Could an ultrasound hold the answer?
By adding the results of an imaging technique to the traditional risk factors for coronary heart disease, doctors at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston found they were able to improve prediction of heart attacks in people previously considered low risk. view more (2008-11-12)
UTSA/UTHSCSA publish results on bio-threat agent
Researchers at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases and The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA) have identified a cell type believed to play a role in controlling the early infectious process against Francisella tularensis, a respiratory pathogen and... view more... (2008-07-01)
Super atoms turn the periodic table upside down
Researchers at Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) in The Netherlands have developed a technique for generating atom clusters made from silver and other metals. Surprisingly enough, these so-called super atoms (clusters of 13 silver atoms, for example) behave in the same way as individual atoms and have opened up a whole new branch of... view more... (2008-07-01)
On the High Horse: Why dominant individuals climb the proverbial ladder
In an attempt to grasp complex concepts, humans have tried to represent abstractions like power and dominance through visually-stimulated metaphors such as pyramids and steeples. view more (2008-04-24)
Physicists and engineers search for new dimension
The universe as we currently know it is made up of three dimensions of space and one of time, but researchers in the Department of Physics and the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Virginia Tech are exploring the possibility of an extra dimension. view more (2008-03-11)
Hybrid semiconductors show zero thermal expansion; could lead to hardier electronics and optoelectronics
The fan in your computer is there to keep the microprocessor chip from heating to the point where its component materials start to expand, inducing cracks that interrupt the flow of electricity - and not incidentally, ruin the chip. view more (2007-12-20)
Data on Life Expectancy Show Many Countries Clustered in High Mortality Traps
Growing recognition of the importance of health as a contributing factor to economic development and societal change has prompted the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) to add a new subsection in Sustainable Health to its existing section on Sustainable Development. view more (2007-10-11)
Study shows big power of small RNAs, not just proteins, in halting cancer
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) researchers led by Lin He, Xingyue He, and Professor and Howard Hughes Medical Investigator (HHMI) Greg Hannon have identified a family of micro RNAs (miRNAs) that enable a critical tumor suppressor network, called the p53 pathway, to fight cancer growth. view more (2007-06-07)
Smart thin film membranes adopt properties of guest molecules
Virginia Tech researchers announced last year that they had created a nanostructured membrane that incorporates DNA base pairs in order to impart molecular recognition and binding ability to the synthetic material. view more (2007-03-29)
Smoking linked with aging on skin that usually is not exposed to sunlight
In classic movies, cigarette smoking was used as shorthand to convey sultriness and beauty. In the real world, the connection between smoking and one's appearance - as many studies have shown - has more to do with premature signs of aging and less to do with glamour and refinement. view more (2007-03-20)
Strain has major effect on high-temp superconductors
Just a little mechanical strain can cause a large drop in the maximum current carried by high-temperature superconductors, according to novel measurements carried out by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). view more (2007-02-16)
Study finds that rich retirees are the main losers from inflation
How would distribution of wealth change if the United States were to enter a period of inflation? A study from the December issue of the Journal of Political Economy finds that even mild inflation can lead to substantial redistribution of nominal assets from lenders to borrowers, specifically, the transfer of wealth from older, wealthier... view more... (2006-12-20)
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