LANL Roadrunner models nonlinear physics of high-power lasers
For years scientists have struggled with the difficult physics of inertial confinement fusion. This is the attempt to compress a target capsule containing isotopes of hydrogen with high-powered lasers to high enough pressure and temperature to initiate fusion burn. view more (2009-10-29)
Stable power supply thanks to wind turbines
Wind turbines can help keep the voltage in the electricity network at a constant level. The power electronics in the turbines can effectively correct peaks and dips in the mains voltage. This is the conclusion reached by NWO-funded researchers. Modern wind turbines are a good means of coping with fluctuations in the mains voltage. Such... view more... (2001-10-08)
Tents Revolutionised - Quick & Easy Temporary Shelter
Ever been caught in the rain without the time or energy to pitch the tent you've carried with you? Help is on it's way: a team of inventors from Oxford University have now designed a new lightweight, rapidly erected tent for recreational use. A wide variety of people need easily transported and erected shelter systems, most notably camping... view more... (2003-09-05)
Reproductive tourism: Italy faces 'womb drain' as ART becomes better and safer in other European countries
Vienna, Austria: Fertility experts meeting in Vienna are warning that Italy risks facing a "womb drain" as Italian women start going to other countries for safer and more effective assisted reproduction. At present "reproductive tourists" travel to Italy to take advantage of its lack of regulations for IVF techniques, but this... view more... (2002-07-01)
Simpler and quicker toxin detection
Several naturally occurring moulds that can grow in and on fruits such as apples, pears and grapes produce the toxic chemical Patulin, which has been shown to cause adverse effects in animals. Now scientists, collaborating with industrial partners, have developed a rapid test for Patulin, something that has eluded the fruit industry for 20 years,... view more... (2005-04-07)
Sulfurous ping-pong in the urinary tract
Transfer of information is a basic property of biological systems. Common examples include transfer of genetic information or nerve impulses. view more (2008-12-19)
Airbag to keep windsurfer safe on 8000 km voyage
ESA PR 47-2003. Extreme sports adventurer Rapha'Ğla Le Gouvello is about to windsurf 8000 km across the Pacific Ocean - from Peru to Tahiti in 80 days. Her board incorporates a new 'anti-capsize' airbag system, the first result of an ESA technology transfer initiative to improve safety for small boats at sea. The concept is to produce a small,... view more... (2003-08-06)
Report of the ITER Council, Vienna, Austria, 18 -19 July 2001
Upon the successful completion of the ITER Engineering Design Activities the ITER Council, the governing body of this venture, with representatives of the European Union, Japan, and the Russian Federation, assembled for its last meeting on July 18 and 19 at the Vienna IAEA headquarters. ITER is an international fusion energy research and... view more... (2001-07-23)
Latest fuel cell material advance overcomes low humidity conductivity problem
Fuel cells have been a workable technology for decades - but expensive and lacking in infrastructure. In recent years, researchers have addressed durability, manufacturability, and conductivity challenges in alternative proton exchange membrane (PEM) materials for fuel cells - bringing the hydrogen-based energy source closer to reality. view more (2006-09-11)
Doctors call for balancing of patient/carer viral transmission protection.
Healthcare staff are at a much higher risk of acquiring viral infections from infected patients than vice versa. These viral infections include HIV and hepatitis. Despite this, patients receive enormous protection, while staff could be left exposed. A paper published this week in the British Journal of Surgery recommends that good medical care of... view more... (2004-03-15)
Fans use too much electricity
From our kitchens to industrial buildings, we cannot do without fans - even if we are only seldom aware of them. They cool the processor in our home computers, or rotate in the cooling towers of large power stations. But they need electricity to be able to do their job. For Europe, the Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research ISI,... view more... (2002-08-29)
Getting into hot water
An analysis of the engineering and economics for a solar water-heating system shows it to have a payback period of just two years, according to researchers in India. They report, in the International Journal of Global Energy Issues, on the success of the 1000-liter system operating at a university hostel. view more (2009-03-09)
Pyramids give batteries a longer life
A way of increasing battery life in devices such as laptop computers, personal TVs and camcorders is reported today in the Institute of Physics Journal, Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering. Researchers at the University of Michigan and the National Taiwan University, have developed a film which increases the display brightness by 100... view more... (2000-06-22)
Pop-up car bonnets will help reduce pedestrian deaths
Road vehicles may soon be fitted with pop-up bonnets, windscreen airbags and energy absorbing bumpers to improve pedestrian safety, according to researchers in this week’s BMJ. view more (2002-05-07)
Adding up business and energy
Could a business practice usually reserved for boosting profits be used to help turn companies green by reducing their energy use? Writing in the International Journal of Six Sigma and Competitive Advantage (IJSSCA), researchers in India provide an answer. view more (2008-05-16)
Hot peppers really do bring the heat
Chili peppers can do more than just make you feel hot, reports a study in the August 1 Journal of Biological Chemistry; the active chemical in peppers can directly induce thermogenesis, the process by which cells convert energy into heat. view more (2008-08-07)
NYU scientists discover dangerous new method for bacterial toxin transfer
Scientists have discovered a new way for bacteria to transfer toxic genes to unrelated bacterial species, a finding that raises the unsettling possibility that bacterial swapping of toxins and other disease-aiding factors may be more common than previously imagined. view more (2009-01-07)
Ancient diatoms lead to new technology for solar energy
Engineers at Oregon State University have discovered a way to use an ancient life form to create one of the newest technologies for solar energy, in systems that may be surprisingly simple to build compared to existing silicon-based solar cells. view more (2009-04-09)
Professor sheds light on DNA mechanisms
By manipulating individual atoms in DNA and forming unique molecules, a Georgia State University researcher hopes to open new avenues in research towards better understanding the mechanisms of DNA replication and transcription, and perhaps leading to new treatments for diseases. view more (2009-07-20)
Key issues for the future of wind energy
The prestigious journal Energy Policy has recently reported two studies that highlight some key issues for the future of wind energy in Spain. view more (2009-09-08)
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