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Science News for June 30, 2011


Don't show, don't tell?

A study by MIT researchers found that explicit instruction makes children less likely to engage in spontaneous exploration, but acknowledging the unknown is crucial. Children taught one function played with the toy for less time and discovered fewer things than those in other conditions.

Integral challenges physics beyond Einstein

Integral's observations show that quantum 'graininess' must be at much smaller scales than previously predicted, contradicting Einstein's General Theory of Relativity. The results limit the size of these grains to 10^-48 m or smaller, ruling out some string theories and quantum loop gravity theories.

SourceEuropean Space Agency·JournalPhysical Review D·DateJun 30, 2011

Researchers map the physics of Tibetan singing bowls

Researchers captured high-speed images of fluid-filled Tibetan bowls to quantify how droplets are propelled from the water's surface as the bowls are excited. The unique singing properties of Tibetan bowls were used to investigate a liquid's interaction with solid materials, a situation that arises in many engineering applications.

SourceIOP Publishing·JournalNonlinearity·DateJun 30, 2011

Thanks for the memories

A study at the Weizmann Institute found that false memories are formed when our brains rely on false information from others, which is reinforced by social pressure. The researchers discovered a unique pattern of brain activity associated with this process, highlighting a surprising connection between social and memory processing.

SourceWeizmann Institute of Science·JournalScience·DateJun 30, 2011

A different kind of mentor

An online mentoring program helped students in agriculture and natural resources gain insight into career opportunities and college life. The program expanded students' views of career possibilities and increased their willingness to relocate for career purposes.

SourceAmerican Society of Agronomy·JournalJournal of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Education·DateJun 30, 2011

The future of chip manufacturing

Researchers at MIT have developed a way to improve the resolution of high-speed e-beam lithography, making it more practical for mass production. By using a thinner resist layer and developing the resist with table salt, they were able to achieve resolutions down to nine nanometers.

SourceMassachusetts Institute of Technology·JournalMicroelectronic Engineering·DateJun 30, 2011

Assessing agroforestry's advantages

Researchers have developed a model to predict the amount of carbon contained in agroforestry systems using detailed web-available data. The model provides a tool for farmers to assess the impact of windbreaks on their operations, capturing substantial amounts of carbon while providing production and conservation benefits.

SourceAmerican Society of Agronomy·JournalJournal of Environmental Quality·DateJun 30, 2011

Heart transplant patients at risk for serious skin cancers

A new study found that heart transplant patients are more likely to develop skin cancers, including cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma. The incidence increased post-transplant by up to 30-fold, highlighting the need for improved patient education and screening.

SourceWiley·JournalAmerican Journal of Transplantation·DateJun 30, 2011

Clues to why 'they' all look alike

Scientists discovered that brain activity increases when viewing same-race and other-race faces, but only predicts whether an other-race face will be remembered. The study suggests that individuation process is fragile for other-race faces due to lack of practice and social categorization.

SourceNorthwestern University·JournalFrontiers in Human Neuroscience·DateJun 30, 2011

WiFi 'napping' doubles phone battery life

Researchers at Duke University have developed a software called SleepWell that allows mobile devices to sleep while a neighboring device is downloading information, saving energy for both devices. This technology can potentially double the battery life of smartphones and laptops by reducing the energy toll of WiFi usage.

Pigment patterns from the prehistoric past

Scientists have discovered a remarkable relationship between copper and pigment in exceptionally preserved feathers and soft tissues from 120 million-year-old Confuciusornis sanctus and 110 million-year-old Gansus yumenensis fossils. The study, published in Science, reveals original colour patterns using X-ray analysis.

SourceUniversity of Manchester·JournalScience·DateJun 30, 2011

Using fear to guide smart investments

A Tel Aviv University researcher suggests investors can master their fear of the market by analyzing and understanding its dynamics. The team's study reveals a strong correlation between volatility and price variations, enabling investors to redefined risk parameters and enrich their portfolios with stocks that behave in different ways.

Sea urchins see with their whole body

Researchers found that sea urchins have photoreceptors on the tip and base of their tube feet, allowing them to react to light and potentially use the shadow cast by their skeleton for direction. This unique system enables sea urchins to navigate and function in their surroundings despite lacking eyes.

SourceUniversity of Gothenburg·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJun 30, 2011

Takeoffs and landings cause more precipitation near airports

Researchers discovered that aircraft takeoffs and landings under certain atmospheric conditions can cause a small but measurable increase in rain and snow near airports. The study used satellite images and weather forecasting models to examine the occurrence of inadvertent cloud seeding within 62 miles of six commercial airports.

Novel analysis method organizes genomic cancer data

Researchers developed a novel analysis method to organize genomic cancer data, revealing previously unknown genetic connections and similarities among different types of cancers. The approach uses multiplicity to create three-dimensional models, potentially leading to trials of already approved drugs for additional cancers.

SourceUniversity of Utah·JournalBMC Medical Genomics·DateJun 30, 2011

Key ingredient: Change in material boosts prospects of ultrafast single-photon detector

Researchers at NIST have developed a tungsten-silicon alloy that significantly improves the efficiency of ultrafast single-photon detectors, enabling their use in quantum communications and computing systems. The new detection method can capture photons across longer wavelengths, including those used in telecommunications.

SourceNational Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)·JournalApplied Physics Letters·DateJun 30, 2011