Articles tagged with Scientific Foundations
Scientists are increasingly involved in preserving cultural heritage objects, using non-destructive analysis and innovative techniques. Conservation science research is funded by grants from the National Science Foundation, aiming to maximize the preservation of building materials and artworks.
Termites' non-reproductive offspring may have inherited their parents' throne, answering a question posed by Charles Darwin nearly 150 years ago. This new research suggests staying at home could have given these first termites an advantage to become reproducers.
The College of Engineering and Science at Louisiana Tech University has received a four-year grant from the National Science Foundation's ADVANCE program. The project aims to improve climate, increase retention, and provide professional development for women faculty in engineering and science.
Researchers at K-State will use a cyber network to study the tallgrass prairie and respond to global warming. The project aims to integrate data from Konza Prairie and other regional institutions to improve ecological forecasting and education.
The NSF grants will scale up Stevens' 'BUILD IT' project to four new regions, launching an underwater robotics curriculum in underserved audiences. The grants also support an education research study to develop engineering curricular modules for high-school biology and chemistry courses.
The University of Chicago will expand and extend TeraGrid until 2011 with a $30 million National Science Foundation grant. This enhancement will provide access to extremely powerful supercomputers and ultra-high-speed networks for leading-edge scientific discovery and education.
Researchers at Clemson University will receive $2 million from the NSF to mimic butterflies' suction mechanism for feeding. This method can be used in medical diagnostics and will help develop new fiber-based devices capable of probing hard-to-reach liquids.
The grants are worth a total of $7.7 million, with 19 awards from the National Science Foundation and four from the National Institutes of Health. Researchers will use the funding to build their research programs, work with students, and advance their projects.
Researchers will investigate molecular genetic and biochemical pathways in the common ice plant to improve water use efficiency. The goal is to understand how plants adapt to harsh environments through complex metabolic processes.
The National Science Foundation has awarded $399,939 to two research projects examining the impact of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act on employment in science and engineering fields. Researchers will collect data on ARRA funding of academic programs for two years.
A nationwide survey found that nearly 9 out of 10 adult Americans obtain weather forecasts regularly, with an estimated 300 billion forecasts used each year. The study reveals that most people are satisfied with forecasts and place a high value on them, equivalent to $31.5 billion annually.
Researchers found that individuating novel objects with unique names enhances holistic processing, a hallmark of face-like expertise. This technique can be learned quickly and applied to other objects, indicating that expert-level recognition is not solely the result of extensive practice.
Researchers at MIT created a model to describe and predict phantom traffic jams, which form when high-density traffic becomes self-sustaining. The model could help engineers design roads with enough capacity to prevent such jams, as well as identify safe speed limits and hot spots for accidents.
The free NSF-funded e-booklet provides a concise primer on the essential information everyone should know about the Earth sciences. The Earth Science Literacy Initiative's framework document establishes nine 'Big Ideas' and supporting concepts, covering key areas like geology, climate science, and oceanography.
Tim Weninger, a K-State researcher, has received a three-year National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowship to pursue a doctorate in computer science. The fellowship provides $30,000 annual stipend and tuition payment support for graduate studies.
Lin Ma's project aims to understand turbulent combustion using advanced laser diagnostics, contributing to energy security and environmental sustainability. The research will improve the efficiency of devices such as engines, boilers, and power plants.
The University of Minnesota Institute for Mathematics and its Applications has received funding for five new math postdoctoral fellows as part of a National Science Foundation initiative. This program creates jobs for talented young mathematicians, addressing the shortage of trained scientists and promoting scientific training in the US.
George M. Whitesides has won the inaugural Dreyfus Prize in Materials Chemistry for his pioneering work in creating new materials and systems. His research has advanced the field of chemistry with significant societal benefits.
A study by NCAR scientists found significant changes in about one-third of the world's largest rivers, with many experiencing decreased flow due to climate change. The reduced flows threaten future supplies of food and water, particularly for large populations relying on these rivers.
Researchers at Chinese Academy of Sciences developed a new type of LED made from inexpensive organic materials, producing twice as much light as normal LEDs. Their tandem structure achieved a CRI rating of nearly 70, promising further reduction in price and expansion into home and office lighting.
A University of Nevada, Reno alumna's innovative straw bale house design survived a 200% increase in acceleration than the 1994 Northridge quake. The structure, built using locally sourced materials and labor, demonstrated exceptional seismic performance, surpassing estimates for the 2005 Kashmir earthquake.
From 2001-2008, the annual number of Ph.D.s awarded to underrepresented minorities increased by 50% in natural sciences and engineering fields. The Alliances for Graduate Education and the Professoriate program has seen significant success in boosting minority participation in science-related studies.
The University of Miami's Rosenstiel School has awarded funding to Drs. Paquita Zuidema and Lisa Beal, who will use their grants to improve communication skills among scientists from underrepresented groups. Dr. Beal's workshop aims to foster international collaboration in the Southwest Indian Ocean community.
The Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) will conduct scientific ocean drilling operations aboard three platforms in 2009. Scheduled operations include riser drilling, riserless operations, and mission-specific operations to explore climate change, sea level change, and oceanic plateau formation.
Researchers at UT Health Science Center are developing a vaccine targeting alpha-synuclein to prevent Parkinson's disease progression. The vaccine has the potential to slow symptom onset, a current challenge in treatment.
Researchers develop a new general chemistry curriculum, CLUE, using the emergence and evolution of life as context for introducing chemistry concepts. The curriculum aims to improve students' problem-solving abilities and deepen their understanding of fundamental principles.
The AAAS Science Journalism Awards have received a $2 million endowment from the Kavli Foundation to foster strong, probing science writing. The awards, established in 1945, recognize distinguished reporting on science by professional journalists.
Researchers at Case Western Reserve University discovered a nanotechnology-based technique to block damaging gas transport through polymers, making them stronger and more efficient. This breakthrough has potential applications in food and medicine packaging, as well as electronic equipment protection.
The ALMA Observatory has accepted its first North American antenna, marking a significant milestone in the project. The 12-meter-diameter antenna was delivered by General Dynamics SATCOM Technologies and will enable astronomers to probe phenomena beyond the reach of visible-light telescopes with unprecedented sharpness.
Researchers developed a precise orbit determination method for the Jason-1 satellite using on-board GPS data, achieving centimeter-level accuracy. The study found that the method provided highly accurate GPS-based solutions, with systematic biases between POE and orbit solutions and SLR residual statistics.
A team of researchers from the University of Alaska Fairbanks and other institutions will examine successful life stories of indigenous youth in four circumpolar communities. The project aims to share knowledge and expertise within these communities, guided by community members, to inform ways to address challenges and promote resilience.
Researchers at Yale and the University of Tokyo demonstrated how pyrrolysine (Pyl), a rare amino acid, was incorporated into proteins. This discovery opens the door to engineering the genetic code and understanding the functions of modifications found in human diseases.
The US research vessel JOIDES Resolution has been completely refurbished for IODP expeditions, enhancing its capability for cutting-edge research into Earth's past climate and biosphere. The ship will help improve scientific understanding of natural hazards, methane hydrates, and future sea levels.
A systematic review of carbon nanotubes' cytotoxicity found that various factors affect CNTs' toxicity, including species, impurities, lengths, and assaying methods. The study emphasizes the need for more complete characterization and determination of cell viability to ensure safe application of CNTs.
A team of University of Pennsylvania physicists creates a simple system to study and control geometric frustration using micron-sized spheres in water. They found that the lattice deforms to relieve frustration as the material becomes more strongly frustrated.
A team of geologists analyzed a cave stalagmite and found that the Eastern Mediterranean became drier between 100 A.D. and 700 A.D., coinciding with the fall of Roman and Byzantine rule in the region. The high-resolution climate record shows sharp drops in precipitation around 100 A.D. and 400 A.D., which may have weakened these empires.
Researchers at Caltech have developed a new technique called four-dimensional electron microscopy, which allows for the real-time visualization of atomic changes in materials. The technique uses ultrafast single-electron imaging to capture snapshots of molecules in motion, revealing the dynamics of structure and shape at the atomic scale.
A Florida State University researcher is leading an international team to produce a comprehensive history of the Arctic region from the late 19th century to the present. The team, funded by the European Science Foundation, is conducting a comparative international study of Arctic science and its impact on perceptions of the region.
A new study by UCL researchers suggests that hypnosis can induce synaesthetic experiences in people without extra brain connections. They used posthypnotic suggestion to show that non-synesthetes could experience digit-colour synaesthesia, reporting similar experiences as real synaesthetes.
Consuelo M. De Moraes, a Penn State entomologist, has received the ESA's Early Career Innovation Award for her innovative research on chemical communication in ecological interactions. The award recognizes her contributions to promoting minority and women in science.
The Penn State MRSEC will continue its research in four areas: nanoscale motors, nanowires, optical metamaterials, and multiferroics. The center aims to design new materials with unprecedented properties and functions.
Researchers are developing nanofiber-based probes for medical diagnostics, which may save time and money compared to traditional methods. The probes, 10 times smaller in diameter than a human hair, can extract tiny samples from biological fluids.
The Temporal Dynamics of Learning Center has received a $12 million NSF award to expand its research on the role of time and timing in learning. The center's unique collaboration with teachers and researchers aims to develop innovative programs that apply laboratory findings to the classroom.
Astronomers detected a strong magnetic field in a 6.5 billion-year-old protogalaxy, contradicting the leading theory that magnetic fields should weaken with time. The discovery was made using the National Science Foundation's ultra-sensitive Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope.
Undergraduate and graduate students from the University of Michigan will design and build a small CubeSat satellite, called Radio Aurora Explorer (RAX), to measure ionosphere energy flow. The mission aims to understand space weather processes, which can affect GPS signals and other space communication systems.
University of Wisconsin-Madison graduate student Jenna Eun's accidental photo 'Polymazing' won second place in the Science and Engineering Visualization Challenge, showcasing a surprising physical phenomenon that emerges in nature. The image, taken under a microscope, reveals how hydrogel absorbs water and causes a material to buckle.
A study by UC Riverside predicts nearly all California elementary schools will fail to meet Adequate Yearly Progress requirements by 2014. The researchers emphasize the need for emphasis on ELA and support in mathematics, suggesting a more tailored approach to address each school's unique challenges.
The 2008 International Science and Engineering Visualization Challenge recognizes artists who use visual media to promote scientific understanding. The competition features stunning visuals and innovative uses of media to showcase various scientific research topics, including the anatomy of a squid and the creation of spontaneous buckl...
The new center will foster collaborations among researchers with diverse expertise to tackle current biological problems using various tools and approaches. Researchers will be able to measure complex interactions and simulate events that cannot be studied experimentally, offering new insights into mechanisms.
The Blue Waters project will enable Iowa State researchers to tackle large-scale problems in fields like genomics and chemistry. The team aims to leverage petascale computing power to advance research and innovation.
The new center will study active matter, which can move on its own, exhibiting properties previously observed in living materials like muscle and cells. Researchers will explore constraints on materials using DNA confinement and functioning cellular components like cilia.
The Iowa State University-led NSF Engineering Research Center for Biorenewable Chemicals aims to develop technologies transforming the petroleum-based chemical industry into a biorenewable industry. The center will educate students in multidisciplinary research and global collaborations, advancing the production of biorenewable chemicals.
Leonard Kleinrock, UCLA professor, is recognized for his pioneering work on packet switching and data networks. He developed the mathematical theory of data networks a decade before the Internet's birth and directed the first message to pass over the Internet.
A new study from Brigham Young University warns that the current DNA barcoding technique may be inaccurately identifying species, leading to overestimation of species numbers. The technique relies on a universal genetic marker, but errors can occur when 'numts' (inactive genetic code) are misinterpreted as unique species.
Researchers have successfully selected two sites for a pioneering seafloor laboratory off Washington and Oregon, thanks to the help of Sentry, an autonomous underwater vehicle. The lab will explore the ocean's ability to absorb greenhouse gases and study seafloor stresses that cause earthquakes and tsunamis.
A new analysis of ice cores reveals that West Antarctica's climate is influenced by atmospheric and oceanic changes in the tropical Pacific, with dramatic year-to-year temperature swings and a century-long warming trend. The findings show the connection between global warming and periodic events like El Niño.
Researchers from Princeton University have discovered that electrons in bismuth display a highly unusual pattern of behavior under a powerful magnetic field at ultra-low temperatures. This phenomenon, known as a collective state, is a manifestation of quantum mechanics and could lead to new paradigms in computing and electronics.
Researchers at Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility found that protons are about 20 times more likely to pair up with neutrons in the nucleus. This discovery could have significant implications for understanding the structure of nuclear systems, from light nuclei to neutron stars.
Researchers found that Amazonian indigenous culture, despite limited education and experience with maps, spontaneously placed numbers on a line in a compressed, logarithmic function. This suggests that humans have a universal predisposition to relate numbers to space, but with culturally variable mappings.
Seven pioneering scientists recognized for transforming human knowledge in nanoscience, neuroscience and astrophysics. The Kavli prizes have been awarded to seven scientists who have advanced our understanding of ultra-small matter properties, brain circuitry and quasars.