SCHAFT team tops scores at DARPA Robotics Challenge
(Phys.org) —For those wondering who of 16 competing teams would walk away as top performers in the two-day DARPA Robotics Challenge in Florida over the weekend, the suspense is over. SCHAFT, a Japanese...
View ArticleCuriosity team upgrades software, checks wheel wear
The team operating NASA's Mars rover Curiosity has completed a software upgrade on the vehicle and is next planning a check of wear and tear on the rover's wheels.
View ArticleStudies would lead to lighter, cheaper magnets
(Phys.org) —Sometimes you have to apply a little pressure to get magnetic materials to reveal their secrets. By placing a permanent magnet under high pressures, Lawrence Livermore researchers are...
View Article"Social" bacteria cooperate to hunt for food and survive under harsh conditions
When considering the behavior of bacteria, the word "social" doesn't often come to mind.
View ArticleWhy it snows so much in the frozen North
(Phys.org) —When it doesn't show signs of stopping, most of us just mumble a few choice words and get out the snow shovel. Scientists, however, wonder where all that snow is coming from, particularly...
View ArticleBiosynthesis captured in motion
(Phys.org) —Chemists have caught molecules in the act of biosynthesis revealing an animated view of how a fundamental piece of cellular machinery operates. The system they observed, a critical...
View ArticleNew look inside cell nucleus could improve cancer diagnostics
Researchers have successfully isolated and sequenced the entire messenger RNA – the "genetic photocopies"– contained in the nucleus of a single brain cell. This research, published in the journal...
View ArticleMars may act as a giant planetary pump
(Phys.org) —The surface of Mars is full of activity, with dust storms, dust devils, and drifting dunes in constant motion. Scientists suspect that similarly rich activity may exist underneath the...
View ArticleMagnetic properties in graphene could unlock broad applications from...
(Phys.org) —In the three years since the Nobel Committee awarded its prize in physics for the discovery of graphene – a new material that many think can change the world due to its unprecedented...
View ArticleSuperconductivity switched on by magnetic field
Superconductivity and magnetic fields are normally seen as rivals – very strong magnetic fields normally destroy the superconducting state. Physicists at the Paul Scherrer Institute have now...
View ArticleNew research sheds light on history of polar current
Research conducted by a team that included scientists from British Antarctic Survey reveals the ocean current moving around the South Pole flowed at much the same speed in the last ice age as it has...
View ArticleThe effects of physical sensations on fear behaviors in zebrafish
In humans, massages are used for stress relief and relaxation. Tight wraps called Thundershirts can be used on dogs to reduce anxiety from thunderstorms or separation, and giant rolling brush machines...
View ArticleChange in geometry improves aerodynamics
Kids and dogs understand the force of air, when they stick their hands and heads out of moving cars only to feel them pushed back. It may be invisible, but air is like a see-through net dragging a...
View ArticleHelp solve Santa's logistics troubles with a little maths
In just one night, Santa has to visit millions of homes to deliver presents. If he could travel at the speed of light, the task would be simple.
View ArticleScientists find new ghost ant genus and species: Discovery sheds light on...
Attine ants make up a group of more than 240 known ant species that pioneered agriculture well before humans and nearly all other organisms in the history of life. They evolved more than 50 million...
View ArticleOpenWorm project reaches new milestone—muscle simulation
(Phys.org) —The OpenWorm project has reached a significant milestone, team members report—muscular contraction that is able to drive the simulated worm forward in a stream of simulated water.
View ArticleHoliday magic? Reindeer eyes change from gold to blue at Christmas
Rudolph the fictional reindeer was famous for his oddly colored nose, but his true-life cousins have eyes that change color depending on the season.
View ArticleKickstarter project Deltaprintr offers cheap easy to use 3D printer
(Phys.org) —Two college students (Shai Schechter and Andrey Kovalev) have launched a Kickstarter project aimed at bringing an easy to use and affordable 3D printer to the masses—one they have designed...
View ArticleMongooses synchronize births to escape despotic females
Some mammals may have evolved to synchronise births as a way of evading the threat of infanticide, according to a study led by the University of Exeter.
View ArticleDemocracy pays: Majority wants both punishment for tax evaders and things to...
In relatively large communities, individuals do not always obey the rules and often exploit the willingness of others to cooperate. Institutions such as the police are there to provide protection from...
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