Discovery News

Bright Bacteria Wins Synthetic Biology Competition

tech

Nov. 6, 2009 -- Bacteria bright enough to see with the naked eye won the coveted BioBrick at this year's International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) competition.

The annual contest brings together teams of undergraduate students from across the globe and showcases some of the newest and most unique ideas in synthetic biology.

"We saw some incredible projects this year," said iGEM organizer Randy Rettberg. "We are training the next generation of synthetic biologists."

Speedy Germ Detector Works in Minutes

tech

Nov. 5, 2009 -- NASA scientists have developed a speedy new technology that can detect pathogens in 15 minutes flat.

Developed by chemist Adrian Ponce for the planetary science division at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), the new device is designed to minimize contamination of other worlds by ensuring outgoing spacecraft are clear of earthly germs.

"The technology works on the timescale of 15 minutes, from sampling to results," Ponce told Discovery News. That compares to two to three days for NASA’s standard technique, which involves culturing, Ponce said.

Aluminum Fuel Could Power Future Space Trips

tech

Nov. 3, 2009 -- Aluminum and water is usually a boring combination, but light a mixture of nanoaluminum and ice and the results are explosive.

Scientists from Purdue University have created a new, environmentally friendly solid rocket fuel that recently sent a rocket screaming 1300 feet into the air using seven inches of nanoaluminum and ice. The new fuel could power missions to the moon or Mars while dramatically reducing the amount of on-board fuel.

"Theoretically you can get very high temperatures using aluminum and water, but the kinetics would be so slow and it would be so hard to ignite that it's very hard to actually make the rocket work," said Steven Son, a professor at Purdue University in Indiana who helped develop the new fuel.

Vision of the Future: Custom Corneas

tech

Nov. 2, 2009 -- NASA technology that allows the Hubble telescope to focus on distant stars now offers LASIK eye surgery patients customized options for fine-tuned night vision, superior image contrast and sight even beyond 20/20.

Approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2001, wavefront technology is the newest LASIK innovation that ophthalmologists are using not only to correct eyesight, but also to peer into the physical structure of patients' eyes and locate the exact sources of their vision problems.

"We already tailor eyesight to patient goals," says Dr. Bradley Randleman, associate professor of Ophthalmology at Emory Eye Center in Atlanta. "We're getting more and more advanced with tailoring our laser treatment to the specific aberrations in the pattern of the cornea so we can best maximize the quality of vision."

Digital 'Ants' Take on Computer Worms

tech

Oct. 28, 2009 -- Digital ants could soon be crawling through your computer's hard drive, but don't worry, they are there to help.

Scientists from Wake Forest University and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory have created an army of digital ants and their superior officers, digital sergeants and sentinels, to search out viruses, worms and other malware.

The new antivirus software could provide better protection while freeing up valuable hardware.

Algorithm Judges Musical Hit Potential

tech

Oct. 27, 2009 -- Musicians intent on rock stardom can now turn to a simple file scan that uses an algorithm to improve odds at scoring a chart-topper.

That's the idea behind Music Intelligence Solutions' Hit Song Science (HSS) technology located on uPlaya.com. The technology mathematically analyzes the underlying patterns in a track, including harmony, chord progression and lyrics.

The computer then compares the song's mathematical characteristics against past successful recordings from multiple genres and languages and maps the data on a multidimensional grid.

Artificial Intelligence Diagnoses Abuse

tech

Oct. 26, 2009 -- A broken bone one day, a particular infection a few months later and depression the following year may appear to be separate, medical issues.

However, to a new artificial intelligence program developed by Boston doctors, these are all symptoms of domestic abuse.

The new software can identify abuse victims up to six years before these cases would otherwise be found and could eventually be used to diagnose just about any disease or injury.

Gold Nanoparticles Could Detect Disease

tech

Oct. 22, 2009 -- New gold and magnetic nanoparticles developed by Northwestern University scientists can detect prostate specific antigens (PSA), the leading indicator of prostate cancer, at far lower levels than is possible with existing blood tests.

The new technology could not only save the lives of millions of men but also be adapted to detect or monitor a wide variety of diseases, from HIV to mad cow.

"When a man is diagnosed with prostate cancer, and the cancer is removed, his PSA level drops to zero," said Chad Mirkin, a professor at Northwestern University and a co-author of the paper that appears in the current issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Artificial Retina Can Restore Sight to the Blind

tech

Oct. 15, 2009 - An artificial retina could restore sight to the blind, according to new research from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

The device can be plugged directly into the optic nerve and is based on widely used cochlear implants.

"We are skipping the rods and cones in the eye," said Shawn Kelly, a professor at MIT who is developing the artificial retina. "Instead, we are using a camera outside the eye to collect the image, transmitting that image to a chip inside the eye, and using an electric current to directly stimulate the nerves."

Recycled Plastic Bridges Can Support Tanks

tech

Oct. 13, 2009 - The U.S. Army may soon be able to recycle today's trash to support tomorrow's soldiers. New bridges made from recycled detergent bottles and car bumpers are strong enough to hold up a 73-ton Abrams tank.

The recycled plastic bridge takes only a month to build, costs 25 percent less than an equivalent wooden bridge and requires no annual maintenance.

Rutgers University professor Tom Nosker began developing plastic bridges, lumber and railroads ties back in the 1980s.