This is extremely shocking: CERN scientists using a 1300-ton particle detector have measured particles travelling faster than the speed of light. If confirmed, this discovery could invalidate Albert Einstein’s 1905 theory of special relativity and revolutionize physics. More »
Proving it’s not all about edu-mah-cation, a group of casual star-gazers has stumbled upon what might well be a pair of new planets. Following on from gamers’ success with complicated medical puzzles, an army of 40,000 online volunteer astronomy nerds signed up to the Planet Hunters project to help mine through NASA data. One of the possible planets they discovered is roughly two and a half times the size of Earth, while the other a whopping eight times bigger than this revolving ball of blue and green we call home. The project uses data from NASA’s Keppler telescope, which registers fluctuations in brightness as objects pass in front of distant stars — a setup that’s helped scientists discover 1,235 potential alien planets in its first four months. Obviously, though, the technology isn’t perfect, which is where the project’s muggle volunteers (assisted by Oxford and University of Chicago researchers) come in. They’ve been combing through NASA’s readings and are now sifting through the next 90 days of Keppler observations.
[Image credit: NASA]
Volunteer scientists discover two possible planets, tell NASA it missed a spot originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Sep 2011 15:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink 
Space | 
Cornell University (PDF) | Email this | Comments
Update: Turns out our bros at Joystiq got some hands-on time with this bundle of joy at TGS. Check it out.
Continue reading ‘Mommy Tummy’ simulator takes you from normal to pregnant in two minutes (video)
‘Mommy Tummy’ simulator takes you from normal to pregnant in two minutes (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Sep 2011 09:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
We already know that Texas Governor and U.S. presidential candidate Rick Perry is hostile towards science. Did you know he also doesn’t give a rat’s ass about your health? More »
The last time the deadliest volcano in the planet exploded it was 1815. It killed more than 71,000 people on the spot and it was responsible for a volcanic winter that caused the worst worldwide famine of the 19th century. More »
Yearning for an EV that can fit within your budget? You may not have to wait too long, according a group of engineers at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), who are aiming to halve plug-in manufacturing costs by 2018. It’s all part of something called Competence E — a €200 million ($273 million) initiative that will draw upon the expertise of 250 scientists from 25 different institutes, in the hopes of creating new and more cost-effective methods of producing power trains and batteries. Under the publicly funded project, which was announced at last week’s International Motor Show, KIT’s researchers will construct a “research factory” where they’ll develop and demonstrate their processes and technologies. According to project leader Andreas Gutsch, the idea isn’t to create concepts that could bear fruit a few decades down the road, but to develop more pragmatic solutions that can be integrated at the industrial level within a relatively short time frame. “We are no longer focused on studying individual molecules or components, but on developing solutions on the system level, which meet industrial requirements,” Gutsch told Science|Business. “We are actively approaching industry and will even intensify these efforts…We are conducting excellent research for application, not for the drawer.” A full 50 engineers will begin working on Competence E next year, with the project scheduled to wrap up by 2018. Purr past the break for more details, in the full press release.
German engineers want to halve EV manufacturing costs by 2018, seem confident about it originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Sep 2011 09:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink Fast Company, Science|Business | | Email this | Comments
No gamer’s escaped the throes of adolescence without hearing the damning refrain, “Video games’ll rot your brain.” While scientific research into that claim has so far proved inconclusive, it turns out the preferred pastime of our digital era could potentially cure cancer, and even help prevent AIDS — in monkeys. Utilizing crowdsourced results from the downloadable protein-manipulating “game” Foldit, scientists at the University of Washington were able to attain a successful model of the simian AIDS-causing Mason – Pfizer monkey virus retroviral protease. For over a decade, researchers have been arduously attempting to reconstruct the folded shape of M-PMV with the aid of the task-specific Rosetta software, but to no avail. Now, in what they’re calling a possible first, gamers were able to do what scientific brains and algorithms could not, creating a sufficient model for molecular replacement — all in just three weeks. Feel like dedicating your leisure hours to this worthwhile cause? Then be sure to hit up the source link below, and transform yourself from couch potato to couch crusader.
Gamers pwn University of Washington scientists, solve decade-long simian AIDS protein conundrum (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 19 Sep 2011 18:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink MSNBC Cosmic Log | Fold.it | Email this | Comments
Scientists spent a decade trying—and failing—to map the structure of an enzyme that could help solve a crucial part of the AIDS puzzle. It took online gamers all of three weeks. More »
Barely 24 hours after we told you about printing your own bones, the franken-science continues with the announcement that blood vessels are next on the body-parts-you-can-print list. Unsurprisingly, you’ll need more than just regular toner if you want to start printing your own at home, but pioneering work by application-oriented research organization Fraunhofer has claimed to have cracked it by adding some good old ‘two-photon polymerization’ into the mix — yeah, obvious once you know. The added photon special sauce is what makes the printed synthetic tubes biofunctionalized, which in turn enables living body cells to dock onto them — we’re guessing that’s important. Sounds cute, but how long until we can start printing whole people — Weird Science, anyone?
Continue reading Print your own blood vessels, no need for red toner
Print your own blood vessels, no need for red toner originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 19 Sep 2011 13:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Just because it hasn’t happened yet, doesn’t mean it can’t; at least that’s what a Scottish research group is hoping as it attempts to create reproductive synthetic cells made completely from metal. At this stage, the idea of sentient metallic life remains a distant sci-fi dream, but researchers at the University of Glasgow have already birthed iChells — inorganic chemical cells. These bubbles, formed from the likes of tungsten, oxygen and phosphorus, can already self-assemble, possess an internal structure, and are capable of the molecular in-and-outs expected of its biological counterparts. Researchers are still tackling how to give these little wonders the ability to self-replicate, and possibly evolve — further cementing our doom post-Robot Apocalypse. Check out our future synthetic overlord’s first steps in a video after the break.
Continue reading Scientists attempt to give spark of life to all-synthetic metal cells
Scientists attempt to give spark of life to all-synthetic metal cells originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 19 Sep 2011 07:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink DVICE, New Scientist | University of Glasgow | Email this | Comments
This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A., during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.
