http://www.what-is-this.com/blogs/science-blog.html Science blog From What is this Thu, 04 Aug 2011 14:18:41 GMT en-us http://www.what-is-this.com/images/blogs/science-blog-57820.jpg http://www.what-is-this.com/blogs/science-blog.html 100 75 http://www.what-is-this.com/blogs/permalinks/8-2011/nanotechologys-impact-on-mass-spectrometry.html http://www.what-is-this.com/blogs/permalinks/8-2011/nanotechologys-impact-on-mass-spectrometry.html Thu, 04 Aug 2011 14:18:41 GMT A move toward smaller and smaller sample sizes is leading to a new generation of mass spectrometry instrumentation, reports Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News (GEN). From a specific application point of view, novel nanoflow separation methodologies are ramping up the speed and precision with which researchers are able to validate biomarkers, as per the recent issue of GEN (www.genengnews.com/gen-articles/nanoliter-volumes-push-ms-to-new-lows/3741)........ ]]> http://www.what-is-this.com/blogs/permalinks/7-2011/seeing-the-s-curve-in-everything.html http://www.what-is-this.com/blogs/permalinks/7-2011/seeing-the-s-curve-in-everything.html Thu, 04 Aug 2011 14:18:41 GMT From economic trends, population growth, the spread of cancer, or the adoption of new technology, certain patterns inevitably seem to emerge. A new technology, for example, begins with slow acceptance, followed by explosive growth, only to level off before "hitting the wall". When plotted on graph, this pattern of growth takes the shape of an "S"........ ]]> http://www.what-is-this.com/blogs/permalinks/6-2011/water-within-single-walled-carbon-nanotube-pores.html http://www.what-is-this.com/blogs/permalinks/6-2011/water-within-single-walled-carbon-nanotube-pores.html Thu, 04 Aug 2011 14:18:41 GMT Water and ice may not be among the first things that come to mind when you think about single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), but a Japan-based research team hoping to get a clearer understanding of the phase behavior of confined water in the cylindrical pores of carbon nanotubes zeroed in on confined water's properties and made some surprising discoveries........ ]]> http://www.what-is-this.com/blogs/permalinks/6-2011/antimatter-atoms-for-over-a-quarter-of-an-hour.html http://www.what-is-this.com/blogs/permalinks/6-2011/antimatter-atoms-for-over-a-quarter-of-an-hour.html Thu, 04 Aug 2011 14:18:41 GMT The ALPHA Collaboration, an international team of researchers working at CERN in Geneva, Switzerland, has created and stored a total of 309 antihydrogen atoms, some for up to 1,000 seconds (almost 17 minutes), with an indication of much longer storage time as well. ALPHA announced in November, 2010, that they had succeeded in storing antimatter atoms for the first time ever, having captured 38 atoms of antihydrogen and storing each for a sixth of a second. In the weeks following, ALPHA continued to collect anti-atoms and hold them for longer and longer times........ ]]> http://www.what-is-this.com/blogs/permalinks/3-2011/understanding-fathering.html http://www.what-is-this.com/blogs/permalinks/3-2011/understanding-fathering.html Thu, 04 Aug 2011 14:18:41 GMT Most research studies that look at parenting focus on mothers. But fathers also exert direct, unique influences on their children, most likely because they engage with their children in different activities and have different styles of interaction than mothers�such as greater encouragement of risk taking and children's independence. Today, there is renewed attention to the role played by fathers, and there's new research on fathers and their influences on children's development........ ]]> http://www.what-is-this.com/blogs/permalinks/3-2011/recycling-perlite.html http://www.what-is-this.com/blogs/permalinks/3-2011/recycling-perlite.html Thu, 04 Aug 2011 14:18:41 GMT Perlite, a processed volcanic mineral, is widely used as a component of soilless growing mixes. Lightweight, sterile, and easy to use, perlite is popular with greenhouse growers. But because salt and pathogen buildup can occur when perlite is reused, it must be replaced every year or two to minimize the risk of crop failure. The cost of disposing of old material and replacing it with new perlite can be significant and often prohibitive for smaller greenhouse operations. Hanna Y. Hanna, a researcher at Louisiana State University Agricultural Center's Red River Research Station, has developed a new method for recycling perlite that can save tomato growers a significant amount of money without reducing crop yield........ ]]> http://www.what-is-this.com/blogs/permalinks/3-2011/protein-folding-revealed.html http://www.what-is-this.com/blogs/permalinks/3-2011/protein-folding-revealed.html Thu, 04 Aug 2011 14:18:41 GMT Misfold an origami swan and the worst that happens is you wind up with an ugly paper duckling. Misfold one of the vital proteins in your body - each of which must be folded in a particular way to perform its function - and the result can be a debilitating neurodegenerative disease such as Alzheimer's or Huntington's........ ]]> http://www.what-is-this.com/blogs/permalinks/3-2011/the-power-to-be-scientists.html http://www.what-is-this.com/blogs/permalinks/3-2011/the-power-to-be-scientists.html Thu, 04 Aug 2011 14:18:41 GMT Children who are taught how to think and act like researchers develop a clearer understanding of the subject, a study has shown. The research project led by The University of Nottingham and The Open University has shown that school children who took the lead in investigating science topics of interest to them gained an understanding of good scientific practice........ ]]> http://www.what-is-this.com/blogs/permalinks/3-2011/relaxation-leads-to-lower-elasticity.html http://www.what-is-this.com/blogs/permalinks/3-2011/relaxation-leads-to-lower-elasticity.html Thu, 04 Aug 2011 14:18:41 GMT A number of materials, when observed over a sufficiently long period of time, show changes in their mechanical properties. The exact course of these developments depends on the underlying microscopic mechanisms. However, the microscopic structure and the complexity of the systems make direct observation extremely difficult........ ]]> http://www.what-is-this.com/blogs/permalinks/2-2011/iceland-volcano-for-high-grade-energy.html http://www.what-is-this.com/blogs/permalinks/2-2011/iceland-volcano-for-high-grade-energy.html Thu, 04 Aug 2011 14:18:41 GMT Geologists drilling an exploratory geothermal well in 2009 in the Krafla volcano in Iceland met with a big surprise: underground lava, also called magma, flowed into the well at 2.1 kilometers (6,900 feet) depth. It forced the researchers to stop drilling. andquot;To the best of our knowledge, only one prior instance has been documented of magma flowing into a geothermal well while drilling,andquot; said Wilfred Elders, a geologist at the University of California, Riverside, who led the research team........ ]]> http://www.what-is-this.com/blogs/permalinks/2-2011/electronic-mining-of-published-research.html http://www.what-is-this.com/blogs/permalinks/2-2011/electronic-mining-of-published-research.html Thu, 04 Aug 2011 14:18:41 GMT The knowledge of knowledge. The science of science.andnbsp;Riddles? No. A burgeoning and important field of scientific research that examines research itself, say University of Chicago Sociology Assistant Professor James Evans and Post-doctoral Scholar Jacob Foster. Their analysis, supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF), is published in a perspective piece to appear in the Feb. 11 issue ofandnbsp;the journal Science....... ]]> http://www.what-is-this.com/blogs/permalinks/2-2011/continued-alcohol-abuse-leads-to-brain-damage.html http://www.what-is-this.com/blogs/permalinks/2-2011/continued-alcohol-abuse-leads-to-brain-damage.html Thu, 04 Aug 2011 14:18:41 GMT It is not uncommon to have a glass or two of wine with dinner, a smooth cocktail at a party, or a few beers while watching the game. These forms of light drinking typically do not cause radical health issues. Alcohol is a common element to many social gatherings and drinking is an acceptable pastime. That is, until consuming too much alcohol creates a problem. When alcohol becomes a problem and a person’s drinking interferes with their lives, it’s time for alcohol rehab. If an alcoholic refuses alcohol addiction treatment and continues to abuse alcohol, it will lead to brain damage and other series health issues........ ]]> http://www.what-is-this.com/blogs/permalinks/2-2011/behave-like-mollusk-shells.html http://www.what-is-this.com/blogs/permalinks/2-2011/behave-like-mollusk-shells.html Thu, 04 Aug 2011 14:18:41 GMT Nacre, usually known as mother-of-pearl, is the iridescent material lining a number of mollusk shells. It is part of a two-layer armor system that protects the animal from predators. The brittle outer layer of the shell absorbs the initial impact, but is prone to cracking. To prevent these cracks from catastrophically propagating through the shell to the animal itself, the nacreous layer is surprisingly strong and tough, with outstanding crack arresting properties. Thus it acts as a lining to maintain the integrity of the shell in the event of cracking of the outer layer........ ]]> http://www.what-is-this.com/blogs/permalinks/1-2011/mida-salicifolia.html http://www.what-is-this.com/blogs/permalinks/1-2011/mida-salicifolia.html Thu, 04 Aug 2011 14:18:41 GMT .....and we"re back. Sorry for the gap of a few days, it took us a while to sort out some of the issues in the set-up of the software behind the scenes. I hope it"s all resolved now, and the biggest issue of photographs not loading should finally be ......... ]]> http://www.what-is-this.com/blogs/permalinks/1-2011/mathematical-model-predicts.html http://www.what-is-this.com/blogs/permalinks/1-2011/mathematical-model-predicts.html Sat, 29 Jan 2011 01:15:25 GMT In an effort to better understand the dynamics of complex networks, researchers have developed a mathematical model to describe interactions within ecological food webs. This research, performed by Northwestern University physics professor Adilson Motter and his student, Sagar Sahasrabudhe, is reported in the January 25 issue of Nature Communications The work illustrates how human intervention may effectively aid species conservation efforts........ ]]> http://www.what-is-this.com/blogs/permalinks/1-2011/when-students-put-down-textbooks.html http://www.what-is-this.com/blogs/permalinks/1-2011/when-students-put-down-textbooks.html Sat, 29 Jan 2011 01:15:25 GMT Put down those science text books and work at recalling information from memory. That's the shorthand take away message of new research from Purdue University that says practicing memory retrieval boosts science learning far better than elaborate study methods. andquot;Our view is that learning is not about studying or getting knowledge 'in memory,'andquot; said Purdue psychology professor Jeffrey Karpicke, the lead investigator for the study that appears today in the journal Science andquot;Learning is about retrieving.andnbsp;So it is important to make retrieval practice an integral part of the learning process.andquot;........ ]]> http://www.what-is-this.com/blogs/permalinks/1-2011/materials-from-self-assembling-structures.html http://www.what-is-this.com/blogs/permalinks/1-2011/materials-from-self-assembling-structures.html Sat, 29 Jan 2011 01:15:25 GMT Scientists at the University of Illinois and Northwestern University have demonstrated bio-inspired structures that self-assemble from simple building blocks: spheres. The helical "supermolecules" are made of tiny colloid balls instead of atoms or molecules. Similar methods could be used to make new materials with the functionality of complex colloidal molecules. The team will publish its findings in the Jan. 14 issue of the journal Science....... ]]> http://www.what-is-this.com/blogs/permalinks/1-2011/rhodophiala-rhodolirion.html http://www.what-is-this.com/blogs/permalinks/1-2011/rhodophiala-rhodolirion.html Sat, 29 Jan 2011 01:15:25 GMT Local plant enthusiast Alan Tracey sent this photograph a few days ago from Chile, taken during his explorations of Andean summer wildflowers. Thanks as always, ......... ]]> http://www.what-is-this.com/blogs/permalinks/1-2011/exploring-latest-materials-innovation-and-research.html http://www.what-is-this.com/blogs/permalinks/1-2011/exploring-latest-materials-innovation-and-research.html Sun, 16 Jan 2011 16:39:10 GMT How do far-out creations, such as airplanes that change shape in flight, invisibility cloaks or military vehicles that heal themselves, become realities? Via scientific discoveries and generation of new materials, of course. New and often revolutionary uses for materials are endless, and materials innovations drive civilization and inspire scientific breakthroughs........ ]]> http://www.what-is-this.com/blogs/permalinks/1-2011/snapshots-of-proteins-as-they-fold.html http://www.what-is-this.com/blogs/permalinks/1-2011/snapshots-of-proteins-as-they-fold.html Sun, 16 Jan 2011 16:39:10 GMT Researchers have invented a way to 'watch' proteins fold - in less than thousandths of a second -- into the elaborate twisted shapes that determine their function. People have only 20,000 to 30,000 genes (the number is hotly contested), but they use those genes to make more than 2 million proteins. It's the protein molecules that domost of the work in the human cell. After all, the word protein comes from the Greek prota, meaning "of primary importance"........ ]]>