Germanium to Overtake Silicon?

Silicon has long been the undisputed elements behind creating transistors. Its semiconductor properties make it optimal for hosting the transfer of charges. Germanium, which is one spot below silicon on the periodic table, was experimented with in the 40s but set aside to make way for silicon because it was trickier to integrate into circuits.

Now, germanium's been making a comeback. A part of the advancement of technology has been an emphasis on miniaturization. Every gadget seems to be getting thinner and lighter, and scientists aren't sure that silicon transistors/circuits can keep up. That is why people have been turning to germanium, which, due to its position on the periodic table, can transfer charges much quicker than silicon. The limitation with using germanium had previously been making it comply with standard CMOS technology. Two types of circuits exists: nFETs, which use transistors to conduct negative charges, and pFETs, which utilize transistors to conduct positive charges. While germanium pFETs have been a "slam dunk," according Krishna Saraswat, an electrical engineer at Stanford University, the nFET version was lacking. But Purdue University engineer Peide Ye and his team have concocted a new design for germanium nFETs that could see the element be heavily used in the near future. Mark Bohr, a senior fellow at Intel, suggests that silicon scaling could be a thing of the past within a decade.

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New Species Found

The first detailed research returned from the depths of the Mariana Trench. The group of scientists came back with amazing discoveries. The expedition set several new records including the gathering of the deepest rock samples and the discovery of a new fish species at the greatest lengths ever recorded as well. The findings of this expedition is going to help answer all sorts of questions people have of organisms; things like how they live in different habitats never before explored. The new species that was found is also going to give insight on how high-pressure environments influence and impact organisms.

To read more: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/12/141220040544.htm

New species found in the deepest trenches on earth

Researchers have returned from the first detailed study of the Mariana Trench aboard Schmidt Ocean Institute's research vessel Falkor. The expedition set many new records, including the deepest rock samples ever collected and the discovery of new fish species at the greatest depths ever recorded.

More on this here

Hyperloop

Hyperloop: the new transportation system created by SpaceX founder and Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk that will be ready for passengers in approximately 10 years. This new transportation system could cut travel time between Los Angeles and San Francisco down to 35 minutes. This is incredible because the trip typically takes 12 hours by Amtrak train, and more than six hours by car. This transportation system would carry passengers in pods moving as fast as 800 miles per hour. The project is approximately anywhere between $7 billion and $19 billion. Hyperloop CEO Dirk Adhlborn said that the price range is due to the unpredictability of prices for materials and other expensive over the next decade. He also says that if he finds it too difficult to build the inaugural Hyperloop in California, he may choose to build it in another country. To learn more about Hyperloop, visit the link provided below.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/19/hyperloop-10-years_n_6357430.html?ir=Science&ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000042

Solar Power From Space

Dr. Paul Jaffe, from the US Navy Research Laboratory, is working on two modules that would float in space and collect solar energy. This would increase the amount of energy collected by up to four times, especially since he wants the modules to be kilometers in length, increasing efficiency without overheating. The solar panels on Earth only catch a very small fraction of the energy being sent by the sun, and while this idea is not new, Dr, Jaffe is proposing modules that, if successfully put into effect, could power entire cities with a small collection of these modules. This is a potential new source of energy that could bring us one step closer to solving the current energy problem.

More information here: http://gajitz.com/beaming-with-pride-sending-solar-power-down-from-space/

3D Printed Dress

As 3D printing becomes a greater deal, people are expanding the range as to what can be printed.  Nervous System, a design studio, has created a 3D printed dress that feels like a real dress.  Using a software called Kinematics, the dress starts out as a model in a CAD program and then broken down into a variety of triangles.  After that, hinges are attached to the triangles through the use of algorithms.  This was a difficult task for the team because the hinges had to be small enough so that there could be movement between the triangles, but thick enough so that the attachment does not break.  These combinations of triangles allow the dress to flow freely.  Currently, producing the dress takes about two days and would sell for $3,000.  Although this is the case, Nervous System is figuring out away to print them more efficiently and cost effectively.

Read more at:

http://www.cnn.com/2014/12/17/tech/innovation/3d-printed-plastic-dress/index.html

BPG: A new, superior image format that really ought to kill off JPEG

For years we have been accustomed to JPEG photo files and have never questioned them. They are easily accessible by basically every computer in the world and their quality is never much of an issue. However, like the article states, JPEG is still one of those few remaining "dinosaurs" from the beginning of the internet. Is it time for a change?

link to article

Better Portable Graphics, or BPG, is the new replacement for JPEG. It offers a higher image quality at half the file size. This is due to its advanced algorithm, ability to render 14 bits per color channel (instead of 8), and like a PNG it brings an alpha channel (transparency). Overall the BPG sounds like a much better choice but its biggest flaw is its lack of support. Considering it is a new file format computers, phones, tablets, devices in general, are not programmed to support BPGs. Perhaps in the future there will be a way to easily access BPG files but for now that is something the creators are working on. 

RoboBrain - Google for Robots

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As we all remember from Robotics last year, robots need a lot of help to actually perform actions, and writing those tasks can be quite tedious. For instance, instead of being able to type, "turn right," we had to implement several lines of code involving functions for configuring the power of each motor for a certain duration of time in order to get the robot to turn. Robots don't have nearly the same interpretational skills as humans do, which is why simple tasks like movement need very descriptive instructions.

Ashushtosh Saxena and peers from Stanford University have developed RoboBrain to serve as a search engine for robots. If a robot wishes to carry out a certain task, it may search up those instructions using RoboBrain. But RoboBrain is far more than a search engine - it allows robots to add to the database as it moves along by utilizing the device's sensors and data storage in order to create information that can accessible by all kinds of robots.

The team has already demonstrated this with eggs. One of their robots, under RoboBrain, was able to carry an egg carton from one end of the table to another. This seemingly basic task can be carried even further - the technique behind carrying the egg carton can also be used for other fragile objects. All this can be learned by querying RoboBrain.

Saxena and his crew want to take RoboBrain even further. So far, the service has teamed up with Tell Me Dave (a start-tup designed to teach robots natural languages) and PlanIt (a method for robots to plan paths by using crowdsourced information). They also want to step into the instructional video world and have robots acquire knowledge simply by viewing "how-to" videos and gathering the essential parts.

4 Hour Flights are Nearing Reality

Imagine a plane that could both fly us around the earth in 8 hours and take us to space. This is the idea of the British firm called Reaction Engines with their new airplane design. This opens a whole new opportunity for commercial air flight and space travel. The new engine that will allow this is called the "Sabre Engine" and is supported by a technology that allows it to get cooled for more than 1000 degrees Celsius in 0.01 seconds. The firm is now in the development stage for this groundbreaking plane, however with the 1.1 billion dollar price tag, it may have its downsides. 

Flexible 3D Touchscreens

In the not so distant future, the idea of malleable screens may become a reality. A Finnish group called Canatu has been working to develop a carbon nanobud screen which can be used in a similar fashion to glass screens. The properties of this malleable screen come from the chemical makeup of carbon nano tubing that can maintain conductivity even when displaced by 120% of its original location. The by having a surface that is easy to curve, the applications of this new technology are endless when applied to design. Some uses range from the car dashboards to computer parts. 

Source: http://www.technocrazed.com/stretchable-film-can-make-touchscreen-any-surface

Tons of Plastic In Oceans

Microplastic pollution is filling various oceans across the globe. Around 269,000 tons of plastic may be floating around the earth's oceans. To better understand the severity of the issue and how much plastic there is in the ocean, scientist from six different countries came together to collect data. Based on the data collected scientist "estimate a minimum of 5.25 trillion plastic particles weighing nearly 269,000 tons in the world's oceans." All of this plastic in the ocean is a huge danger to marine life all across the world. Marine animals are dying and habitats are being destroyed. Plastic waste is being dumped into the ocean and the consequences are beginning to show.

To read more about this issue go here:  http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/12/141210140827.htm

The Death of the Password

The FIDO (Fast IDentifaction Organization) Alliance, which is composed of heavyweights like Microsoft, Google, VISA, MasterCard, Paypal, and more, is working with Nok Nok Labs to replace the use of passwords. Passwords are a pain. They are extremely important for the security of our data, yet they are so hard to remember and so difficult to keep track of. FIDO wants to eliminate passwords by implementing two types of user authentication factors- biometric and key. Passwords can be replaced with facial recognition, voice recognition, iris recognition, or something as simple as fingerprint recognition, as seen with the newer iPhone models. Biometric authentication is super secure because unlike a password, which can be shared by multiple people or taken through data breaches, your physical identity is unique. To add another layer of security, FIDO wants to use a physical USB key to make sure that the individual is actually attempting to log in, not a machine. This two-step verification process is what companies want for the future and although it may seem like a daunting task at first glance, the alliance believes it is definitely possible.

http://www.popsci.com/death-password-starts-today

Mimicking Sense of Touch

Scientists have discovered how to mimic the sense of touch. A team from the US and China did this by making an experimental array that can sense pressure in the same range as the human fingertip. More specifically, they used bundles of vertical zinc oxide nano wires to build arrays consisting of about 8,000 transistors. Each of the transistors could then independently produce an electronic signal when placed under mechanical strain. This advancement is very essential because it can be applied in many different ways. For example, the advance could speed the development of smarter artificial skin. "This could make artificial skin smarter and more like the human skin. It would allow the skin to feel activity on the surface". Another way this could be applied is with robots: the sensors could give the robots a more adaptive sense of touch. As Prof Wang said, "this could be used in broad range of areas, including robotics, (very small devices known as MEMS), human-computer interferences and other areas that involve mechanical deformation". To know more about this advancement, click on the website: http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-22302487

Fighting Cancer

Cancer remains the second most common cause of death in the United States.  More specifically, brain cancer is amongst the most tedious forms of cancer to remove during surgery since it is difficult to distinguish the difference between brain cancer and healthy brain.  Because of this, surgeons many times fail to remove all of the cancer.  Luckily, Dr. Jim Olson has been working on "brain paint" which will help surgeons see what is cancer.  This "paint" is produced by peptides from scorpions (specifically Deathstalkers which has a paralyzing sting).  The process goes: the day before surgery the patient gets an injection of "brain paint" in their blood stream.  The peptide them brings the florescent molecule to the cancer cell which then is visible to the surgeons with a special camera.  So far, they have experimented with this "paint" on rats and dogs, which have been successful.  This can mean a lot for the future, and can increase the success rate of surgery.  

Read more at:
http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20140605-how-venom-can-help-tackle-cancer

Spray-on Solar Power

University of Toronto researcher Illan Kramer, has invented a new way to spray solar powered cells on to flexible surfaces. Kramer has used light-sensitive materials known as colloidal quantum dots (CQD) to spray on surfaces. This new invention is going to make spray-on solar cells easy and cheap to produce. Until now, the only way that you could get CQDs on surfaces was through the process of batching them on. This process was very slow and expensive. Kramer's new process is now going to change the industry and make the process of making different materials solar powered a lot easier and cheaper. 
To read more: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/12/141205124349.htm

California's Drought Might be a Look Into the Future

Currently California is having the worst drought it has had in 1,200 years. Scientists have been able to track the droughts in California through tree rings. Tree rings can tell us vital information about the climate of a region and how dry the earth was. The fact that there was not much rain or snow this year doesn't really matter in the big picture. There have been years where the earth was less dry despite the fact that there was much less rain and snowfall than this year. The reason why this drought is bad is because of the extreme heat that is scorching the soil. Climate change is warming the soil, creating terrible droughts despite sufficient rainfall. This could be a look into the future of our Earth and how dry it will be if climate change continues.

More information on this here: http://www.livescience.com/49029-california-drought-worst-ever.html

Hearing Wifi?

Frank Swain invested in a pair of Starkey Halo hearing aids for his hearing that has been slowly diminishing over the course of ten years. These hearing aids connects to bluetooth which streams audio from his iPhone.  Swain began thinking, if this device can help people hear things they could not before, it is possible to hear other things such as wifi?  So, Frank Swain and and Daniel Jones, a sound artist, began working on a project Phantom Terrains.  They hacked into his hearing aid and translated the wifi into sounds that they could hear: crackling, clicking, and tones.  The more stronger   the surrounding wifi is, the more frequent the clicks are.  So as you walk close to a wifi router, the clicks and crackling become more dense. If it is to the left of you, you would hear the sounds in your left ear, and the same goes for your right.  If we are able to hear wifi, think of the number of other things we may be able to hear and how that can potentially change our view of the world and open new findings.

 

If you would like to hear what it would sound like if you were to have the hearing aid on click hear: http://www.wired.com/2014/12/guys-hacked-hearing-aids-let-listen-wi-fi-networks/

New research paves the way for nano-movies of biomolecules

"Scientists have caught a light sensitive biomolecule at work using an X-ray laser. Their new study proves that high speed X-ray lasers can capture the fast dynamics of biomolecules in ultra slow-motion, revealing subtle processes with unprecedented clarity."

The biomolecule processes that occur in the human body are very hard to capture due to the high velocity that they happen in. But with this new breakthrough, scientists can shoot a high speed X-ray at a biomolecule and capture the light that is refracted. Scientists are then able to use this refracted light to create a moving image of the process.

Iron Man Suit

DARPA has been working on creating an exosuit that resembles the iron man suit. Their mission is to create this suit in order to benefit soldiers in the army. They want to develop "a soft, low-powered exosuit that will augment the physical capabilities of soldiers". They expect that the suit will allow troops to carry 100-plus pounds of equipment without risking the joint and back injuries that typically occur in the field. DARPA has already wrapped up its first phase which tested exosuit components in the lab and outdoors. In the next phase, engineers will test how various pieces, including bionic arms and legs, will perform when integrated into one suit. To learn more about the process of finalizing DARPA's exosuit, go to the website provided below.

http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/military/research/the-iron-man-suit-in-real-life-is-coming-darpa-17493769

Exoskeletons Are Changing Lives

We've heard of exoskeletons being used in the military before, and this field seems to be moving along slowly, but surely. However, exoskeletons are finding a field that can be much more helpful to society: rehabilitation.
Ekso Bionics has created an exoskeleton that is meant to help patients who can't walk get back on their feet (literally) and slowly work towards being able to walk again. The suit uses pressure sensors to detect when the wearer wants to take a step forward, and it is so effective that patients walk up to 300 steps on their first try. It also has something they call variable assist, which allows the patient to use as much of his/her own strength as possible, which is perfect for rehabilitation. While it is not currently available for the public, Ekso Bionics is working towards making the suit more independent (as of right now it requires a personal trainer to work with the patient) and available to clinics. It is a great step forward towards helping paraplegics walk again, and it has a giant psychological effect, as it reminds them what walking feels like again.
More information along with a great video telling the story of a patient who used this suit can be found here: http://www.popsci.com/watch-paralyzed-man-take-stroll-bionic-exoskeleton-video

NASA spaceship ready for test flight

Orion, NASA's Spacecraft designed to one day launch humans back into space, is ready for its first test flight. The test flight was set for today at 7:05 a.m. ET, but due to high winds and a stuck liquid-oxygen drain it was rescheduled for Friday morning. Orion is set to orbit the earth twice in a range of 4 hours before coming back down and landing in the Pacific Ocean. The first test flight will carry no astronauts but will a step forward in NASA returning to the crewed spaceflight business.

The news of Orion's launch is exciting because it brings back an important era in American history that has slowly been forgotten. The whole concept of space and space travel amazes me and with newly found technology NASA will be able to travel further. Mars is the final objective for Orion and perhaps soon it will be achievable.

Orion 

http://www.cnn.com/2014/11/30/tech/innovation/nasa-orion-spacecraft-test-flight/index.html 

Made In Space Transports and Replicates First 3D Printed Object on Space Station

3D printing has been making big strides lately. It has literally skyrocketed to space, actually will be coming down soon as well. Scientists at NASA have sent a 3D printing module to the ISS where experiments will be conducted. Because of zero-g conditions, 3D printing has to be done in a more complicated way in order to be used properly. The initial test for the 3D printer was panel for the machine itself. Not something too interesting in all honesty, but a worthy test of capabilities. In addition, actual test objects will printed both on earth and on the ISS so they could be compared. This will provide scientist with information on what needs to be changed for future versions of the printer.

More Here: http://singularityhub.com/2014/11/27/made-in-space-transports-and-replicates-first-3d-printed-object-on-space-station/

Drones Are Almost Crashing Into Planes

As the drone market expands and more, cheaper, drones are available for consumers to purchase more problems tend to rise. This week I came across an article that claims pilots are complaining about running into drones during their flights. Although most pilots were not affected by these incidents some did have to change their course to avoid them. "A total of 193 incidents were reported between Feb. 22 and Nov. 11" an astonishing number when compared to previous years. This problem rises the question of wether further drone regulation is needed to keep the airways safe, something time will tell.

For more info:click

Drones are being incorporated into everyday life and used by various types of people, from farmers to wedding photographers. Our project alone shows how more people are using this technology to improve everyday life. So like the article said, don't be surprised if you see a drone flying outside your window.

Clime House Thermometers

A new type of thermometer has been invented that is basically a small, compact, 3D printed block of plastic with sensors on it. The idea behind this thermometer is that it would go outside your house and sense the temperature, then send the temperature reading to your smartphone. This is the most accurate way to tell how cold or warm it is outside without having to use the weather channel. These thermometers are not limited to the outside of your house. You can place them on any wall in any room of the house and get an accurate temperature reading. In addition to temperature, Clime can monitor the humidity, the ambient light of the room, the UV index, location and any movement around the sensor. This is very useful for someone traveling to a vacation home who is in need of accurate weather reading at the home. Eventually these sensors will be able to sense sound, take video and prevent break-ins. Clime is currently a crowdfunded idea and the inventors have pledged a $50,000 goal.

More on Clime sensors here: http://www.climesense.com/

Re-Usable Plastic

        Researchers at North Dakota State University have successfully made a plastic that, when exposed to a certain light, can be reduced back into molecules and used to create new plastic. These researchers focus on biomass, cellulose, oilseed, lignin, and sucrose to form the building blocks of the molecules that form the polymers that are used to make the plastic. They believe that one of modern society's greatest challenges is to reduce our dependability on fossil fuels. In their opinion, sustainability is breaking something down into its original building blocks, sort of like leggos, which is exactly what they are trying to accomplish with this new plastic. This has the potential to not only reduce pollution, but also to pave the way for the creation of other materials using the same concept. In my opinion, I think this could be very useful in the future and can greatly benefit the environment.
More information here: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/11/141125101741.htm

A Sleek Wristband That Can Track Seizures

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Empatica is developing a wristband that can be used to track and predict the onset of seizures for people with epilepsy. The project was formed by accident; chief scientist Rosalind Picard was originally trying to track autistic children's stress-levels from data on their skin conductance (yes, skin can conduct electricity). One subject had a particularly high spike on the ski conductance readings, which Picard initially thought was due to a malfunctioning sensor. As a matter of fact, it wasn't an error at all. The spike ocured before the subject endured a grand-mal, or tonic-clonic, seizure, which supposedly result in higher levels of skin conductance.

Picard has since applied this knowledge regarding the relationship between skin conductance and seizures into the Empatica wristbands. "by picking up motion data gathered from the gadget’s accelerometer and gyroscope and combining it with measurements of skin conductance," Empatica wristbands are able to collect more accurate data regarding seizures than other projects, such as Smart Monitor's SmartWatch, can. Upon detecting an incoming seizure, the wristband vibrates, allowing the user to know ahead of time to either sit or lie down or get medication ready. Essentially, the wristband, which has yet to be approved by the FDA, can give users the opportunity to prepare themselves for the incoming seizure. 

Wireless Charging in Starbucks

Starting this Tuesday Starbucks' are going to present their new wireless charging stations starting with stores in San Francisco and slowly expanding to the rest of the United states.  No longer will customers have to go through troubles with wires, all they will have to do is sit, place their phones down and enjoy their drinks.  This wireless charging system works by magnetic induction, and when the phone is placed on the table, the electric current creates a magnetic field that generates voltages.  Although wireless charging has been out for a while now, it is not very popular since it charges things slower than if a chord would have been used.  Another problem is that these stations will not be compatible with all types of phones.  However, Starbucks will offer rings that can be plugged into the phone and the ring will be powered by the wireless charging plate.

Asteroids as Gas Stations in Space

Scientists have discovered that we can use asteroids as gas stations in space. This is because some asteroids contain water, in the form of ice, other frozen gases, and metals. By mining these raw materials, they could provide the air, water, fuel and other consumables necessary to support permanent settlements in space. This is important because carrying water into space is very expensive and requires large rockets that consume a massive amount of fuel. Instead of this, it is much more practical and efficient to use the resources already in space to overcome these problems. By using asteroids as gas stations it would ultimately allow people to travel further at a lower cost.

Asteroids also contain metals. From the asteroids that have fallen to Earth, we already know that they contain iron, rhodium, iridium, rhenium, osmium, ruthenium, palladium, germanium, gold, and platinum. This supports the theory that these metals exist in asteroids, they just have to be found and mined in space.

Currently, mining and living in space seems like a real possibility with the availability of water, fuel and high value elements. However, there is still a lot of technology that still needs to be developed before off-Earth mining can become a reality. To learn more about this, go to the website provided below.

http://www.factor-tech.com/space/9847-off-earth-mining-the-challenge-of-turning-asteroids-into-gas-stations-in-space/

Paper-Thin Lighting Paper

Rohinni, a small company has created a paper thin sheet that emits light. This sheet currently does not have any commercial applications but it has a lot of economical potential. It works by combining ink and LEDs in a surface that conducts electricity together to create an ultra thin flexible sheet capable of emitting light. Currently, this version of the sheet does not distribute the LEd's evenly but Rohinni's second version plans to fix that problem. This new invention has possible applications wallpaper, watches, smartphones, or anything facet that could use some light. The company sees this as a revolution from moving away from bulbous light bulbs to embracing something paper thin.

http://www.popsci.com/paperthin-sheet-gives-light-needs-purpose

Drone Ships and Autonomous Rockets

After the recent failure of the Antares Rocket, SpaceX has taken a few steps back to recuperate and count its loses. However, they have not taken their eyes off spaceflight, and this time its even more ambitious than before. SpaceX plans on sending autonomous rockets on refueling missions to the ISS. Now this may not sound so amazing on its own considering most resupply missions are automated, the crazy part comes with the re-entry and landing. In order to keep these missions safe, the rocket will be landing on a floating "Drone Ship", as mentioned by a representative. Not only that, SpaceX are planning on making their rockets reusable. With complete autonomous movements, these missions are going to bring great advancements to space exploration. According to SpaceNews, the initial mission will have a 50% success rate, while consecutive ones will be around 80% or 90%.

Source: http://spectrum.ieee.org/automaton/robotics/military-robots/spacex-planning-to-land-autonomous-reusable-rockets-on-drone-ships-next-month

Robot Security Gaurds

For the past year, Knightscope has been busy creating a robot security guard known as K5.  This 5-foot-tall, 300 pound robot might look harmless, however, it is not something you want to mess with.  It uses its sensors and four HD cameras to detect any suspicious movement in a building at night.  There is also a weather sensor to measure carbon dioxide levels, temperature and barometric pressure to insure there is no unusual activity.  The K5 is connected to Wi-Fi to communicate with those who will monitor it and its warning signals.  It is not equipped with any weapons, however, with a warning alarm system.  The alarms progressively become more intense for the longer threat remains. On the other hand, if you are need of assistance, you could press a bottom on the top of the K5 and it will send a notice to the control center, and summon someone to the scene.  So far, only seven have been build, however four more are on its way.  These robots can replace jobs that are life threatening, which can be viewed as a good or bad thing.

Imagination and Reality flow in different ways in our brain

Different scientist in the University of Wisconsin-Madison have been working on able to untangle the way that our brains work. They have studied EEG waves and everything else that people have been doing but they have come upon something new and exciting. They are beginning to find out that a lot of things in human and animal brains are directional. Directional in the sense that neural signals move from one part of the brain to another in specific paths. One thing they found out is the way that the neural signals between imagination and reality run. When we begin to imagine things neural signals parietal lobe of the brain to the occipital lobe, which means that it goes from a higher region to a lower one. When we process virtual things that we see, the neural signals run in the opposite direction. 

To read more: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/11/141120141442.htm

The Black Seadevil

For the first time ever, researchers have captured video of a rarely seen sea creature know as the Black Seadevil. It was spotted in the vast, dark waters at 1,900 ft. below sea level by researchers at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute. In 25 years, researchers have only seen 3, which is why they are hyped about capturing video of this rare creature. This fish is a deep sea angler by definition. It has an amazing fluorescent bulb dangling from its head that attracts prey. Not much is know about this fish, but the video taken reveals a lot more about it than anyone has ever known. Although this fish seems menacing, it is only about 3.5 inches long. The amazing thing about this fish is that the males have a much shorter life expectancy and are much smaller than females. In fact, male Seadevils must attach themselves to a female like a parasite, and live off of them. If they do not find a female host, they drown. They are not even properly equipped for eating. This may be why there are so few Seadevils that exist.



To Learn more about the Angler Fish, Watch this video:

Doctor Shortages

Many experts are predicting that by 2025, the United States will be short by about 130,00 doctors. The reasons for this is because the average age of the population is going up. This results in the need for more doctors. Also, the baby boomers are starting to enter retirement, which will cause many doctors from the work force to exit and also qualify thousands for Medicare. The field of medicine is trying to promote medicine to young individuals in order to make up for the people that will need doctors. But others are saying this is a bad idea. Training a doctor is expensive, and the costs could skyrocket. Also, there are other professions, such as nurses, that could help cover the shortage.

The full article can be found here

Nanoparticle Detects the Deadliest Cancer Cells in Blood

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Researchers have created nanoparticles called nanoflares that could potentially be a vital component in the fight against cancer in the upcoming years.  These nanoflares identify cancer cells in blood by literally lighting them up; each nanoflare contains a chunk of gold coated with flourescent molecules and pieces of DNA that link to specific RNA found in certain cancer cells. The idea is that these nanoflares enter infected blood and and enter cells. The identification of cancer cells will be known when the nanoflares deposit their DNA into the blood cells. Should the deposited DNA link up to the cell's RNA and in turn create flourescent molecules, this blood cell will light up, thus marking it as a cancer cell since the RNA is specific to certain cancer cells.

Results published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences have shown positive resutls of this method using mice blood. The next step is to configure these nanoflares to work for humans. While this may not be a cure for cancer, the nanoflare technology could prove itself to be crucial in the diagnosis of cancer. If a hospital lab could identify cancer in a short amount of time solely from a patient's blood sample, the diagnosis time could be cut drastically, leading to quicker approaches to attack and treat the cancer. This technology could also prove to be important in cancerous tumors, in which cancer cells can bunk up in small numbers, especially since they can "hide" in between healthy body cells. By distinguishing the cancer cells from healthy cells, more efficient measures can be taken to target just those cancer cells without killing too many healthy cells, as is the case currently with measures such as chemotherapy. Overall, while this technology will need a lot of work before in can enter the mainstream health system, it can prove to be vital to fighting cancer.

Growing Food Crops In Space

It seems that as our technology improves, we become more intrigued with our solar system. It has become very necessary for many scientists to go to space because there is so much waiting to be discovered. By making space shuttles more efficient, we have been able to make more successful trips to outer space. However, the problem still lies that we need to wear suits and have to have a substantial amount of food because in outer space there is no oxygen. Now, scientists in Norway are researching on how to grow food in space and how the horticulture could supply space travelers with oxygen and food. The research project, which is funded by EU, will last 10 years and will be led by Ann-Iren Kittang Jost, the research chief at the Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Space at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim. As of now, the team has not decided which plants they will try to grow, but some candidates include: tomatoes, lettuce, and soybeans. The team knows that the project will be difficult because scientists will have to learn about the interaction of the plants to their new and different environment. The goal for the Norwegian researchers is to give space explorers the means to survive and eat in a self-sustaining fashion. To learn more about this, click on the link provided below.

http://www.thelocal.no/20141121/norway-to-grow-food-crops-in-space

New Payphones for NYC

NYC is planning in the near future, approximately around the end of 2015 to roll out a new "payphone station" for consumers. This payphone station will provide free Wi-Fi, running at one gigabit, free charging stations, free directions, and free phone calls (anywhere in the U.S) .  Antenna Design, the company behind this to construct near 10,000 ports in the city, their project also known as LinkNYC. The company plans to make money off revenue from advertisements rather than their actual services. This may seem like a goldmine for a hacker but Antenna Design has configured their software to encrypt data on their Wi-Fi network.

http://www.popsci.com/nycs-payphones-will-become-gigabit-wi-fi-access-points

Depression Re-conceptualized as an Infectious Disease

An article that a professor wrote in Stony Brook University argues that depression should be re-conceptualized as an infectious disease. MDD has been around for a very long time and it can affect up to 20 percent of the population. Re-occurrence is common and not a lot is known of this disease so drugs haven't changed over the years. The professor has found that MDD has a lot of characteristics that an  infectious disease has as well. These include loss of energy and inflammatory bio-markers. He believes that if it is re-conceptualized as an infectious disease then more extensive research can be done to find new ways to treat depression.
Read more here: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/11/141114124307.htm

Playing Action Games can Boost Learning

Studies are showing that gamers who play action games are improving skills that are taught in the game along with learning capabilities in general. This is the case because of how brains sharpen their prediction skills. During our daily lives, our brains are constantly predicting activities that we will do next. They sharpen these skills by creating templates and models of the real world. The better the template, the better the world, the better the performance will be. People who play action games create better templates than those who don't and therefore they will perform the task at hand better. Read more here: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/11/141110161036.htm

Groundwater is Heating Up

From the temperature that was recorded in two German cities for the past forty years, there has been a conclusion that groundwater is heating up. Not only is it heating up, but it is also mirroring the same warming pattern of the atmosphere. It proves that global warming is reflected directly in the groundwater. The data also revealed that groundwater close to the surface down to a depth of around 60 meters has warmed up significantly in the course of global warming over the last forty years. The warmer temperatures might influence subterranean ecosystems on one hand and groundwater-dependent biospheres on the other, which include cold areas in flowing waters where the groundwater discharges. Higher groundwater temperatures also influence the water's chemical composition, especially the chemical equilibrium of nitrate or carbonate. This is because chemical reactions usually take place more quickly at higher temperatures. There might also be an increase in bacteria at rising water temperatures. The reason for this is because the warmer the groundwater, the more effectively undesirable bacteria might multiply. To learn more about the heating up of groundwater, click on the link provided below.

http://www.futurity.org/groundwater-global-warming-801682/

Panel-Powered Car

"QUT's Professor Nunzio Motta with one of the university's powerful nanotechnology microscopes." Source

In the hype of electric and hybrid cars, what is often dismissed is the challenge of such cars. While the fuel consumption benefits are manifest, these batteries often take a long time to charge and can be quite hazardous to the environment when discarding them. A solution, however, may come in the form of supercapacitor panels.

A supercapactior is "a 'sandwich' of electrolyte between two all-carbon electrodes." When rolled into extremely thin and strong film, they attain a high-power density. This higher power density will allow cars to accelerate quicker and charge batteries in a matter of minutes, all while maintaining a lower energy density than the standard lithium-ion battery. These supercapacitor panels can be attached anywhere across the car, from the hood to the windows, and link up to the car's batteries. And the prospects are exciting; "After one full charge this car should be able to run up to 500km - similar to a petrol-powered car and more than double the current limit of an electric car." This technology could also extend out to the rapid-charging of mobile devices, which I am sure would be greatly welcomed by society.

Cannabis Kills Cancer Cells

In a recent study done on lab rats the mixing of equal amounts of Delta 9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and Cannabidiol (CBD) (both compounds are found in marajuana) shrinks brain tumors. The reason why this works is because these compounds block cell communication barriers, making the cells not function properly, which triggers the body to kill the tumor cells. Glioma is a very aggressive cancer with a 5% survival. Those who do survive don't usually live past 3 years. Treatment of this cancer is very invasive and damaging, and doesn't always work. THC and CBD have been used to cure glioma in rats, which will change how scientists think about cancer and medical treatments in the future. The benefit of treating cancer with marajuana is that there are no harmful side effects. The impossible cure for cancer might be here....

Read more about this:  http://www.medicaldaily.com/cannabis-shrinks-brain-tumors-associated-highly-aggressive-form-cancer-310720

3D Printing Electronics

This is yet another example of how powerful and useful the 3D printer can be. Michael Toutonghi, when trying to build a small rocket for his son using a 3D printer, face a big obstacle: the 3D printer material wouldn't work with the circuits. Out of this obstacle came a brilliant invention that is truly a step forward to making electronics and modern technology cheaper and easier to make. Michael invented a 3D printable metal that is more conductive than most modern materials. This metal, when used as filament for the 3D printer, can make the circuits that you need very easily, and the best part is that it is really cheap. This combination of low price, usefulness, and easy application can truly be groundbreaking in the electronics-making industries.

More information along with a video found here: http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/187437-new-metal-lets-todays-3d-printers-make-tomorrows-electronics

Planet X Exists

Beyond Neptune, our solar system is vast and unchartered. Astronomers have recently discovered many dwarf planets that orbits our sun in the Kuiper Belt. This is exciting news, because it means that there are other celestial bodies in our solar system that we have never discovered. Many of these bodies could have had the potential to sustain life at one point. In 2012, Astronomers proclaimed the existence of a Planet X (also known as Nibiru), which is 15 times larger than Earth. The reason for this proclamation is because of a skewed orbit of dwarf plants around the sun, possibly being affected by the gravitational pull of a large celestial body. This body could be the 9th planet in our solar system (Pluto is not a planet). The Planet X theory was dismissed as childish and non sensical by the scientific community. New satellite imagery has led to a change in thought however, and now the Planet X theory has come back to life.

More info on this here: https://www.sciencenews.org/article/distant-planet-may-lurk-far-beyond-neptune

Biodegradable Drones

Bio-drone Simply Melts Away When it Crashes

Drones are great tools for a variety of different jobs. Ranging from surveillance, to exploration, to military, our little companions seem to pose one big problem. Many times drones will get stuck, or crash atop an unreachable place. When something like this happens, people are not able to recover their equipment without accessing an air vehicle. Researchers from NASA's Ames Research Center in California have developed a biodegradable drone chassis with the goal in mind to make the entire drone environment friendly. The chassis is made up of a fungal substance called mycelium grown in labs. The team is working towards developing degradable sensors using E. coli bacteria. Something almost unthinkable is coming into existence. 

More Info Here: http://2014.igem.org/Team:StanfordBrownSpelman/Building_The_Drone

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg22429952.400-biodrone-simply-melts-away-when-it-crashes.html#.VGb0CvnF-o2

Philae lands on comet

This week, for the first time ever, a spacecraft was able to land on a comet. Scientists had been working on landing a spacecraft on a comet for years, and the successful landing of Philae brought joy to the scientific community. A panel of the ESA (European Space Agency) and other partners answered questions in a google hangout and talked about what Philae is able to do, the usage it will have to the scientific community, and future plans for it.

More can be found here

Voice Activated Interfaces

Just last week Amazon announced their idea for "Echo", a $199 speaker.  However, it is not just any ordinary speaker, it has a voice control feature that will be able to voices from all the way across the room just by saying the keyword "Alexa".  Not only will it play you music if you ask the sparker too, but it can all answer any random questions you have, much like Siri.  Amazon already began buying smaller companies that will assist them in creating "Echo" in hopes of successfully pulling it off. Voice activated interfaces seems to be an upward trend and in the near future, many predict, you will be able to voice activate so many house hold things such as TVs and security systems.  Does this seem overwhelming?  

Creating Diamonds Out of Nothing (Or Peanut Butter)

Source

In the age of space exploration, it's almost a little ironic to think that we barely know about the insides of our Earth. Geology really is still an elementary subject, as we can barely drill beneath the Earth's surface. This is an obstacle that will have to be climbed over if we wish to understand the inner makings of Earth, and ultimately, how it formed and how/why it sustains life.

That is the goal of Dan Frost and his lab team the Bayerisches Geoinstitut in Germany. He mimics the conditions of Earth's lower mantle in order to get a grasp on how the Earth is composed. This means, essentially, crushing rocks at enormous amounts of pressure. He and his team do this in two processes: the first portrays the conditions of the upper portion of the lower mantle (around 500-562 miles below the Earth's surface) utilizes a powerful piston to squeeze tiny bits of crystals as they are cooked by a furnace. Then, an anvil further crushes these crystals to mimic the conditions of even deeper with the lower mantle. By the end, this applies a pressure 1.3 millions that of atmospheric pressure onto the crystals. 

A common theory today is that the Earth is made up of materials brought on by the striking of meteorites, but Frost's results are challenging that notion. The mantle does not seem to hold nearly as much silicon as found in meteorites, leading to the theory that Earth's silicon falls even deeper beyond the lower mantle, perhaps even all the way down to the core. 

So where do the diamonds come into play? These experiments could possibly tells us about the air that we breath. Frost speculates that CO2 is extracted out of oceans into rocks via a series of geological processses and are in turn converted into diamonds within the mantle. Iron could be the reason why this occurs, as oxygen is removed when the high pressures of the mantle forces CO2 from the rocks into the iron-rich minerals, leaving just carbon to form diamonds. So, naturally, Frost and his team have been attempting to create diamonds from carbon-rich peanut butter.

The implications of this, on the surface, is a entirely new way in extracting the most coveted gem on the planet. But this experiment is far more than that. It can explain the history of the formation of Earth, why it exists and thrives as a life-sustaining planet, and what it is actually made of! Diamonds are an extremely strong network of hydrocarbons and are much less likely to be released back into the atmosphere. Therefore, a diamond-coated mantle could explain the slowing of the warming of Earth, thus allowing life to prosper. 

Bracelet Could Cut Energy Cost

Wristify is a bracelet that uses psychological perception to reduce the need for air conditioning. What it is a small battery powered bracelet that heats or cools a small section of the wearer's wrist, making miserable conditions feel more manageable. It works based on the idea of skin's adaptability to temperature constants and skin's overresponse to temperature change. Wristify changes the temperature five to nine degrees, only a small change needed to create a noticeable difference. One wearer of the prototype said " The moment I took of Wrisify, I wanted to be back to its pulsing, cooling embrace". Hopefully, the product will reduce a consumer's need for air conditioning on full blast- a psychological approach to reducing energy costs. The company uses a solid state thermoelectric element coupled with heat sinks to adjust the temperature of device. On top of that, the company projects to create bluetooth integration, much like smart thermostats or ACs. Hopefully, the company finds a way to market this product cost-effectively.

http://www.popsci.com/article/gadgets/bracelet-could-shrink-your-energy-bill

Technology Invading Privacy

When we think of technology we think of all the doors it has helped us open in the world.  However, when you look deeper into it, technology can actually be very scary.  The amount of things technology is capable of doing are immense and limits everyones privacy to a large extent.  When you think about it, every little thing you do or step you take is recorded.  You post a picture online and your information is permanently out there- even your location.  This article gave an example of research conducted at the Florida State University where a group created a website of cats all over the world and where they live.  This shows how easy it is to gain access to even the most useless information such as whether you have a cat or not.  The scary part is that the majority of the cat owners don't know that their cat photo is on this website for the world to see.  We don't know where our information is and who is looking at it.  Feel free to check out the website to see if your cat has been found iknowwhereyourcatlives.com.  The up and coming commercial product, the drone, has brought about new serious problems that may interfere with our privacy.  Drones are capable of flying with an attached camera.  Already there are reports of misused drones that have been used to take photos of people without their consent.  It is important to protect what we can because sometimes we underestimate the power of technology.  

Read more at: http://www.azcentral.com/story/money/business/tech/2014/11/08/tech-drones-social-media-privacy-issues/18744345/

China claims new laser cannon shoots down drones

As I was doing some research on drones for my project I came across this really interesting post on CNN Tech. It stated that a new weapon released in China can zap target drones within a radius of 1.2 miles. The purpose of this weaponry is a safety defense system against the growing market of drones. It targets smaller drones now widely available on the market and can shoot them down just five seconds later. These smaller drones can be used by spies or terrorists.

I think that in the future drones may be legal to operate freely and technology like this will be needed. As the drone market grows so does the risk of drone related crime causing technology like laser cannons to be in demand. It is still a very scary and young concept so there is a lot of time before stuff like this can be implemented into everyday life but this is a good start. 

For more information

Reprogrammed cells grow into new blood vessels

By transforming human scar cells into blood vessel cells, scientists may have discovered a new way to repair damaged tissue. The method appeared to improve blood flow, oxygenation, and nutrition to areas in need.

The full article can be found here

Half Robot Cockroaches Could Save Your Life

In modern day society people have taken a rather grim stance on how we view the common cockroach. What we do not realize is that one day these surprisingly resilient bugs can be used to inspect hazardous environments. Specifically, their stable little bodies can be incorporated in rescue missions in urban areas of distress. Scientist at North Carolina State University have been able to connect a small circuit board to roaches in order to control them directly through their nervous system. Being roughly the size of two quarters, these cyborg bugs can be used to capture sounds of people in trouble through a 3 directional microphone. Many possible uses can be predicted at this stage, but some further testing is required. Who would have thought that cockroaches, known for scaring moms and kids for being in the cupboard, would actually be helpful. 

Robotic Scallops

Scientists have created microscopic scallops that are going to greatly benefit doctors and specialists with patients with damaged cells. The scallops, which are barely visible to the naked eye, can swim through bodily fluids and repair damaged cells or deliver medicine. When the scallops enter the bodily fluids of the patients, such as blood or eyeball fluids, they move back and forth, mimicking the swimming of scallops that are seen in the ocean. This technique of swimming backward and forward is very efficient in liquids that can grow thicker or thinner. The creation of the robotic scallops is also efficient because they do not need much power to be able to move that way. They do not require batteries or motors. Instead, they only require the energy provided by an external magnetic field. To learn more about the robotic scallops, click on the link provided below.

http://www.engadget.com/2014/11/07/tiny-robotic-scallops-swim-blood-eyeballs/

There's Someone Behind You....

       You know that feeling you get sometimes when you're alone, and you think that there's someone standing right behind you? For most people, this is a common nuisance, but for people with neurological conditions such as schizophrenia or Alzheimer's, this feeling is a real symptom and can turn into a true torment. It is called Feeling of Presence, or FoP, and this is really the stuff of ghost stories, but although scientists do not really understand the source of this feeling, they do believe that it is caused by some sensorimotor conflict, or an imbalance between what the mind perceives and what the body feels. Neuroscientists in Switzerland, however, have developed a robot that simulates this feeling by using input from the person to move the robot behind them. So if the person moves a finger forward, like they are touching someone, the robot will move behind them and touch their backs. Researchers hope that this new robot will be able to answer some questions regarding FoP and maybe even lead to a cure/treatment. 

More information and video of how it works here: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/this-robot-messes-with-your-brain-until-you-feel-a-ghostly-presence/