Technology News: Science

Open Source Science: A Revolution From Within
November 20, 2009

Ask anyone in the open source science movement what it's all about, and you're likely to come back to the word that's right there in its name: "open." Open source science is all about open access. To research methods. To data. To scholarly publications. And supporters feel that it's vital to the continued growth and evolution of science itself.

IBM Researchers Go Way Beyond AI With Cat-Like Cognitive Computing
November 19, 2009

IBM's revelation at SC09 created quite a stir and immediately brought forth visions of Cylons and Hal 9000. The cognitive computing team at IBM Research has moved significantly forward in creating a large-scale cortical simulation and a new algorithm that synthesizes neurological data -- two major milestones on the path to a cognitive computing chip.

NASA Engineers Aim to Unsnag Spirit
November 13, 2009

For NASA's stuck Mars rover, the Spirit may be willing, but the wheels could prove too weak. The space agency on Thursday outlined a rescue plan to try to free the rover Spirit, which has been bogged in a sand trap on the red planet for half a year. The risky operation is expected to last several months.

Flu Fear Goes Viral on the Web
November 13, 2009

There's a very good reason why we call Internet memes and themes "viral." Good and bad information spreads on the Web in much the same way those nasty bundles of nucleic acid and proteins do when they attack your body's cells and make you sick. Some of the Internet news items I've seen related to the H1N1 swine flu virus are making me feel a little ill.

Pharma Wants FDA to Soften Rules for Online Ads
November 12, 2009

The FDA will convene a two-day meeting beginning Thursday to hear the drug industry's position on Internet marketing. The agency has agreed to consider developing rules for online advertising after companies complained that the current guidelines for traditional media have left them hamstrung on the Web.

New Study Finds Canned Food Laced With Toxic Chemical BPA
November 05, 2009

Consumer Reports has unleashed its findings on toxic levels of Bisphenol A in food packaging on a largely unsuspecting public. Before the report, many felt the BPA danger had passed with the introduction of BPA-free baby bottles and so-called microwave-safe plastics. Not so, says the report: Certain canned foods contain high levels of BPA.

Unblinded With Science: Technology to Restore Vision
November 02, 2009

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology has developed technology that could help fight blindness. It's aimed at the millions of people impacted by two of the major causes of blindness: age-related macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa. The MIT project is one of several that use a physical prosthesis.

Flu-Related Telecommuting Could Clog Web Traffic, Feds Warn
October 29, 2009

Talk of a flu pandemic has evolved into a bit of flu panic. Rumors fly as some people die and others deny. Much of this fevered buzz is on and around the Internet. The fear that the Internet itself will crash is growing. The alarm is based on the presumption that as the flu spreads, so does the base of home telecommuters, placing such a burden on the Internet that the whole World Wide Web will topple.

New Medical Web Site to Open Window on Out-of-Network Fees
October 28, 2009

Consumers across the country soon will be able to find impartial information about out-of-network healthcare costs on a new Web site, New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo said Tuesday. The information will be collected by a new not-for-profit company, FAIR Health, in partnership with a research consortium based at Syracuse University, Cuomo said.

Will GE's Handheld Ultrasound Become the Next Stethoscope?
October 22, 2009

Although not quite the equivalent of Star Trek's tricorder, GE's Vscan represents a long step forward in mobile medical technology. The handheld device does on-the-go ultrasound readings only, but those readings can give doctors faster, more in-depth info than the best of preliminary doctor exam routines.

Biomedical Researchers Experiment With Facebook-Style Network
October 22, 2009

Social networking is coming to the science lab. Cornell University and six other institutions will use a $12.2 million federal stimulus grant from the National Institutes of Health to develop a Facebook-style professional networking system to link biomedical researchers across the country.

Health Workers Balk at H1N1 Mandates, Cite Safety Concerns
October 15, 2009

It seems that no vaccine in recent history has met with as much public suspicion and fear as the new H1N1 vaccine. Commonly referred to as the "swine flu," H1N1 causes a wide range of symptoms, from mild to lethal. The body count is already high for this time of year, and it is expected to soar much higher.

Space Clown's Return Ends 'Anarchy' Aboard ISS
October 13, 2009

Guy Laliberte, a billionaire who once worked as a stilt-walker and fire-eater, said Tuesday that he accomplished his mission by using a 10-day trip to the International Space Station to promote a humanitarian cause. The Canadian Cirque du Soleil founder -- dubbed "the first clown in space" -- said his $35 million trip was an effective "marketing tool to put the One Drop Foundation on the map."

Wired Culture May Be Setting Youth Up for Internet Addiction
October 08, 2009

In a modern age paradox, the Internet has become a source of both edification and addiction. Teens are required to spend hours on the Web doing research and homework for school, but constant online activity can affect young minds in seriously bad ways, according to a new study.

Nobel Prize Goes to 3 Physics Luminaries
October 06, 2009

Three Americans whose research in the 1960s laid the foundation for digital images and lightning-fast communication shared the 2009 Nobel Prize in physics Tuesday for their work developing fiber-optic cable and the sensor at the heart of digital cameras. Charles K. Kao, 75, was cited for discovering how to transmit light signals over long distances through glass fibers as thin as a human hair.

Building a Better Health Data Network
October 04, 2009

Dr. James E. Sanders is a big believer of switching patient records from old paper files to sophisticated computer databases. The electronic medical records system at the Department of Veterans Affairs' Kansas City Medical Center gives Sanders and his staff almost immediate access to medical histories, allowing them to seamlessly treat veterans from other states.