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Better Weather: Water-vapor Profiling System Could Result in More Accurate, Less Costly Forecasting

By Guest PostNovember 4, 20102 commentsEnvironment, Nature, Scienceatmosphere, bennett aerospace, david roberts, georgia institute of technology, laser radar, lidar, light detection and ranging, prototype, researchers, Technology, water vapor, water vapor profiler, wav-pro, weather forecasting

A vehicle from the National Severe Storms Laboratory observes conditions around a tornado in Wyoming during June of 2009. Image credit: Mike Coniglio, NOAA/NSSL

Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology and Bennett Aerospace are leveraging light detection and ranging (lidar) technology to develop a ground-based system that will automatically measure water vapor in the atmosphere. Known as”WaV-Pro^TM,” for Water Vapor Profiler, the system aims to provide more frequent data collection that could dramatically improve weather forecasting.

Initial work on the project began in mid-2009, when Bennett Aerospace, in collaboration with the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI), won a Phase I Small Business Innovation Research grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to develop design requirements for the system. Recently, the researchers won a Phase II grant to build and test critical components needed for a final operating prototype of WaV-Pro. (more…)

The Future of Entertainment Starts Today as Kinect for Xbox 360 Leaps and Lands at Retailers Nationwide

By Guest PostNovember 4, 2010Technologycontroller-free, don mattrick, Entertainment, kinect, kinect adventures, kinect for xbox 360, nasdaq stock exchange, new york, times square, xbox 360

NEW YORK — Nov. 4, 2010 — Last night, New York’s famed Times Square went controller-free, as the Crossroads of the World was transformed into a dancing, singing, A-list celebration for today’s North American launch of Kinect for Xbox 360. A full day of demos, star-studded appearances and a massive, choreographed dance routine culminated in an excited line of thousands of fans eagerly waiting to take home the future of home entertainment, now available at more than 30,000 retailers nationwide. (more…)

The More We Talk, The Less We Might Agree: Study Shows Discussion Can Hurt Consensus-Building On Science/Technology

By Guest PostNovember 4, 2010Culture, Scienceandrew binder, dietram scheufele, global warming, large-scale research initiatives, manhattan, nbaf, north carolina state university, plum island, public consensus, public issues, san Antonio, science and technology, scientific endeavors, stem cell research, talking it out

When it comes to public issues pertaining to science and technology, “talking it out” doesn’t seem to work. A new study from North Carolina State University shows that the more people discuss the risks and benefits associated with scientific endeavors, the more entrenched they become in their viewpoint – and the less likely they are to see the merit of other viewpoints.

“This research highlights the difficulty facing state and federal policy leaders when it comes to high-profile science and technology issues, such as stem cell research or global warming,” says Dr. Andrew Binder, an assistant professor of communication at NC State and lead author of the study. “Government agencies view research on these issues as vital and necessary for the country’s future, but building public consensus for that research is becoming increasingly difficult.” (more…)

Amazon.com Editorial Team Unveils Best Books of 2010 List

By Guest PostNovember 4, 2010Culture, TechnologyAmazon, best books of 2010, daphne durham, faithful place, frank mackey, isabel wilkerson, jonathan franzen, novel, oprah, rebecca skloot, tana french, the immortal life of henrietta lacks

*Just in time for holiday shopping, Amazon book editors announce the 100 best books of the year, as well as the top 100 customer favorites*

SEATTLE, Nov 04, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) — Amazon.com, Inc. today announced its picks for Best Books of 2010. This annual feature includes the Editors’ Picks for the Top 100 Books of the Year, the Top 100 Customer Favorites and Top 10 lists in nearly two dozen categories, from Literature & Fiction to Children’s Picture Books. To see all of our Best Books of 2010, or to download one of the picks to your Kindle, go to www.amazon.com/bestbooks2010.

“Whether it was Jonathan Franzen’s reunion with Oprah or the eagerly anticipated final books in blockbuster trilogies, 2010 had everyone talking about reading,” said Daphne Durham, Managing Editor of Books at Amazon.com. “Deciding on our Top 100 Books is always a tough assignment, but our choice for the Best Book of the Year, Rebecca Skloot’s ‘The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks,’ was unanimous.” (more…)

IBM Develops South Korea’s First Renewable Energy Management System

By Guest PostNovember 4, 2010Technologygreen growth, low carbon, management system, renewable energy, smart grid market, south korea

POSCO ICT showcases New Smart Grid System at Jeju Smart Grid Demonstration Complex

SEOUL, South Korea, – 04 Nov 2010: IBM today announced its collaboration with POSCO ICT to develop South Korea’s first renewable energy management system for a smart grid. As part of South Korea’s national Smart Grid initiative to achieve the vision of “Low carbon, Green growth,” the intelligent renewable energy management system will be installed as a showcase at the Smart Grid Demonstration Complex located on Jeju Island. (more…)

‘Study Reveals Why Brain Has Limited Capacity for Repair After Stroke’

By Guest PostNovember 4, 2010Health, Scienceadult disability, brain, brain cells, brain repair, chemical system, neurological recovery, phasic inhibition, recovery, stroke, stroke damage, tom carmichael, tonic inhibition

Stroke is the leading cause of adult disability, due to the brain’s limited capacity for recovery. Physical rehabilitation is the only current treatment following a stroke, and there are no medications available to help promote neurological recovery.

Now, a new UCLA study published Nov. 3 in the journal Nature offers insights into a major limitation in the brain’s ability to recover function after a stroke and identifies a promising medical therapy to help overcome this limitation.

Researchers interested in how the brain repairs itself already know that when the brain suffers a stroke, it becomes excitable, firing off an excessive amount of brain cells, which die off. The UCLA researchers found that a rise in a chemical system known as “tonic inhibition” immediately after a stroke causes a reduction in this level of excitability. (more…)

Most River Flows across the U.S. are Altered by Land and Water Management, Leading to Ecological Degradation

By Guest PostNovember 4, 2010Environment, Natureaquatic organisms, bill werkheiser, daren carlisle, degraded river ecosystems, ecological effects, flow alterations, jeff ostermiller, lake, loss of native species, pond habitats, rivers, specific flow conditions, sport fish populations, stream flow alteration, streams, water

The amount of water flowing in streams and rivers has been significantly altered in nearly 90 percent of waters that were assessed in a new nationwide USGS study. Flow alterations are a primary contributor to degraded river ecosystems and loss of native species.

“This USGS assessment provides the most geographically extensive analysis to date of stream flow alteration,” said Bill Werkheiser, USGS Associate Director for Water. “Findings show the pervasiveness of stream flow alteration resulting from land and water management, the significant impact of altered stream flow on aquatic organisms, and the importance of considering this factor for sustaining and restoring the health of the Nation’s streams and ecosystems.” (more…)

The Emergence of Holographic Video

By Guest PostNovember 3, 20101 commentScienceholographic system, holographic telepresence, holographic video, holographic videoconferencing, photorefractive polymer

Experimental networked display refreshes holograms every two seconds

Researchers at the University of Arizona (UA), Tucson, have developed a holographic system that can transmit a series of 3D images in near-real-time, a precursor to holographic videoconferencing. (more…)

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