Female Butterflies Learn When It Comes To Wings, Flashier is Better in A Mate
If female butterflies are programmed to identify males of their species by the patterns of spots on their wings, how can new wing patterns evolve in males? (more…)
Technology
A Career of Thriving on ‘Impossible Projects’ – Including Kinect for Xbox 360
Alex Kipman, leader behind Kinect, on making technology ‘disappear.’
REDMOND, Wash. – June 12, 2012 – In June 2010, Alex Kipman sat in Los Angeles’ Galen Center as Cirque de Soleil performers helped introduce the world to Kinect. Acrobats, musicians and 10-foot tall puppets filled the sports arena, where 3,000 people watched a boy onstage discover Microsoft’s new controller-free gaming system. (more…)
Practical Tool Can ‘Take Pulse’ of Blue-Green Algae Status in Lakes
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Scientists have designed a screening tool that provides a fast, easy and relatively inexpensive way to predict levels of a specific toxin in lakes that are prone to blue-green algal blooms.
Blue-green algae is not your average pond scum – rather than consisting of plant-like organisms, blue-green algae actually are cyanobacteria, and some species are linked to the production and release of the toxin microcystin into the water. Human exposure to the toxin through drinking or recreational water contact can threaten public health by causing liver damage, neurological problems and gastrointestinal illness in humans. (more…)
A SMART(er) Way to Track Influenza
Brown University researchers have created a reliable and fast flu-detection test that can be carried in a first-aid kit. The novel prototype device isolates influenza RNA using a combination of magnetics and microfluidics, then amplifies and detects probes bound to the RNA. The technology could lead to real-time tracking of influenza. Results are published in the Journal of Molecular Diagnostics.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] — In April 2009, the world took notice as reports surfaced of a virus in Mexico that had mutated from pigs and was being passed from human to human. The H1N1 “swine flu,” as the virus was named, circulated worldwide, killing more than 18,000 people, according to the World Health Organization. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States said it was the first global pandemic in more than four decades. (more…)
Microsoft Ushers in the ‘Era of the Cloud OS’
Company shares updates to cloud platform and developer tools
ORLANDO, Fla. — June 11, 2012 — Today at the 20th annual TechEd North America conference, Microsoft Server and Tools Business President Satya Nadella welcomed a sold-out crowd of more than 10,000 to the era of the cloud operating system (OS) for infrastructure. Nadella described how the cloud OS drives both the modern datacenter and enables the development and management of modern applications, demonstrating how customers can benefit from this transformation with agility, focus and lower costs. He also announced updates to the company’s developer tools and availability of the next release of Windows Intune, the company’s cloud-based solution for PC and mobile device management and security. (more…)
Prometheus
Synopsis
A team of explorers discover a clue to the origins of mankind on Earth, leading them on a thrilling journey to the darkest corners of the universe. There, they must fight a terrifying battle to save the future of the human race. (more…)
Stay Healthy In A Polluted World
Pollution is an unfortunate by-product of our ever-changing society. Air, water and even noise pollution can take a toll on any person’s body, without their knowledge. Fortunately, there ARE ways to fight the effects of pollution in your body, in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle. There are also helpful tips to decrease the toxins that are invading your body, which could potentially cause harmful consequences later in life. Here’s what you need to know!
The Consequences of Pollution
Impure surroundings affect the lungs, heart, cardiovascular system, immune system, and organs when dangerous toxins are inhaled, consumed or absorbed by the skin or airways. Respiratory ailments, such as colds, flu, pneumonia, emphysema and bronchitis occur often because of these. The chances of contracting asthma and COPD or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease are also more likely. Tainted environments also contribute to allergies, headaches, migraines, and skin disorders such as eczema, acne, melanoma cancer and premature aging. (more…)
Mapping Volcanic Heat on Io
A new study finds that the pattern of heat coming from volcanoes on Io’s surface disposes of the generally-accepted model of internal heating. The heat pouring out of Io’s hundreds of erupting volcanoes indicates a complex, multi-layer source. These results come from data collected by NASA spacecraft and ground-based telescopes and appear in the June issue of the journal Icarus.
A map of hot spots, classified by the amount of heat being emitted, shows the global distribution and wide range of volcanic activity on Io. Most of Io’s eruptions dwarf their contemporaries on Earth. (more…)