Scientific Computing

To probe the molecular structure, the team exposed thin films of PCDTBT to intense beams of x-rays at Brookhaven’s National Synchrotron Light Source (NSLS) using a high-resolution x-ray scattering technique. Unlike previous studies, which used less-intense x-rays, these studies revealed the formation of a crystalline-like phase at elevated temperatures. Furthermore, the patterns produced by the…

A 3.2 billion-pixel digital camera designed by SLAC is now one step closer to reality. The Large Synoptic Survey Telescope camera, which will capture the widest, fastest and deepest view of the night sky ever observed, has received “Critical Decision 1” approval by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to move into the next stage…

Four Cornell seniors won first-place awards and $200 scholarships at the 2012 Dairy Challenge in Roanoke, Va., where they put their textbook knowledge to the test by consulting for dairy farms. The team from Cornell consisted of Theodore Christoph, Daniel Durfee, Jordan Fisher and Ariel Garland, all animal science majors, coached by Michael Van Amburgh,…

On World Malaria Day, we stand at a critical juncture in our efforts to control a global scourge. This year’s theme "Sustain Gains, Save Lives: Invest in Malaria" stresses the crucial role of continued investment of resources to maintain hard-won gains. Lives have indeed been saved. According to World Health Organization (WHO) estimates, annual deaths…

AdviseStat AdviseStat is an intelligent analytics advisor that decides on the user’s behalf how best to analyze the data it’s given. The program makes intelligent observations about the data it sees, and then determines appropriate methods and transformations on its own. The statistical software features an intuitive, minimalist interface to help users direct the program…

Moscow at Night click to enlarge Courtesy of NASA Moscow appears at the center of this nighttime image photographed by the Expedition 30 crew aboard the International Space Station, flying at an altitude of approximately 240 miles on March 28, 2012. A solar array panel for the space station is on the left side of…

Real-time, High-res 3-D Tissue Imaging may Revolutionize Medicine Aberrations in imaging can make points appear as slashes or blurs (top image). Computational adaptive optics can correct aberrations in high-resolution microscopy (bottom images). Courtesy of Steven Adie Real-time, 3-D microscopic tissue imaging could be a revolution for medical fields, such as cancer diagnosis, minimally invasive surgery…

Healing with Mathematical Equations Understanding the way our bodies heal is not as easy as 1, 2, 3. But a researcher believes mathematics holds the answers to complex biological problems. Professor Graeme Pettet, a mathematician from Queensland University of Technology (QUT)’s Institute of Health Biomedical Innovation (IHBI), said mathematics could be used to better understand…

Virus Epidemic within our Genome Revealed Ancient viruses infest the dark matter of our DNA Scientists have uncovered clues as to how mammal genomes became riddled with viruses. The research reveals important information about the so-called dark matter of the human genome. For years, scientists have been struggling with the enigma that more than 90…

Reaction Genius Software Platform Reaction Genius software platform is designed to enable better chemistry knowledge sharing and workflow productivity. The application enables rapid chemical reaction search and chemistry analytics for electronic laboratory notebook (ELN) platforms, providing scientists with an operational understanding of the chemistry being performed throughout their research organization — for better operational impact…

Swiss Scientists Demonstrate Mind-controlled Robot Swiss scientists have demonstrated how a partially paralyzed person can control a robot using brain signals alone. The team at Switzerland’s Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne says the experiment takes them a step closer to enabling immobile patients to easily interact with their surroundings through a robot avatar. The…

A Quantum Connection between Light and Motion Physicists have demonstrated a system in which light is used to control the motion of an object that is large enough to be seen with the naked eye at the level where quantum mechanics governs its behavior. Courtesy of EPFL The movement of objects is ultimately governed by…

Company Aims to Strike it Rich by Mining Asteroids A group of high-tech tycoons wants to mine nearby asteroids, hoping to turn science fiction into real profits. The mega-million-dollar plan is to use commercially built robotic ships to squeeze rocket fuel and valuable minerals like platinum and gold out of the lifeless rocks that routinely…

Data Mining Opens Door to Predictive Neuroscience Researchers at EPFL have discovered rules that relate the genes a neuron switches on and off to the shape of that neuron, its electrical properties and its location in the brain. Courtesy of EPFL/Blue Brain A recent discovery, using state-of-the-art informatics tools, increases the likelihood that it will…

Orion’s Rainbow of Infrared Light

HC-2 Series Family of Hybrid-core Computers The HC-2 series is designed to accelerate hybrid-core computing by dramatically increasing capacity while decreasing power consumption and floor space. Hybrid-core computing can reduce space, power and cooling requirements up to 90 percent over racks of commodity servers. The architecture tightly integrates advanced computer architecture and compiler technology with…

First U.S. Commercial Flight of GEnx-Powered Dreamliner Lands in Boston A GEnx-powered Boeing 787 Dreamliner made the first U.S. commercial landing in Boston on April 22, 2012. The flight launched a new nonstop route between Asia and Boston operated by Japan Airlines. JAL took possession of two Dreamliners last month in Seattle and will soon…

New Imaging Technique allows Quick Bridge Check-ups EPFL engineers have developed a new imaging technique that lets them see the insides of massive concrete bridges. Much like a sonogram, this technique provides quick, easy-to-interpret images, so that the health of these expensive structures can be assessed and monitored. Courtesy of Trenchfoot Creative Commons The patient…

Google’s 1Q Lobbying Bill more than Triples to $5M Google’s U.S. lobbying bill more than tripled to $5 million during the first three months of the year amid increased government scrutiny of the Internet search leader’s business and privacy practices. The first-quarter expenses for political persuasion are by far the highest that Google has rung…

McGill physiology research team sheds light on how the brain processes what we sense We rely on our senses in all aspects of our lives. Unfortunately, many people suffer from some kind of impaired sensory function. In Canada alone, 600,000 people are visually impaired while almost three million suffer from partial or total hearing loss.…

The Master of Engineering (M.Eng.) program in Cornell’s School of Operations Research and Information Engineering was a finalist at a competition that recognizes excellence in preparing students to become practitioners of analytics and operations research. Cornell competed for the first UPS George D. Smith Prize, which was awarded April 16 at the Institute for Operations…

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Real-time, 3-D microscopic tissue imaging could be a revolution for medical fields such as cancer diagnosis, minimally invasive surgery and ophthalmology. University of Illinois researchers have developed a technique to computationally correct for aberrations in optical tomography, bringing the future of medical imaging into focus.  Aberrations in imaging can make points appear…

Medical Lightsabers: Femtosecond Bursts bring New Precision to Laser Surgery A photograph of the 9.6-millimeter probe housing (right) next to the housing of the earlier prototype 18-mm probe (left) showing the reduction in packaged probe size. A penny is shown for scale. The scale bar is five micrometers. Courtesy of Ben-Yakar Group, University of Texas…

Moon Express Details Plans to Mine the Moon Moon Express Lunar Lander Test Vehicle Moon Express, a Google Lunar X PRIZE contender, announced that it has successfully delivered a mission design package to NASA under its Innovative Lunar Demonstration Data (ILDD) Program, providing NASA continuing data on the development of the company’s commercial lunar missions…

40-year-old Fourier Transform Mass Spectrometry Phasing Problem Solved Scientists have developed a computation which simultaneously doubles the resolution, sensitivity and mass accuracy of Fourier Transform Mass Spectrometry (FTMS) at no extra cost. Researchers in the University of Warwick’s Department of Chemistry have solved the 40-year-old phasing problem which allows plotting of spectra in absorption mode.…