We'd like to think of ourselves as dynamic, unpredictable individuals, but according to new research, that's not the case at all. In a study published in last week's Science, researchers looked at...
New precision for relativity’s gravitational redshift
General relativity states that clocks in an accelerated-reference frame run slower than stationary ones. This principle is used often in syncing clocks on Earth with those on satellites or planes, but the...
Early MacBooks eligible for free hard drive replacement
In response to complaints lodged of failing hard drives lodged two years ago, Apple has launched a “MacBook Repair Extension Program for Hard Drive Issues” that will allow some MacBook owners to receive free hard drive repairs for their computers, or compensation for repairs they undertook themselves. Though the move suggests...
Cell-phone-use-while-driving bans work best in urban areas
The pileup of studies on the negative effect of cell phones on driving ability resulted in some states banning their use; now studies on the effect of the bans are piling up, too. A study, set to be published in the journal Transportation Research Part A, provides some evidence that a...
Photon scattering can create lasers in fiber optic cabling
Most lasers have operated along similar physical principles: a small, precisely dimensioned, closed cavity containing specific materials that will get incoming photons excited enough to band together and form a coherent laser...
Botnets increasingly wielded for ideological uses
Botnets, or networks of zombie computers that mount attacks with malicious software against other computers, continue to be a moving target for network protection services. A recent report from Prolexic Technologies describes...
Photosynthesis uses quantum interactions to harvest light
By some measures, the photosynthetic process is one of the more efficient energy transactions in nature. Scientists have taken an interest in figuring out how it works at the atomic level, as...
Fighting malaria by engineering flies to smell like mosquitos
Mosquitos are still a leading cause of the spread of malaria and other diseases in many parts of the world. While we know that mosquitos find humans through smell, the details of...
Paleontologists find evidence of birds’ dinosaur ancestors
Many different kinds of animals coexisted during the Jurassic period, from primitive birds to two-legged, large-jawed dinosaurs. As different as they sound, paleontologists have found extensive evidence that they share a common...
Study shows cell phone bans may not prevent crashes
Legislation banning cell phone use while driving a car was intended to reduce the number of crashes on the roads, but a new study by the Highway Loss Data Institute indicates that the laws may not be fulfilling their purpose. When comparing the frequency of collision insurance claims made in states...
Levitating magnet could make fusion faster and cheaper
Fusion power has been held up by our inability to get the reaction hot and dense enough to self-sustain, or maintain its own temperature without externally-provided heat. By studying the magnetic fields...
