Today’s weather forecasts are able to accurately predict the weather an extra day in advance, compared to a decade ago. The authors write that every decade has provided another day of accurate prediction to the weather forecasts; they believe that today’s 6-day forecast is as accurate as a 5-day forecast 10 years ago. In this […]
Tag: technology
Leaky pipes can lead to water contamination
Underground water pipes can not only leak water but in certain circumstances suck in surrounding and potentially contaminated water. New research shows that while pressure in water mains typically forces water out through the leaks, when the pressure drops, pipes start to suck in groundwater. Any contaminants can then travel throughout the water main network. […]
Machine intelligence beats classic video games
A new artificial intelligence program learned how to play 49 classic arcade video games (such as Pong, Breakout, Space Invaders and Asteroids) when given only minimal information, a new study shows. The program was able to surpass the performance of all previous algorithms and outperformed a professional human games tester in a majority of the […]
If you’re outgoing, so is your avatar
Judging someone’s personality is no easy task, especially when all you can see is an avatar and not the real person. However, new research suggests that people can make some accurate personality judgements after seeing customized avatars, at least for some people. The researchers found that outgoing and sociable individuals typically create avatars that communicate […]
Super-Earth spotted from ground level
For the first time, astronomers have used a ground-based telescope to observe a ‘super-Earth’ – an exoplanet twice as big as the Earth – pass in front of a nearby Sun-like star. Currently, most Earth-like exoplanets are discovered by space-based telescopes like NASA’s Kepler. Scientists hope that future space telescopes such as TESS in 2017 and PLATO […]
A cool way to cool
Researchers have created a new rooftop cooling device that works under direct sunlight, without electricity, by emitting back heat radiation into space. The authors have produced a multi-layered solar reflector made of hafnium dioxide (HfO2) and silicon dioxide (SiO2) that reflects 97 per cent of sunlight at a frequency called the ‘infrared atmospheric transparency window’ […]
Old Blu-ray discs can improve solar efficiency
There’s a new use for unwanted Blu-ray discs; as a tool to make more efficient solar cells. Researchers used the quasi-random, nanoscale pattern of islands and pits on the surface of a discarded Blu-ray disc as a mould to shape the surface of a polymer solar cell. The nanoscale pattern increased the efficiency with which […]
Thin coating could boost solar efficiency
A thin layer of metal oxides could significantly boost the efficiency of solar cells, according to a new study. Researchers have been working on a material made of the elements bismuth, iron, chromium and oxygen, which absorbs solar radiation. They discovered that by changing the temperature and pressure at which they deposit thin films of […]
Micro-scallop robot could swim in human blood
Researchers have created an artificial micro-swimmer which could swim through viscous fluids such as saliva and blood by opening and closing its shells at different rates. The robot consists of two silicone polymer shells, each only 300 micrometres in size, connected by a single hinge. An external magnetic field is used to drive the movement […]
Screening software could help find new drugs
A new method of screening molecules for their ability to bind to enzymes and other proteins could help discover potential new drugs. A newly built model looks at covalent bonding, a much stronger type of chemical attraction but one that is harder to model. Computer models that predict which molecules will interact with enzymes have existed […]
Pitcher plant inspires non-stick surface for medical implants
Researchers have developed a non-stick coating that could make implanted devices – such as blood catheters to artificial hearts – safer to use. Currently, some patients using these devices must be treated with drugs to prevent clots from forming, but these drugs pose risks to elderly or injured patients, making them prone to uncontrolled bleeding. The […]
Gold nanoparticle ‘antennae’ could boost solar cell performance
Researchers have created tiny gold antennae that gather and concentrate light in order to increase the efficiency of solar cells by up to ten per cent. Solar cells often don’t absorb very well in the red or infrared part of the solar spectrum. Previous researchers have tried to use gold nanoparticles – which do capture and […]
New technology could make our smartphones even smarter
Engineers have created a laser-written light-guiding systems that could embed the display glass of smartphones with layer upon layer of sensors. One example-system that the authors created is a temperature sensor that consists of one straight and one curved waveguide. When the glass heats up, it expands and changes the path length of the waveguides. […]
Stone-tipped spears cause more damage
It’s long been assumed that stone-tipped spears – the earliest examples of which appeared about 500,000 years ago – were a technological advance, but a new paper actually puts this theory to the test. Researchers used a cross-bow to fire wooden-tipped and stone-tipped spears into blocks of ballistics-grade gelatin. While both penetrated to a similar […]
Small drones are now as efficient as hummingbirds
A study reveals that the aerodynamic efficiency of one of the world’s most advanced hummingbird-sized drones, the Black Hornet, is on par with that of actual hummingbirds. While hummingbird wings generate more lift and less drag than an engineered rotor, this shows that artificial man-made wings are closer than ever to approximate the efficiency of […]
Men with depression spend more time on their computers
A new study tracked screen time – time spent watching TV or using a computer – among 761 Montreal-area subjects in their mid-twenties. While all the subjects spent more time in front of screens than is generally considered healthy, men who had previously self-identified symptoms of depression spent more time using computers than women with […]
