Mark Hoffman : Science World Report

Apr 17, 2013 02:32 PM EDT

Asteroid Mining Company Will be Supported by Engineering Giant Bechtel

Asteroid mining company Planetary Resources, Inc. announced this week that engineering giant Bechtel has joined their core group of investors and will be a collaborative partner in helping them to achieve its long-term mission, which is to mine near-Earth asteroids for raw materials, ranging from el...

Apr 16, 2013 03:40 PM EDT

Molybdenum 2-D Nanocrystals Promising to Accelerate Semiconductors

Researchers are developing a new type of semiconductor technology for future computers and electronics based on "two-dimensional nanocrystals." The material is layered in sheets less than a nanometer thick that could replace today's silicon transistors.

Apr 16, 2013 11:33 AM EDT

Peak Oil on Saturn Moon: Hydrocarbons Possibly Running Out On Titan

Titan is the only other place in the solar system besides Earth that has stable liquid on its surface. Scientists think methane is at the heart of a cycle at Titan that is somewhat similar to the role of water in Earth's hydrological cycle -- causing rain, carving channels and evaporating from lakes...

Apr 15, 2013 09:21 PM EDT

Enormous Comet Impact into Mars Less Likely, Says NASA

The enormous comet C/2013 A1, also called Sliding Spring, that is on a near-collision course with Mars is after all very unlikely to hit when it closely approaches the Red Planet later in 2014, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory said in an update.

Apr 15, 2013 03:26 PM EDT

Nanostructured Photonic Materials Revolutionize Cooling by Reflecting Heat Back to Space

Scientists developed nanostructured photonic materials that could vastly improve the daylight cooling of buildings, cars, and other structures by reflecting sunlight directly back into the chilly vacuum of space. A paper describing the device was now published in Nano Letters.

Apr 13, 2013 10:21 PM EDT

What is Industry 4.0

The term "Industry 4.0" was coined, similar to Cloud Computing, to have a short and symbolic keyword describing the smart factories, intelligent machines and networked processes that facilitate and result from the 4th industrial revolution that is now beginning. It will be one of the major trends sh...

Apr 12, 2013 11:16 PM EDT

'Ultrasonic Vortex' Lasso Can Move Around Microscopic Living Cells

For the first time, a micro-scale "sonic lasso" was demonstrated that can grip and move around cells and other microscopic objects. Researchers at the University of Bristol's Department of Mechanical Engineering and University of Dundee's Institute for Medical Science and Technology, list possible a...

Apr 12, 2013 10:38 PM EDT

4th Industrial Revolution Showcased By Worlds Largest Technology Show in Germany

The world’s leading trade fair for industrial technology, HANNOVER MESSE 2013 in Germany, has underscored its role as a key driver of the fourth industrial revolution. “Exhibitors and visitors alike have given this year’s HANNOVER MESSE very high marks, particularly for its keynote theme of �...

Apr 12, 2013 04:15 PM EDT

Future Aircraft Concepts for Quieter and More Efficient Travel Validated by X-48C Hybrid-Wing-Body Plane

The experimental hybrid-wing-body subscale aircraft X-48C, which demonstrates technology concepts for cleaner and quieter commercial air travel, completed an eight-month flight research campaign conducted by NASA on April 9. The design stems from concept studies for commercial aircraft that could be...

Apr 12, 2013 03:16 PM EDT

Microrockets and Motors Developed to Propel Tiny Machines Inside of Our Body

Futuristic medical micromachines operating like submarines inside of our body have long been the subject of visionary books or movies, and are coming closer to being realized. Advancements in micromotor technology are now opening the door to broad new medical and industrial uses for these tiny devic...

Apr 12, 2013 02:41 PM EDT

Synthetic Diamonds as Revolutionary Building Material for Optomechanical Circuits

Researchers at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) have for the first time used polycrystalline diamond to manufacture optical circuits, as the material has the particular optical and mechanical properties necessary for this.

Apr 11, 2013 11:42 PM EDT

Molecular Superglue Derived From Flesh-Eating Bacteria Could Aid Cancer Diagnostic Test

Using reverse-engineering, researchers have discovered and synthesized a protein derived from flesh-eating bacteria which can act as a molecular "superglue" for certain medical and research applications.