science

No, arsenic is not a life-giver

I confess to not having been aware that arsenic might breathe life into things.

I had only been aware of it as something killers use in Agatha Christie novels.

However, in 2010, a researcher declared that a bacterium in California's Mono Lake (near Yosemite) thrived on arsenic, while being deprived of phosphorus. (I have embedded a discussion of this finding.)

At the time, Felisa Wolfe-Simon of NASA's Astrobiology Institute suggested that life as we know it may not be life as we know it.

Now, however, two new studies suggest that it may be life as we know … Read more

Roominate: Techy dollhouse for future lady scientists

Recently, the European Commission was roundly criticized for launching an ill-conceived ad aimed at getting girls interested in science. Lego has also stirred up some commentary for coming out with girly toys featuring hair salons and cafes.

If these attempts are off the mark when it comes to interesting girls in science, architecture, and design, then what is it going to take to really reach them? How about a dollhouse? A DIY dollhouse with build-your-own-furniture and working circuits. … Read more

In Hollywood, keeping Tinseltown's treasures safe forever

HOLLYWOOD, Calif.--Deep inside a series of very cold vaults, surrounded by thick concrete and protected from fire and water damage, more than 76,000 movies sit on shelves, preserved for future generations to enjoy.

Welcome to the Academy Film Archive, the storage arm of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. On your right is a stack of cans containing several reels of the 1962 classic "Lawrence of Arabia." On your left are several cans comprising a copy of "2001: A Space Odyssey."

Since opening its doors in 1927, the Academy -- the folks … Read more

Intel showcases futuristic technology

Who doesn't love hypothesizing about our future flying cars or robotic housemaids? Or better yet, seeing an actual demo.

Tuesday's Research@Intel event trotted out the technology we might be using in the next 15 years. Like headlights that adapt to weather conditions. Ever notice that when it's raining, you can't see for toffee? Smart headlights use a high-speed camera and processor to predict the raindrop's location and then turn off the light in that precise spot so instead of seeing a reflection, you can see through the rain. As a San Franciscan, I was … Read more

NASA details looming Mars rover landing, '7 Minutes of Terror'

In just 41 days, on August 5, NASA's Mars Science Laboratory rover will touch down on the Red Planet, and this will be no ordinary landing. In fact, NASA has dubbed the descent "Seven Minutes of Terror."

"When people look at it, it looks crazy," senior EDL engineer at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory Adam Steltzner said in a new video by NASA on the rover landing. "It is the result of reasoned engineering thought, but it still looks crazy."

The recently released video (see below) outlines exactly how crazy the feat of landing … Read more

NASA sends NuStar black-hole hunter into space

A small X-ray telescope was boosted into orbit by an air-launched Pegasus XL rocket Wednesday, the first step in an ambitious low-cost mission to study supermassive black holes believed to be lurking at the cores of galaxies like Earth's Milky Way and probe the creation of heavy elements in the cataclysmic death throes of massive stars.

The innovative telescope, built around an extendable 33-foot-long Tinkertoy-like mast with nested X-ray mirrors on one end and sensitive detectors on the other, also will study the mechanisms responsible for stellar explosions and look for clues about what powers the energetic jets of … Read more

Curiosity rover on track for pinpoint Mars landing

NASA's $2.5 billion Mars Science Laboratory rover is in good shape and on target for a nail-biting seven-minute plunge to a bull's-eye landing on the red planet in early August, thanks to upgraded software and post-launch improvements that will enable the craft to make a more precise descent to the floor of Gale Crater, mission managers said Monday.

While engineers are continuing to troubleshoot a contamination issue with Teflon seals inside a high-tech rock drill on the rover's robot arm, the project scientist said he is confident workarounds will be in place by the time the … Read more

Neal Stephenson wants your help funding a new sword game

Eminent science fiction writer Neal Stephenson wants to get real about swordsmanship, and he's passing the helmet to get it done.

The author, perhaps best known for his novels "Cryptonomicon" and "Snow Crash," is seeking donations on Kickstarter for a new video game called Clang that promises to provide a more realistic representation of steel-on-steel swordfighting. Working with Subutai, the goal is to create a game based on two-handed longsword combat that will play on game controllers already on the market, he writers in a blog explaining the project:

In the last couple of years, … Read more

Building a better bladder for an H20-thirsty world

How do you design a water bottle for the end of the world?

That's the question that was put to the team at Japanese design-engineering firm Takram, which has worked with, among others, Toshiba, NTT Docomo, and Toyota. Their novel response? Forget about the bottle and create artificial organs that could be implanted in humans to make their bodies more efficiently use what water is available should resources become scarce.… Read more