Science & Technology News – Page 472

Analysis, Brain, Entertainment, Science & Technology News

Good storytelling – why your brain loves it

November 13, 2014

Paul J. Zak: It is quiet and dark. The theater is hushed. James Bond skirts along the edge of a building as his enemy takes aim. Here in the audience, heart rates increase and palms sweat. I know this to be true because instead of enjoying the movie myself, I am measuring the brain activity of a dozen viewers. For me, excitement has a different source: I am watching an amazing neural ballet in which a story line changes the activity of people’s brains.

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Analysis, Business, Latest Trend, Science & Technology News

How digital forces are shaping the future of work

November 13, 2014

“Over the past five years we’ve seen major disruptions to work, and the driver is technology.”

Several trends will profoundly reshape the context and practice of work in coming decades, according to Lynda Gratton, professor of management practice at the London Business School. These include the rebalancing of globalized markets for goods and labor; dramatically changing demographics; the widening of skills gaps; the demise of middle-skill work; and the rise in the importance of talent clusters. But one other stands out as having the most profound impact on the way work is done and, indeed, as underpinning all of these: IT-enabled hyperconnectivity.

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Analysis, Science & Technology News, Space

Will interstellar travel by wormhole ever be possible?

November 13, 2014

Among the many concepts researchers have devised are theoretical tunnels known as wormholes.

Humans have long dreamed of traveling into deep space. That’s the major theme of the science fiction movie Interstellar, which will take Matthew McConaughey and Anne Hathaway to the places we hope to one day reach ourselves. Except for that tiny hiccup called deep space travel.

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Entertainment, Latest Trend, Science & Technology News

You can now watch a full length 3D movie on Oculus Rift

November 13, 2014

Users can download the Zachary Quinto-produced film, Banshee Chapter: Oculus Rift Edition.

The virtual reality device, Oculus Rift made it’s debut more than two years ago. Possibilities of what the device can do remain exciting, so far the reality has been less thrilling. But today the technology is taking a big step: A full-length 3-D movie that you can strap to your head and immerse yourself in. (Video)

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Analysis, Health & Fitness, Medical Breakthrough, People Making a Difference, Science & Technology News

Surgeons transplant ‘dead’ hearts into patients for the first time ever

November 13, 2014

A specialized fluid and pump has been developed that provide the heart with oxygen, reducing damage and preserving the tissue.

Two Australian patients have had hearts successfully transplanted that had been dead for over 20 minutes thanks to a new method of preservation. The ability to save hearts that have stopped beating will drastically widen the amount of organs available, possibly suiting the needs of 30% of those on the transplant wait list. The research was a joint effort between Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute and Sydney’s St. Vincent’s Hospital, with Professor Bob Graham leading the team.

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3D Printer, Brain, Science & Technology News

Brainform will 3D print your brain

November 12, 2014

Brainform 3D printed brain.

Brainform is New Zealand-based company that will print a high quality 3D model of your brain. The company’s mission is simply stated on its website: “We 3D print brains.”

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Analysis, Business, Latest Trend, Science & Technology News

More U.S. manufacturers are moving production back from China

November 12, 2014

U.S. based executives see a larger share of their manufacturing capacity will be in the U.S. in 5 years.

The number of U.S. manufacturers moving home is growing. According to a new survey from The Boston Consulting Group (BCG), more U.S. companies are moving production back from China.

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Analysis, Great New Product, Health & Fitness, Medical Breakthrough, Science & Technology News

Researchers develop artificial spleen that cleans up blood infections

November 12, 2014

The ‘biospleen’ uses protein-equipped nanobeads and a magnet to cleanse blood of pathogens.

Researchers at the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering have developed a high-tech method to rid the body of infections — even those caused by unknown pathogens. A device inspired by the spleen can quickly clean blood of everything from Escherichia coli to Ebola, researchers report on 14 September in Nature Medicine.

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Great New Product, New Inventions, Science & Technology News

New microscope captures ultra-high-resolution movies of live 3D biomolecules

November 12, 2014

A single HeLa cell in metaphase (during mitosis), imaged by a lattice light sheet microscope.

A new imaging platform called a “lattice light sheet” developed by Nobel laureate Eric Betzig and colleagues at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Janelia Research Campus is a significant leap forward for light microscopy. It captures high-resolution images rapidly and minimizes damage to cells, so it can image the three-dimensional activity of molecules, cells, and embryos in fine detail over longer periods than was previously possible, according to the HHMI scientists. (Videos)

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Analysis, Energy, Science & Technology News, Solar Power

Minnesota could soon see solar arrays lining its highways

November 10, 2014

Minnesota to launch solar highways.

Solar arrays could soon be seen along the public rights-of-way that line the state’s highway in Minnesota. The Minnesota Department of Transportation has released a request for proposal (RFP) accepting bids to build and manage solar arrays, which would provide the state’s grid a new and reliable source of clean energy for at least 20 years.

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Alternative Transportation, Analysis, Environment, Green Friendly, Latest Trend, Science & Technology News

Performance and convenience are the biggest attraction to electric cars for consumers

November 10, 2014

Environmental benefits are not the biggest attraction to electric cars.

People love to categorize things. Sometimes people categorize too quickly and too simply. Electric cars are linked to their environmental benefits and being green, but the electric cars’ performance and convenience benefits are the biggest electric car attractions for most consumers.

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Analysis, Globalism, Latest Trend, Science & Technology News

Data mining reveals how news coverage varies around the world

November 10, 2014

How well does nature reflect the pattern of real events around the world? It’s natural to assume that people living in a certain part of the world are more likely to read, see and hear about news from their own region. But what of the international news they get—how does that compare to the international news that people in other parts of the world receive?

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