http://phys.org/ en-us Phys.org provides the latest news from Rice University Environment is not the only factor in shaping regulatory patterns—and it might not even be the primary factor, according to a new Rice University study that looks at how cells' protein networks relate to a bacteria's genome. http://phys.org/news288375822.html Biology Tue, 21 May 2013 17:23:51 EST news288375822 Rice University scientists have unveiled a robust new method for arranging metal nanoparticles in geometric patterns that can act as optical processors that transform incoming light signals into output of a different color. The breakthrough by a team of theoretical and applied physicists and engineers at Rice's Laboratory for Nanophotonics (LANP) is described this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. http://phys.org/news288359175.html Nanotechnology Tue, 21 May 2013 12:47:04 EST news288359175 Frustration led to revelation when Rice University scientists determined how graphene might be made useful for high-capacity batteries. http://phys.org/news287937899.html Nanotechnology Thu, 16 May 2013 15:45:32 EST news287937899 (Phys.org) —A protein from cow blood has the remarkable ability to keep gold nanoparticles from clumping in a solution. The discovery could lead to improved biomedical applications and contribute to projects that use nanoparticles in harsh environments. http://phys.org/news287732043.html Nanotechnology Tue, 14 May 2013 06:50:02 EST news287732043 (Phys.org) —It's said you should never go to bed angry, but what about to the negotiation table? Researchers at Rice University and New York University suggest that ethnic backgrounds can influence the effectiveness of expressing anger in negotiations. In a series of studies, the researchers found that angry individuals of East Asian descent are perceived as tougher negotiators than their angry European-American counterparts, and consequently elicit greater cooperation at the negotiation table. http://phys.org/news287130197.html Other Sciences Tue, 07 May 2013 07:50:02 EST news287130197 (Phys.org) —A Rice University laboratory's cagey strategy turns negatively charged carbon nanotubes into liquid crystals that could enhance the creation of fibers and films. http://phys.org/news286801094.html Nanotechnology Fri, 03 May 2013 11:58:28 EST news286801094 (Phys.org) —In an age where cybersecurity is of foremost interest for governments and businesses, public and private organizations must deploy risk-intelligence governance to secure their digital communications and resources from eavesdropping, theft or attack, according to a new paper from Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy. http://phys.org/news286695153.html Technology Thu, 02 May 2013 06:50:04 EST news286695153 Women engineers are underpaid for their contributions to technical activities, due to cultural ideologies in the engineering profession, according to Rice University research. http://phys.org/news286547775.html Other Sciences Tue, 30 Apr 2013 13:36:22 EST news286547775 (Phys.org) —Multiracial children of single mothers are more likely to live in poverty than white and Asian children of single mothers, but less likely than Hispanic, African-American and Native American children of single moms, according to a new study from researchers at Rice University and Pennsylvania State University. http://phys.org/news286520352.html Other Sciences Tue, 30 Apr 2013 05:59:18 EST news286520352 (Phys.org) —Squeeze a piece of silicone and it quickly returns to its original shape, as squishy as ever. But scientists at Rice University have discovered that the liquid crystal phase of silicone becomes 90 percent stiffer when silicone is gently and repeatedly compressed. Their research could lead to new strategies for self-healing materials or biocompatible materials that mimic human tissues. http://phys.org/news286479688.html Physics Mon, 29 Apr 2013 18:41:35 EST news286479688 (Phys.org)—Individual freedom and social responsibility may sound like humanistic concepts, but an investigation of the genetic circuitry of bacteria suggests that even the simplest creatures can make difficult choices that strike a balance between selflessness and selfishness. http://phys.org/news285833172.html Biology Mon, 22 Apr 2013 07:06:19 EST news285833172 Ecologists and students from Rice University and the University of Guam will begin an ambitious four-year study this summer to examine how the loss of birds on Guam may be thinning the island's forests as fewer seeds are spread into open gaps. http://phys.org/news284661994.html Biology Mon, 08 Apr 2013 17:46:40 EST news284661994 Antidiscrimination laws can have a significant positive impact on how gays and lesbians are treated in employment situations, according to new research from Rice University. The study on public awareness of sexual-orientation employment-antidiscrimination laws is one of the first to provide empirical evidence for the likely impact of pending antidiscrimination legislation. http://phys.org/news284637336.html Other Sciences Mon, 08 Apr 2013 10:55:43 EST news284637336 Religious and nonreligious organizations may have a similar impact on the ability of immigrants to acclimate to life in the U.S., despite the organizations' different motivations for providing charitable services, according to new research from Rice University. http://phys.org/news284637258.html Other Sciences Mon, 08 Apr 2013 10:54:30 EST news284637258 (Phys.org) —Rice University physicists on the hunt for the origins of high-temperature superconductivity have published new findings this week about a material that becomes "schizophrenic"—simultaneously exhibiting the characteristics of both a metallic conductor and an insulator. http://phys.org/news284361515.html Physics Fri, 05 Apr 2013 06:18:44 EST news284361515