http://phys.org/ en-us Phys.org internet news portal provides the latest news on science including: Physics, Nanotechnology, Life Sciences, Space Science, Earth Science, Environment, Health and Medicine. Toshiba Corporation today announced that its SCiB battery has been selected by Mitsubishi Motors Corporation to power two new models of electric vehicles (EV), the i-MiEV and MINICAB-MiEV. The SCiB is Toshiba's breakthrough rechargeable lithium-ion battery that combines high levels of safety with a long life, rapid charging and excellent charging and output at very low temperatures, characteristics that make it highly suited to application in EV. http://phys.org/news227442788.html Technology Thu, 16 Jun 2011 11:33:26 EST news227442788 (PhysOrg.com) -- “Most current hard x-ray interferometers are based on crystals, which require their high quality and high mechanical stability,” Anatoly Snigirev tells PhysOrg.com. “This can make x-ray interferometry quite limited. What we have done is develop a different set up that is simpler.” Snigirev is a scientist at ESRF in Grenoble France. Along with scientists at the Russian Kurchatov Research Center in Moscow, and at IMT RAS in Chernogolovka, Russia, Snigirev proposes that refractive bilenses made from silicon can be used in place of crystals. http://phys.org/news169383826.html Physics Thu, 13 Aug 2009 12:06:21 EST news169383826 It's well known that the protein calmodulin specifically targets and steers the activities of hundreds of other proteins - mostly kinases - in our cells, thus playing a role in physiologically important processes ranging from gene transcription to nerve growth and muscle contraction But just how it distinguishes between target proteins is not well understood. Methods developed by biophysicists at the Technische Universitaet Muenchen (TUM, Germany) have enabled them to manipulate and observe calmodulin in action, on the single-molecule scale. http://phys.org/news169137245.html Chemistry Mon, 10 Aug 2009 16:20:02 EST news169137245 (PhysOrg.com) -- Modelling the fabrication processes for integrated circuits can slash production development time and costs by up to 40%. But as transistors, already at nano-scales, become ever smaller, researchers are modelling new worlds. Over the past seven years, the microprocessors in everyday electronic equipment have delivered astonishing advances in speed while reducing power consumption per transistor. http://phys.org/news169134954.html Technology Mon, 10 Aug 2009 15:10:01 EST news169134954 (PhysOrg.com) -- While it may be inherently wasteful to enjoy luxury cars, it can still be fun to look at -- and even drive -- them. And, if you are concerned about the environmental impact of such cars, you can breath a little easier. At least if your idea of luxury includes the Mercedes-Benz Gullwing. Mercedes-Benz recently confirmed that it will be producing an all-electric version of the SLS AMG Supercar. http://phys.org/news168859204.html Technology Fri, 07 Aug 2009 10:20:43 EST news168859204 Three Japanese electric car makers teamed up with the country's largest power company Wednesday to study ways to building a grid of battery charging stations for zero-emission vehicles. http://phys.org/news168697774.html Technology Wed, 05 Aug 2009 14:20:03 EST news168697774 In honor of scientist and astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543), the discovering team around Professor Sigurd Hofmann suggested the name "copernicium" with the element symbol "Cp" for the new element 112, discovered at the GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung (Center for Heavy Ion Research) in Darmstadt, Germany. http://phys.org/news166791177.html Physics Tue, 14 Jul 2009 11:54:18 EST news166791177 (PhysOrg.com) -- For the first time, scientists have successfully operated a quantum gate between two remote particles of matter, marking an important step toward the development of a quantum computer. In previous experiments, researchers have used photons, which are difficult to store. Using matter qubits enables the researchers to store the obtained quantum information, opening up new possibilities for the generation of remote networks of entangled qubits. http://phys.org/news165836423.html Physics Fri, 03 Jul 2009 10:40:56 EST news165836423 (PhysOrg.com) -- Although the tiny roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans has only 302 neurons in its entire nervous system, studies of this simple animal have significantly advanced our understanding of human brain function because it shares many genes and neurochemical signaling molecules with humans. Now MIT researchers have found novel C. elegans neurochemical receptors, the discovery of which could lead to new therapeutic targets for psychiatric disorders if similar receptors are found in humans. http://phys.org/news165763757.html Chemistry Thu, 02 Jul 2009 14:29:41 EST news165763757 Miniature devices for trapping ions (electrically charged atoms) are common components in atomic clocks and quantum computing research. Now, a novel ion trap geometry demonstrated at the National Institute of Standards and Technology could usher in a new generation of applications because the device holds promise as a stylus for sensing very small forces or as an interface for efficient transfer of individual light particles for quantum communications. http://phys.org/news165668548.html Physics Wed, 01 Jul 2009 12:02:59 EST news165668548 Alcohol's inebriating effects are familiar to everyone. But the molecular details of alcohol's impact on brain activity remain a mystery. A new study by researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies brings us closer to understanding how alcohol alters the way brain cells work. http://phys.org/news165418779.html Medicine & Health Sun, 28 Jun 2009 14:47:46 EST news165418779 Defying the worst recession in decades, green cars in Japan are gaining ground against conventional gas-guzzlers, offering automakers hope of re-energising a flagging domestic market. http://phys.org/news163348614.html Technology Thu, 04 Jun 2009 15:38:39 EST news163348614 (PhysOrg.com) -- In 1983, Richard Feynman proposed the idea of a machine that could create smaller scale replicas of itself. Today, such a system is still a challenge, but a machine that can produce nanometer-sized copies of micrometer-sized objects could prove to be extremely useful in modern nanotechnologies. http://phys.org/news163074546.html Nanotechnology Mon, 01 Jun 2009 11:29:52 EST news163074546 Lenovo today announced the IdeaPad S12, the company's first 12-inch netbook. The new netbook brings users the next level in netbook computing with improved usability and performance. Enhancements include a 12.1-inch screen, a 100 percent full-size keyboard and new graphics options with the NVIDIA ION platform. http://phys.org/news162572449.html Electronics Tue, 26 May 2009 16:01:21 EST news162572449 (PhysOrg.com) -- ESA's gravity mission GOCE has achieved a first in the history of satellite technology. The sophisticated electric propulsion system has shown that it is able to keep the satellite completely free from drag as it cuts through the remnants of Earth's atmosphere - paving the way for the best gravity data ever. http://phys.org/news162565775.html Space & Earth Tue, 26 May 2009 14:10:04 EST news162565775 An NSERC-funded lab at the University Of Waterloo has laid the groundwork for a lithium battery that can store and deliver more than three times the power of conventional lithium ion batteries. http://phys.org/news161863249.html Nanotechnology Mon, 18 May 2009 11:01:59 EST news161863249 Researchers at Eindhoven University of Technology for the first time have shown the earliest stages in biomineralization, the process that leads to the formation of bones, teeth and sea shells. http://phys.org/news161518253.html Nanotechnology Thu, 14 May 2009 11:11:40 EST news161518253 A University of Rhode Island chemistry professor's discovery of a new salt has been received with enthusiasm by companies seeking to develop an advanced lithium ion battery for use in the next generation of hybrid and electric vehicles. http://phys.org/news161368047.html Chemistry Tue, 12 May 2009 17:28:10 EST news161368047 Thousands of small electric scooters, bicycles and wheelchairs throughout Europe and Asia are powered by LifePO4 -- a material used in advanced lithium-ion batteries developed by Université de Montréal researchers. http://phys.org/news160754205.html Technology Tue, 05 May 2009 14:57:10 EST news160754205 Carnegie Mellon University researchers have identified a new anticonvulsant compound that has the potential to stop the development of epilepsy. The findings are published in the March issue of the journal Epilepsia. http://phys.org/news160661614.html Medicine & Health Mon, 04 May 2009 13:14:05 EST news160661614 (PhysOrg.com) -- Scientists have found that extreme solar activity drastically compresses the magnetosphere and modifies the composition of ions in near-Earth space. They are now looking to model how these changes affect orbiting satellites, including the GPS system. http://phys.org/news160223027.html Space & Earth Wed, 29 Apr 2009 11:24:20 EST news160223027 A brain protein involved in fear behavior and anxiety may represent a new target for depression therapies, according to a study by researchers at the University of Iowa and the Iowa City Veterans Affairs Medical Center. The results appear in the April 29 issue of the Journal of Neuroscience. http://phys.org/news160161926.html Medicine & Health Tue, 28 Apr 2009 18:26:09 EST news160161926 Scientists thought they had a good model to explain how the inner ear translates vibrations in the air into sounds heard by the brain. Now, based on new research from the Stanford University School of Medicine, it looks like parts of the model are wrong. http://phys.org/news159713314.html Medicine & Health Thu, 23 Apr 2009 13:49:09 EST news159713314 GOCE's highly sensitive gradiometer instrument has been switched on and is producing data. Forming the heart of GOCE, the gradiometer is specifically designed to measure Earth's gravity field with unprecedented accuracy. http://phys.org/news158420681.html Space & Earth Wed, 08 Apr 2009 14:45:20 EST news158420681 Researchers at Eindhoven University of Technology (the Netherlands) have developed an entirely new method for starting chemical reactions. For the first time they used mechanical forces to control catalytic activity - one of the most fundamental concepts in chemistry. This allowed them to initiate chemical reactions with mechanical force. This discovery paves the way to developing materials capable of repairing themselves under the influence of mechanical tension. The results of their research will be published online on 6 April 2009 in the new international journal Nature Chemistry. http://phys.org/news158245330.html Chemistry Mon, 06 Apr 2009 14:02:41 EST news158245330 (PhysOrg.com) -- GOCE's sophisticated electric ion propulsion system has been switched on and confirmed to be operating normally, marking another crucial milestone in the satellite's post-launch commissioning phase. http://phys.org/news158237939.html Space & Earth Mon, 06 Apr 2009 11:59:38 EST news158237939 Tesla Motors says orders have been streaming in for its electric Model S sedans due to begin rolling off assembly lines in 2011. http://phys.org/news157917126.html Technology Thu, 02 Apr 2009 18:52:25 EST news157917126 For the first time, MIT researchers have shown they can genetically engineer viruses to build both the positively and negatively charged ends of a lithium-ion battery. http://phys.org/news157900776.html Nanotechnology Thu, 02 Apr 2009 14:19:56 EST news157900776 US automaker Tesla Motors unveiled Thursday its state-of-the-art five-seat sedan, billed as the world's first mass-produced, highway-capable electric car. http://phys.org/news157312107.html Technology Thu, 26 Mar 2009 18:48:57 EST news157312107 (PhysOrg.com) -- A novel system is enabling high energy physicists at CERN in Switzerland, to make production runs that integrate their existing pool of distributed computers with dynamic resources in "science clouds." The work was presented at the 17th annual conference on Computing in High Energy and Nuclear Physics, held in Prague, Czech Republic, March 21-27. http://phys.org/news157127149.html Technology Tue, 24 Mar 2009 15:26:31 EST news157127149