A shrimp with a sharp eye is giving researchers insight into how to improve CD, DVD, blu-ray, and holographic technology. Peacock mantis shrimp are one of only a few animal species that can see circularly polarized light—like that used to create 3-D movies. In fact, some researchers believe the mantis shrimp’s eyes are better over the entire visual spectrum than any existing man-made waveplates. [Read more...]
A bit of nanotech “magic” is turning sand into a super-effective water purifier. By coating coarse grains of sand with graphite oxide, researchers at Rice University have created a material that is several times more efficient at removing contaminants than sand alone. The breakthrough may benefit developing countries where more than a billion people lack clean drinking water. [Read more...]
Samples of icy spray ejected from a Saturn moon and collected by the Cassini spacecraft make a strong case for the existence of a subterranean saltwater ocean. Dramatic plumes, both large and small, spray water ice out from many locations along the famed “tiger stripes” near the south pole of Saturn’s moon Enceladus. [Read more...]
A big, bright bang recorded by astronomers came from a distant black hole that ripped apart a star and blasted an energy beam to Earth. Seen above is an artist’s impression of the star just before it was ripped apart by the supermassive black hole. [Read more...]
Four small organs—the size of grains of rice—located at the back of the throat glow with a natural fluorescence in the near infrared region of the spectrum. This unique fluorescent signature of the parathyroid glands was discovered by a team of biomedical engineers and endocrine surgeons at Vanderbilt University. [Read more...]
China’s answer to anemia in rural regions has been to feed children eggs. Work by U.S. researchers suggests vitamins may work better. Above, a fourth-grader in rural Gao Lou eats a hardboiled egg. Government officials began feeding kids eggs in this poor, rural area after Stanford researchers found high rates of anemia among schoolchildren. The academics are now studying the effectiveness of the egg program. [Read more...]
