feed info

279,032 articles from PhysOrg

Scientists design a more efficient democratic voting system

Spanish researchers at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M) have developed a relatively simple democratic voting system which improves the efficiency of the usual common plurality voting system, and that protects minorities better and takes them more into consideration.

The crime of mental illness

Canada needs to change its approach to mentally ill prisoners as correctional facilities worldwide contain a higher percentage of people with mental illness than the general population, states an editorial in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) .

Breakthrough in stem cell culturing

(PhysOrg.com) -- For the first time, human embryonic stem cells have been cultured under chemically controlled conditions without the use of animal substances, which is essential for future clinical uses. The method has been developed by researchers at Karolinska Institutet and is presented in the journal Nature Biotechnology.

Classic grammar model can be used for computerised parsing

A classic Nordic grammar model can be used for computerised grammatical analyses and technical applications of modern Swedish text, shows a new thesis in the field of language technology from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden. One such application enables queries answered by a digital text to be generated when it is opened, and then used to search for specific information in the text.

Education helps against dementia

Researchers have discovered that education not only delays the early symptoms of dementia, but can also slow down the development of the disease - a finding that could result in faster diagnosis and treatment of dementia, reveals a thesis from the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.

Scientists warn of unseen deepwater oil disaster

(AP) -- Independent scientists and government officials say there's a disaster we can't see in the Gulf of Mexico's mysterious depths, the ruin of a world inhabited by enormous sperm whales and tiny, invisible plankton.

What happens when we get angry?

When we get angry, the heart rate, arterial tension and testosterone production increases, cortisol (the stress hormone) decreases, and the left hemisphere of the brain becomes more stimulated. This is indicated by a new investigation lead by scientists from the University of Valencia (UV) that analyses the changes in the brain's cardiovascular, hormonal and asymmetric activation response when we...

Apple sells two million iPads

Apple, now the largest US technology company by value, said Monday it had sold two million of its iPad tablet computers, outdoing even the iconic iPhone on its launch.

New mechanism of pancreatic cancer discovered

(PhysOrg.com) -- A new study from Karolinska Institutet, Sweden, shows how two types of cell change interact in the development of cancer. The results can improve the chances of early discovery of cancer - including pancreatic cancer, one of the deadliest forms of the disease.

New OLETs emit light more efficiently than equivalent OLEDs

(PhysOrg.com) -- Already, organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) are becoming commercialized for light display applications due to their advantages such as low fabrication costs and large-area emission. But OLEDs also have intrinsic efficiency limitations due to their structure, which might limit their future development in terms of brightness. Now, a team of researchers has found that another...

A new theory to explain superrotation on Venus

(PhysOrg.com) -- One of the mysteries in our Solar System is superrotation, a phenomenon known since the late 1960s, in which the winds on Venus blow faster than the planet rotates. Scientists have proposed a number of theories, but none have been completely satisfactory. Now scientists in Mexico have for the first time suggested a viable mechanism by which a faster wind higher above the planet is...

Eee Pad: AsusTek unveils Windows 7 tablet computer

(AP) -- Taiwan's AsusTek Computer Inc. unveiled Monday a portable tablet computer that runs on Microsoft's Windows 7 operating system, joining a slew of manufacturers trying to tap demand for the sleek devices following Apple's launch of the iPad.

Small but super: Lightweight, handy magnets for portable NMR spectrometers

(PhysOrg.com) -- High-resolution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometry is one of the most powerful analytical tools for the precise determination of molecular structures and dynamics. To attain a high resolution, very strong magnetic fields are required, which are produced by superconducting electromagnets.

Comparision of overall survival for non-small cell lung cancer patients

There's debate about the best treatment approach for patients with certain stages of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), which accounts for about 80 percent of all lung cancers. Patients with early stages of NSCLC are typically treated with surgery, but those with stage IIIA present more of a challenge because they are such a diverse group. However, research from Fox Chase Cancer Center shows...

Giant ash cloud threatens flights in Pacific

A giant plume of volcanic ash is disrupting flights in the Pacific and threatening villagers in Vanuatu, echoing similar problems which caused chaos in Europe, scientists and officials said Monday.

4G wireless: It's fast, but outstripped by hype

(AP) -- Cell phone companies are about to barrage consumers with advertising for the next advance in wireless network technology: "4G" access. The companies are promising faster speeds and the thrill of being the first on the block to use a new acronym.