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- NASA looks for new asteroid-tracking methods
NASA is developing methods to detect smaller asteroids like the one that exploded over central Russia last week. So far, the near-Earth object project has detected nearly 95% of asteroids wider than a kilometer within the planet's vicinity. But smaller asteroids are more difficult to find because of their size. The $5 million Asteroid Terrestrial-Impact Alert System is designed to detect small objects in space and give enough warning to evacuate people and protect infrastructure. Google/Agence France-Presse
(2/18)
    
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- Initiative seeks to bring robust medical tech to developing world
An initiative by the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne seeks to bring robust medical technology to developing countries. EssentialTech Director Klaus Schönenberger said reliable medical equipment is needed in the world's developing regions. "The need is vast and, apart from the poorest countries where this is obvious, there are entire regions in emerging giants such as Brazil, India or China that will also benefit from the technology," he said. SciDev.net
(2/18)
- Researcher: Mussels' stickiness could have medical uses
Adhesives secreted by mussels could lead to a bioadhesive allowing prenatal surgeons to fix birth defects with a lower risk of causing premature labor, said biologist Herbert Waite of the University of California, Santa Barbara. Speaking at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Waite said mussels' holdfasts contain high amounts of dihydroxyphenylalanine. This allows proteins to solidify quickly, allowing them to cut through a layer of water and bond with a surface. ScienceMag.org/Science Now blog
(2/16)
- Startup and MSU look into heat-tolerant bacteria's biofuel potential
Sustainable Bioproducts is partnering with Montana State University to study the biofuel potential of heat-tolerant bacteria from Yellowstone National Park that convert cellulose in algae into oil. "The most important part of our research now is to test the technology further and investigate the feasibility of using this organism to produce biofuels and other products," said company founder Mark Kozubal. The National Science Foundation awarded an initial grant of $150,000 to the venture. Biofuels-News.com (U.K.)
(2/18)
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- Obama administration to unveil 10-year brain-mapping project
The Obama administration is looking to unveil next month a 10-year project to map the active human brain, called Brain Activity Map. Scientists say the project may pave the way for the development of technologies that will help improve understanding of neurological conditions such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. The project, which may be worth $3 billion over 10 years, may also allow for the creation of national brain "observatories," akin to astronomical observatories. The New York Times (tiered subscription model)
(2/17)
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