Technology

November 18, 2009 -- If you’re watching the complex processes in a living cell, it is easy to miss something important—especially if you are watching changes that take a long time to unfold and require high-spatial-resolution imaging. But new research* makes it possible to scrutinize activities that occur over hours or even days inside cells, potentially solving many of the mysteries associated with molecular-scale events occurring in these tiny living things.    » read more »

Federally-funded project part of long-range lab modernization plan

ARGONNE, IL (November 17, 2009) – The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is providing $8 million to Argonne National Laboratory for detailed design work for a new, world-class energy research facility. This is the first step in beginning work on what is expected to be a $95 million construction project.

The Energy Sciences Building (ESB) will provide an environment that will accelerate the pace of discovery by bringing together interdisciplinary teams of researchers in a space that can be adjusted to accommodate an evolving energy-related science agenda. Construction is scheduled to begin during fiscal year 2011.    » read more »

Company Enters Module Manufacturing to Meet Fastest Growing Segment of Solar Market

SHENZHEN, China, Nov. 17, 2009 — DuPont Apollo Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of DuPont, announced the opening of its silicon based thin-film photovoltaic module manufacturing facility. The facility demonstrates the company’s commitment to reduce dependence on fossil fuels by supporting renewable energy technologies such as solar energy.    » read more »

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., Nov. 18, 2009 -- The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] in May demonstrated the ability of mobile laser weapon systems to perform a unique mission: track and destroy small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

During the U.S. Air Force-sponsored tests at the Naval Air Warfare Center in China Lake, Calif., the Mobile Active Targeting Resource for Integrated eXperiments (MATRIX), which was developed by Boeing under contract to the Air Force Research Laboratory, used a single, high-brightness laser beam to shoot down five UAVs at various ranges. Laser Avenger, a Boeing-funded initiative, also shot down a UAV. Representatives of the Air Force and Army observed the tests.    » read more »

$2 million NIEHS award to support development of a radio frequency identification (RFID) vapor sensor that can be part of a badge and worn on clothing

17 November 2009 -- NISKAYUNA, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--GE Global Research, the technology development arm for the General Electric Company (NYSE: GE), today announced a $2 million award from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), part of the National Institutes of Health to develop wearable RFID sensors to alert people to the presence of environmental chemical agents in the air and sample exhaled breath to serve as an early indicator of disease.    » read more »

Six-core upgrade has 70 percent more computational muscle than last year’s quad-core

November 16, 2009 -- Washington, DC —An upgrade to a Cray XT5 high-performance computing system deployed by the Department of Energy has made the “Jaguar” supercomputer the world’s fastest. Located at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Jaguar is the scientific research community’s most powerful computational tool for exploring solutions to some of today’s most difficult problems.

The upgrade, funded with $19.9 million under the Recovery Act, will enable scientific simulations for exploring solutions to climate change and the development of new energy technologies.    » read more »

Washington, DC - 11/16/2009 - One in four (26%) of American teens of driving age say they have texted while driving, and half (48%) of all teens ages 12 to 17 say they’ve been a passenger while a driver has texted behind the wheel.

These findings form the centerpiece of a new report from the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project that looks at teens, mobile phones and distracted driving. The report is based on a telephone survey of 800 teens ages 12-17 and a parent or guardian as well as 9 focus groups with middle and high school students.

Boys and girls are equally likely to report texting behind the wheel as well as riding with texting drivers. As teens get older, they are more likely to report riding with drivers who text.    » read more »

NEA study finds digital divide narrowing in U.S. public schools; Parents overwhelmingly view Internet as help, use email as main communication tool with teacher

WASHINGTON - November 16, 2009 - Poll results released today show the digital gap is increasingly becoming a thing of the past in America’s public schools. The National Education Association and Harris Interactive have released the results of an Omnibus poll showing parents have embraced the benefits of Internet at school and even use the technology to communicate with their children’s teachers.    » read more »

November 16, 2009 -- BOULDER, Colo.— Physicists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have demonstrated the first “universal” programmable quantum information processor able to run any program allowed by quantum mechanics—the rules governing the submicroscopic world—using two quantum bits (qubits) of information. The processor could be a module in a future quantum computer, which theoretically could solve some important problems that are intractable today.    » read more »

Emphasizes importance of science, technology, engineering and math education

November 16, 2009 --
DALLAS – Texas Governor Rick Perry today was joined by Texas Workforce commissioners Andres Alcantar and Ronnie Congleton, Texas Education Commissioner Robert Scott and business leaders to announce a $1 million investment from the Texas Workforce Commission to expand statewide student participation in robotics education programs.

The governor emphasized the importance of preparing young Texans to work in an increasingly competitive global economy by promoting programs that integrate science, technology, engineering and math into Texas classrooms.    » read more »

November 16, 2009 -- Washington, DC – House Committee on Science and Technology Chairman Bart Gordon (D-TN) and Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee Chairwoman Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) congratulated National Administration of Space and Aeronautics (NASA) on making TIME’s List of 50 Best Inventions of 2009. NASA’s Ares rockets placed number one among the best inventions of the year.

The Ares rockets placed before several remarkable inventions – the Smart Thermostat (#4), the AIDS vaccine (#8), and Tweeting by Thinking (#9), among others.    » read more »

Technology Enables Energy Efficient, Reduced Cost and Enhanced Quality Lighting Source

WILMINGTON, Del., Nov. 16, 2009 – DuPont announced that it has been awarded a $2.25 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for a two-year project to develop a solid-state lighting source using low-cost organic light emitting diode (OLED) solution-processing manufacturing techniques.    » read more »

Midland, MI - November 16, 2009 -- The Dow Chemical Company's (NYSE:DOW) DOW™ POWERHOUSE™ Solar Shingle, a flexible photovoltaic solar cell packaged in the form of a roofing shingle that can be easily integrated with standard asphalt shingle materials, has been named one of "The 50 Best Inventions of 2009" by TIME magazine.    » read more »

November 16, 2009 -- Museum of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China -- PRESIDENT OBAMA: Good afternoon. It is a great honor for me to be here in Shanghai, and to have this opportunity to speak with all of you. I'd like to thank Fudan University's President Yang for his hospitality and his gracious welcome. I'd also like to thank our outstanding Ambassador, Jon Huntsman, who exemplifies the deep ties and respect between our nations. I don't know what he said, but I hope it was good. (Laughter.)    » read more »

By applying just the right compression to thin films of bismuth ferrite, Berkeley Lab researchers have produced a lead-free alternative to the current crop of piezoelectric materials.

November 13, 2009 -- BERKELEY, CA - There is good news for the global effort to reduce the amount of lead in the environment and for the growing array of technologies that rely upon the piezoelectric effect. A lead-free alternative to the current crop of piezoelectric materials has been identified by researchers with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) and the University of California (UC), Berkeley.    » read more »