positive Science news
The Cleanweb Takes OffThis past weekend in New York, a group of high tech companies, venture investors, hackers, college students held the second Cleanweb Hackathon -- a gathering where software developers and serial entrepreneurs, fueled by coffee and burritos -- or similar fare -- stay up one, two or more nights writing code for apps that just may change the world. |
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Personal medicine is a little bit closer: Sequence your genome for under $1000
via Technology Review |
Mon January 16, 2012 |
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2012 Doomsday Predictions Debunked by NASAOn Dec. 21, 2012, many doomsday believers fear the apocalypse — anything from a rogue planet smashing into us to our world spinning end over end. However, the world should expect nothing more next year than the winter solstice, the longest night of the year, NASA says. |
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New discovery could lead to better artificial hipsFor many people who have suffered from an arthritic hip, the replacement of their natural hip bone with a prosthetic implant has meant an end to constant pain, and the restoration of a normal range of movement. Unfortunately, the ball-and-socket joints of the prostheses do wear down over time, so younger patients in need of the implants are typically told to either wait until they are older, or must face the prospect of someday requiring repeat surgery to service their device. |
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New plasma “brush” may mean painless cavity fillingWe've been keeping an eye on efforts to make the dreaded dentist's drill a thing of the past for some time, and now there's more good news on the horizon for the cavity-prone (and pain-phobic). Engineers have successfully lab-tested a plasma "brush" that can painlessly clean and prep cavities so well, there's no need for mechanical abrasion prior to filling. |
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First Earth-sized planets spotted
via BBC |
Tue December 20, 2011 |
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Artificial Intestines near realityScience has given us working artificial hearts, hips, limbs and bladders, and even a trachea. But no one has successfully created an artificial intestine, until now. |
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Yoav Medan: Ultrasound surgery—healing without cuts
via TED |
Sat December 17, 2011 |
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Harnessing desert sun to power EuropeIt is a beguiling idea - harvest sunshine, and a little wind, from the empty deserts of North Africa and the Middle East, and use it to produce clean power for the region and for Europe. |
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Astronomers confirm ‘Earth twin’
via BBC |
Thu December 08, 2011 |
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Giant Nasa rover launches to MarsNasa has launched the most capable machine ever built to land on Mars. |
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How rainwater harvesting is helping Nicaraguan farmersMr Beltran lives in northern Nicaragua, one of the poorest and driest areas of the country, where a pilot project to harvest rainwater is beginning to transform local agriculture and local people's lives. |
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Plan to Recycle $300 Billion Worth of Space DebrisIts hard enough to tackle pollution on Earth, let alone in space. However, the recent NASA UARS spacecraft fall has put the phenomenon of space debris in sharp spotlight. |
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Rating Your Toaster’s Lifetime CostsWhen shopping for appliances, it’s easy to compare prices, but what about the cost to actually run a toaster, coffee maker or blender? A new testing service aims to do just that. |
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Ancient discoveries
- Exciting stone tool find in Kenya
- NASA satellite helps find 17 Egypt pyramids
- Vietnam’s own ‘great wall’ uncovered
- New Type of Ancient Human Found - Descendants Live Today?
- New discoveries concerning pre-Columbian settlements in the Amazon
- Ultraviolet light reveals how Greek statues really looked
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Breakthroughs in Technology
- New plasma “brush” may mean painless cavity filling
- Artificial Intestines near reality
- Real-life Jedi: Pushing the limits of mind control
- Groundbreaking solar plant in Spain generates 24 hours of power
- A winning solution for renewable energy and CO2 reduction?
- ‘Optical Battery’ Discovery Could Mean Solar Power Without Solar Cells
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