Pam Frost Gorder

Science Writer

 

A Nanoscale Tractor Beam June 26, 2008

Filed under: Physics, Technology — Pam @ 7:18 am

A laser beam can push a nanoscale particle away with the pressure of its photons, but the particle may also be drawn toward the light when other particles are nearby–like the “tractor beams” of science fiction–according to a theory in the June Physical Review B. Full story

 
 

Medical Software has Astronomers Seeing Stars June 25, 2008

Filed under: Astronomy, Computing, Medicine — Pam @ 1:31 pm

A project at Harvard University is proving that two very different disciplines have very much in common. The Astronomical Medicine Project is working to convert medical imaging software into tools that fuel discoveries in astronomy. But if the scientists behind the project have their way, any discipline that relies on large, complex data sets will reap the benefits. Full story (PDF)

 
 

Computer Vision, Inspired by the Human Brain February 19, 2008

Filed under: Artificial Intelligence, Computing, Medicine, Statistics — Pam @ 10:00 pm

As scientists work to develop intelligent machines, some are taking their cues from biology. Such is the case at MIT, where a computer model is emulating the human brain’s vision center. The model replicates what happens during the first few fractions of a second after we see an object—the part of vision performed by the unconscious mind. Full story (PDF)

 
 

Cosmic Quest January 29, 2008

Filed under: Astronomy — Pam @ 3:28 pm

Fueled by out-of-this-world curiosity, millions of dollars, and a lot of coffee — Ohio State researchers are reaching for the stars. Full story (PDF)

 
 

Universal Understanding

Filed under: Astronomy, Physics — Pam @ 3:25 pm

Married physicists Samir and Smita Mathur have their differences — especially when it comes to black holes. Full story (PDF)

 
 

Physics Experiment Could Spawn Permanent Computing Grid November 5, 2007

Filed under: Computing, Physics — Pam @ 12:21 pm

The world’s biggest physics experiment starts in May 2008. To support it, the world’s biggest computing experiment has already begun. The payoffs could reach far beyond physics. Full story (PDF)

 
 

Launch Vehicle August 22, 2007

Filed under: Technology — Pam @ 8:39 am

Engineering alumni from the University of Dayton offer their perspectives on how NASA has changed with the times — and talk about how they’re personally contributing to today’s “space races,” including NASA’s new pushes toward Mars and the moon. Full story (PDF)

 
 

Building Better Search Engines July 2, 2007

Filed under: Artificial Intelligence, Computing — Pam @ 2:15 pm

A common notion about Internet search engines is that they bias traffic — that is, they direct people toward popular Web sites, and away from less popular, yet relevant sites. Scientists at Indiana University set out to understand how this bias works. To their surprise, they found very little evidence of its existence. Their work hints at the challenges that scientists face as they develop new and better ways to help us find information. Full story (PDF)

 
 

Disordered Design — A Profile of a Physicist June 20, 2007

Filed under: Physics, Statistics, Technology — Pam @ 10:01 am

The next generation of electronics may rely on some quirky materials, including a type of silicon that dramatically changes its behavior when exposed to heat or light. One of the physicists at the forefront of this research is David Drabold. His unique way of looking at the world — including his use of a once-obscure statistical technique for predicting material properties — is pushing the development of these “disordered” materials forward. Full Story

 
 

Filter Physics March 22, 2007

Filed under: Physics, Statistics — Pam @ 12:00 am

A theory predicts when a sieve will block particles smaller than its holes; this research could apply to a variety of natural and artificial filters. Full Story

 
 

Multicore Processors for Science and Engineering February 23, 2007

Filed under: Computing, Technology — Pam @ 12:00 am

There’s no question that multicore processors have gone mainstream. What advantages do they offer to researchers? Experts say that making the most of multicore systems will require new tools, new algorithms, and a new way of looking at programming. Full story (PDF)

 
 

Grid Computing Yields Earthquake Forecast January 19, 2007

Filed under: Computing, Earth Science, Statistics — Pam @ 11:22 am

The idea of linking supercomputers into a computational grid to confront big problems isn’t a new one, but an earthquake researcher and his colleagues are doing something different. They’re linking grids together—effectively, using grids of grids—thanks to a software movement that takes its name from the musical phenomenon known as the mashup. Full story (PDF)

 
 
 

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