Born from a desire to predict the future, epidemiology has largely been limited to studying the past. Now,
computational epidemiology researchers are harnessing computing power to crack the complicated mystery of
how diseases spread. Full story (PDF)
A trend is taking shape in the computing industry that could significantly change the way academic research is done. A few years from now, researchers who work with massive data sets might stop processing their data locally and find themselves outsourcing the job to massive commercial data clusters. Full story
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
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)
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
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)
Computer scientists have discovered some creative strategies to help neural networks fulfill their potential in pattern recognition and artificial intelligence. Machine vision is his near-term goal, but the real prize could be insight into the human brain. Full story (PDF)
A personal library that fits in your pocket—it will soon exist, if Michael Hart gets his way. Hart heads Project Gutenberg (PG), the Internet’s oldest digital library. On 4 July 2006, PG turned 35. Digital libraries in academia and commercial publishing are coming of age right along with it, driven by the latest technology. But to Hart and others involved in digital libraries, the technology is the least interesting part of the story. Full story (PDF)
A search engine that sorts through 3D images of manufacturing parts could give users an edge in today’s economy. Ultimately, it could aid other 3D tasks, from surgery to drug discovery. Full story (PDF)
A study of vortices may lead to ultra-maneuverable craft that can navigate beneath the ice, or even inside the human body. Full story (PDF)
A computer model developed by the United States Geological Survey is forecasting urban development — and helping to settle the question of whether the fictional Sprawl of William Gibson’s Neuromancer could ever truly exist. Full story (PDF)
For the first time in 11,000 years, the fearsome saber-toothed tiger’s canines will tear into fresh meat—if scientists at the University of Buffalo get their way. Full story (PDF)
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