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Two Planets Transiting Same Star

NASA's Kepler Mission has discovered the first confirmed planetary system with more than one planet transiting the same star. Today's announcement of the discovery of the two planets, Kepler 9b and 9c, is based on seven months of observations of more than 156,000 stars being monitored for subtle brightness changes as part of an ongoing search for Earth-like planets outside our solar system. Researchers designated the sun-like star Kepler-9. ........Go to the Astronomy-blog (Added on 8/26/2010 11:00:28 PM)

Why are sunspots a source of radio emissions?

Why sunspots are a strong source of radio emissions and what information those emissions carry will be the focus of an invited talk by NJIT Research Professor Jeongwoo Lee tomorrow at the International Astronomical Union Symposium on the Physics of Sun and Star Spots in Ventura, CA. http://www.csun.edu/physicsandastronomy/IAUS273/ The event numbers among the top gatherings in the U.S. for people studying sunspots and related phenomena. ........Go to the Astronomy-blog (Added on 8/26/2010 7:06:45 AM)

Best way to pour champagne?

In a study that may settle a long-standing disagreement over the best way to pour a glass of champagne, researchers in France are reporting that pouring bubbly in an angled, down-the-side way is best for preserving its taste and fizz. The study also reports the first scientific evidence confirming the importance of chilling champagne before serving to enhance its taste, the researchers say. Their report appears in ACS' bi-weekly Journal of........Go to the Media-blog (Added on 8/11/2010 7:20:55 PM)

Skilled immigrants boost US innovation

A study reported in the latest issue of the Journal of Labor Economics finds that highly skilled temporary immigrants boost technological innovation in the U.S. without displacing U.S.-born workers in the process. The study, by William Kerr of the Harvard Business School and William Lincoln of the University of Michigan, looked at fluctuations over the last 15 years in the number of immigrants admitted to the U.S. under the H-1B visa........Go to the Media-blog (Added on 7/16/2010 7:15:38 AM)

Increase your Style Quotient with Chic Clutch Bags

Clutch bags have been in style for more than half a century now and their popularity is far from diminishing. Not much larger than a pocket book, these bags are not meant to carry anything more than the bare essentials for an evening on the town. The sophistication that these handbags lend can make any woman feel special and confident of her elegant appearance. From Jimmy Choo to Fendi, Zagliani, Balenciaga and Prada, every designer has........Go to the Media-blog (Added on 7/15/2010 10:14:47 PM)

New chemical method important to drug design

University of Delaware scientist Donald Watson is part of a research team that has discovered an easier method for incorporating fluorine into organic molecules, giving chemists an important new tool in developing materials ranging from new medicines to agricultural chemicals. The research, which is published in the June 25 edition of Science, was led by Stephen Buchwald, the Camille Dreyfus Professor of Chemistry at the Massachusetts........Go to the New-technology-blog (Added on 6/24/2010 10:10:53 PM)

Thinking Of Getting Another LCD TV?

I was at the local mall the other day, searching for a replacement for my aging Sanyo ST-21SS1, a 21-inch conventional CRT television that just didn't make the cut on the type of entertainment for a wired home I had been looking for since last year. Truth is, I want a complete HDTV home entertainment sytem, and I've been roaming the city with my sights on getting it. Unfortunately, the budget doesn't allow it so I have to settle........Go to the New-technology-blog (Added on 6/19/2010 6:16:42 PM)

One entrepreneur's good

© playerx I may just not be paying attention, but I haven't seen all the indicators that Scott Shane is talking about when he talks about mass media claiming that the recession has been good for entrepreneurs. His latest post disputes that purported point, which just serves to illustrate that in small business, it all depends on your perspective. One can generally expect self-employment numbers to skyrocket during times of........Go to the Media-blog (Added on 6/19/2010 5:23:33 PM)

Americans want self-respect, more than ever

Americans want self-respect, and that desire has risen significantly in the last two decades, say marketing scientists at the University of Oregon. Meanwhile, the needs for both security and a sense of belonging have declined in the last 30 years. In the world of marketing and advertising, the findings indicate that people have shifted from a desire of gaining what they don't have (deficit values) to strengthening what they may already have........Go to the Media-blog (Added on 6/9/2010 7:07:15 AM)

Speed Up Your Digital Photo Post Processing

Anything that will increase a computer's overall processing speed is always welcome, and users of digital graphics programs, such as we digital photographers, can always use more computer speed. Anyone who has ever run the full blown Photoshop programs knows what I'm talking about so let's clean up those hard drives and at the same time recover lost files. "Wise Disk Cleaner 5.2 Professional", by WiseCleaner.com,........Go to the New-technology-blog (Added on 4/1/2010 7:00:32 AM)

Why Golf Awards Should Be Chosen with Care

Golf is one of those sports that have gained a reputation for being played by gentlemen. It is also one of a handful of sporting activities that requires as much patience as skill. Therefore, a winner in a game of golf deserves as exquisitely built a trophy as sportspersons from other arenas, if not better. And this is why golf awards have to be chosen with selective care and a balanced judgment. Here are some ideas to help you out: ........Go to the Media-blog (Added on 3/18/2010 11:31:32 AM)

Reduce your overheads with VMware hosting

Businesses have had a hard time of late with the global recession which has affected all of us in one way or another. Companies are looking for ways to tighten their belts and reduce their overheads and one method that has emerged is the use of VMware hosting solutions for their IT needs. VMware hosting can be an especially prudent investment for SMEs with relatively few IT requirements where buying and maintaining a server in house, which........Go to the New-technology-blog (Added on 3/10/2010 9:17:46 PM)

Low cost Linux virtual hosting

Linux is a free open source operating system based on the Unix operating system and is a popular alternative to others (such as Microsoft) due to it's versatility. Additionally, Linux servers which most often run a platform of Linux, Apache, MySQL, Perl/PHP/Python have become very popular with web developers and in turn many businesses have websites and systems run on this software. In fact, IBM has chosen Linux to be the operating system on........Go to the New-technology-blog (Added on 3/10/2010 9:09:14 PM)

A high-tech handrest

University of Utah engineers developed a computer-controlled, motorized hand and arm support that will let doctors, artists and others precisely control scalpels, brushes and tools over a wider area than otherwise possible, and with less fatigue. "We've invented a new device the Active Handrest that's useful for aiding people in performing precision tasks with their hands such as surgery, painting, electronics repair or other........Go to the New-technology-blog (Added on 3/8/2010 9:14:24 AM)

Still haven't found the right web hosting provider for your website?

One of the reasons why a lot have been setting up their own websites either for personal or for business is that there’s just so many options to choose from these days. But sometimes, the more choices there are, the more confusing it is to actually choose the right provider. If you don’t want to spend much or to spend at all on a hosting provider, then you might be looking for something like a free hosting package. Although, there are a lot........Go to the New-technology-blog (Added on 2/24/2010 9:55:00 PM)

Stitching together lab-on-a-chip

Researchers in Australia are reporting the first use of ordinary cotton thread and sewing needles to literally stitch together a microfluidic analytical device microscopic technology that can transport fluids for medical tests and other purposes in a lab-on-a-chip. The chips shrink room-sized diagnostic testing equipment down to the size of a postage stamp, and promise revolutionary applications in medicine, environmental sensing, and other........Go to the New-technology-blog (Added on 2/18/2010 9:56:01 PM)

Astronomy blog

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Orobanche californica

It"s been a while since BPotD has featured a contribution from frequent commenter Eric in SF@Flickr, so here"s one from his weekend trip to Point Reyes, California (original image via the Botany Photo of the Day Flickr Pool). If you"re a relatively recent reader of BPotD, you may not know that Eric also runs orchidphotos.org. Thanks again Including all of its five subspecies, Orobanche californica (or California broomrape) is native from........Go to the Science-blog (Added on 8/27/2010 11:08:11 PM)

Single-Spin Magnetoelectronics

The integration of single-spin magnetoelectronics into standard silicon technology may soon be possible, if experiments confirm a new theoretical prediction by physicists at the Naval Research Laboratory and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The scientists predict that a family of well-known silicon surfaces, stabilized by small amounts of gold atoms, is intrinsically magnetic despite having no magnetic elements. None of these surfaces has........Go to the New-technology-blog (Added on 8/26/2010 11:19:36 PM)

Origin of Large Underwater Hydrocarbon Plume

Researchers funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and affiliated with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) have detected a plume of hydrocarbons at least 22 miles long and more than 3,000 feet below the surface of the Gulf of Mexico, a residue of the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The 1.2-mile-wide, 650-foot-high plume of trapped hydrocarbons was detected during a ten day subsurface sampling effort from June 19-28, 2010........Go to the Science-blog (Added on 8/25/2010 7:04:49 AM)

Failure better teacher than success

While success is surely sweeter than failure, it seems failure is a far better teacher, and organizations that fail spectacularly often flourish more in the long run, as per a newly released study by Vinit Desai, assistant professor of management at the University of Colorado Denver Business School. Desai's research, reported in the Academy of Management Journal, focused on companies and organizations that launch satellites, rockets and........Go to the Media-blog (Added on 8/24/2010 7:11:19 AM)

Winnebago Man

It might seem counterintuitive to craft a feature-length documentary around a viral clip concerning one man"s explicit outtakes during a 1989 industrial video production, but Winnebago Man director, producer and cowriter Ben Steinbauer has truly made an entertaining portrait with a complicated range of emotions Jack Rebney is the most famous man you"ve never heard of-an RV salesman whose hilarious, foul-mouthed outbursts circulated........Go to the Media-blog (Added on 8/8/2010 9:34:14 PM)

New system to reduce heating costs in cold climates

A new type of heat pump being developed at Purdue University could allow residents in cold climates to cut their heating bills in half. The research, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, builds on prior work that began about five years ago at Purdue's Ray W. Herrick Laboratories, said James Braun, a professor of mechanical engineering. Heat pumps provide heating in winter and cooling in summer but are not efficient in extreme cold........Go to the Science-blog (Added on 7/8/2010 6:59:40 AM)

How the first step affects

Energy from hydrogen researchers from all over the world work on this solution to overcome the energy crisis. Amongst other things they try to use the sunlight as driving force for the splitting of water into hydrogen and oxygen. In trying to copy the photosynthesis in the laboratory a team of researchers of the Universities of Jena and Erlangen-Nrnberg and of the Institute of Photonic Technology (IPHT) in Jena (Gera number of) made a huge........Go to the Science-blog (Added on 6/24/2010 11:02:24 PM)

Why SEO Is Harder Than It Used to Be

© sharedferret Remember the good ole days when having an informative title for your Internet page was enough to get you ranked pretty high in the search engines and (as a result) drive traffic to your site? That was a decade ago - in 2000. Bill Clinton was President, Destiny's Child had a couple of hit singles, and the St. Louis Rams won Superbowl XXXIV that year. Things have changed a lot since then. Daily SEO Tip recently........Go to the Media-blog (Added on 6/19/2010 6:16:26 PM)

Whole Life or Term Life Insurance?

© madnzanyWhen it comes time for you to consider buying life insurance, you will want to buy life insurance that will meet your needs the best. This means that you will need to consider term vs. whole life insurance. They are quite different in how they work and in costs, too. Term life insurance is clearly the more affordable option of the two. It will cost considerably less than whole life because it has very little in the way of........Go to the Media-blog (Added on 6/19/2010 5:40:54 PM)

Men are more vulnerable to relationship ups and downs

Contrary to popular belief, the ups and downs of romantic relationships have a greater effect on the mental health of young men than women, as per a newly released study by a Wake Forest University sociology professor. In the study of more than 1,000 unmarried young adults between the ages of 18 and 23, Wake Forest Professor of Sociology Robin Simon challenges the long-held assumption that women are more vulnerable to the emotional........Go to the Media-blog (Added on 6/9/2010 7:11:30 AM)

When it comes to security, think 'natural'

Security systems could be more effective if officials looked at how organisms deal with threats in the natural world, University of Arizona scientists suggest in the May 20 edition of the journal Nature The authors are working with security and disaster management officials to help put some of their recommendations such as decentralizing forces and forming alliances into practice. "Anytime you have the illusion of full security, you get........Go to the Media-blog (Added on 5/21/2010 7:16:47 AM)

Detecting fake wine vintages

Two decades of atomic bomb testing in the atmosphere are yielding an unexpected bonus for consumers, researchers reported here today at the 239th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS). It's a new test to determine whether that Bordeaux or burgundy is from a fine vintage year and commands premium price or actually is a counterfeit vin ordinaire or cheap plonk worth much less. Graham Jones, Ph.D., who headed the research,........Go to the Science-blog (Added on 3/22/2010 8:08:24 PM)

Mobile Phone Service Providers Look To Snare New Customers With Free Gadgets

As technology in the mobile phone industry has advanced so rapidly over the last 12 months - particularly with the advent of many new smart phones - and with such a large selection of similar handsets available from different manufacturers offering similar features at equally competitive tariffs, mobile phone service providers are now seeking new marketing angles and unique selling points in order to try and differentiate themselves in a highly........Go to the New-technology-blog (Added on 3/15/2010 11:42:00 AM)

Mycorrhizal Networks

Today"s BPotD is the second in the series of BPotD"s contribution to the 2010 UBC Celebrate Research Week Lindsay organized today"s entry, selected the links, and introduces Dr. Suzanne Simard Dr. Suzanne Simard is a professor with the UBC Faculty of Forestry, where she lectures on and researches the role of mycorrhizae and mycorrhizal networks in tree species migrations with climate change disturbance. Networks of mycorrhizal fungal........Go to the Science-blog (Added on 3/10/2010 3:45:36 AM)

A Guide to Choosing from Different Types of Headsets

Technology is so advanced these days that life is becoming more and more effortless with each passing day. Take for example the recent introduction of G4 Bluetooth by Cardo Systems. These little devices are basically designed for bikers so that they can converse with each other while riding on the same bike or on different bikes. Hence, even bikers also can keep in touch with each other while riding bikes. There are different types of headsets........Go to the New-technology-blog (Added on 2/26/2010 11:42:36 PM)

Information is Good, But It Can Also Steal Your Soul

Seth Godin had a blog post a week or so ago about data - and how everyone wants more data, so they can prove their point. We live in the Information Age now. There's a common misconception that we entered the Informatin Age as a byproduct of computers. But we had an infatuation with data before computers were very common. It makes me think of the McNamara Fallacy, named for Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara. At a time when computers........Go to the Media-blog (Added on 2/18/2010 10:28:04 PM)

Genes, environment, or chance?

Biologists attribute variations among individual organisms to differences in genes or environment, or both. But a newly released study of nematode worms with identical genes, raised in identical environments, has revealed another factor: chance. It's another source of variation for researchers to consider. "Scientists have been exploring whether organisms evolve different ways to cope with genetic and environmental variation," said author........Go to the Science-blog (Added on 2/18/2010 9:40:12 PM)