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That cigar-shaped asteroid might be covered in organic goo
Last month's discovery of a long, thin object floating ominously through space brought about some pretty fevered speculation about the company mankind keeps in this universe. Was it an alien spacecraft? Were little green men about to visit Earth? No to both, seems to be the answer, but while researchers still aren't sure what the object -- named "Oumuamua" -- actually is, they have revealed that it appears to be covered in a thick layer of organic gunk and is icy cold on the inside.
Fire ants can act as an organic super-material by playing dead
Scientists at the Georgia Institute of Technology have discovered a material so versatile that it can form solid objects, bend under pressure without breaking, easily float on water and even disperse into a liquid when something tries to pass through it. Unfortunately, this discovery is completely useless -- because this amazing super-material is made up entirely of fire ants.
The building blocks of life found orbiting another star
Looks like NASA's Chief Scientist Ellen Stofan may have over-estimated how long it would take to find extraterrestrial organisms. For the first time in the history of astronomy, scientists have discovered two complex organic molecules, which is vital to the formation of life as we know it, outside of our solar system. Researchers at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Cambridge, Massachusetts actually found three forms of cyanide -- specifically hydrogen cyanide (HCN), methyl cyanide (CH3CN), and cyanoacetylene (HC3N) -- circling a star known as MWC 480. These are the same sorts of chemicals (and in the same concentrations!) that were present in comets orbiting our own solar system back when life here got its start. And while cyanide is super-duper toxic to living organisms, it's absolutely necessary for life's formation. In short, this discovery is a huge deal because it means that the seeds of life aren't confined to Sol alone.
Japanese smart diaper is destined to have a lot of crappy days
The current move towards wearables is surely good news for us, but unremittingly bad news for them. A flexible sensor developed at the University of Tokyo is about to discover just how bad when it's put to work as a sort of early warning system inside diapers. It's constructed from a printable organic circuit that detects changes in wetness, temperature and pressure, but apparently not smell (small mercies). It can charge wirelessly and transmit data wirelessly too, so that a caregiver holding a receiver can tell whether a baby or incontinent elderly person needs changing without having to unclothe them first. The device is expected to come to market as soon as its power efficiency has been improved, and we bet it can't wait.
Fujifilm and Panasonic's organic CMOS image sensor boosts dynamic range and sensitivity
We've all been enjoying the benefits of AMOLED displays for several years now -- high contrast ratios, wide viewing angles and vivid colors -- so it was only a matter of time until organic films ended up in image sensors. Fujifilm and Panasonic have been working on organic CMOS image sensors and just showed the results of their collaboration at the 2013 Symposium on VLSI Technology in Kyoto. By replacing the traditional silicon photodiode with an organic photoelectric conversion layer, researchers have created image sensors with a dynamic range of 88dB (the industry's highest), a 1.2-fold increase in sensitivity (compared to traditional designs) and a 60-degree range of incident light (vs. 30-40 degrees, typically). What does this mean in practice? Less clipping in bright scenes, better low-light performance and richer colors and textures. The companies plan to promote these new organic CMOS image sensors for use in a wide range of imaging applications, including next generation cameras and phones. We can't wait!
App Rewards Club reports on what going free can do for developers
App Rewards Club is an app and service put together by a few iOS developers to help their fellow app devs with user discovery on the App Store. Like the Free App a Day service, App Rewards Club highlights free apps every day, which benefits users because they can grab apps for free, and then benefits developers because they can grab users to monetize off of. App Rewards Club also offers a monetization service, teaming developers up with other promotions that let users earn rewards in apps. The club has been keeping a tally of how it all works when various apps go free, and they've posted a very interesting report over on the official blog, talking about that very subject. What's perhaps most interesting is just how organic the App Store is: The apps that ARC saw do best with a free period spent exactly zero marketing dollars on their sale, and were instead just propelled by being featured on the App Store or mentioned in the press. As ARC says, "some apps have a natural propensity to get attention and move downloads without getting a big marketer involved." That's a fascinating result, and it's likely one that Apple will be thrilled to hear, given that the App Store was designed to be a relatively open marketplace, where individual developers can compete up alongside much larger companies like EA and Activision. This study finds that a marketing budget doesn't matter so much as just how "sticky" the actual app is. Elsewhere, the company also found that switching from paid to free, while having an (obvious) negative immediate effect on revenue, will actually raise the average number of purchases after going back to paid. It's not by much, and downloads go very high when flipping over to free, but developers looking for a spike in app interest can definitely consider a temporary free giveaway to do so. There's a lot of interesting information here, and the company says it still has a lot to learn going forward. But the main takeaway here seems to be that, for now, growth on the App Store is still fairly organic. Some apps can do well when they get attention, regardless of how much money they spent to get it.
Amazon launches Vine.com for shoppers who live life on the 'green' edge
Love Amazon's renowned two-day shipping? How about organic eats and other miscellaneous environment-friendly products? If so, then today's your very lucky day. Adding to the endless list of shopping sites it already owns, Amazon has just introduced Vine.com; a site which aims to be a one-stop web store for folks looking to snag anything from organic ingredients to beauty products like all-natural shaving oils and Kiss My Face foam soaps -- and yes, as we stated earlier, there's an option to get that speedy two-day delivery service. While chatting with Bits Blog, a Vine representative said the goal isn't "necessarily about saving the planet," but that his team does "feel the products are useful in that regard." Currently Vine.com is live in beta form, though that doesn't mean folks interested can't go browse around and order some goodies -- to do that, give the source link below a quick tap.
Harvard stores 704TB in a gram of DNA, may have us shopping for organically-grown storage (video)
Early research has had DNA making circuits and little factories. We haven't really seen DNA used as a storage medium, however, and it's evident we've been missing out. A Harvard team led by George Church, Sriram Kosuri and Yuan Gao can stuff 96 bits into a DNA strand by treating each base (A, C, G, T) as though it's a binary value. The genetic sequence is then synthesized by a microfluidic chip that matches up that sequence with its position in a relevant data set, even when all the DNA strands are out of order. The technique doesn't sound like much on its own, but the microscopic size amounts to a gigantic amount of information at a scale we can see: about 704TB of data fits into a cubic millimeter, or more than you'd get out of a few hundred hard drives. Caveats? The processing time is currently too slow for time-sensitive content, and cells with living DNA would destroy the strands too quickly to make them viable for anything more than just transfers. All the same, such density and a lifespan of eons could have us turning to DNA storage not just for personal backups, but for backing up humanity's collective knowledge. We're less ambitious -- we'd most like to know if we'll be buying organic hard drives alongside the fair trade coffee and locally-sourced fruit.
Panasonic Photosynthesis System converts carbon dioxide to organic material with plant-like efficiency
Greenery may fulfill a superficial need to improve the landscape aesthetic, but plants play a much more critical role in regular life function, converting carbon dioxide to oxygen through a process called photosynthesis. Panasonic is among the companies attempting to replicate this natural procedure through artificial means, and it looks like the Japanese electronics maker is well on its way towards a viable solution. Presenting at the International Conference on the Conversion and Storage of Solar Energy this week, Panasonic announced the development of an Artificial Photosynthesis System, which uses a nitride semiconductor to convert water and carbon dioxide -- a byproduct of factories and power plants -- into an organic material called formic acid, which is used in the manufacturing of dyes and fragrances. Covering the planet in formic acid wouldn't necessarily represent progress, but assuming demand isn't exceeded, it certainly beats CO2. Best yet, Panasonic claims that the system converts the substances at plant-like efficiency rates, or 0.2 percent. Hit up the PR after the break for a more granular look at the company's creation.
UCSB engineers proteins that make silicon, leads hipsters to insist on organically-grown computers
Organic circuits have been in development for awhile, but it's still rare that the organics are producing the circuitry themselves. Researchers at the University of California, Santa Barbara plan to break that silence with genetically engineered proteins that can make silicon dioxide or titanium dioxide structures like those used in the computer chips and solar cells that we hold dear. The trick, the university's Daniel Morse found, is to attach silica-forming DNA to plastic beads that are in turn soaked in the silicon or titanium molecules they're looking for: after some not-so-natural selection for the best genes, the thriving proteins can produce not only substantial minerals, but whole fiber sheets. Much work is left to get the proteins producing the kind of silicon or titanium dioxides that could run a computer or power your house, but the dream is to have synthetic creations that organically produce what would normally need a mining expedition -- imagine something akin to the glass-like Venus' Flower Basket sponge (pictured above) sitting in an Intel factory. We're half-expecting organically-grown smartphones at Whole Foods, right next to the kale chips and fair trade coffee. [Image credit: Ryan Somma, Flickr]
What if trees could be used as batteries?
Yes, our bark-skinned friends are nice and beautiful and we shouldn't mess with them too much. But here's the thing: we already chop them down for paper, so why not use their spare woody meat for batteries too? Like previous attempts at organic energy storage, it all hinges on mimicking photosynthesis. Up to the a third of the biomass of a tree is a pulpy substance called lignin, which is a by-product from paper production and which contains electro-chemically active molecules called quinones. With a bit of processing, Professor Olle Inganäs at Linköping University in Sweden reckons he can turn lignin into a thin film that can be used as cathode in a battery, and he believes it's efficient enough to start industrial-style development of the technology. "Nature solved the problem long ago", he says, and "[Lignin is] a source that never ends". Meanwhile, if you imagine Inganäs as having a long white beard and cloak, then, er, snap.
Inhabitat's Week in Green: interview with Chevy, breakthrough LED light and spider silk violin strings
Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green. This week the Chevy Volt lit up the newswires after GM announced plans to temporarily halt its production -- Inhabitat brought you an interview with Chevy on the shutdown and explained why it doesn't foretell electric vehicle doomsday. We also showcased you the hottest new vehicles straight from the Geneva Motor Show -- including Infiniti's sexy Emerg-E sports car, Toyota's ultra-compact FT-Bh hybrid, and Nissan's Hi-Cross hybrid crossover. On the lighter side of things, this week a LEGO space shuttle soared into the stratosphere, we featured an insane Russian bicycle powered by a chainsaw, and DARPA's robotic cheetah broke a world land speed record. Groundbreaking green architecture projects reached for the sky as Tokyo's Sky Tree was crowned the world's second tallest building and the eVolo Skyscraper Competition unveiled its futuristic finalists -- including an energy-generating tower made entirely from trash, a spiraling water-storing spire for the Himalayas, and a spherical underwater skyscraper that recycles plastic pollution. New York City also made waves as Mayor Bloomberg called for a solid waste to energy facility, Terreform proposed plans for a self-sufficient NYC covered with vertical gardens, and a new cupcake ATM hit the streets of Manhattan.It was also a big week for consumer tech as Apple launched its brand new iPad -- however in the light of recent criticism over Apple's labor conditions we took a look at the human cost of Apple's products and we shared 5 things you should know before buying the iPad 3. Meanwhile, researchers at MIT developed a breakthrough LED light that exceeds 100 percent efficiency, and we brought you an inside look at 5 high-tech green data centers that serve the environment. Finally, scientists discovered several amazing new uses for spider silk by weaving it into violin strings that create superior symphonic sounds and insulation that conducts heat 800 times better than any other organic material.
Biological computer can decode images stored in DNA chips, applications remain unclear
Scientists from the Scripps Research Institute and Technion–Israel Institute of Technology have taken biological computing one step further, with a new molecular machine capable of decoding images stored on a DNA chip. Though it's referred to as a "biological computer," the researchers' machine isn't much like a CPU at all -- unless your CPU was manufactured in a test tube filled with a smoothie of DNA molecules, enzymes and ATP. Once they found the right mix, the team proceeded to encrypt images on a DNA chip and used their Turing machine-like creation to decode them, with fluorescent stains helping to track its progress. The above image, read from left to right, gives a more literal idea of what the system can do -- basically, it takes a hidden image and extracts a given sequence. Storing data on DNA isn't anything new, but decrypting said data in this fashion apparently is. The applications for this kind of organic computing remain a bit fuzzy, but it's pretty clear that whatever follows probably won't look anything like a typical computer. The team's findings were recently published in a paper for the journal Angewandte Chemie, the abstract for which is linked below. For a slightly more readable explanation, check out the full press release after the break.
The touch, the feel of cotton, the fabric of our... transistors
Transistors of all shapes and sizes form the foundation of just about every electronic gadget under the sun, and similarly, cotton clothing is a key component of a well-rounded wardrobe. It was only a matter of time before these two got together to form a fashion-forward future, and an international team of scientists have accomplished the trick by creating a transistor using fibers of cotton. Now, this isn't the first organic transistor, but cotton's plentiful, cheap, lightweight and sustainable nature make it a great choice for use as a substrate in carbon-based transistors. To get the fluffy white stuff ready to amplify and switch electric signals, it was conformally coated (to cover all the fiber's irregularities) with gold nanoparticles, semiconductive and conductive polymers in a super thin layer to preserve its wearability flexibility. The result was an active transistor that can be used in integrated circuits sewn into your shirt, socks, or even pantaloons, if you like. The future of fashion is right around the corner, folks, and in that future your pants are the PC.
Scientists build logic gates out of gut bacteria, then hopefully wash their hands
Ever thought about upgrading your PC by breeding more cores? Or planting a few GBs of extra storage out in the yard? Us neither, until we heard that scientists at Imperial College in London have succeeded in building "some of the basic components of digital devices" out of genetically modified E.Coli. We've seen these germs exploited in a similar way before, but Imperial's researchers claim they're the first to make bacterial logic gates that can be fitted together to form more complex gates and potentially whole biological processors. Aside from our strange upgrade fantasies, such processors could one day be implanted into living bodies -- to weed out cancer cells, clean arteries and deliver medication exactly where it's needed. So much for Activia.
ThinFilm and PARC demo printable, organic CMOS circuit, inch us closer to an 'internet of things'
ThinFilm and the legendary PARC (of mouse and GUI fame) announced they have produced a working prototype of a printable circuit that incorporated organic, rewritable memory and transistors. The resulting integrated circuits are essentially CMOS "chips" that can be printed on large rolls at extremely low cost. The most obvious application of the technology is in NFC chips, but the small price and size could find the printable circuits turning up as everything from price tags to freshness sensors on food packaging. Sure, the idea of an "internet of things" sounds a bit cheesy, but there's no denying the allure of a world where practically everything is "smart." Check out the full PR after the break for a few more details.
UTexas researchers develop organic battery, aim for week-long use in smartphones
Christopher Bielawski, a brilliant mind working at the University of Texas at Austin, had this to say about his newest discovery: "I would love it if my iPhone was thinner and lighter, and the battery lasted a month or even a week instead of a day; with an organic battery, it may be possible." Anyone that has ever owned an iPhone (or a smartphone or any sort, really) can grok just how bold those words are, but according to Mr. Bielawski, "we're now starting to get a handle on the fundamental chemistry needed to make this dream a commercial reality." At the center of this potential revolution is a newfangled organic battery recently detailed in the journal Science, but just as important is the artificial photosynthesis that the research also touches on. Bielawski and colleague Jonathan Sessler have seemingly figured out how to create an electron transfer process that can proceed in the opposite direction, with this forward and backward switching of electron flow opening up new avenues for the historically stagnant battery innovation market. Granted, these guys have yet to demonstrate that the process can occur in a condensed phase, so actual commercialization is probably a century millennium or two out, but hey -- at least our list of "awesome thing that'll probably never happen" has grown by one.
City of Heroes launches the Mutant Super Booster
With all the characters growing organic spines and shooting bio-electricity at foes, the new City of Heroes Mutant Super Booster seems like an addition that the game has long been awaiting. While yesterday saw a giveaway for several codes by the Paragon Studios team, today is the official launch where everyone can enjoy the new costumes, emotes, and bonus power. The first is the most eye-catching of the setup, naturally, and we've included a gallery of both the in-game art and concept art for the new Bioluminescent and Organic Armor costume sets. New costume change emotes are also par for the course, with this booster adding a triad that includes the supremely freaky Rapid Boil emote. (The Facebook video does it justice in both accuracy and freakiness.) Last but not least is the new innate power Secondary Mutation, which allows you to unleash the latent power of your DNA for a random effect, usually involving self-buffs of varying duration. City of Heroes players will find plenty to enjoy with the newest booster, so check out the gallery and start boiling yourself a new costume. %Gallery-96158%
Flexible, organic flash memory on tap at the University of Tokyo
If the University of Tokyo has its way, we could be seeing an onslaught of flexible computing devices sooner than you think! Earlier this year the school made some noise with its stretchable OLED prototype and now a research group led by Takeo Someya and Tsuyoshi Sekitani has developed a non-volatile, flexible organic flash memory that may someday be used for large-area sensors, electronic paper devices, and non-volatile memory. Using a polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) resin sheet arrayed with memory cells, the memory can be bent until its curvature radius reaches 6mm without causing mechanical or electrical degradation. As it stands now, the device has a memory retention time of one day -- but the team maintains that this can be "drastically improved by reducing the size of the element and employing an SAM with a long molecular length." Piece of cake, right?
Exclusive interview with Linden Lab CEO Mark Kingdon
Mark Kingdon, Linden Lab's CEO, has been a bit of a mystery figure since his appointment about a year and a half ago. While he has not been uncommunicative, it's been hard to get a very good sense of the man at the helm of Linden Lab, his passions, interests and direction. We were very pleased, therefore, when he took the time to sit down with us and answer a whole grab-bag of questions, about himself, about Linden Lab, and – of course – about Second Life. Bear with us, because we've got a lot of ground to cover.
