The Battle is On!

March 30, 2009

Nanotechnology offers potential for detecting and treating cancer without altering healthy cells. That means targeted death for cancerous tumors without the negative side effects of conventional therapies, like chemotherapy and radiation. We'll take a look at some of these methods and also explore the risks and promises of this new scientific field.

• Top 10: Ways Nanotechnology Battles Cancer
  There's a new set of nanotechnology tools to battle cancer that are so small, you can't see them. But these nanoparticles could help fight cancer cells, while at the same reducing the negative impact traditional treatments have on patients.

• News: Sugar-Coated Nanoparticles Track Down, Destroy Tumors
  Nanoparticles that first illuminate and then destroy hidden tumors have been created by scientists at the University of California, San Diego.

• News: Hollow Gold Nanospheres Burn Tumors
  Hollow gold nanospheres that actively search for and burn tumors could prove particularly effective against malignant Melanoma, a deadly form of skin cancer responsible for around 48,000 deaths worldwide each year. Story link coming soon.

• Video: Nanotechnology Promises
  Nanotechnology's potential benefits come in the spotlight as Jorge Ribas talks with Andrew Maynard, chief science advisor for the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies.

• Puzzle: Nanotech Attacks Cancer
  Cancer-fighting nanoparticles find and attack tumors, a treatment that one day may eliminate the need for chemotherapy.

• IM Interview: Nano Swat Teams Kill Cancer
  Tracy Staedter chats with Geoffrey vonMaltzahn, who builds networks of artificial nanoparticles that communicate with each other to find cancer cells and destroy them.

• My Take: Nanotech Tests, Not All the Same
  Nanoparticles include many molecular types that differ significantly in their properties -- even within the same class of material. For this reason, each nanoparticle should be considered on a case-by-case basis, and scientists should be cautious about making generalizations.

• Video: Nanotechnology Risks
  Jorge Ribas talks with Andrew Maynard, chief science advisor for the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies, about the risks of nanotechnology. Story link coming soon.

Photo: iStockphoto

Take the Poll

March 24, 2009

Smart-Braking Car Saves Fuel. Drivers willing to turn braking and acceleration over to a computer could save nearly 25 percent on their annual gas bills, say the British developers of an advanced new cruise control system. Read the news story and then vote.

Quizzes by Quibblo.com

Wide Angle: Smart Highways

March 23, 2009

Intelligent highways equipped with wireless technology, fiber optics, sensors, cameras, GPS, electronic signs and robotic car have the potential to decrease traffic congestion, increase highway safety and reduce the environmental impact caused by traffic jams. We take a wide angle view on what those future roads may look like, here on Earth and even in the skies.

• Video: Down Future Roads, Everyone's Talking
  Traffic expert Rick Dye weighs in on the future of driving, where cars talk to other cars, your GPS lets you know there's an accident ahead and movies are beamed to your dashboard.

• Video: Is It Future Yet? Robot Cars
  Why drive when robots can do it for you? Researchers at Virginia Tech take Jorge Ribas on a ride into the future of your commute.

• Top 10: Parts of a Smart Highway
  Intelligent highways equipped with wireless technology, fiber optics, sensors, cameras, GPS, electronic signs and robotic car have the potential to decrease traffic congestion, increase highway safety and reduce the environmental impact caused by traffic jams.

• Puzzle: Highways to the Future
  Even without advanced technology and robotic cars, modern-day highways are impressive networks. We feature a few here in puzzles you can solve.

• Video: Flying Car Takes Off
  A new flying car has made its first successful trip down the runway.

• Blog: Transition from Street to Sky
  Terrafugia CEO Carl Dietrich explains how his fuel-efficient, street legal plane, "Transition," could reduce aviation emissions, take advantage of under-utilized public airports and fill awkward transportation gaps.

• Slideshow: Preparing for Flight
  Terrafugia's Transition is part car, part airplane. Here the pilot prepares for the vehicle's first flight. The two-seater airplane is designed to travel both in the air and on the road. See the slide show.

• News: Smart-Braking Car Saves Gas
  Drivers willing to turn braking and acceleration over to a computer could save nearly 25 percent on their annual gas bills, say the British developers of an advanced new cruise control system.

Variety is the Spice of Tech

March 16, 2009

This week on Discovery Tech, we have a mix of stories, news, podcasts, blogs, puzzles and other articles. Come back daily to check 'em out.

Monday: Clark Boyd's Technology Podcast. CCTV in the U.K., Corporate Snooping in Germany, U.S. DriveCams, and the EYEborg.
A bit of theme runs through this week's Technology Podcast from PRI's The World. That theme is surveillance. In fact, we take a hard look at all manner of technologies and entities that are, in fact, looking at you.

Tuesday: Puzzle. Biofuels made from sustainable crops are showing promise. And scientists are looking at everything from Algae to Jatropa.

Wednesday: Engineering Works podcast. Gene Charleton looks at how food engineers are using a microwave-like device and irradiation to get rid of unpleasant bacteria like salmonella and E-coli that can make us sick.

Thursday: Slideshow. Math Model Grows Snowflakes

Friday: Top 10 Uses for the Large Hadron Collider

Image: David Griffeath

The Wide Angle: Green Energy

March 09, 2009

The green energy revolution is driven by inventors and entrepreneurs who are making saving the planet a viable and profitable venture. This Wide Angle on Green Energy looks at the different kinds of green power available, from what's going on in the lab to what's being installed in the field and how everyone can benefit. 

And on TV, be sure to watch Earth: The Sequel, March 11, 12 and 15, on the Discovery Channel.

News: Hamster Power Charges Digital Devices
Researchers fitted a hamster with nanopiezoelectric jacket. As the hamster runs, the jacket moves and bounces to generate a current. About 1,000 hamster hours gives a full charge to a typical cell phone.

Video: Alternative Turkey Energy
The turkey industry produces over 1,7 million tons of turkey litter every year. In addition to fertilizer, this can now be used as an alternative energy source. Learn more in "HowStuffWorks" on Discovery Channel.

Video: Underwater Turbines Pump Out Energy
Parts of New York City are getting their power from underwater turbines. Kasey-Dee Gardner finds out more about this type of renewable energy.

Top 10: Ideas for a Greener Roof
Blending modern techniques with tried-and-true methods can turn an empty roof into an environmentally sound space. Here are the hottest ways for roofs to go green.

Puzzle: Green Power
Eco-friendly energy comes in all shapes and sizes. Check out some of the most popular means for acquiring sustainable power.

Quiz: Is it Green or Green-washed?
As the green movement continues to gather momentum and support, more organizations and companies are jumping on the train. But sometimes adopting a truly green business model is complicated and expensive. In other words: It isn't easy being green. As a result, some companies hoodwink consumers into thinking their company's products and services are green, when they are not. Test your green vs. greenwashing knowledge with this quiz.

How To: Go Green
A comprehensive breakdown of the different types of alternative energy available to power and heat your home as well as notes on what you should consider before investing in one.

Work and Connect: Green Your Home, Get a Tax Break
The United States government is extending tax breaks to homeowners who have decided to green up their home. Here's a rundown of 16 green upgrades to a house that could net homeowners a tax break.

Powrtalk Blog: Wet, Green Energy
The earth's surface is seventy percent ocean. Half the world lives within fifty miles of (but not upon) the oceans. More live near (but not upon) lakes and rivers and streams. This represents a lot of energy-laden water, located exactly next to people.

Photo: iStockphoto/Andrejs Zemdega

WIDE ANGLE: Bird Strike Avoidance Technology

March 02, 2009

The story is now legendary; bird strikes caused both engines on a US Airways flight to fail, sending it to a watery landing in the Hudson River. Everyone survived, but such an event could happen again. So how can it be prevented? In this Wide Angle on Bird Strike Technology, we'll take a look at the topics from a bunch of different angles. And don't miss the Discovery special, "Hudson Plane Crash: What Really Happened?" airing Wednesday at 10 p.m. ET/PT.

News: Radar Could Lower Bird-Aircraft Collisions Experts from DeTect, Inc. and the U.S. Air Force say that bird detecting radar technology available today could prevent, or at least lower the chances, of a bird strike that could down an airline.

Slide Show: How to Prevent Bird Strikes
Airfields and airports use a variety of techniques and technology to minimize the chances of airplanes colliding with birds. Here are few of those methods and how they work.

Puzzle: Take Off!
Most bird strikes happen at airports, where hundreds of flights are taking off and landing each day. Check out these picturesque puzzles, which feature big international airports and planes doing what planes do best.

Top 10: Animal Vs. Aircraft Stories
Take a look at the top 10 bird strike stories throughout the history of aviation, from near misses to direct hits, and the aftermath that followed.

Video: Bird Strike Feathers Analyzed
Aircraft bird strikes are on the rise; two Canada geese brought down Flight 1549 into the Hudson recently. And the Smithsonian's Feather Identification Lab - BSI for short - is on the case. Kasey-Dee Gardner investigates the three ways the lab IDs thousands of feathers, and why they're so important to improving airport safety.

My Take: Aircraft Lights Could Reduce Bird Hits
Bradley Blackwell of Wildlife Services explains that one effective avoidance technique may not come from the ground, but from the air. If airplanes were lit differently, birds might be able to see them better and avoid them.

Photo: istockphoto/Michael Ivanin