Clark Science Center Intranet

Low levels of fallout from Fukushima, U.S. study finds
Fallout from the 2011 Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power facility in Japan was measured in minimal amounts in precipitation in the United States in about 20 percent of 167 sites sampled in a nationwide U.S. study.

For disaster debris arriving from Japan, radiation least of the concerns
Later this year debris from the earthquake and tsunami that devastated Japan should begin to wash up on US shores -- and one question many have asked is whether that will pose a radiation risk. The simple answer is, no.

Is there a general motivation center in the depths of the brain?
Researchers have identified the part of the brain driving motivation during actions that combine physical and mental effort: the ventral striatum.

'Miracle material' graphene is thinnest known anti-corrosion coating
New research has established the "miracle material" called graphene as the world's thinnest known coating for protecting metals against corrosion.

Faster way to catch cells: New microfluidic device could be used to diagnose ...
Separating complex mixtures of cells, such as those found in a blood sample, can offer valuable information for diagnosing and treating disease. However, it may be necessary to search through billions of other cells to collect rare cells such as tumor cells, stem cells or fetal cells. Researchers ha...

Birds sing louder amidst the noise and structures of the urban jungle
Sparrows, blackbirds and the great tit are all birds known to sing at a higher pitch in urban environments. It was previously believed that these birds sang at higher frequencies in order to escape the lower frequencies noises of the urban environment. Now, researchers have discovered that besides n...

New way to tap largest remaining treasure trove of potential new antibiotics
Scientists are reporting use of a new technology for sifting through the world's largest remaining pool of potential antibiotics to discover two new antibiotics that work against deadly resistant microbes, including the "superbugs" known as MRSA.

Exposure to micronutrients pre-pregnancy associated with gene modifications i...
The offspring of women who were given micronutrient supplements (minerals needed in small quantities, such as iron, iodine and vitamin A) before they became pregnant had gene modifications at birth as well as when they were tested at nine months.

Researchers take a step forward in transplanting pig cells to regenerate huma...
Researchers have recently studied the response of human NK cells against porcine chondrocytes. The results of the research indicate that these cells, characteristic of the innate immune system, play an important role in the rejection of xenotransplantation of porcine chondrocytes.

Heart beats to the rhythm of a circadian clock
Sudden cardiac death -- catastrophic and unexpected fatal heart stoppage -- is more likely to occur shortly after waking in the morning and in the late night. In a new study, an international consortium of researchers explains the molecular linkage between the circadian clock and the deadly heart rh...

World of Warcraft boosts cognitive functioning in older adults
For some older adults, the online video game World of Warcraft (WoW) may provide more than an opportunity for escapist adventure. Researchers have found that playing WoW boosted cognitive functioning for older adults ? particularly those who had scored poorly on cognitive ability tests before playin...

What can animals' survival instincts tell us about understanding human emotion?
Can animals? survival instincts shed additional light on what we know about human emotion? Neuroscientists pose this question in outlining a pioneering theory, drawn from two decades of research, that could lead to a more comprehensive understanding of emotions in both humans and animals.

How cancer cells change once they spread to distant organs
Oncologists have known that in order for cancer cells to spread, they must transform themselves so they can detach from a tumor and spread to a distant organ. Now, scientists have revealed critical steps in what happens next -- how these cells reverse the process, morphing back into classical cancer...

NASA's Spitzer finds solid buckyballs in space
Astronomers using data from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope have, for the first time, discovered buckyballs in a solid form in space. Prior to this discovery, the microscopic carbon spheres had been found only in gas form in the cosmos.

Earth's clouds are getting lower, NASA satellite finds
Earth's clouds got a little lower -- about one percent on average -- during the first decade of this century, finds a new NASA-funded university study based on NASA satellite data. The results have potential implications for future global climate.

New twist on nanowires: Technology can control composition and structure of t...
Nanowires -- microscopic fibers that can be "grown" in the lab -- are a hot research topic today, with a variety of potential applications including light-emitting diodes and sensors. Now, researchers has found a way of precisely controlling the width and composition of these tiny strands as they gr...

Tiny, implantable medical device can propel itself through bloodstream
For 50 years, scientists had searched for the secret to making tiny implantable devices that could travel through the bloodstream. Engineers have now demonstrated a wirelessly powered device that just may make the dream a reality.

From Bass Strait to the Indian Ocean: Tracking a current
Deep-diving ocean "gliders" have revealed the journey of Bass Strait water from the Tasman Sea to the Indian Ocean.

Newly identified oral bacterium linked to heart disease and meningitis
A novel bacterium, thought to be a common inhabitant of the oral cavity, has the potential to cause serious disease if it enters the bloodstream, according to a new study.

Observing single atoms during relaxation toward equilibrium
Scientists have succeeded for the first time in simulating the dynamic behavior of strongly correlated individual atoms in solids. They were able to string atoms in so-called optical lattices and observe their dynamic behavior, which is determined by complex interactions with other atoms.