This week on radio, Tim Thwaites is talking about artificial skin; the optical illusions of bowerbirds; tractor beams; earthquakes; and more
1. Artificial skins detect the gentlest touch—Artificial skins developed independently by two groups in the US are now so sensitive they can detect the weight of a butterfly landing on them. The materials could eventually be used in constructing prosthetic devices or touch-sensitive robots.—Nature Materials
A Nature story on this topic can be found at http://www.nature.com/news/2010/100912/full/news.2010.463.html
2. Fault maps could aid earthquake forecasts—German researchers have for the first time measured all the events leading up to a major earthquake—the 8.8 Richter scale monster that rocked Chile earlier this year. In doing so, they have proved what has always been thought for more than a century, that quakes happen in response to the build up of strain in a faultline. Their work may bring the day of accurate forecasting closer.—Nature
A Nature story on this topic can be found at http://www.nature.com/news/2010/100908/full/news.2010.456.html
3. New model predicts prem complications—Researchers in America have developed a model that can predict the outcomes of premature birth with greater than 90 per cent accuracy. This model could help doctors identify and treat the sickest babies, potentially saving billions of dollars in healthcare costs.—Science Translational Medicine
A Science story on this topic can be found at http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2010/09/new-model-predicts-complications.html
4. Beam me away, Scotty— In a first step towards Star Trek-style tractor and repulsor beams, physicists in Canberra have harnessed the force exerted by lasers to move tiny objects, such as cells and viruses.—Physical Review Letters
A Science story on this topic can be found at http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2010/09/physicists-fashion-the-ultimate-.html
5. Why some memories stick—Practice makes perfect when it comes to remembering, and US researchers now have a good idea why. They found that reactivating nerve patterns over and over again can etch items into the memory. People find it easier to recall material that is presented repeatedly at well-spaced intervals rather than all at once.—Science
A Nature story on this topic can be found at http://www.nature.com/news/2010/100909/full/news.2010.457.html
6. Bowerbirds trick mates with optical illusions—Male bowerbirds weave optical illusions into their nests. In this way, they can fool potential mates into thinking they are much bigger than they really are, according to a researcher in Geelong.—Current Biology
A Nature story on this topic can be found at http://www.nature.com/news/2010/100909/full/news.2010.458.html