World's smallest battery uses a single nanowire, plant-eating virus could improve Li-ion cells tenfold

When it comes to building better batteries, building electrodes with greater surface area is key, and scientists are looking to exotic methods to attract the tiny particles they need. We've already seen graphene and carbon nanotubes soak up those electrons, but the University of Maryland has another idea -- they're using the Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) to generate usable patterns of nanorods on the surface of existing metal electrodes. By simply modifying the germ and letting it do its thing, then coating the surface with a conductive film, they're generating ten times the energy capacity of a standard lithium-ion battery while simultaneously rendering the nasty vegetarian bug inert.

Meanwhile, the Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies (CINT) at Sandia Labs was more curious how these tiny charges actually work without confusing the forest for the trees, so to speak, so a team of scientists set about constructing the world's smallest battery. Using a single tin dioxide nanowire as anode, a chunk of lithium cobalt dioxide as cathode, and piping some liquid electrolyte in between, they took a microscopic video of the charging process. See it in all its grey, goopy glory right after the break.

Food for a nice smile and fresh breath

Cinnamon destroys oral bacteria, apple calcium and phosphorus prevent tooth decay, tea stops plaque.

It is known that too much sugar can damage oral health.However, there are foods that are good for teeth and gums as well. We bring the surprising list of foods and herbs that protect the teeth and reduce bad breath.

Yogurt

Sugar free yogurt reduces the number of bacteria that cause bad breath, tooth decay and gum diseases. Studies done on volunteers who consumed a serving of yogurt each day for 6 months, have shown that their levels of hydrogen-sulphide, the main cause of bad breath, decreased by 80 percent. Their levels of dental plaque and gingivitis decreased as well.

Cheese, chicken and nuts

Cheese, chicken and nuts provide calcium and phosphorus. These elements are essential for re-storage of minerals in teeth and for rebuilding of acid damaged enamel. We all know that milk is good for teeth, and this is because milk provides calcium, which also promotes storage of minerals.

Tea

Tea, especially black, is extremely useful in fighting bacteria that causes plaque. Tea limits opportunities for enzyme that converts sugar in the adhesive layer that enables the development of plaque on teeth. It also prevents gathering of bacteria, which reduces the amount of plaque buildup. Research has shown that drinking tea helps in the prevention of common human diseases, caries and parodentoze.

Cinnamon

Essential oil obtained from cinnamon can destroy the bacteria. Peppermint, rosemary and sage are popular for covering up bad breath, but cinnamon is the only one that really destroys the oral bacteria that produce hydrogen sulfide (rotten egg smell).

Good results are often achieved by chewing gum with cinnamon. The tests showed that they destroyed 50 percent of all oral bacteria, and 40 percent of those caused bad breath. Cinnamon tea has the same effect.

Mediterranean diet fights depression

People who practice the Mediterranean diet have 30% less chances of getting depressed than those who don’t.

People whopractice the so-called Mediterranean diet, that is, people whose menus are rich in vegetables, fruits, nuts, grains and fish, are at a lower risk of developing depression, Reuters writes.

The research conducted by Spanish scientists, found that those who ate the Mediterranean diet reduced the risk of depression by as much as 30 percent compared to those who didn’t.

Mediterranean diet reduces the risk of diabetes

- The specific mechanisms that prevent the occurrence of depression, are still not known - Almudena Sanchez-Villegas from the University of Las Palmas, which conducted this study, said.

However, she states that elements of the diet can greatly improve cardiovascular function, restore damaged cells in the body, and reduce the development of depression.

The advantage of the Mediterranean diet, the experts note, is also that it reduces the risk of diabetes, asthma and cancer. Scientists obtained this data by analyzing the questionnaire that was filled by 11,000 persons.

Staring at breasts is a workout

Ten minutes of staring at female breast equals thirthy minutes of doing pushups and lifting weights.

If you hate exercise, but still want to look good, stare at women's breasts for at least ten minutes every day. The study of German scientists shows that ten minutes of staring at female breast does the same thing for men as half an hour of pushups or weight lifting, international media reports.

The study lasted for five years and it was attended by more than 200 men. It was led by Dr. Karen Weatherby, who observed how viewing women's breasts causes faster heart rate in men, leading to increased circulation, improved blood pressure and reduced heart problems. It basically equals a 30-minute workout at the gym.

- Our research indicates that daily ‘staring’ can reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes by half. We believe that consistent work can extend the life of men from four to five years - said Weatherby.

A group of science mathematicians have discovered the largest prime number.

A group of science mathematicians at UCLA have discovered the largest prime number. The recent discovery makes them eligible for a $100,000 grand prize. It will mark the eighth Mersenne prime discovered at UCLA.

A group of science mathematicians at UCLA found the 46th known Mersenne prime last month on a network of 75 computers running Windows XP. The number was verified by a different computer system running a different algorithm.

"We're delighted," said UCLA's Edson Smith, the leader of the effort. "Now we're looking for the next one, despite the odds."
Primes are numbers like three, seven and 11 that are divisible by only two whole positive numbers: themselves and one.

Mersenne primes are expressed as 2P-1, or two to the power of "P" minus one. P is itself a prime number. For the new prime, P is 43,112,609.
Thousands of people around the world have been participating in the Great Internet Mersenne Prime Search, or GIMPS, a cooperative system in which underused computing power is harnessed to perform the calculations needed to find and verify Mersenne primes.

The $100,000 prize is being offered by the Electronic Frontier Foundation for finding the first Mersenne prime with more than 10 million digits. The foundation supports individual rights on the Internet and set up the prime number prize to promote cooperative computing using the Web.

Top 10 Latest Inventions of July 2009

1. Water-Efficient Washing Machine

This invention was developed by Xeros (not to be confused with Xerox). Its washing machine uses nylon beads and thus is able to save up to 90 percent of water compared to traditional washers. Thus the washing machine has two main advantages: it saves you money and is environmentally friendly.

2. Technology that Scans User's Ear to Avoid Theft

This technology can protect iPods and other mobile devices from theft. The ears of every person have individual "acoustic fingerprint". The technology analyzes the distinctive sounds of the ear chamber and then decides whether the device belongs to the owner or not. It is worth mentioning that such invention could be widely used to improve safety measures of bank accounts and passports.

3. System that Converts Boot Force into Electricity

This invention could become very popular among soldiers. It uses the energy accumulated from tramping feet to power a wide range of portable devices. With its help soldiers' backpacks would be lighter by up to 10 kilograms, because it would exclude the necessity of wearing heavy batteries. The invention could also be used in everyday life. For example when a person does jogging they can power their MP3 player

4. Portable Microscope Attached to Mobile Phone to Identify and Track Diseases

This invention could be widely used by scientists to identify dangerous diseases like malaria and tuberculosis and transmit the data to health centers for research. It could be used in Africa to track the spread of diseases, take pictures of cell samples and covey via Internet the information to European specialists for additional studies.

5. Cloak that Changes the Direction of Seismic Waves

The invention is not developed yet, but there are premises for its creation. Earthquakes produce body and surface waves. Using concentric rings the cloak will have the ability to control the dangerous surface waves and redirect them to avoid the destruction of buildings.

6. Device that Helps Dogs' Owners Understand Their Language

The name of the invention is Bowlingual. It analyzes the dog's bark and attempts to identify the pet's emotions. It features a unit with a speech synthesizer that informs the owner about what their pet wants to say. Everything is displayed on the gadget's screen.

7. Technology that Lets Users Operate Animated Characters Using Own Movements

OpenSTAGE platform is the technology that makes it possible for people to operate with virtual characters by moving own body parts. There is no need to wear any additional devices that in other inventions track the body movement - a person simply stands in front of a monitor and the technology tracks every movement and transfers the information to the computer, thus bringing an animated character to life. Such technology can be used in medicine, sports and entertainment. 

8. Synthetic Tree that Captures CO2

The artificial tree is the latest invention of scientists from Columbia University. The technology allows to capture CO2 a thousands times faster compared to a real tree, which is crucial for tacking global warming. The tree gathers carbon dioxide emitted from cars and airplanes just like a sponge and then filters it. In 24 hours the tree can absorb about a ton of CO2, which is almost the amount of gas emitted by 20 cars.

9. 3D Sensors that Allow Users to Interact with Various Devices Without Touch

This invention allows users to interact with computers and other devices just like the main character in "Minority Report" did, i.e. without touch. The technology could be widely used in gaming. In addition, the 3D sensors could replace weight detectors in cars, thus be able to signal, for example, whether a child is in a seat.

10. Robot that Writes Prescriptions and Distributes Drugs to Patients

The number one robotic nation is Japan and one of its latest inventions in the field was developed by Panasonic. The company claims that its robot is able to write prescriptions and distribute drugs to patients. The robot will be able to do the job in just 2 hours in a hospital with 400 beds (twice as fast as a skilled pharmacist).