ScienceDaily: Computers & Math News

New solder for semiconductors creates technological possibilities Posted: 17 Feb 2015 12:40 PM PST Scientists have demonstrated how semiconductors can be soldered and still deliver good electronic performance.

Building a more versatile frequency comb: Newly developed frequency combs can operate at higher power Posted: 17 Feb 2015 10:12 AM PST Researchers have developed a room temperature frequency comb with increased power based on quantum cascade lasers. Since the discovery of optical frequency combs in the 1990s, many applications in metrology, spectroscopy, and frequency synthesis have emerged. Similar to the way a grandfather clock's pendulum ticks off the seconds before signaling the gears to turn its hands, frequency combs count oscillations and convert them into useful electronic signals.

Some bilinguals use emoticons more when chatting in non-native language Posted: 17 Feb 2015 08:46 AM PST One group of bilingual speakers used emoticons more often when typing in their second language in casual, online communication than they did when typing in their native tongue, a study has found.

Mapping seascapes in the deep ocean Posted: 17 Feb 2015 08:43 AM PST A new, automated method for classifying hundreds of kilometres of the deep sea floor in a way that is more cost efficient, quicker and more objective than previously possible has been developed by researchers.

Modular anatomical structure of human head described for first time Posted: 17 Feb 2015 08:43 AM PST A new mathematical analysis tool has allowed a deeper understanding of the anatomy of the human head thanks to describing the skull as an extended network structured in ten modules. For the first time ever, the researchers added the head muscles and cartilages to the study of the skull bones (including the inner ear bones, the jaw and the bones that connect with head muscles, such as cervical vertebrae and clavicles).

Speech disorders: Crowdsourcing a valid option for gathering speech ratings Posted: 17 Feb 2015 08:41 AM PST Crowdsourcing -- where responses to a task are aggregated across a large number of individuals recruited online -- can be an effective tool for rating sounds in speech disorders research, according to a study.

A new spin on spintronics Posted: 17 Feb 2015 08:40 AM PST A team of researchers is exploring new materials that could yield higher computational speeds and lower power consumption, even in harsh environments.

Botanist harnesses the grid to illuminate crop growth Posted: 06 Feb 2015 09:51 AM PST When you crunch data on Wisconsin corn, the numbers boggle the mind. Four million acres are planted annually, with 30,000 seeds planted per acre, producing about 120 billion seedlings sprouting skyward each May. Now researchers are applying this astronomical sense of scale to our understanding of corn to quantify the incredibly complex process of corn growth from seed to vigorous seedling — not just one at a time, but over thousands of samples.

Researchers to begin work with news organizations in an effort to advance aerial journalism Posted: 05 Feb 2015 11:11 AM PST Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership leaders will work with users and the Federal Aviation Administration to determine equipment and training needs for the advancement of aerial journalism. Pending FAA approval, the effort may create a path for news organizations to use drones.

Text messages a new tool in fight to prevent skin cancer Posted: 05 Feb 2015 08:16 AM PST Our love affair with mobile phones could save our lives, according to a study using text messages to improve skin cancer prevention and promote sun protection.