http://www.redorbit.com/news/video/ RedOrbit.com offers Space, Science, and Technology news and information. For the latest space news, science news, technology news, and gift & gadgets visit redorbit.com frequently. Copyright RedOrbit 2013-06-19T08:05:01+0000 en-us us http://www.redorbit.com/news/video/health_2/1112877001/accurate-acl-repair-06182013/ 1112877001
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Hydrogen sulfide, or H2S, is normally toxic, but in small amounts it plays a role in cardiovascular health.

In the new study, chemists developed a chemical probe that reacts and lights up when live human cells generate hydrogen sulfide, says chemist Alexander R. Lippert, Southern Methodist University, Dallas. The discovery allows researchers to observe the process through a microscope.

The researchers captured on video the successful chemical probe at work, Lippert said.

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credit: NASA]]> 2013-06-18T12:19:31+0000 http://www.redorbit.com/news/video/health_2/1112868951/asthma-drug-shows-promisiing-results-060913/ 1112868951 2013-06-18T05:00:05+0000 http://www.redorbit.com/news/video/health_2/1112869397/skin-cancer-drug-shows-promise-in-reversing-memory-loss-061013/ 1112869397 2013-06-18T04:45:04+0000 http://www.redorbit.com/news/video/the-daily-orbit/1112877006/astronauts-chosen-by-nasa-for-future-missions-061813/ 1112877006 space explorers.

France finds feline inspiration.

Tweet ain’t no longer slang.

And running on hooch on today’s Daily Orbit.

Hello and welcome to the Daily Orbit. I’m Emerald Robinson.

And then there were 8. NASA’s 2013 Astronaut Candidate Class started with 6,300 potential candidates, but after sifting through resumes for a year and a half, they have selected their eight contenders. These maybe-astronauts will receive technical training at space centers around the world to prepare for missions to low-Earth orbit, an asteroid and Mars. Class is in-session this August. NASA said these candidates demonstrated impressive strengths academically, operationally, and physically with diverse backgrounds and skill sets. NASA should have jumped on the bandwagon and made the selection process a reality show. “Astronaut, you are safe! You are continuing on and are one step closer to Mars…”

Maybe when these astronauts go to Mars they’ll take this cat with them! Engineers in France have developed this feline inspired robot that they say could be included in search and rescue missions or, yes, for space exploration on mountainous terrain. The cheetah-cub is the fastest of its kind, able to run 7 times its body length in one second. The leg design is based on detailed observation and construction of an actual feline leg with the same proportions and springs for tendons and small motors for muscles. They said the robo-cat is light, compact, and made from cheap materials. Doesn’t science make you purr?

And from an artificial cat leg to an artificial bone—is there anything science can’t do? Well, except teleporting, but I’m still holding out for that one. Using 3D printing technology, MIT scientists have created physical fracture-resistant, bone-like structures from synthetic materials. They created bone simulations with the same geometric patterns seen in natural bone, but also new designs that do not exist in nature but could be stronger. Authors of the study said that one day whole buildings could be printed with optimized materials.

And with all the recent concern about how climate change is affecting our ecosystems, it’s no surprise that scientists have been stumped as to how fish were able to survive and thrive in the toxic oceans and past climate changes the Earth has gone through over the past 400 million years. They say the key to their survival lies in the hemoglobin in their blood, which is responsible for unloading large amounts of oxygen into their tissues when there was a lack of oxygen in the water. The molecule hemoglobin was eventually passed on to us humans, and we use the same system today—although fish seem to be more efficient than us, since scientists say we branched off from fish in the evolutionary chain about 350 million years ago when the hemoglobin system was in its early stages. Scientists say we can study fish for better insight into conditions influenced by oxygen levels in the body.

“Tweet.”(noun): A posting made on the social media website Twitter. (verb) “make a posting on the social media website Twitter.” “Tweet” is officially part of the English language landing in the Oxford English Dictionary. The new admission also included the words “follow” and “follower.” I tweet to my followers who follow me and they love my tweets.

Put in the hooch and let’s scoot! How many times have you heard someone say—“that stuff could run a car!” Well it can and a Scottish energy start up is looking to do just that. The company Celtic Renewables is taking the draff—the residue of grains of barley and pot ale—and turning it into biobutanol. In a distillery, only 10% of what flows out will be whiskey, the other 90% is draff. And whiskey makers should be on board as draff disposal hits their bottom line. They are working on the process to make it more cost competitive. Well that puts the “GO” in Whiskey a go-go!

And that’s all for the Daily Orbit. See you tomorrow!]]> 2013-06-18T04:44:08+0000 http://www.redorbit.com/news/video/science_2/1112875466/a-robot-that-runs-like-a-cat-06172013/ 1112875466
Credit: EPFLnews

[ Read the Article: Robo Cat Design Based On Real Feline Anatomy ]]]> 2013-06-18T04:30:32+0000 http://www.redorbit.com/news/video/space_2/1112875463/astronaut-class-of-2013-06172013/ 1112875463
The 2013 astronaut candidate class comes from the second largest number of applications NASA has received -- more than 6,000. Half of the selectees are women, making this the highest percentage of female astronaut candidates ever selected for a class. The group will receive a wide array of technical training at space centers and remote locations around the globe to prepare for missions to low-Earth orbit, an asteroid and Mars.

credit: NASA

[ Read the Article: NASA Whittles Down New Astronaut Candidates To Eight ]]]> 2013-06-18T04:15:17+0000 http://www.redorbit.com/news/video/health_2/1112874202/sun-damage-protection-tips-and-tricks-061413/ 1112874202 2013-06-18T04:00:01+0000 http://www.redorbit.com/news/video/health_2/1112874203/adhd-drug-and-alcohol-abuse-risks-061413/ 1112874203 2013-06-18T03:50:02+0000 http://www.redorbit.com/news/video/health_2/1112875805/relief-for-rotator-cuff-tears-06172013/ 1112875805
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credit: University of Michigan]]> 2013-06-17T11:02:27+0000 http://www.redorbit.com/news/video/health_2/1112868802/diabetes-prevention-fish-oil-060813/ 1112868802 2013-06-17T05:00:04+0000 http://www.redorbit.com/news/video/health_2/1112868950/stroke-costs-on-the-rise-060913/ 1112868950 2013-06-17T04:45:04+0000 http://www.redorbit.com/news/video/the-daily-orbit/1112875683/menopause-from-natural-selection-and-men-061713/ 1112875683 menopause?

Could it be a no-go for snow in LA?

Why medical devices aren’t so secure.

And the science of bad hair on the Daily Orbit!

Hello and welcome to the Daily Orbit. I’m Emerald Robinson.

There’s a reason the word menopause begins with m-e-n. A new study from McMaster University in Canada says that menopause was born of natural selection. Women only stopped reproducing at an older age because men tended to choose younger mates. Being dropped from the “mating pool” lead to mutations and hormone changes that caused menopause. Researchers said that had females continued to mate and reproduce in their older age, they would have maintained the ability to reproduce—like men. Or if the cards had played out the other way and women would have chosen younger mates, menopause would have happened to men. But let’s think about Demi and Ashton, Mariah and Nick… Looks like the tables are turning men, and it’s the females choosing the younger mates now—watch out! Natural selection might get you.

And hackers could have their sights set on the medical community next. At a time when eyes are on national cyber security, the FDA says the medical community needs to be on guard. A recent report showed that many medical devices—from patient monitors to surgical equipment—have been infected with malware. Researchers say it’s easy to find passwords for medical equipment, as they tend to be the default passwords. And it’s easy to spread malware through a medical center with infected thumb drives or visiting an infected website. Malware is pathogenic I guess you could say! The researchers said that a motivated hacker could do serious damage to these unsecured systems and that “to fight the evils of the internet, not only do you have to have a moat, you have to have a drawbridge, burning oil to pour on attackers, and guys with arrows.” Love the medieval metaphor.

And this report made me sad because I love to go snowboarding in California! A new study from UCLA reveals snowfall in the Los Angeles-area mountains will be 30-40% lower by mid-century. Of course the culprit is climate change but researchers say the choices we make now could save the snowfall. They say Los Angeles must begin today to prepare for climate change and mitigate greenhouse gases. If there is less snowfall it could mean changes in seasonal timing of local water resources, greater difficulty controlling floods and damage to mountain and river ecosystems. But to spoiled Angelenos, it would mean you couldn’t go to the beach and go skiing on the same day. Think about that!

Ursa major has flare. The star WX UMa in this constellation gave off a major flare, shining 15 times brighter in a matter of 160 seconds. It’s a so-called flare star—a class of stars that become 100 times or more brighter within a few seconds or minutes. Flares are caused when a small focus of instability arises within the plasma of the star, causing turbulence in its magnetic field. Scientists liken it to an electric discharge. Scientists say it’s important to study these flares and flare stars because it provides us key information about the formation and evolution of stars.

And my hair has been experiencing some unusual flare. Everyone here at the Daily Orbit knows my hair drives me crazy and there actually might be a scientific explanation it turns out. Scientists say that copper lurking in our water can leave hair dull and lifeless. Though low levels of copper occur naturally in tap water, most deposits come from pipes and hot water tanks in our homes. Researchers say this residue builds up on hair, accelerating any damage that has already been caused. What you get? Dry hair with split ends and fly-aways. And no amount of Pantene can repair it! So what is a girl to do? Researchers say chelants—chemicals commonly found in laundry detergent can neutralize the copper. So the race is on for beauty companies to find a way to incorporate chelants into dyes and shampoos.

Well that’s all for the Daily Orbit. See you tomorrow!]]> 2013-06-17T04:44:52+0000 http://www.redorbit.com/news/video/health_2/1112874339/lifesaving-superglue-for-baby-061413/ 1112874339 2013-06-17T04:30:03+0000 http://www.redorbit.com/news/video/space_2/1112874427/earth-from-space-south-island-06142013/ 1112874427
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