NASA launches sun-scanning instrument

The chromosphere is a narrow layer above the photosphere that raises in temperature with height. The coloring of the chromosphere (deep red) is caused by the immense hydrogen supply it contains. Credit: NASA WHITE SANDS, N.M., July 5 (UPI) — A rocket carrying an instrument to study changing magnetic fields on the sun was launched from the White Sands Test Facility in New Mexico Thursday, NASA said. Continue reading

Nanotechnology breakthrough could dramatically improve medical tests

Public release date: 31-May-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ] Contact: Steven Schultz sschultz@princeton.edu 609-258-3617 Princeton University, Engineering School A laboratory test used to detect disease and perform biological research could be made more than 3 million times more sensitive, according to researchers who combined standard biological tools with a breakthrough in nanotechnology. The increased performance could greatly improve the early detection of cancer, Alzheimer’s disease and other disorders by allowing doctors to detect far lower concentrations of telltale markers than was previously practical. The breakthrough involves a common biological test called an immunoassay, which mimics the action of the immune system to detect the presence of biomarkers the chemicals associated with diseases Continue reading