Researchers fold origami with light

Replacing the need for nimble fingers, researchers have demonstrated how to make origami using light of a specific wavelength. They call the new folding technique photo-origami, and it could potentially be used as a way to manufacture 3D structures.

The team of mechanical engineers led by Professor Martin Dunn of the University of Colorado at Boulder has published a paper on their simulations and experiments of photo-origami in a recent issue of Applied Physics Letters.

“[We have developed] a non-contact method to bend and fold polymer films in precise, 3D programmable ways, guided by computational simulations,” Dunn told Phys.org.

As the researchers explain in their study, there are several different methods for creating materials that can fold by themselves in a programmable manner. Most of these methods involve attaching an actuator onto the material and applying an external actuation force. Finding a way to make the material fold by itself without using these “parasitic elements” could greatly simplify the process, which could enable more diverse applications.

Because photo-origami only uses light and a mechanical straining force to fold materials, it could potentially serve as a simple, automated sequential folding process. In their study, the researchers experimentally demonstrate how photo-origami works using a flat, two-dimensional polymer that contains photoinitiators. First, the polymer is stretched to create a mechanical strain. Then light is applied to a specific area of the polymer, such as along a line to be folded, which causes the photoinitiators to disassociate into free radicals. The highly reactive radicals then fragment and reform polymer chains, resulting in stress relaxation in the chosen area. This redistribution of stress through the material causes a change of shape as the material strives to achieve mechanical equilibrium, folding along the chosen line.

That process results in a single fold. For each additional fold, the irradiation, and potentially straining, steps are repeated. When the steps are performed in a specific sequence, the technique can produce complex shapes. To demonstrate, the researchers fabricated a heart and a six-sided closed box.

“In principle, this could make many complex structures consisting of bends and folds in arbitrary directions and sequences,” Dunn said. “The computational simulations can be used to design myriad structures, many that we could not conceive without simulations.”

As a form of technical origami, photo-origami could enable applications far beyond origami’s original purpose as a creative art. Technical origami can be used in situations in which an object must be stored and transported and later deployed for use. This need arises, for example, for space-based solar arrays, automobile airbags, tissue engineering, shopping cartons, and photovoltaic cells that optimally capture sunlight throughout the day. Origami could also be used to fold molecules into specific shapes for the purpose of tailoring their molecular properties.

via Researchers fold origami with light.

‘Egg’ from meteorite ‘is proof of life’ on Mars

SCIENTISTS claim this egg-shaped object is the final proof of life on Mars after finding it inside a meteorite from the Red Planet.

Professor Chandra Wickramasinghe said the globule from the rock named Tissint is rich in carbon and oxygen and insisted they could only have been produced by living organisms.

He added that they could not have been caused by contamination when they fell to Earth.

Prof Wickramasinghe, 72 — famous for controversial ideas such as that the flu virus and even life itself was brought to our planet by comets — said: “It is impossible to understand how carbon-rich particles of such uniform sizes and shapes got inside a rocky matrix if they are not relics of some algal species.

“Tissint was collected weeks after it fell, and terrestrial contamination seems unlikely. In any case the structures we found were on newly fractured surfaces, from the interior of the meteorite.”

The meteorite was named after the village where it came down in the Sahara desert in Morocco last July.

It was probably blasted from Mars when it was hit by an asteroid millions of years ago.

A piece of it was examined at the Buckingham Centre for Astrobiology and Cardiff University.

PhD student Jamie Wallis, who was working with Dr Wickramasinghe, said: “All the indications are that structures such as we have found are evidence of life on Mars.

“The spheres are probably remnants of polysaccharide shells surrounding algal type cells.”

In 2009, a NASA team claimed they had photographed Martian organisms inside another meteorite that is kept in London’s Natural History Museum.

Their electron microscope showed a bumpy surface resembling a fossilised colony of microbacteria in a rock that fell from the sky in Nakhla, Egypt, in 1911.

The team from NASA’s Johnson Space Centre examined the space rock to support their claims in 1996 that Martian bugs had been found in a meteorite, ALH84001, found in Antarctica where it had been lying for thousands of years.

That discovery, which NASA later officially backtracked from, was considered so important that President Clinton addressed the nation on TV.

Earlier this month, another group of scientists claimed that the first two Viking probes that NASA landed on Mars in 1976 discovered life but failed to recognise it.

via ‘Egg’ from Mars meteorite Tissint ‘is proof of life’ | The Sun |News.

Do two giant ‘bubbles’ of radiation at heart of Milky Way hold the ‘smoking gun’ that proves dark matter exists

High energy collisions around the black hole at the heart of our galaxy, the Milky Way, may be ‘smoking gun’ evidence of dark matter, the elusive substance which makes up two thirds of the galaxy.

Sciencitts have spent decades trying to find and even recreate it – but still have no conclusive proof it even exists.

However, Christoph Weniger of the Max Planck Institute for Physics in Munich now believes he may have found the first concrete evidence.

Researchers say a pair of enormous gamma-ray-emitting bubbles extending outwards from the plane of the Milky Way could hold the key to the discovery.

By carrying out statistical analysis of three and a half years worth of publicly available data from NASA’s Fermi Space Telescope, he believes he may have spotted a tell-tale sign of exotic particles within the Milky Way.

If proved to be real, this ‘gamma-ray line’ would, he claims, be a ‘smoking-gun signature’ of dark matter.

Experts agree that supermassive black holes, like the one at the center of the Milky Way, release jets that interact with surrounding dark matter.

This interaction is thought to be the source of high-energy gamma rays that satellites like Fermi can detect. What the satellites can see are the photons produced when these jets interact with dark matter.

After analysing three years of data, Weniger claims to have found a provisional result which shows a peak in energy, which shows up as a a line in the gamma ray spectrum.

This, he claims, could be proof of dark matter interacting with the jets.

However, scientists admit more work is needed to prove the theory. …

via Do two giant ‘bubbles’ of radiation at heart of Milky Way hold the ‘smoking gun’ that proves dark matter exists | Mail Online.

Scientists switch off brain cell death in mice

Scientists have figured out how to stop brain cell death in mice with brain disease and say their discovery deepens understanding of the mechanisms of human neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

British researchers writing in the journal Nature said they had found a major pathway leading to brain cell death in mice with prion disease, the mouse equivalent of Creutzfeld-Jacob Disease (CJD).

They then worked out how to block it, and were able to prevent brain cells from dying, helping the mice live longer.

The finding, described by one expert as “a major breakthrough in understanding what kills neurons”, points to a common mechanism by which brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and CJD damage the nerve cells.

In neurodegenerative diseases, proteins “mis-fold” in a various ways, leading to a buildup of misshapen proteins, the researchers explained in the study.

These misshapen proteins form the plaques found in the brains of patients with Alzheimer’s and the Lewy bodies found in Parkinson’s disease.

“What’s exciting is the emergence of a common mechanism of brain cell death, across a range of different neurodegenerative disorders, activated by the different mis-folded proteins in each disease,” said Giovanna Mallucci, who led the research at the University of Leicester’s toxicology unit.

“The fact that in mice with prion disease we were able to manipulate this mechanism and protect the brain cells means we may have a way forward in how we treat other disorders,” she said in a statement about the work.

An estimated 18 million people worldwide suffer from Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s is thought to affect around one in 100 people over the age of 60. In these diseases, neurons in the brain die, destroying the brain from the inside.

But why the neurons die has remained an unsolved mystery, presenting an obstacle to developing effective treatments and to being able to diagnose the illnesses at early stages when medicines might work better.

Mallucci’s team found that the buildup of mis-folded proteins in the brains of mice with prion disease activated a natural defense mechanism in cells, which switches off the production of new proteins.

This would normally switch back on again, the researchers explained, but in these ill mice the continued build-up of misshapen proteins keeps the switch turned off. This is the trigger point leading to brain cell death, because key proteins essential for cell survival are not made.

By injecting a protein that blocks the “off” switch, the scientists were able to restore the production of the survival proteins and halt the neurodegeneration.

They found the brain cells were protected, protein levels were restored and synaptic transmission – the way brain cells signal to each other – was re-established. The mice also lived longer, even though only a very small part of their brains had been treated.

Eric Karran, director of research at the charity Alzheimer’s Research UK, said while the research was still at an early stage, the results were exciting.

“While neurodegenerative diseases can have many different triggers, this study suggests that they may act through a common mechanism to damage nerve cells. The findings present the appealing concept that one treatment could have benefits for a range of different diseases,” he said.

Roger Morris, a professor of molecular neurobiology at King’s College London who was not involved in the work, said the finding was “a major breakthrough in understanding what kills neurons in neurodegenerative disease”.

“There are good reasons for believing this response, identified with prion disease, applies also to Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases,” he said. …

via Scientists switch off brain cell death in mice | Reuters.

Japanese Ice Bra Aims To Keep Women Cool This Summer (PHOTO)

Ladies, forget pocket fans and frozen margaritas: There’s a new way to keep cool this summer, and comes in your cup size.

Japanese manufacturer Triumph has released a bra that contains built-in ice packs so women can feel “comfortable” when air conditioning isn’t available, MyFox DC reports.

The bra also features a miniature fan to further aid in the cooling process and, for some reason, is designed to look like a fish tank.

The company — which is known for creating novelty products that never actually come to market — apparently came up with the idea in reaction to the need to conserve energy during the hot Japanese summers, particularly in light of the country’s lack of working nuclear reactors in the wake of the Fukushima disaster, according to Agence France-Presse.

While many women have been using their bras for practical purposes such as extra storage for years, it seems the undergarment’s other functions are starting to be taken more seriously by some manufacturers.

via Japanese Ice Bra Aims To Keep Women Cool This Summer (PHOTO).

Jeffrey Radle, Scott Walker Supporter, Jumps In Front Of Wife’s Car To Prevent Opposing Vote

Chippewa Falls, Wis. police said Jeffrey Radle jumped in front of his wife’s car to keep her from voting against Gov. Scott Walker in the state’s Republican primary, according to the Journal Sentinel.

Radle is a Walker supporter and his wife, Amanda, is not. So when she tried to pull out of the driveway to vote for a non-Walker candidate, Radle stood in her car’s way.

The Sentinel reports that, when she tried to drive around him, Radle dove in front of the car, injuring his head, neck and back.

The husband was taken to a hospital where he was in stable condition, as of Tuesday.

Chippewa Falls Police Captain John Liddell told The Huffington Post that the election was just fodder for a familial dispute.

“We’ve seen things like this before, but not over elections,” Liddell told HuffPost. “This is more of a domestic situation within the family and the election just happened to be the topic at the time.” …

via Jeffrey Radle, Scott Walker Supporter, Jumps In Front Of Wife’s Car To Prevent Opposing Vote.

Woman says hypnotized into $160,000 loss

Boston’s Chinatown has been on edge since a 57-year-old woman claimed three women used hypnosis to get her to fork over $160,000 in life savings, police say.

Police say the victim was food shopping in Chinatown April 15 when the trio of women tapped her on the shoulder and began asking her questions. The victim says one of the suspects spoke and her henchwomen handed her a plastic bag. She was told to go home and meet them several hours later on Boston Common.

The victim filled the bag with a necklace, a jade bracelet, two gold rings, her passport and $160,000 in cash. She then went to the meeting spot and handed over the fortune.

The incident has Chinatown on alert, with two similar shakedowns reported since then. Mark Liu, director of Boston’s Chinese Progressive Association, has warned members to remain vigilant when approached by strangers.

“It seems like it’s something that’s potentially very dangerous,” Liu told the Boston Herald. “I think the elderly are particularly vulnerable because they obviously would have a hard time just walking away.”

Liu said rumors of hypnotizing thieves have roots in Chinese lore. He said his mother warned him of them when he was a child in Hong Kong.

Clinical hypnotist Harvey Zarren has his doubts.

“Having somebody instantaneously hypnotize you on the street and you turn over huge amounts of valuables, to me, sounds a little unlikely,” he said. “I look at this story and I say somebody is going to have to prove this to me.”

via Woman says hypnotized into $160,000 loss | Weird News – 93.9 MIA – Feel Good Music.

That’s totally absurd no one would ooomaaa zooooloeeee ever be able to teee aaa zzooo nooomaaah DONATE YOUR LOVE GIFT TO XENO NOW USING PAY PAL. YOU WILL LOVE DOING IT zoochooosooo bee bop a loo loo  … hypnotize a person on the spot. Besides it would be impossible for someone to fall for such a thing. It’s not like hypnotists have AMAZING mind POWERS YOU CAN NOT RESIST or anything.  You have free will.

Teens being sought by police, turtles being sought by Flamingo Gardens

Two male teenagers who may be connected to the disappearance of two turtles from Flamingo Gardens over the weekend are being sought by Davie police.

The botanical gardens and wildlife sanctuary told investigators that on Saturday two box turtles were being handled by the teens who staffers say entered its reptiles’ exhibit without permission.

On Sunday morning, employees discovered the turtles were gone and notified police.

The 6-to-12-inch-long reptiles — an orange and brown Eastern box turtle named Zippy that is injured with a cracked belly shell, and an unnamed Florida box turtle that is a state native species — need special care.

The tourist attraction gives sanctuary to permanently injured animals, including Zippy, who could die if not cared for properly, officials said.

The teenagers were at Flamingo Gardens at 3750 S. Flamingo Road. They would be memorable to other visitors because they cursed at patrons near the turtle exhibit or gift shop, and when told to leave, threatened to return and harm the animals, police said.

Davie Police said the teens are about 16 years old.

One has brown or black hair and wore a brown shirt and white and navy basketball shorts.

The other has shaved blond hair and wore a Miami Heat Shaquille O’Neal basketball jersey.

Zippy is named for the zip ties that are glued to his split belly shell to help it fuse back together.

He has been recovering from that injury for more than a year, Flamingo Gardens staffer Laura Wyatt said.

Though the turtles are otherwise healthy, they can carry salmonella, she said, and the bacteria can be harmful for elderly people and young children.

Davie Police Capt. Dale Engle said anyone who has Zippy or his cohort should call police to have the turtles picked up. …

via Teens being sought by police, turtles being sought by Flamingo Gardens – South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com.

A happy ending:

“Two box turtles stolen from a Davie tourist attraction have been returned. But police still don’t know who took them.

According to Flamingo Gardens, an anonymous caller phoned the park Friday morning to report the missing turtles were in a blue pillowcase in the overflow parking lot underneath a sign. Both turtles were recovered and appear to be in good condition, Flamingo Gardens spokeswoman Laura Wyatt said.” – link

The turtles were unharmed except for several bodies parts of male teenagers found partially undigested in their stomachs.

Italian man becomes mayor by accident

The new mayor of a mountain town in northern Italy has been voted in almost completely by accident.

Fabio Borsatti, 50, stood in Cimolais as a last-minute favour to the only candidate, worried not enough people would vote if he stood unopposed.

But, despite even Mr Borsatti’s own family voting for his rival, the unlikely candidate won the poll.

He only realised he had become mayor when people telephoned him, as he was watching football, to congratulate him.

“I find myself a mayor who didn’t want to be a mayor,” Mr Borsatti said.

“I wanted Gino [Bertolo] to win. Even my relatives voted for him.

“My daughter, my sister, my father and my mother – they all voted for him.”

But in the poll, Mr Borsatti obtained 160 votes – securing almost 58% of the vote – compared with just 117 votes for his good friend, Mr Bertolo.

Mr Borsatti has said he has no plans to resign and intends to carry out his duties for the 507 people who make up the population of Cimolais, in Friuli Venezia-Giulia.

Though he had not given much thought to a political platform before the vote, now he is in office he has said that he will focus on promoting tourism to the area.

His friend, a former mayor of Cimolais, has said it was an honour to take part in the vote.

“I wasn’t upset… Something apparently unusual happened but it is nothing to joke about,” Mr Bertolo said.

via BBC News – Italian man becomes mayor by accident.

Linda Clappison Convicted Of Enslaving Her Children After Fortune Teller Told Her To

Shortly after a meeting with a fortune teller, a British woman locked her children in their rooms, confiscated their lightbulbs, toys and mattresses and later made two of them work as slaves for Roma people, otherwise known as gypsies, prosecutors said. The abuse apparently lasted for six years.

Linda Clappison, of Keyingham Marsh, East Yorkshire, was convicted of two counts of child cruelty. She was sentenced to three years in prison, according to the Telegraph. Before a fortune teller told her to submit her children to this abuse, Clappison was a fine mother, her children testified.

But after the meeting, her son Andrew Clappison, now 18, told the court, “We were treated like dogs.”

The Sydney Morning Herald reports that Clappison denied the charges and called her children, “liars.”Judge Michael Mettyear openly chastised Clappison for her crime, according to the Herald.

“It is sad that seeing your children in court giving evidence did not in any way melt your heart,” the judge said. “It is sad that your initial period in custody has not changed you. Custody is inevitable: you have blighted the lives of these children.”

Express reports that Clappison’s abuses were uncovered after her daughter broke down at school in 2010, begging teachers not to send her home.

via Linda Clappison Convicted Of Enslaving Her Children After Fortune Teller Told Her To.