California Lawmaker Wants to Allow Supervised Heroin Use

A lawmaker wants to allow California addicts to use heroin, crack and other drugs at supervised facilities to cut down on overdoses, joining several U.S. cities considering establishing the nation's first legal drug-injection sites.

The proposal introduced Tuesday comes as San Francisco, Seattle, New York City and Ithaca, New York, weigh ordinances to set up the facilities, citing the success of a site operating in Canada since 2003.

But law enforcement has opposed the move in California, saying it will worsen addiction. And lawmakers seemed reluctant to support it, postponing a committee vote.
Though federal authorities have taken a hands-off approach to states' legalization of marijuana, it's not clear how they would respond to facilities permitting users to shoot up hard drugs.

Using Colloids to Build Complex Structures

Manufacturers produce high-end technology mostly top-down with large machinery, but small particles are able to build structures by themselves from the bottom up. A major challenge is that these particles easily clump together. Leiden physicist Daniela Kraft has developed a method to use this phenomenon to her advantage. Publication in ACS Nano.
Building blocks
Smaller computer chips, narrow sound boxes, miniature cameras; we keep aiming for smaller and more complex technology, to carry with us or to use for surgery. At the same time, it gets increasingly hard to build a complex structure on an even smaller scale. Wouldn’t it be much more convenient to build structures bottom-up, starting from tiny building blocks? That is exactly the idea within the research group of Leiden physicist Daniela Kraft. She is working on a method to build structures from colloids— particles that are larger than nanoparticles but too small to see with the naked eye. And the fun part is that colloids operate completely on their own, as independent building blocks.

Metal Foam Obliterates Bullets—and That's Just the Beginning

Composite metal foams (CMFs) are tough enough to turn an armor-piercing bullet into dust on impact. Given that these foams are also lighter than metal plating, the material has obvious implications for creating new types of body and vehicle armor – and that’s just the beginning of its potential uses.
Afsaneh Rabiei, a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at NC State, has spent years developing CMFs and investigating their unusual properties. The video seen here shows a composite armor made out of her composite metal foams. The bullet in the video is a 7.62 x 63 millimeter M2 armor piercing projectile, which was fired according to the standard testing procedures established by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ). And the results were dramatic. (See video below).

In These Microbes, Iron Works Like Oxygen

A pair of papers from a UW–Madison geoscience lab shed light on a curious group of bacteria that use iron in much the same way that animals use oxygen: to soak up electrons during biochemical reactions. When organisms—whether bacteria or animal—oxidize carbohydrates, electrons must go somewhere.

The studies can shed some light on the perennial question of how life arose, but they also have slightly more practical applications in the search for life in space, said senior author Eric Roden, a professor of geoscience at UW–Madison.
Animals use oxygen and "reduce" it to produce water, but some bacteria use iron that is deficient in electrons, reducing it to a more electron-rich form of the element. Ironically, electron-rich forms of iron can also supply electrons in the opposite "oxidation" reaction, in which the bacteria literally "eat" the iron to get energy.

Virtual Reality as Pain Management?

Virtual reality (VR) technology has long been studied for its potential analgesic effect. Studies have been produced regarding its usage in the dentist chair to reduce pain and anxiety, and to reduce pain while dressing the wounds of burn victims.  
Publishing in the Royal Society Open Science, York St. John University researchers have found that auditory simulation is a key component to increasing VR’s pain management capabilities.
In the study, the researchers outfitted 32 healthy adults with an Oculus Rift headset and asked them to play the racing game “Radial-G.” While playing, the players’ hands were submerged in a container of water, the temperature of which was 32 Fahrenheit.

NASA Tests Slimmer, Fuel-Efficient Airplane Wing

A new project from NASA and aircraft manufacturing company Boeing could have a big impact on commercial air flight. Both organizations are working on a thinner, longer wing aimed at reducing the weight of an aircraft.
Engineers are using aerodynamic computer models to test this prototype, according to a NASA blog post. A key component of the wing is a brace (also known as a truss).
The researchers are using these schematics to see how air flows around the wing allowing improvements if they notice any areas that would raise the difficulty of getting a plane off the ground followed by a wind-tunnel experiment to see how it would perform in flight.
Popular Science added that a brace can add more drag to an aircraft upon liftoff if not designed effectively, which is why the scientists will analyze these test results and make adjustments where needed.

Becoming Crystal Clear

Using state-of-the-art theoretical methods, UCSB researchers have identified a specific type of defect in the atomic structure of a light-emitting diode (LED) that results in less efficient performance. The characterization of these point defects could result in the fabrication of even more efficient, longer lasting LED lighting.

“Techniques are available to assess whether such defects are present in the LED materials and they can be used to improve the quality of the material,” said materials professor Chris Van de Walle, whose research group carried out the work.
In the world of high-efficiency solid-state lighting, not all LEDs are alike. As the technology is utilized in a more diverse array of applications — including search and rescue, water purification and safety illumination, in addition to their many residential, industrial and decorative uses — reliability and efficiency are top priorities. Performance, in turn, is heavily reliant on the quality of the semiconductor material at the atomic level.
“In an LED, electrons are injected from one side, holes from the other,” explained Van de Walle. As they travel across the crystal lattice of the semiconductor — in this case gallium-nitride-based material — the meeting of electrons and holes (the absence of electrons) is what is responsible for the light that is emitted by the diode: As electron meets hole, it transitions to a lower state of energy, releasing a photon along the way.

Facebook Programs Computers to Describe Photos for The Blind

acebook is training its computers to become seeing-eye guides for blind and visually impaired people as they scroll through the pictures posted on the world's largest online social network.

The feature rolling out Tuesday on Facebook's iPhone and iPad apps interprets what's in a picture using a form of artificial intelligence that recognizes faces and objects. VoiceOver, a screen reader built into the software powering the iPhone and iPad, must be turned on for Facebook's photo descriptions to be read. For now, the feature will only be available in English.

Long-Term Drug Release

Researchers from MIT and Brigham and Women’s Hospital have designed a new type of pill that, once swallowed, can attach to the lining of the gastrointestinal tract and slowly release its contents. The tablet is engineered so that one side adheres to tissue, while the other repels food and liquids that would otherwise pull it away from the attachment site.

Such extended-release pills could be used to reduce the dosage frequency of some drugs, the researchers say. For example, antibiotics that normally have to be taken two or three times a day could be given just once, making it easier for patients to stick to their dosing schedule.

Hannibal's Route through the Alps Found via Ancient Dung?

Located 3,000 meters above sea level, Col de la Traversette pass is located in the Cottian Alps, near the French-Italian border. The terrain is treacherous and poses a challenge to any intrepid adventurer.

But imagine leading 30,000 men, 37 elephants, and more than 15,000 horses and mules on such a trek. With so many factors warranting consideration, the challenge only multiplies.

A team of international researchers believe storied Carthagininan general Hannibal utilized the pass on his journey to conquer the Romans—a task at which he ultimately failed.

The clues lie in the dirt and were left by the animals Hannibal brought on his journey.