science wire

Engineers use plasmonics to create an invisible photodetector
A team of engineers at Stanford and the University of Pennsylvania has for the first time used "plasmonic cloaking" to create a device that can see without being seen – an invisible machine that detects light. It may not be intuitive, but a coating of reflective metal can actually make something less visible, engineers at Stanford and the University of Pennsylvania have shown.

Planned Parenthood president speaks to Stanford on mobilizing for reproductive health in the 21st century
Cecile Richards explained the importance of looking to the next generation, the possibilities offered by new technologies and why Planned Parenthood is arguably stronger than ever.

Scientists document fragile land-sea ecological chain
Intricate, often invisible chains of life are threatened with extinction around the world. A new study quantifies one of the longest such chains ever documented. Douglas McCauley and Paul DeSalles did not set out to discover one of the longest ecological interaction chains ever documented. But that's exactly what they and a team of researchers – all current or former Stanford students and faculty – did in a new study published in Scientific Reports .

Bay Area Photovoltaic Consortium announces $7.5 million in grants to lower the cost of large-scale solar power
The university-industry consortium led by Stanford and UC-Berkeley aims to make utility-scale solar energy cost-competitive by 2020.

Stanford’s Eavan Boland defines what it means to be a ’woman poet’
Through poetry and prose, Stanford professor and acclaimed poet Eavan Boland shares how being a woman, wife and mother influenced her work.

Q&A: Professor David Plank on the budget and California’s K-12 education system
A new report by Stanford's nonpartisan research center, PACE, finds that the budget crisis crippled attempts to increase spending on students and snuffed out appetite for reform.

Stanford professor, IT specialist create interactive map of the Roman Empire
ORBIS, an interactive digital model of the ancient Roman transportation system, shows how the empire was shaped by economic constraints.

Wild blue yonder: Engineers tackle challenges of hypersonic flight
A multiyear collaboration among Stanford engineering departments uses some of the world's fastest supercomputers to model the complexities of hypersonic flight.

Stanford psychologist: Achievement goals can be shaped by environment
A new study by Stanford psychologist Paul O'Keefe suggests that the culture of our learning and working environments can have long-term effects on our goals and motivation. Think about the ideal student. He or she focuses on learning, not grades; improvement, not appearances; competency, not competition.

Support for climate change action drops, Stanford poll finds
The drop was concentrated among Americans who distrust climate scientists. Americans' support for government action on global warming remains high but has dropped during the past two years, according to a new survey by Stanford researchers in collaboration with Ipsos Public Affairs.

No evidence that international health aid is wasted
The study findings, published in PLoS Medicine , are poised to influence a debate among policymakers and donors over whether international assistance is wasted and displaced by governments that receive the money.

Inside a mathematical proof lies literature, says Stanford’s Reviel Netz
Stanford scholar Reviel Netz discusses why some of the greatest mathematicians were also some of classical history's most poetic storytellers. By Corrie Goldman The Humanities at Stanford Like novelists, mathematicians are creative authors. With diagrams, symbolism, metaphor, double entendre and elements of surprise, a good proof reads like a good story.

Actress and author Anna Deavere Smith brings ’grace’ to Stanford
Through a series of moving monologues, Anna Deavere Smith demonstrates the many manifestations of 'grace' at the Heyns Lecture on Religion and Society.

Six Stanford faculty elected to National Academy of Sciences
Six Stanford faculty members have been elected to receive one of the highest honors for an American scientist in recognition of their achievements in original research.

Controversial author Martin Amis coming to Stanford on May 7
He's famous for his sharp, inventive prose and his barbed public comments. The British author's next novel, about a violent criminal who wins the lottery, will be published this summer.

Stanford scholar tracks meditation’s migration from ancient monasteries to modern yoga
Religious Studies Professor Carl Bielefeldt has dedicated his academic career to the study of 13th century Japanese Zen, a tradition of Buddhism that emphasizes the practice of meditation.

Bejeweled: Stanford nanotech gets boost from nanowire decorations
Engineers at Stanford have found a novel method for "decorating" nanowires with chains of tiny particles to increase their electrical and catalytic performance. The new technique is simpler, faster and provides greater control than earlier methods and could lead to better batteries, solar cells and catalysts.

Where does that creative spark come from? Stanford’s Tina Seelig has some ideas
In her new book, Tina Seelig provides tools and techniques to enhance creativity in individuals, teams and organizations.

Affirmative action is needed to get the best candidates, Stanford psychologist says
The researchers plan on submitting their findings to the U.S. Supreme Court, which is expected to hear arguments next fall on what could become a landmark affirmative action case. When it comes to affirmative action, the argument usually focuses on diversity. Promoting diversity, the Supreme Court ruled in 2003, can justify taking race into account.

Researchers help Hawaii’s largest landholder plan an ecological future
The future of a large chunk of the island of Oahu was at stake when Stanford environmental scientists were called in to lend a helping hand.

Climate change may create corn market price volatility, say researchers from Stanford and Purdue
America's No. 1 crop could see its prime growing region shift to the Canadian border or its price volatility increase sharply within 30 years. A new Stanford study points to climate change as the cause. By Rob Jordan The study, based on economic, climatic and agricultural data and computational models, finds that even if climate change stays within the internationally recognized target limit of 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit above pre-industrial levels, the temperature changes could still make damaging heat waves much more common over the U.S. corn belt.

Stanford’s Özgen Felek investigates the power of dreams in Sufism
Through a study of dreams, Özgen Felek charts the ascendance of the 16 th -century Ottoman ruler Sultan Murad III from humble disciple to spiritual and political leader.

Thomas Cover, acclaimed information theorist, dies at 73
Cover was a man of remarkable breadth in his research interests, making landmark contributions in fields ranging from information theory and mathematical statistics to data compression, pattern recognition and stock market investment strategies.

Stanford professor asks, how does God become real to people?
Tanya Luhrmann's research seeks to narrow the gap between believers and nonbelievers, which she says has grown so wide it can be difficult for one side to respect the other. By Brooke Donald "What I found out is that there's a learning process. People are able to learn to have vivid experiences of God," Luhrmann said.

Alan Harvey to direct Stanford University Press
Alan Harvey is an expert in evolving digital and print-on-demand delivery of books. He will lead Stanford University Press through a period of industry-wide upheaval when he takes the reins July 1.

Stanford musicologist Stephen Hinton gets inside the music of Kurt Weill
Stanford musicologist Stephen Hinton presents an in-depth portrait of the artistic and cultural contributions of one of the most influential figures in 20th-century musical theater.

Researchers call for policy, aid and innovation to help world’s poorest
Philanthropist and software giant Bill Gates spoke to a Stanford audience last week about the importance of foreign aid and product innovation in the fight against chronic hunger, poverty and disease in the developing world.

Stanford author Adam Johnson on truth and totalitarianism in North Korea
This month's scheduled rocket launch says a lot more about consolidating the Kim Jong Un regime than it does about any global aspirations, according to the author.

Straintronics: Stanford engineers create piezoelectric graphene
By depositing atoms on one side of a grid of the "miracle material" graphene, researchers at Stanford have engineered piezoelectricity into a nanoscale material for the first time. Twist it and it generates electricity. The implications could yield a dramatic degree of control in nanotechnology. To the long list of exceptional physical properties of graphene, Stanford engineers have added yet another: piezoelectricity, the property of some materials to produce an electric charge when bent, squeezed or twisted.

Where the wild winds blow: Stanford engineers use weather models to site offshore wind farms
Stanford engineers enlist weather models to find the best place on the map for a grid of four wind farms in the ocean off the U.S. East Coast.

Interpreting an artist’s intent involves a team of experts at Stanford’s Cantor Arts Center
Staying true to the artist and the artwork is at the heart of each decision made by museum curators, conservators and preparators while installing works by Dan Flavin and Robert Irwin.

Q&A: Stanford’s Dr. Jay Bhattacharya explains what’s at stake in debate over health care
With legal arguments at the Supreme Court over, the fate of the Obama administration's health care law is in the hands of the justices.

Small dams on Mekong River tributaries could harm fish and people, Stanford researcher finds
Planned dams in Southeast Asia would affect fish productivity and biodiversity in the world's largest inland fishery, says Stanford researcher Guy Ziv. New dams planned for tributaries of the Mekong River in Southeast Asia will be more environmentally destructive and will produce less energy than the dams in the main river, according to Stanford researcher Guy Ziv.

Now, brought to the big screen by physicists at SLAC: the universe
The first stars in the universe were massive and burned intensely bright before they died in supernova explosions. (Photo: Courtesy of KIPAC) Dramatic 3-D videos, created from actual data, show the origins of the universe. Now playing on screens at SLAC, as well as museums in San Francisco and New York.

Researcher cooks up the courtly culture of Europe in the 1600’s
Study of 17th-century food and dining practices yields compelling cultural information about a society struggling to rebuild after the Thirty Years War.

From glovebox to archive: Private collector gives huge trove of road maps to Stanford libraries
It is one of the most significant and comprehensive collections in the West – yet Robert Berlo's mother lode of 13,000 road maps began modestly with a young boy's cross-country trip to Boston.

Researchers create exotic electrons that may lead to new materials, devices
The handcrafted, honeycomb-shaped structures were inspired by graphene, a pure form of carbon widely heralded for its potential in future electronics. By Mike Ross To tune the electrons' properties, the researchers repositioned the carbon monoxide molecules on the surface; this changed the symmetry of the electron flow.

Stanford scholars deconstruct Middle East uprisings by looking at Europe’s past
Scholars draw connections between the revolutionary past of Russia, Eastern Europe and Eurasia and the recent uprisings in the Middle East.

DuPont joins Stanford’s Global Climate and Energy Project
DuPont is GCEP's newest corporate sponsor, joining ExxonMobil, GE, Schlumberger and Toyota in support of innovative research on sustainable energy technologies.

Searsville Dam steering committee wrestling with complex issues
The steering committee studying the future of Searsville Dam and Reservoir is preparing to engage consultants, while continuing discussions with local organizations and residents, as it begins sorting through the complicated issues governing the dam's fate.

Trans-Atlantic bond between the Keats brothers was a poetic inspiration, Stanford scholar says
Stanford English Professor Denise Gigante examines the life of John Keats through the lens of his relationship with his American immigrant brother.

Q&A: Margot Gerritsen on the critical need for energy literacy in the US
Although the United States is one of the world's biggest energy consumers, the average American has little knowledge about basic energy issues, says Margot Gerritsen.

Stanford’s Quake-Catcher Network detects a tremor 10 seconds before the shaking reaches campus
The Quake-Catcher Network, a web of sensors plugged into the computers of 2,000 volunteers, detected the shaking of an earthquake this week in less time than it took the motion to travel about 45 mile

Eight more ’engineering heroes’ celebrated by Stanford’s School of Engineering
Stanford School of Engineering honors eight engineering trailblazers whose work has changed the world.

Engineers create wireless, self-propelled medical device
For 50 years, scientists searched for the secret to making tiny implantable devices that could travel through the bloodstream.

Cantor exhibition showcases Stanford’s collection of Native American paintings
Highlights from Stanford's Native American paintings collection are showcased in Memory and Markets: Pueblo Painting in the Early 20th Century The works at the Cantor Arts Center celebrate the emergence of Native American painters in the modern art market, beginning in Santa Fe in the 1930s.

Rare Judeo-Spanish memoir gives a voice to the people of a lost culture
Historians Aron Rodrigue and Sarah Abrevaya Stein bring the history of Ottoman Jews to life in a text published by Stanford University Press.

Q&A: Stanford’s Morris Fiorina on Santorum’s rise and a dissatisfied Republican Party
Santorum is surging in the polls, Romney is having a hard time relating to voters and there's a real possibility the GOP could have no nominee by the time the convention rolls around, says political scientist Morris Fiorina.

State-owned oil companies increase price volatility and pollution, Stanford researcher says
State-owned oil companies dominate the world's oil supplies, and politicians often cannot resist getting involved.

Stanford scholar chronicles evolution of Chinese love through texts
Stanford Professor Haiyan Lee chronicles the Chinese "love revolution" through a study of cultural changes influenced by Western ideals.

Not for profit: Why democracy needs the humanities
Author and philosopher Martha Nussbaum says a declining emphasis on the study of the humanities could lead to a world of "useful profit makers with no imaginations." From the United States to India and the United Kingdom, humanities and arts programs are being cut at all levels of education.

Stanford’s Revs Program sponsors film series celebrating cars and car culture
A film series explores the dynamic relationship between the cinema and the profound social impact of the automobile during the 20th century.

Got photos? Yes, just ask SALLIE
A new free image repository gives the Stanford community a place to store and manage pictures and a huge database for finding images to use in university publications.

Engineers’ nanoshell whispering galleries improve thin solar panels
Engineers at Stanford have created photovoltaic nanoshells that harness a peculiar physical phenomenon to better trap light..

Aphasia: A Stanford music professor’s work about obsessive attention to ridiculous things
Aphasia: A Stanford music professor's work, with hand gestures and odd sounds, about obsessive attention to ridiculous things Mangled vocal samples, random icons and precise hand gestures come together in a mesmerizing performance by Stanford music scholar Mark Applebaum.

Wireless power could revolutionize highway transportation, Stanford researchers say
Stanford researchers have designed a new technology that could lead to wireless charging of electric vehicles while they cruise down the highway.

Iconic photos of the Great Depression among the highlights in Cantor’s Walker Evans exhibit
In public programs, Stanford scholars share their views on the groundbreaking artistic endeavors of photographer Walker Evans.

Stanford, Columbia get a joint $30 million gift for media innovation
The gift establishes a first-of-its-kind bi-coastal Institute for Media Innovation, bringing together the best in West Coast technology with East Coast content.

Four decades - and counting - of feminist journalism
At a Stanford panel discussion, editors, activists and bloggers come together to salute Ms. magazine and consider the future.

Stanford scholars reflect on Arab Spring
A year after the Egyptian uprising, five scholars talk about democracy in the Middle East, how lives have changed in the Arab world, and what the United States has learned from the Arab Spring.

Multitasking may harm the social and emotional development of tweenage girls, Stanford researchers say
Multitasking may harm the social and emotional development of tweenage girls, but face-to-face talks could save the day, say Stanford researchers Too much screen time can be detrimental to girls

Elliott Levinthal, Stanford professor emeritus of mechanical engineering, dead at 89
In a career that ranged from radar to medicine to outer space, Elliott Levinthal played an instrumental role in the schools of Engineering and Medicine, and in the rise of Silicon Valley.

Gloria Steinem: Still angry, still funny, still tireless
One of the most admired and loved leaders of second-wave feminism is coming to Stanford this week as part of the 40th anniversary celebration of Ms.

It’s all about the space at Stanford’s design school
Stanford's d.school space is the stage for creative collaboration. A new book by two of its leaders provides direction for design spaces elsewhere.

Railroad hyperbole echoes all the way down to the dot-com frenzy
Stanford historian Richard White explores the role of the railroad in shaping the modern American West.

Health insurance no guarantee for diabetes care in developing countries, Stanford researchers find
A doctor prepares an injection for a diabetes patient in a Cuban hospital. Diabetes is on the rise in Latin America and throughout many developing countries, but access to care and medication for the disease is often costly and scarce, according to Stanford researchers.

Take a tour of the virtual future at Stanford
Stanford's newly renovated Virtual Human Interaction Lab is now open for public tours. In the multisensory room, experimental subjects wear a head-mounted display with small screens placed close to each eye to mimic stereoscopic vision and create the illusion of virtual space.

Stanford expert discusses North Korea’s new leadership
Since Kim Jong Il's death on Dec. 17, North Korea has a young new leader: Kim's 28-year-old son Kim Jong Un.

Papers of Europe’s first female professor to become available online, with help from Stanford’s libraries
Courtesy of Biblioteca comunale dell'Archiginnasio Laura Bassi (1711-1778) was the first woman to be offered an official teaching position at a European university.

Stanford political scientist maps militant groups around the globe
A supporter of Indonesian militant cleric Abu Bakar Bashir wears a shirt with the image of Osama bin Laden.

Stanford physicist’s moderate approach to climate change gaining supporters
Stanford physicist's prescriptions include more natural gas and nuclear power, doubts about renewable energy goals, and a new way to gain political support.

Engineers boost electrical efficiency in organic semiconductors
By packing molecules closer together, chemical engineers at Stanford have dramatically improved the electrical conductivity of organic semiconductors. The advance could herald flexible electronics, more efficient solar panels, and perhaps even better television screens. Organic semiconductors could usher in an era of foldable smartphones, better high-definition television screens and solar clothing that turns sunlight into electricity for recharging your iPad.

Stanford expert discusses Kim Jong Il’s death and what’s next for North Korea
People read an extra edition of a newspaper reporting the death of North Korean leader Kim Jong Il in Seoul.

Robert Osserman, noted Stanford mathematician, dies at 84
In addition to his important research, Bob Osserman brought math to a broad audience through public conversations with comedian Steve Martin, among others.

Stanford University reports FY 2011 financial results
Stanford University reported its financial results for fiscal year 2011 (FY2011), which ended Aug. 31, 2011.

Scientists’ computer models help predict tsunami risk
Stanford scientists are using complex computational models to solve the puzzle of the devastating tsunami that struck Japan earlier this year and predict where future tsunamis might occur.

Planting trees may save Costa Rican birds threatened by intensive farming
The fiery-billed aracari is a fruit-eating bird found in the Costa Rican forest or in areas of low-intensity agriculture.

Tobacco industry dying? Not so fast, says Stanford expert
Smoking is not going away. Worldwide, says Stanford historian Robert Proctor, the tobacco industry continues to create toxic products that cause not just lung cancer but also cataracts, ankle fractures, early onset menopause, spontaneous abortion and erectile dysfunction, among other maladies.

Chemically scrubbing CO2 from the air too expensive, says Stanford researcher who offers an alternative plan
Scrub carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere? Too expensive, says a Stanford researcher.

Rosemary Knight: Geophysicist, senate chair, hitchhiking advocate
Rosemary Knight, who joined the Stanford faculty in 2000 after teaching for a decade at the University of British Columbia, loved math, physics and chemistry in high school and was elated when she "discovered" geology, a field that combined all three.

New year, new names for Stanford retirement plans
The merger of Stanford's retirement plans will take place without any action required by participating employees.

Scientists subject rocks to hellish conditions to combat global warming
A team of Earth scientists at Stanford University is subjecting chunks of rock to hellish conditions in the laboratory – all in the name of curbing climate change.

Researchers: Mapping underground water sources for drip irrigation could transform African village life
Investments in small-scale irrigation and geophysical mapping will help relieve food insecurity in sub-Saharan Africa, Stanford researchers say.

Opal offers fast, lasting remedy for uranium contamination at nuclear sites, say Stanford researchers
Stanford researchers are proposing to use opal to sequester uranium at contaminated sites. The idea springs from natural deposits of opal, containing uranium, that have been stable for hundreds of thousands or even millions of years.

Enticing words on bags of potato chips have a lot to say about social class, Stanford researchers find
Like politicians who adopt regional accents to appeal to local audiences, the manufacturers of potato chips vary the wording on their bags to convey their products' authenticity in different ways to different buyers.

Grassroots effort helps shape future IT community at Stanford
More than 300 information technology professionals at Stanford gathered on campus earlier this month for an "unconference" to share information face-to-face, to raise awareness around common IT issues and to lead discussions on a theme.