A researcher at the University of Missouri is using a simple video game called “Space Race” in an effort to “retrain” the brainwaves of autistic children. The hope is to improve skills in concentration and being able to focus.

Guy McCormack, chair of the occupational therapy and occupational science department in the MU School of Health Professions, said he and his team of researchers want to “awaken their…[more]

A modern computer contains two different types of components: magnetic components, which perform memory functions, and semiconductor components, which perform logic operations. A University of Missouri researcher, as part of a multi-university research team, is working to combine these two functions in a single hybrid material. This new material would allow seamless integration…[more]

COLUMBIA, MO - Before swatting at one of those pesky flies that come out as the days lengthen and the temperature rises, one should probably think twice. A University of Missouri researcher has found, through the study of Drosophila (a type of fruit fly), that by manipulating levels of certain compounds associated with the “circuitry” of the brain, key genes related to memory can be isolated and tested. The results…[more]

Scientists have speculated that the building blocks of life might not exist on any of our neighboring planets, but could be present on some of the moons that circle those planets.

Now NASA reports that radar waves it has sent through the heavy methane atmosphere of Titan, a moon orbiting Saturn, detect a shift in landmarks by as much as 19 miles.

Researchers who have studied…[more]

Cancer cells get a helping hand from platelets, specialized blood cells involved in clotting. Platelets shelter and feed tumor cells that stray into the bloodstream, making it easier for cancer to spread, or metastasize. Research at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis suggests that inactivating platelets could slow down or prevent metastasis.

In advance online publication in the Journal of Cellular Biochemistry, the scientists report that…[more]

In today’s edition of the journal Science, Louisiana State assistant professor Brent C. Christner reported his findings of significantly large numbers of bacteria in snow and rain.

Scientists have realized for some time that cold conditions in the upper atmosphere are where rain and snow form. They have long known that, in order to condense into liquid, the moisture must be able to cling to something. What moisture…[more]

The University of Arkansas Center for Space and Planetary Sciences will host its first public lecture of 2008 at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 20, in the Space Center Theater. Bob Gawley, a member of the center and a Distinguished Professor in the department of chemistry and biochemistry, will present a lecture titled “Why Did Alice Say to Kitty ‘Perhaps Looking-Glass Milk Isn’t Good to Drink?’ A Brief Explanation of Handedness,…[more]

Star gazers will want to take a look skyward this month through early March as Saturn will be visible in the late evening hours.

The ringed planet falls in “opposition” on February 24, meaning the Earth will pass between Saturn and the sun. When that happens, Saturn’s journey through our night skies appears to occur exactly opposite of the sun. The planet will appear on the eastern horizon…[more]

Scientific American recently ran an article about the power of sound to put out flames.

According to the article, Dmitriy Plaks and his fellow students tested “whether sound waves can douse fires in hopes of using sound to extinguish flames in a spacecraft.” Click here to watch a video of their experiment.

The group played Nickelback’s “How You Remind Me” and was able…[more]

Walter Mossberg, technology columnist for the Wall Street Journal, has been testing the ultra-thin MacBook Air subnotebook computer.

He points out some wonderful features in the new offering from Apple, like its weight, just three pounds, the size of its display, 13.3 inches, and its full keyboard. Mossberg is impressed with the MacBook’s style, saying: “It’s impossible to convey in words just how pleasing and surprising this computer…[more]