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Bose–Einstein condensate is in the can
Optical trap could lead to new quantum simulations (Source: PhysicsWeb News)
Source: PhysicsWeb News - May 17, 2013 Category: Physics Source Type: news

Joe Farman obituary
Scientist whose discovery of the depletion of the ozone layer sparked global action to phase out dangerous chemicalsJoe Farman, who has died aged 82, was the leader of a small group of scientists who made one of the most important discoveries in recent history. In 1985, they published a landmark paper on the ozone layer, the protective skin that filters the sun's ultraviolet rays and without which the rays can cause cancers and eye damage. Their research showed that the ozone layer was being rapidly depleted over the Antarctic.Just two years later, world governments signed the Montreal protocol, a treaty phasing out the us...
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - May 16, 2013 Category: Science Authors: Fiona Harvey Tags: Obituaries Ozone layer guardian.co.uk Physics Environment Science Source Type: news

Entangled communities and spatial synchronization lead to criticality in urban traffic - Petri G, Expert P, Jensen HJ, Polak JW.
Understanding the relation between patterns of human mobility and the scaling of dynamical features of urban environments is a great importance for today's society. Although recent advancements have shed light on the characteristics of individual mobility,... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))
Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) - May 16, 2013 Category: Global & Universal Tags: Engineering, Physics, Structural Soundness and Failure Source Type: news

Heavy vehicle frontal sled crash test analysis - chest deflection response in the Hybrid III dummy - Holmqvist K, Thorn S, Rundberget P, Törnvall F, Svensson MY.
The aim of this study was to analyse the Hybrid III dummy chest loading in heavy vehicle frontal crashes. In total, eight truck front-to-trailer-type sled tests were performed. The Hybrid III, in driver position, was equipped with the chest deflection sens... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))
Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) - May 16, 2013 Category: Global & Universal Tags: Engineering, Physics, Structural Soundness and Failure Source Type: news

Influence of impacts on static and low-cycle fatigue characteristics of composite specimens - Bisagni C, Walters C.
This paper describes the effect of impacts on the possible reduction of the structural characteristics and damage growth of graphite-epoxy specimens. The considered specimens are undamaged specimens and specimens impacted with two different energy levels. ... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))
Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) - May 16, 2013 Category: Global & Universal Tags: Engineering, Physics, Structural Soundness and Failure Source Type: news

The impact of seat-belts in limiting the severity of injuries in patients presenting to a university hospital in the developing world - Ogundele OJ, Ifesanya AO, Adeyanju SA, Ogunlade SO.
BACKGROUND: Road traffic injuries are major public health problems and a leading cause of death and injury around the world. Approximately 1.2 million people are killed each year in road crashes worldwide, with up to 50 million more injured. Over 95% of th... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))
Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) - May 16, 2013 Category: Global & Universal Tags: Engineering, Physics, Structural Soundness and Failure Source Type: news

UT Arlington physicist's tool has potential for brain mapping
(University of Texas at Arlington) A physicist at The University of Texas at Arlington is developing a new tool that uses low-energy near-infrared light and fiber optics for optogenetic stimulation of cells. He believes it will be a useful tool for mapping physical and functional connections in the brain. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)
Source: EurekAlert! - Biology - May 16, 2013 Category: Biology Source Type: news

How should geophysics contribute to disaster planning?
(American Institute of Physics) Earthquakes, tsunamis, and other natural disasters often showcase the worst in human suffering -- especially when those disasters strike populations who live in rapidly growing communities in the developing world with poorly enforced or non-existent building codes. This week in Cancun, researchers present a comparison between large-scale earthquakes and tsunamis in different parts of the world, illustrating how nearly identical natural disasters can play out very differently depending on where they strike. (Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science)
Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science - May 16, 2013 Category: Global & Universal Source Type: news

Back in the Saddle Again
I donated blood for the first time as a 17-year-old junior in high school. The American Red Cross visited my school regularly – we had more than 2,000 students, which made us a good donor pool – and whenever the organization was on campus, students who qualified as potential donors (at least 17 years old, at least 110 pounds, in general good health, and have not donated blood in the last 56 days) were given permission to MISS CLASS schedule an appointment to donate. I admit it…the opportunity to miss Physics motivated me to donate blood for the first time. At the risk of sounding like a blood donation snob (that’s ...
Source: Red Cross Chat - May 15, 2013 Category: Global & Universal Authors: Erin Ferris Tags: Blood Source Type: news

Hofstadter's butterfly spotted in graphene
Moiré superlattices create stunning quantum effect (Source: PhysicsWeb News)
Source: PhysicsWeb News - May 15, 2013 Category: Physics Source Type: news

Has the universe got a top and bottom?
Readers answer other readers' questions on subjects ranging from trivial flights of fancy to profound scientific conceptsHas the universe a top and bottom? If it has, which is the right way up?"Up" and "down" are terms we use to describe our relationship with objects that are having a significant gravitational effect on us (ie Earth). Therefore, whether the universe is the right way up or not is decided by the laws of physics at any given location, and who are we to argue with that?yottasecondOur 4D universe does indeed have a top and bottom. The bottom (T=0) was the Big Bang. Space and time curved in, not to a point but t...
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - May 15, 2013 Category: Science Tags: The Guardian Astronomy Physics Letters Features Life and style Science Space Source Type: news

Atmosphere agitated by breaking waves
Study could have implications for atmospheric models (Source: PhysicsWeb News)
Source: PhysicsWeb News - May 14, 2013 Category: Physics Source Type: news

Cosmic flashes could herald birth of black holes
Theory predicts hot flashes for black holes of all sizes (Source: PhysicsWeb News)
Source: PhysicsWeb News - May 13, 2013 Category: Physics Source Type: news

Solar 'sandwich' could cover a variety of surfaces
Flexible photovoltaic made from atom-thin layers (Source: PhysicsWeb News)
Source: PhysicsWeb News - May 13, 2013 Category: Physics Source Type: news

Getting to the bottom of foamy physics
New model describes the evolution of bubble clusters (Source: PhysicsWeb News)
Source: PhysicsWeb News - May 12, 2013 Category: Physics Source Type: news

Quantum physics has confirmed it - the universe is comprised of information: Here's what it means
As quantum physics can now confirm, the universe we live in is not made up of solid objects but of energy and information. This discovery holds vast implications for understanding the nature of our world and in understanding the true source of vibrant health. It also... (Source: NaturalNews.com)
Source: NaturalNews.com - May 12, 2013 Category: Consumer Health Advice Source Type: news

A study on design factors of gas pedal operation - Horiue M, Tomonori O, Okiyama H, Tanaka Y, Tsuji T.
Lateral distance from the center of a driver's seating position to the gas and brake pedals is one of the main design factors that relates to the ease of stepping on the pedals from one and the other. It is important to keep a certain distance between the ... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))
Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) - May 11, 2013 Category: Global & Universal Tags: Engineering, Physics, Structural Soundness and Failure Source Type: news

A survey on rear end collision avoidance system for automobiles - Manjunath KG, Jaisankar N.
Collision warning and collision avoidance systems are emerging automotive safety technologies that assist drivers in avoiding rear-end collisions. Their function is to allow the driver enough time to avoid the crash and yet avoid annoying the driver with a... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))
Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) - May 11, 2013 Category: Global & Universal Tags: Engineering, Physics, Structural Soundness and Failure Source Type: news

Abnormal events recognition and classification for pipeline monitoring systems based on vibration analysis and artificial neural networks - Chen B, Cheng X.
Pipelines have become the principal means of oil and gas transportation. However, pipeline leakage takes place due to some natural or artificial damages, which may cause loss of life and properties along with the environmental pollutions. A new pipeline de... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))
Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) - May 11, 2013 Category: Global & Universal Tags: Engineering, Physics, Structural Soundness and Failure Source Type: news

Analysis of the safety conditions of scaffolding on construction sites - Rubio-Romero JC, Carmen Rubio Gámez M, Carrillo-Castrillo JA.
This paper presents the results of a study whose aim was to analyse the safety conditions of supported scaffolds (i.e., ground supported scaffolding). In 2007 the authors examined the scaffolding erected on 105 building sites in Spain. The study provides a... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))
Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) - May 11, 2013 Category: Global & Universal Tags: Engineering, Physics, Structural Soundness and Failure Source Type: news

Antilock braking system effectiveness in prevention of road traffic crashes in Iran - Khorasani-Zavareh D, Shoar S, Saadat S.
BACKGROUND: Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) helps the equipped vehicles to stop under heavy braking, in a shorter distance and with a better control of direction. It was expected that this technology will reduce the rate of fatal road traffic crashes (RTC); h... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))
Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) - May 11, 2013 Category: Global & Universal Tags: Engineering, Physics, Structural Soundness and Failure Source Type: news

Assessing the safety impacts of paved shoulders - Hallmark SL, Qiu Y, Pawlovitch M, McDonald TJ.
Single-vehicle run-off-road crashes in Iowa account for 36% of all rural crashes and 62% of rural fatal crashes. Paved shoulders are a potential countermeasure for run-off-road crashes, and several studies have indicated that paved shoulders are effective ... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))
Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) - May 11, 2013 Category: Global & Universal Tags: Engineering, Physics, Structural Soundness and Failure Source Type: news

Assessment of the simulated injury monitor (SIMon) in analyzing head injuries in pedestrian crashes - Ott KA, Wiechel JF, Guenther DA, Stammen J, Mallory AE.
Objectives Examination of head injuries in the Pedestrian Crash Data Study (PCDS) indicates that many pedestrian head injuries are induced by a combination of head translation and rotation. The Simulated Injury Monitor (SIMon) is a computer algorithm that ... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))
Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) - May 11, 2013 Category: Global & Universal Tags: Engineering, Physics, Structural Soundness and Failure Source Type: news

Biomechanics of occupant responses during recreational off-highway vehicle (ROV) riding and 90-degree tip-overs - Newberry W, Carhart M, Larson R, Bridges A, Fowler G.
Recently, side-by-side Recreational Off-Highway Vehicles (ROVs) have brought elements of the on-road vehicle occupant environment to the off-road trail-riding world. In general, ROV occupant protection during normal operation and in accident scenarios is p... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))
Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) - May 11, 2013 Category: Global & Universal Tags: Engineering, Physics, Structural Soundness and Failure Source Type: news

Classifiers to augment the Collision Deformation Classification (CDC) system to distinguish the role of structure in a frontal impact taxonomy - Halloway DE, Pintar F, Saunders J, Barsan-Anelli A.
The purpose of the study was to distinguish the role of vehicle structure in frontal impacts in published coded National Automotive Sampling System (NASS-CDS) data. The criteria used: Collision Deformation Classification (CDC) coding rules, crush profile l... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))
Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) - May 11, 2013 Category: Global & Universal Tags: Engineering, Physics, Structural Soundness and Failure Source Type: news

Comparison of reponses of the flex-PLI and TRL legform impactors in pedestrian tests - Mizuno K, Ueyama T, Nakane D, Wanami S.
Injuries to the lower extremities are one of the major issues in vehicle-to-pedestrian collisions. To evaluate pedestrian lower extremity protection, the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) legform impact tests have been conducted according to the specific... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))
Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) - May 11, 2013 Category: Global & Universal Tags: Engineering, Physics, Structural Soundness and Failure Source Type: news

Development of a linked simulation network to evaluate intelligent transportation system vehicle to vehicle solutions - Sawyer BD, Hancock PA.
Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) Vehicle to Vehicle (V2V) and Infrastructure to Vehicle (I2V) technologies promise significant advances in roadway safety, but the prolonged timeline for migration to these technologies suggest turbulent decades of drivin... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))
Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) - May 11, 2013 Category: Global & Universal Tags: Engineering, Physics, Structural Soundness and Failure Source Type: news

Development of injury probability functions for the flexible pedestrian legform impactor - Takahashi Y, Matsuoka F, Okuyama H, Imaizumi I.
The goal of this study was to develop injury probability functions for the leg bending moment and MCL (Medial Collateral Ligament) elongation of the Flexible Pedestrian Legform Impactor (Flex-PLI) based on human response data available from the literature.... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))
Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) - May 11, 2013 Category: Global & Universal Tags: Engineering, Physics, Structural Soundness and Failure Source Type: news

Different factors influencing post-crash pedestrian kinematics - Kawabe Y, Asai T, Murakami D, Pal C, Okabe T.
Pedestrian crashes are the most frequent cause of traffic-related fatalities worldwide. The high number of pedestrian accidents justifies more active research work on passive and active safety technology intended to mitigate pedestrian injuries. Post-impac... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))
Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) - May 11, 2013 Category: Global & Universal Tags: Engineering, Physics, Structural Soundness and Failure Source Type: news

Erratum: Parenteau, C. and Viano, D.C., "Basilar Skull Fractures by Crash Type and Injury Source," SAE Int. J. Passeng. Cars- Mech. Syst. 4(1):917-928, 2011, doi:10.4271/2011-01-1126 - Parenteau C, Viano DC.
The legends of Table 6 and Table 7, found on pages 924 and 925, did not properly reference multiple characters used within the tables. This corrects that error. Language: En... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))
Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) - May 11, 2013 Category: Global & Universal Tags: Engineering, Physics, Structural Soundness and Failure Source Type: news

Fracture modeling inputs for a human body model via inference from a risk curve: application for skull fracture potential - Laituri TR, El-jawahri RE.
A three-step process was developed to estimate fracture criteria for a human body model. The process was illustrated via example wherein skull fracture criteria were estimated for the Ford Human Body Model (FHBM) - a finite element model of a mid-sized hum... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))
Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) - May 11, 2013 Category: Global & Universal Tags: Engineering, Physics, Structural Soundness and Failure Source Type: news

Hybrid III head/neck analysis highlighting Nij in NCAP - Wu J, Shi Y, Beaudet B, Nusholtz G.
Nij, a function of upper neck forces and moment, plays a dominant role in the vehicle's star rating under the new NHTSA NCAP front impact program. This is mainly due to an artifact in the mapping of the Nij into the "risk" value used in the star rating, an... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))
Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) - May 11, 2013 Category: Global & Universal Tags: Engineering, Physics, Structural Soundness and Failure Source Type: news

Influence of complying with FMVSS 226 (ejection mitigation) on side airbag occupant out of position injury assessment - Dix J, Hammoud S, Cardinali A, Mitchell A, Fulk D.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has identified ejection mitigation as a top priority, issuing a final rule for FMVSS 226, Ejection Mitigation, in January of 2011 to set performance standards for a vehicle's ejection mitigation co... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))
Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) - May 11, 2013 Category: Global & Universal Tags: Engineering, Physics, Structural Soundness and Failure Source Type: news

Influencing factors of contact force distribution in pedestrian upper legform impact with vehicle front-end - Nie B, Huang J, Xia Y, Zhou Q.
Pedestrian upper leg impact protection is a challenging requirement in the Euro NCAP assessment. In upper legform to bonnet leading edge tests, the legform impact force, the legform intrusion and the injury parameters (impact force and bending moment measu... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))
Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) - May 11, 2013 Category: Global & Universal Tags: Engineering, Physics, Structural Soundness and Failure Source Type: news

Introduction to the special issue on "new trends towards automatic vehicle control and perception systems" - Milanés V, Bergasa LM.
Intelligent and automatic systems are making our daily life easier. They are able to automate tasks that, up to now, were performed by humans, freeing them from these tedious tasks. They are mainly based on the classical robotic architectures where the sta... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))
Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) - May 11, 2013 Category: Global & Universal Tags: Engineering, Physics, Structural Soundness and Failure Source Type: news

Modelling A-pillar water overflow: developing CFD and experimental methods - Gaylard AP, Fagg M, Bannister M, Duncan B, Gargoloff JI, Jilesen J.
Water accumulating on a vehicle's wind screen, driven over the A-pillar by a combination of aerodynamic forces and the action of the windscreen wipers, can be a significant impediment to driver vision. Surface water film, or streams, persisting in key visi... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))
Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) - May 11, 2013 Category: Global & Universal Tags: Engineering, Physics, Structural Soundness and Failure Source Type: news

Muscle fatigue based evaluation of bicycle design - Balasubramanian V, Jagannath M, Adalarasu K.
The objective of this study was to investigate the muscle activity during c... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))
Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) - May 11, 2013 Category: Global & Universal Tags: Engineering, Physics, Structural Soundness and Failure Source Type: news

Relation between the weave mode in low speed range and slalom running of motorcycles - Kishi T, Uchiyama T, Fujii S.
Recently, our research has focused on the weave mode. This is a representative vibration mode of motorcycles and is important when considering maneuverability and stability. In a method of analyzing the weave mode, a disturbance is applied to the handle ba... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))
Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) - May 11, 2013 Category: Global & Universal Tags: Engineering, Physics, Structural Soundness and Failure Source Type: news

Should we be gritting pavements to prevent pedestrian injuries? - Atenstaedt R, Rees M.
The severe cold spells in the UK in the winters of 2009–10 and 2010–11 focused attention on the subject of gritting roads in order to reduce road traffic collisions, and led to an independent review of England’s transport systems in winter conditi... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))
Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) - May 11, 2013 Category: Global & Universal Tags: Engineering, Physics, Structural Soundness and Failure Source Type: news

Spatial and temporal patterns of North Carolina pedestrian and bicycle plans - Aytur SA, Rodriguez DA, Kerr ZY, Ji K, Evenson KR.
CONTEXT: Pedestrian and bicycle plans support community-level physical activity. In North Carolina, pedestrian/bicycle plans are becoming more prevalent. However, no studies have examined the spatial and temporal diffusion of pedestrian/bicycle plans. OBJE... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))
Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) - May 11, 2013 Category: Global & Universal Tags: Engineering, Physics, Structural Soundness and Failure Source Type: news

Sway stability of 5th wheel RV trailers - Klein RH, Broen P, Schlabach T.
This paper presents trailer sway testing results of a 5th wheel RV toy-hauler being towed by a conventional "dually" pick-up. Tests were performed at various speeds, trailer gross weights, king pin weights, and tire pressures. Results validate the understa... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))
Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) - May 11, 2013 Category: Global & Universal Tags: Engineering, Physics, Structural Soundness and Failure Source Type: news

The available coefficient of friction associated with different slip probabilities for level straight walking - Chang WR, Matz S, Chang CC.
This paper presents an investigation on different slip probabilities for level straight walking obtained when comparing a given available coefficient of friction (ACOF) value with the stochastic distribution of the required coefficient of friction (RCOF). ... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))
Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) - May 11, 2013 Category: Global & Universal Tags: Engineering, Physics, Structural Soundness and Failure Source Type: news

Traffic conflicts on bicycle paths: A systematic observation of behaviour from video - van der Horst AR, de Goede M, de Hair-Buijssen S, Methorst R.
In The Netherlands, on bicycle paths, single-bicycle accidents, bicycle-bicycle and bicycle-moped accidents constitute a considerable share of all bicyclist injuries. Over three quarters of all hospitalised bicyclist victims in the Netherlands cannot be di... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))
Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) - May 11, 2013 Category: Global & Universal Tags: Engineering, Physics, Structural Soundness and Failure Source Type: news

Vehicle lighting and modern roundabouts: implications for pedestrian safety - Bullough JD, Skinner NP.
Modern roundabout facilities are increasing in number throughout North America and the world. Appropriate vehicle lighting, including the application of intelligent headlighting systems, might help support safe, efficient driving behavior while navigating ... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))
Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) - May 11, 2013 Category: Global & Universal Tags: Engineering, Physics, Structural Soundness and Failure Source Type: news

Workplace hazard identification and management: The case of an underground mining operation - Bahn S.
This paper uses the findings from two workshops conducted with 77 employees of an underground mining operation in Western Australia in April and May 2011. Risk management requires all managers and employees to identify hazards in their work environments. M... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))
Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) - May 11, 2013 Category: Global & Universal Tags: Engineering, Physics, Structural Soundness and Failure Source Type: news

Pinning down the physics of bubbles
Two UC Berkeley mathematicians have dissected the life, and death, of suds, which could prove useful to chemical engineers.Bubbles are a serious business. While they're beloved as a childhood pastime and a bathtub luxury, the physics behind the delicate, iridescent clusters remains remarkably complex. (Source: Los Angeles Times - Science)
Source: Los Angeles Times - Science - May 11, 2013 Category: Science Source Type: news

Representatives Urge Support of DOE Fusion Energy Sciences Program
(Source: Science Policy News - FYI - The American Institute of Physics)
Source: Science Policy News - FYI - The American Institute of Physics - May 10, 2013 Category: Physics Source Type: news

Exploring An Ever-Expanding Universe
Saul Perlmutter shared the 2011 Nobel Prize in physics for his discovery that the universe was expanding at an accelerating rate. Perlmutter explains how supernovae and other astronomical artifacts are used to measure the expansion rate, and explains what physicists are learning about "dark energy" — the mysterious entity thought to be driving the acceleration.» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us (Source: NPR Health and Science)
Source: NPR Health and Science - May 10, 2013 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news