Science & Technology

Google Fiber to Buy Out Provo’s Fiber Optic Network

Andrea Smardon — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 23:51:16 +0000

It was billed as an epic announcement in Provo. Mayor John Curtis announced Wednesday an agreement to make Provo the third US city to have access to Google Fiber’s ultra-high-speed Gigabit Internet, after Kansas City and Austin.

Google Fiber General Manager Kevin Lo stood on the roof of the Utah Valley Convention Center with the Wasatch mountains behind him, buffeted by strong winds. He promised all Provo residents would have access to free basic Internet, with the option to upgrade to speeds 100 times faster than the average American can access.

Researcher Brings Neuroscience to Utah Foster Families

Andrea Smardon — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 22:44:10 +0000

The Utah Foster Care Foundation held a Symposium Monday focused on the latest science of child brain development, and how neuroscience is helping foster families overcome trauma and attachment issues.

Foster parents need help and support, according to Mick Woolsey, Director of Education for Utah Foster Care.

U of U Researcher Gives a New Perspective to the Average Snowflake

Brian Grimmett — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 22:08:13 +0000

A University of Utah researcher is taking pictures of snowflakes in a way that’s never been done before and the results could help forecasters better predict the weather.

If you’ve ever seen a picture of a snowflake it probably looked a lot like the paper cut-outs made every winter by thousands of first and second graders across the country: unique, but perfectly symmetrical and flat. But according to Tim Garrett, an atmospheric science professor at the U who helped develop a new way to photograph snowflakes, that image is a lie.

U Plans to Bring Science to Utah Prisons

Andrea Smardon — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 22:47:01 +0000

The University of Utah wants to bring science and sustainability into the state’s prisons. The U is developing a project that would work with inmates on recycling, gardening, and composting among other things. It’s part of a trend toward environmental sustainability in prisons – the subject of a workshop at the university that starts Wednesday and runs through Friday. KUER’s Andrea Smardon talks to the scientist who’s working on the university’s new program, Nalini Nadkarni.

U of U Astronomers Launch The Andromeda Project

Terry Gildea — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 16:26:21 +0000

Astronomers at the University of Utah are looking for volunteers of all kinds to participate in the Andromeda Project.

University professors need help examining thousands of images of the Andromeda Galaxy generated by the Hubble Space Telescope. Anil Seth is an assistant professor of physics and astronomy. He hopes hundreds of volunteers will help his team identify star clusters in the photos.

Sky Survey Tells Story of Expanding Universe

Dan Bammes — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 17:39:31 +0000

Early in the history of the universe -- about three billion years after the Big Bang -- the expansion of the universe was slowing down. Today, it's speeding up at a faster and faster pace. University of Utah astronomer Kyle Dawson is part of a group that's been studying the early universe by looking at how light from quasars affected hydrogen atoms in interstellar space. The project is part of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, which Dawson says gives them the very sophisticated tools to look at lots of objects in the far reaches of space.

Rocky Mountain Power to Expand Incentives for Solar Installations

Andrea Smardon — Mon, 08 Oct 2012 22:35:10 +0000

Rocky Mountain Power plans to offer 50 million dollars of incentives for consumers and businesses who install solar power panels over the next five years. The Public Service Commission of Utah has approved the utility company’s request for a program that will support 60 Megawatts of new solar energy.

Mozilla Ignite Challenge Looking to Utah for Ideas

Andrea Smardon — Mon, 08 Oct 2012 00:01:01 +0000

A national contest is offering money for application ideas that could change the world. The Mozilla Ignite Challenge is seeking new ideas for apps that can run on super high speed broadband networks, and would benefit the public. Organizers say Utah is well positioned to come up with next-generation education apps.

U Study Finds a Stratospheric Connection to Climate Variability

Andrea Smardon — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 17:39:32 +0000

A University of Utah study shows that changes in the earth’s upper atmosphere have an impact on deep ocean circulation patterns in the North Atlantic.

The University of Utah Hosts Mars Rover Landing Party

Andrea Smardon — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 01:01:01 +0000

You don’t have to be at NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab to get live, edge of your seat, coverage of a rover landing on Mars. The rover Curiosity is set to land on the red planet Sunday night, and the public is invited to attend a Mars Rover Landing Party on the University of Utah campus.

BYU Introduces Translator App for Use at London Olympics

Andrea Smardon — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 15:23:06 +0000

London is preparing to host thousands of international visitors for the summer Olympics, and Utah’s Brigham Young University is there to help. BYU has a new mobile application designed to help Olympics volunteers communicate in different languages.

Utah Part of US Ignite Partnership

Andrea Smardon — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 22:47:54 +0000

Utah is going to be a test lab for the use of super high speed broadband. The Salt Lake area is one of 25 communities involved in a new federal initiative designed to speed the development of next generation applications that can operate on ultrafast networks.

Transit of Venus Won't be Seen Again for 105 Years

Andrea Smardon — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 16:41:52 +0000

University of Utah Professor of Physics and Astronomy Ben Bromley previews the transit of Venus across the sun, an event that won't happen here again until 2117.

'Ring of Fire' Eclipse Makes an Appearance at Bryce Canyon

Andrea Smardon — Sun, 20 May 2012 16:24:01 +0000

Utah was treated to an annular solar eclipse Sunday night. KUER's Andrea Smardon went to Bryce Canyon National Park, and sent an audio postcard from Inspiration Point.

Utahns Seek Sweet Spot to View Eclipse

Andrea Smardon — Thu, 17 May 2012 23:32:31 +0000

Science museum shops in Utah are running out of those special glasses that allow you to look directly at an eclipse. Utahns can expect to see a full or partial eclipse on Sunday evening depending on their location.

Utah's NASA ambassador Patrick Wiggins says he'll be heading to the tiny town of Kanarraville, just south of Cedar City to view the eclipse.