Specialists Gregg Maloney, left, and Anthony Matesic confer on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Thursday, June 20, 2013. Financial markets are sliding after the Federal Reserve said it could end its huge bond-buying program by the middle of next year. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
Specialists Gregg Maloney, left, and Anthony Matesic confer on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Thursday, June 20, 2013. Financial markets are sliding after the Federal Reserve said it could end its huge bond-buying program by the middle of next year. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
Traders gather at a post on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Thursday, June 20, 2013. Financial markets are sliding after the Federal Reserve said it could end its huge bond-buying program by the middle of next year. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
Trader Michael Urkonis, center, squeezes through a crowd on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Thursday, June 20, 2013. Financial markets are sliding after the Federal Reserve said it could end its huge bond-buying program by the middle of next year. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
NEW YORK (AP) ? Financial markets are sliding after the Federal Reserve said it could end its huge bond-buying program by the middle of next year.
U.S. stocks fell sharply in midday trading and the yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to the highest point since August 2011. Gold led a rout in commodity prices.
The Dow Jones industrial average was down 209 points, or 1.4 percent, at 14,902 in midday trading Thursday.
The Standard & Poor's 500 index was down 25 points, or 1.5 percent, to 1,603. The Nasdaq composite fell 51 points, or 1.5 percent, to 3,392 points.
The yield on the 10-year Treasury note climbed to 2.41 percent.
Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke said Wednesday the central bank could end its bond purchases by mid-2014.
Progressive traffic signal systems save time and fuelPublic release date: 21-Jun-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Dr. Andreas Battenberg battenberg@zv.tum.de 49-892-891-0510 Technische Universitaet Muenchen
Cooperative optimization of traffic lights outside of cities improves traffic flow
This news release is available in German.
In cities, the uniform and low speed levels simplify the setup of synchronized traffic signals. Outside urban areas this is a bigger challenge: The travel speeds vary more and the distances between the traffic lights are often much larger. Researchers at the Technische Universitaet Muenchen, the BMW Group, the TRANSVER GmbH and the Supreme Building Authority in the Bavarian Ministry of the Interior have presented the results of their investigation into how progressive traffic systems can also be set up on arterial roads outside of cities.
As test tracks they selected a section of the federal road B13 in the north of Munich and a section of the state road 2145 near Regensburg. A first major challenge was to integrate the traffic lights on the test tracks, which were up to 20 years old and supplied by different manufacturers, into a unified communications and control structure. From the data obtained in the analysis of traffic flows on these routes, the researchers then developed different control concepts, a fixed-time control and a demand-responsive coordination.
Although the test route in the north of Munich is only five kilometers long, the intelligent traffic light control scheme developed in the project reduces the travel time by about a minute. The best results are achieved by a dynamic, traffic-actuated model. Due to a reduction of stops at signalized intersections, the mean waiting time is reduced from about one minute to seven seconds. An optimized fixed-time control nevertheless still reaches a saving of 30 seconds, thus halving the waiting period. The intelligent control increases the share of intersections that can be passed without stops from about 60 percent to almost 100 percent.
In addition to the intelligent traffic light control, the researchers developed a driver information system. The traffic lights transmit their data via mobile network to the headquarters of TRANSVER GmbH, where a computer processes the data and sends information on signalization to the vehicles. A vehicle's on-board computer or an application on a smart phone indicates whether the vehicle is moving with the appropriate speed in order to reach a green light at the next intersection. The range of possible speed recommendations is shown by means of a "green carpet" on the smartphone's or on-board computer's display. "This is especially helpful when approaching the first traffic light, but also animates to adjust the driving speed," says Michael Krause of the Institute of Ergonomics at the TU Muenchen. "Particular care was also taken to ensure that the additional information does not distract the driver."
Staff and volunteers traveled thousands of kilometers in the simulator and on the test tracks to test the effects of different control options. "Rigid programs allow a very good forecast of traffic signal timings. This is a good foundation for the driver information system," says Dr.-Ing. Alexander Dinkel, project manager at TRANSVER GmbH. "However, a dynamic traffic control takes into account the variability and dynamics of traffic not only in the main direction but also of the cross traffic. Overall, the intelligent approach produces the best results. "
With a trick, the researchers succeeded in combining the advantages of both systems: They defined a core area, symbolized by a green band on the display. Based on the static signal timings it shows the time interval in which a green light will reliably be reached. The dynamics take place only in adjoining areas, allowing the system to respond to different traffic loads on the main track and the cross traffic.
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Progressive traffic signal systems save time and fuelPublic release date: 21-Jun-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Dr. Andreas Battenberg battenberg@zv.tum.de 49-892-891-0510 Technische Universitaet Muenchen
Cooperative optimization of traffic lights outside of cities improves traffic flow
This news release is available in German.
In cities, the uniform and low speed levels simplify the setup of synchronized traffic signals. Outside urban areas this is a bigger challenge: The travel speeds vary more and the distances between the traffic lights are often much larger. Researchers at the Technische Universitaet Muenchen, the BMW Group, the TRANSVER GmbH and the Supreme Building Authority in the Bavarian Ministry of the Interior have presented the results of their investigation into how progressive traffic systems can also be set up on arterial roads outside of cities.
As test tracks they selected a section of the federal road B13 in the north of Munich and a section of the state road 2145 near Regensburg. A first major challenge was to integrate the traffic lights on the test tracks, which were up to 20 years old and supplied by different manufacturers, into a unified communications and control structure. From the data obtained in the analysis of traffic flows on these routes, the researchers then developed different control concepts, a fixed-time control and a demand-responsive coordination.
Although the test route in the north of Munich is only five kilometers long, the intelligent traffic light control scheme developed in the project reduces the travel time by about a minute. The best results are achieved by a dynamic, traffic-actuated model. Due to a reduction of stops at signalized intersections, the mean waiting time is reduced from about one minute to seven seconds. An optimized fixed-time control nevertheless still reaches a saving of 30 seconds, thus halving the waiting period. The intelligent control increases the share of intersections that can be passed without stops from about 60 percent to almost 100 percent.
In addition to the intelligent traffic light control, the researchers developed a driver information system. The traffic lights transmit their data via mobile network to the headquarters of TRANSVER GmbH, where a computer processes the data and sends information on signalization to the vehicles. A vehicle's on-board computer or an application on a smart phone indicates whether the vehicle is moving with the appropriate speed in order to reach a green light at the next intersection. The range of possible speed recommendations is shown by means of a "green carpet" on the smartphone's or on-board computer's display. "This is especially helpful when approaching the first traffic light, but also animates to adjust the driving speed," says Michael Krause of the Institute of Ergonomics at the TU Muenchen. "Particular care was also taken to ensure that the additional information does not distract the driver."
Staff and volunteers traveled thousands of kilometers in the simulator and on the test tracks to test the effects of different control options. "Rigid programs allow a very good forecast of traffic signal timings. This is a good foundation for the driver information system," says Dr.-Ing. Alexander Dinkel, project manager at TRANSVER GmbH. "However, a dynamic traffic control takes into account the variability and dynamics of traffic not only in the main direction but also of the cross traffic. Overall, the intelligent approach produces the best results. "
With a trick, the researchers succeeded in combining the advantages of both systems: They defined a core area, symbolized by a green band on the display. Based on the static signal timings it shows the time interval in which a green light will reliably be reached. The dynamics take place only in adjoining areas, allowing the system to respond to different traffic loads on the main track and the cross traffic.
###
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Scientists prod new growth from a plant buried for centuries
By Stephen Ornes
Web edition: June 20, 2013
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Back from the deep freeze
This moss sprung back to life after being buried beneath ice for hundreds of years.
Credit: Courtesy of C. La Farge
Mosses are mini but mighty: Even after centuries buried beneath a glacier, some of these small, flowerless plants can regrow.
Glaciers are flowing rivers of ice. The one that trapped these mosses grew during a cool period now known as the Little Ice Age. It lasted from 1550 to 1850. The glacier buried all plant life on remote Ellesmere Island, north of the Arctic Circle. But as global temperatures have been climbing, this and many other glaciers have retreated, exposing ancient mosses.
Visit the new?Science News for Kids?website and read the full story:??Old, cold moss grows again
In little more than a month from now, TechCrunch will host its first-ever meetup + pitch-off in Seattle. We're stoked. Coffee, rain, more coffee, followed by more rain. It's going to be epic. General admission tickets are just $5. We're also looking for title sponsors and companies who want to exhibit at a demo table. Both options are available now here.
Marc Maron is going to be a married man! The popular stand-up comedian, who hosts a twice-weekly podcast, "WTF With Marc Maron," and has his own IFC TV series, "Maron," is engaged to his girlfriend, Jessica.
PHOTOS: At what age stars got engaged
Maron announced the news in a blogpost on Monday, June 10, appropriately titling the post, "I proposed to Jessica."
The 49-year-old, who lives with his fiancee in Los Angeles with their three cats, recalled the sweet proposal to fans.
"I got her a ring and everything," he wrote. "I served her pancakes on her birthday and stuck the rock right in the middle of the top cake on the stack. We cried and laughed."
PHOTOS: Stars' stunning wedding gowns
Maron, who's been married twice before (his second wife was former standup comedian, Mishna Wolff), is hoping that third time is the charm.
"And so begins another journey into matrimony," he continued. "I hope it doesn?t kill me or my heart. We?re both excited. I?m also scared but we can keep that between us."
PHOTOS: Stars' engagement rings
The comedian, who's been a frequent guest on Comedy Central, "Late Show with David Letterman" and "Late Night with Conan O'Brien," recently released his latest book, "Attempting Normal."
A solar-powered plane has touched down in Washington DC, ending the penultimate leg of a first-of-its-kind bid to cross the US on solar power.
The Solar Impulse vehicle landed at the capital's Dulles airport at 00:15 local time (04:15 GMT).
The plane will remain in Washington until early July, when it will take off bound for New York - the final leg of the "Across America" project.
On Sunday, the plane will be on view to the public at Dulles Airport.
This is the location of the US National Air and Space Museum's Steven F Udvar-Hazy Center.
The fourth leg of the journey from St Louis was re-routed via Cincinnati at the last minute, as high winds and air traffic would have made the direct journey longer than the team's prescribed limit of 24 hours for one pilot to be at the controls.
After a 15-hour, 14-minute hop, the HB-SIA prototype craft landed at Cincinnati's Municipal Lunken airport on Friday evening in order to allow a change of pilots - Bertrand Piccard taking over from Andre Borschberg.
Continue reading the main story
The Solar Impulse HB-SIA
Wingspan - 63m (208ft)
Weight - 1,600kg (3,500lb)
Covered with 11,628 solar cells
Carries 400kg (900lb) of lithium-ion batteries
Maximum cruising altitude of 8,500m (28,000ft)
The segment from Cincinnati's Municipal Lunken airport to Dulles lasted 14 hours and four minutes.
On landing, Andre Borschberg said that "with the successful completion of these last four US flights, we have shown that we are capable of coping with challenging meteorological conditions for our weather-sensitive plane and for our ground operations, and that we could find each time the right solutions to move forward. It has been a succession of fruitful learnings preparing us for the 2015 world tour."
Piccard's and Borschberg's intention is to build a bigger plane than the HB-SIA prototype and fly it first across an ocean and then around the globe.
The HB-SIA craft already holds the world record for the longest manned solar-powered flight at 26 hours. The aeroplane's other records include the first international flight of a manned solar-powered plane in 2011, and first inter-continental flight in 2012.
The Across America project coincides with Piccard's and Borschberg's Clean Generation Initiative, an effort to encourage policy-makers and businesses to develop and adopt sustainable energy technologies.
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Public release date: 21-Jun-2013
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In little more than a month from now, TechCrunch will host its first-ever meetup + pitch-off in Seattle. We're stoked. Coffee, rain, more coffee, followed by more rain. It's going to be epic. General admission tickets are just $5. We're also looking for title sponsors and companies who want to exhibit at a demo table. Both options are available now 