Throw a potpourri of transistors into the bathtub, add some soap, and out comes a fully formed nanocomputer. Science fiction? Maybe not. Nanoscientists dream of coaxing electronic components to self-assemble into complex systems. In fact, researchers at the University of Copenhagen have taken a major step towards making self-assembling electronics a reality.
San Andreas, Hollywood’s latest natural disaster blockbuster, played on the anxieties of many West Coast denizens by offering a glimpse of what is to come when The Big One — the anticipated mega-earthquake — actually hits.
Until recently, scientists have known little to none about how cells take in high-energy radioactive materials. This past July, a team led by Rebecca Abergel of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in collaboration with Roland Strong of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center discerned a pathway for the cellular uptake of radioactive matter.
Many view mathematics and language as two distinct areas of study. But what if math could shed light on the significance of the speech patterns of someone at risk for developing psychosis? A recent computer algorithm developed by Guillermo Cecchi of IBM and Cheryl Corcoran and Gillinder Bedi of Columbia University demonstrates that mathematical speech analysis can lead to some fascinating findings.
What if rain gear was scientifically incapable of getting wet, and was actually able to repel water? Researchers at Northwestern University are exploring this question as they work to develop a material that stays dry underwater.
Mark Steyn’s recent A Disgrace to the Profession attacks Michael E. Mann’s hockey stick graph of global warming — a reconstruction of Earth’s temperatures over the past millennium that depicts a sharp uptick over the past 150 years. It is less of a book than it is a collection of quotes from respected and accredited researchers, all disparaging Mann as a scientist and, often, as a person.
Greg Meyer’s early passion for hands-on encounters propelled him into physics research at Yale, CERN, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
Michele Swanson ’82 is a professor of microbiology at the University of Michigan and a leader in the American Society for Microbiology.
Yale researchers led by Prof. Valerie Horsley found that transcription factor Nfatc1 aids skin tumorigenesis in hair follicle bulge cells through DMBA metabolism control.
New research clarifies our understanding of memory deficits in schizophrenia patients.