This is a newish type of gel for which a new manufacturing has been developed jointly by the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the University of Delaware as described in a February 11, 2021 news item on phys.org (Note: A link has been removed), Oil and water may not mix, but adding the right nanoparticles to the recipe can convert these two immiscible fluids into an exotic gel with uses ranging…

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If ‘chisel’ made you think of sculpting, you are correct. The researchers are alluding to the process of sculpting in their research. Researchers were able to replicate — with sub-15 nm resolution — bone tissue structure in a biocompatible material using thermal scanning probe lithography. This method opens up unprecedented possibilities for pioneering new stem cell studies and biomedical applications. Courtesy: New York University Tandon School of Engineering From a February 9, 2021 news item…

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I have two news bits about graphene and magnetism. If I understood what I was reading, one is more focused on applications and the other is focused on further establishing the field of valleytronics. University of Cambridge and superconductivity A February 8, 2021 news item on Nanowerk announces ‘magnetic work’ from the University of Cambridge (Note: A link has been removed), The researchers, led by the University of Cambridge, were able to control the conductivity…

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A February 4, 2021 news item on ScienceDaily highlights research from the University of Washington (state) about artificial intelligence, piano playing, and Audeo, Anyone who’s been to a concert knows that something magical happens between the performers and their instruments. It transforms music from being just “notes on a page” to a satisfying experience.A University of Washington team wondered if artificial intelligence could recreate that delight using only visual cues — a silent, top-down video…

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Happy Italian Research in the World Day! Each year since 2018 this has been celebrated on the day that Leonardo da Vinci was born over 500 years ago on April 15. It’s also the start of World Creativity and Innovation Week (WCIW), April 15 – 21, 2021 with over 80 countries (Italy, The Gambia, Mauritius, Belarus, Iceland, US, Syria, Vietnam, Indonesia, Denmark, etc.) celebrating. By the way, April 21, 2021 is the United Nations’ World…

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Markus Buehler and his musical spider webs are making news again. Caption: Cross-sectional images (shown in different colors) of a spider web were combined into this 3D image and translated into music. Credit: Isabelle Su and Markus Buehler The image (so pretty) you see in the above comes from a Markus Buehler presentation that was made at the American Chemical Society (ACS) meeting. ACS Spring 2021 being held online April 5-30, 2021. The image was…

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The Canadian federal budget is due to be announced/revealed on April 19, 2021—the first budget we’ve seen since 2019. The Canadian Science Policy Centre (CSPC)is hosting an April 27 -28, 2021 symposium online and the main focus will be on science and funding. Before moving onto the symposium details, I think a quick refresher is in order. No oversight, WE Charity scandal While the Liberal government has done much which is laudable by supporting people…

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The Canadian federal budget is due to be announced/revealed on April 19, 2021—the first budget we’ve seen since 2019. The Canadian Science Policy Centre (CSPC)is hosting an April 27 -28, 2021 symposium online and the main focus will be on science and funding. Before moving onto the symposium details, I think a quick refresher is in order. No oversight, WE Charity scandal While the Liberal government has done much which is laudable by supporting people…

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Researchers at the University of Sussex (in the UK) have found a way to make your personal computer as powerful as a supercomputer according to a February 2, 2021 University of Sussex press release (also on EurekAlert), University of Sussex academics have established a method of turbocharging desktop PCs to give them the same capability as supercomputers worth tens of millions of pounds.Dr James Knight and Prof Thomas Nowotny from the University of Sussex’s School…

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Yes, it’s a ‘Top Gun’ movie quote (1986) or more accurately, a paraphrasing of Tom Cruise’s line “I feel the need for speed.” I understand there’s a sequel, which is due to arrive in movie theatres or elsewhere at sometime in this decade. Where wireless and WiFi are concerned I think there is a dog/poodle situation. ‘Dog’ is a general description where ‘poodle’ is a specific description. All poodles (specific) are dogs (general) but not…

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