|
Home / News / Tags / light
|
|
30
More: next 50 >>
Scientists in Canada announce the development of a new light “switch,” which has the ability to basically trigger paralysis from within the body of lab worms. All it takes for that to happen is a beam of ultraviolet light. As long as it shines, the animals remain immobilized, and can only move when the li... |
19 November 2009
07:00 GMT |
 |
|
Scientists at the Cornell University, in the United States, have recently announced the development of a new optical technology, which allows them to use a tiny beam of light in order to move nanostructures. The beam employs as little as one milliwatt of power in order to do this, but it can move structures that are ... |
18 November 2009
06:57 GMT |
|
|
Scientists at the Yale University have recently developed a new method of observing how immune-system cells track invading bacteria, before finally catching up with them, and beginning a confrontation. In a paper published in the November 15 advanced online issue of the respected scientific journal Nature Methods, th... |
17 November 2009
15:31 GMT |
|
|
The dual nature of light, as in the fact that it can act like both a particle and a wave, has had physicists puzzled since that was first discovered. Such a duality was bound to lead to some paradoxes, scientists hypothesized at the time, and now their predictions appear to be coming true. Scientists have recently di... |
15 November 2009
04:28 GMT |
|
|
At this point, optical fiber is able to focus beams of light into extremely narrow space. AS light travels through the wire, the latter gets narrower and narrower, until it finally reaches a thickness of only a few hundred nanometers. From that moment on – depending on the wavelength of the light itself –... |
13 November 2009
21:31 GMT |
|
|
Scientists at the US Department of Energy's (DOE) Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have recently developed a new type of nanostructures that is extremely efficient in capturing, filtering and steering light at the nanoscale. The group, based at the Berkeley Lab Molecular Foundry, says that th... |
13 November 2009
06:42 GMT |
|
|
Black holes have captured the imagination of scientists, movie producers and common folk over the years, because of their amazing traits and structures, and also due to the fact that they are unique in their own regard. There is nothing else in the Universe that resembles a black hole, or that can absorb and trap li... |
10 November 2009
02:34 GMT |
|
|
According to the standard cosmological model, the Big Bang – the event that created our Universe – took place about 13.7 billion years ago. After that, the Cosmos began expanding and producing all types of structures, which would eventually differentiate in things we know today, such as galaxy, clusters a... |
7 November 2009
04:12 GMT |
|
|
Measuring dimensions is something that comes natural to a laser, especially if we are talking about small distances. Inside a room, a good laser system can determine everything there is to determine in a manner of seconds. But the main issue plaguing these systems has until now been the fact that they did not operate... |
5 November 2009
09:06 GMT |
|
|
Physicists at the Zhejiang University, in China, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), in the US, have recently discovered a reverse shock wave of light forming in a special type of structure, known as a left-handed metamaterial. This is the first time the effect is directly observed in such a specific... |
3 November 2009
17:41 GMT |
|
|
Scientists at the University of California in Berkeley (UCB) have recently announced the creation of a new type of microcapsules, similar to the ones used in carbon-free paper, but much improved. They add that the new design is a significant improvement from the other type of microcapsules that burst and release thei... |
29 October 2009
03:28 GMT |
|
|
Guiding light through optical fibers was never something easy to do, and the communication industry has been using photonic crystals – specially patterned materials – for the job since the early days. In mobile phones, unwanted frequencies are screened out using similar materials, called phononic crystals... |
19 October 2009
02:20 GMT |
|
|
A new scientific study seems to indicate that, in their quest for protection from the harmful effects of UV radiation, people may not have to pay the premium prices regularly associated with sun-protective clothing. Experts have recently determined that opting for clothes dyed in blue or red may be just as effective,... |
15 October 2009
08:52 GMT |
|
|
The reason why we are able to see objects around us is because photons traveling through the atmosphere readily bounce off obstacles in their path. Some of them enter our eyes, and leave their impressions on the retina, which then transforms the data in electrical impulses and sends them to the brain, for analysis an... |
9 October 2009
04:09 GMT |
|
|
“Glow-in-the-dark,” or luminescent, mushrooms are nothing new. They can be seen in forests around the world, illuminating their surroundings with a faint glow. But, in an important, new expedition, experts have recently identified seven new species of aglow mushrooms. This could help botanists better unde... |
6 October 2009
02:52 GMT |
|
|
Fingerprints have been one of authorities' preferred methods of creating indexes to include all sorts of bad guys, although that trend went downhill when innocent people started being fingerprinted at airports. Until now, this has been done by dipping people's fingers in ink, and then pressing them against ... |
30 September 2009
04:09 GMT |
|
|
Scientists from the University of Missouri have recently announced that they've created the most precise measurements to date of the curvature of space caused by the Sun's gravity in our solar system. The research was conducted using the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Very Long Baseline Array (VLB... |
2 September 2009
05:45 GMT |
|
|
Establishing the actual properties of a kilogram is a very complex task, and the entire world has only two instruments capable of doing this, called watt balances. They are able to redefine the kilogram more sensitively, comparable to how an atomic clock shows precisely the duration of a second in terms of cesium ato... |
25 August 2009
14:31 GMT |
|
|
For many years, experts have tried to gain a better understanding of cancer, of why it appears, and of how it spreads through the human body. In order to do this, they need to be able to observe and to control interactions that occur within a cell, especially at the individual protein level. Recently, breakthroughs h... |
20 August 2009
04:56 GMT |
|
|
Scientists from the Norfolk State University in Virginia, together with colleagues from the Purdue University, have recently showcased their latest nanolaser, which they say is the smallest in the world. The new device is, however, not a laser in the strictest terms. It is rather a “spaser,” a device that... |
17 August 2009
01:45 GMT |
|
|
The stellar explosions that form type 1a supernovas are among the most important events that can happen in space, scientifically speaking. Their steadfast level of luminosity, which is perceived as never-changing, has thus far helped astronomers create maps of distances between the various objects in our surroundings... |
13 August 2009
09:01 GMT |
|
|
Humans, as a race, have lost the ability to tell apart the subtle differences in the length of the day when winter turns into spring. Despite the fact that each day is several minutes longer than the previous one, we no longer can tell the difference, except by looking at watches and calendars. But researchers have k... |
10 August 2009
04:12 GMT |
|
|
Physicists at the Boston College have recently managed to use new metamaterials to successfully control a beam of light employing a set of complex instructions. The achievement could have significant applications in the field of bending light around corners or other objects, and could contribute significantly to prod... |
1 August 2009
04:49 GMT |
|
|
Scientists at the University of Minnesota have recently been able to devise cheap ways of manipulating light in peculiar manners, when they have established new techniques to produce very smooth, patterned, thin nanofilms. According to Technology Review, their work could lead to significant improvements in the fields... |
31 July 2009
01:26 GMT |
|
|
A group of companies and research institutes has recently announced that it has obtained groundbreaking results in its attempt to find alternative replacements for incandescent and fluorescent light bulbs. By using proprietary cavity organic light-emitting diode (COLED) technology and light-emitting polymers, the eff... |
29 July 2009
05:57 GMT |
|
|
Until now, researchers have known only about three types of cells that animals in general use for vision. These three were considered to provide fish, mammals and birds with all the capabilities they needed for distinguishing color, depth and the difference between night and day. A new study has recently revealed tha... |
27 July 2009
06:47 GMT |
|
|
Experts at the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) became fascinated with the shimmering lights that were reflected off the jewel beetle (Buprestidae family) some time ago, and decided that the amazing trait merited further investigation. The iridescent glow that these insects give off points at the fact t... |
24 July 2009
04:59 GMT |
|
|
The goal of creating artificial photosynthesis systems (as in man-made leaves) has been around ever since solar energy started being looked at as a potent alternative to burning fossil fuels. Miniature forests at the nanoscale have been envisioned and theorized, but researchers at the Leiden University have now broug... |
1 July 2009
19:01 GMT |
|
|
Experts at the University of Illinois have just created a new type of acoustic metamaterial, which can pave the way for applications such as better ultrasound scans, non-invasive building risk assessment, structural integrity testings, and new types of underwater stealth technologies.UI Professor of Mechanical Scienc... |
25 June 2009
16:01 GMT |
|
|
It's widely known that the pixels inside a digital camera are nothing but a complex light sensor, which is able to decode the wavelengths of visible light that hits them, and to convert them into electrical signals, in a process roughly similar to what happens inside the human eye. However, since the digital cam... |
20 June 2009
05:51 GMT |
|
|
Drawing inspiration from the classic spinning electric motor, theoretical physicists have proposed the construction of a full quantum-mechanic version of it, entirely made up of two atoms spinning incredibly fast in a ring of light. The weird thing about it is that researchers say it could be built at today's kn... |
10 June 2009
03:05 GMT |
|
|
A team of chemistry experts at the University of Florida have finally managed to put together a device that is able to convert sunlight directly into motion, though admittedly only at the nanoscale. The new “molecular nanomotor” is entirely photon-driven, and operates solely on the basis of the particles ... |
5 June 2009
06:16 GMT |
|
|
Some years ago, the explosion of Type 1 supernovas led astronomers and astrophysicists to inferring that dark energy existed. Since then, analyzing these massive celestial events has been the only way of predicting the properties and traits of the mysterious form of energy. Due to the fact that the relative distance ... |
23 May 2009
07:04 GMT |
|
|
Photosynthesis is, undoubtedly, the most important process on Earth, and is also the main source of oxygen for animals and humans. It occurs when the vegetation harvests carbon dioxide and sunlight from the atmosphere, and releases oxygen back, while at the same time generating energy for itself. Directly responsible... |
12 May 2009
04:05 GMT |
|
|
Photochromic materials are a class of substances that can usually change colors when they are exposed to the direct influence of certain wavelengths of light. They can most commonly be found in the lenses of sunglasses, or even in spectacles that change their color from transparent to black or brown when exposed to i... |
28 April 2009
19:01 GMT |
|
|
Experts at the Princeton University Engineering School are currently working on a new method of “reading” light, one that could bring about massive changes in the way people take photographs, as well as in the way doctors look at patients' blood or tissue samples. Basically, the new system will allow... |
22 April 2009
19:21 GMT |
|
|
An international scientific team, comprised of experts from Germany, the United States, and Spain, have managed to establish new methods of controlling light on the nanoscale, through the use of nano-antennas and also of some concepts from radio-frequency technology. The innovation could help create a new generation ... |
21 April 2009
10:13 GMT |
|
|
While for most people a hot cup of coffee is a reason to get up in the morning, for some scientists it holds the clue to understanding how black holes work and also represents a way of finding the elusive dark matter. A Duke University professor and one of his graduate students realized that the way in which light an... |
15 April 2009
09:01 GMT |
|
|
Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have developed a revolutionary new method of etching very intricate patterns on computer chips, which could potentially allow manufacturers in the business to fit more design features on their future processors. The innovation makes use of a type of m... |
11 April 2009
05:40 GMT |
|
|
Researchers at the University of California in Santa Cruz (UCSC) have developed a very complex type of microscopic objects, one that is entirely made of gold and is shaped like a sphere. Already, the innovation has proven to have significant applications in treating some types of cancer, but also in advancing several... |
23 March 2009
07:25 GMT |
|
|
Researchers at Duke University who are currently working on new ways of diverting large portions of the visible light spectrum through artificial so-called “invisibility cloaks,” announced recently that a functional prototype could be available in less than six months, if the pace of their innovation cont... |
17 January 2009
02:01 GMT |
|
|
How would you like it if you paid a lot less for your energy bill, while the ambient light in your house dimmed or increased depending on your needs or on the time of the day, as well as change color, and last longer without the need of replacement? If this sounds good to you, you should know that this is not just a ... |
18 December 2008
05:47 GMT |
|
|
Astronomy has gone a long way since the telescope was invented, and this device allows today's scientists to detect and deduce the presence of large planets outside our solar system. Still, the limited technology we have restrains the possibilities of finding smaller, Earth-like planets which may actually be mor... |
4 December 2008
10:45 GMT |
|
|
In spite of the latest research and breakthrough discoveries in that which involves light, it is still poorly understood and its potential is only surface-scratched. A better comprehension of the behavior and properties of light could lead to developing ways to manipulate it and further enhance its scientific usage.... |
27 November 2008
16:01 GMT |
|
|
As moving large solar-sailed space vehicles around aided by the energy of sunlight has proved to be impossible so far, some experts were not discouraged by the failure. In fact, it made them realize that perhaps, if the energy was too little for such grand purposes, it might still be enough in order to drive machines... |
27 November 2008
09:54 GMT |
|
|
A team of researchers led by Martin Fuchs from the Max Planck Institute for Informatics, in collaboration with Ramesh Raskar from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Media Lab in Cambridge, Massachusetts, have managed to take photography one step further. They have done so by developing a novel device for... |
20 November 2008
10:30 GMT |
|
|
The milestone of 25% efficiency for solar cells has now been reached by the researchers from the ARC Photovoltaic Center of Excellence at The University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Kensington, Australia. Actually, it's not a new product or technology used for silicon solar cells that has enabled them to break t... |
24 October 2008
10:35 GMT |
|
|
A psychology professor from the Health and Human Sciences Research Institute at the University of Hertfordshire has built a room that is a mix of multimedia features linked to relaxation. Richard Wiseman has constructed it based on the previous research on the relaxation topic, and, in doing so, tried to add every fa... |
23 October 2008
10:48 GMT |
|
|
Uber-fast computers operating 1,000 times the actual speed, 10 times more powerful magnifying microscopes, able to spy on the DNA directly, more efficient solar energy capturing devices, enhanced sensors or invisibility cloaks are only a few of the goals that the new optical science field promises to achieve. If prop... |
21 October 2008
06:27 GMT |
|
|
The first computer network in the world protected by an “unbreakable” security system based on quantum encryption has been unveiled at a Viennese scientific conference.The network handles the connection of six Siemens offices in Vienna and the neighboring Sankt Pölten town in Austria through 200 km o... |
10 October 2008
09:27 GMT |
|
More: next 50 >> |
|
|
