Invisibility (sort of)

The concept of invisibility has long been thought to be entirely for movies of monsters and magic, but recent developments in science may bring this into the realm of possibility. The researchers at UC (university of California) Berkeley have created materials which have the ability to bend light in unnatural directions. These materials are called metamaterials, which are man made materials which derive their unusual properties from their structure as opposed to composition. This is to say that the literal form of the materials is what gives them their unusual characteristics.
What these materials do specifically is achieve negative refraction. Negative refraction is the term used to describe what happens when light is bent. No material in nature has negative refraction, and a simple example of what it would do if it were in nature involves fish. When you look at a fish underwater you know instinctively that it is not precisely where it appears to be, that it is skewed by the refractive quality of light when entering or exiting water. If negative refraction were taking place you would see the fish upside down and floating above the water.
So while the researches at UC Berkeley have figured out a way to bend light they have yet to make it widely applicable, such that the materials they have at the moment are simply too small and too fragile to be used in any sort of invisibility cloak. What they have been able to do with these materials, however, is put them to use in making stronger lenses for magnification purposes, cutting out interference in antennas, and reversing the Doppler effect.

For the actual source of this information go to this website

Scotch tape producing x-rays

Within the last month at UCLA researcher Seth Putterman and his students, Carlos Camara, Juan Escobar, and Jonathan Hird have discovered that scotch tape can produce X-rays. Similar to the visible light emitted by biting wintergreen LifeSavers in the dark, when the scotch tape is pulled in a vacuum it emits light. The reason this happens is because of triboluminesces, it is the separation of charges during the rubbing of two materials together or in this case the separation of the tape. When the charges reunite, light and X-rays can be produced, just like in a lightning strike. The X-rays created when the tape is pulled is produced in nanosecond bursts containing about 1 million X-ray photons apiece. This is equivalent of about a tenth of a milliwatt of energy. That was enough energy to produce an X-ray image in a second. Sandwhiching a finger between the vacuum containing the tape and X-ray film allows the image to be recorded.
To watch the scientists do this - http://www.nature.com/nature/videoarchive/x-rays/

Tell Me Science, Does Alcohol Affect Sexual Behavior?

Alcohol and sex… the link between the two has long been debated. Why do drunk people seem to carelessly fall in love with strangers on sight? How come your standards seem to suddenly hit rock bottom as the alcohol starts pouring in, and you just seem to find everyone more lovable? These questions have seeped into the minds of socialites to the point where science has gotten itself involved.

Surprisingly, there haven’t been many scientific attempts to investigate the idea that people seem to find others more attractive when drunk. That is, until now. In 2003, British psychologists measured the effect of moderate alcohol consumption on how attractive males and females rated unfamiliar faces. Eighty buzzed college students became unknowing participants in the experiment.

Researchers traveled bars and clubs surrounding campuses, tempting easily manipulative students with free beer under the rule they forego an experiment. Each participant was shown 118 photographs and asked to rate them for attractiveness. Results showed that students only found faces of members from the opposite sex more appealing after hitting the hard liquor.

Previous experiments have shown that drunkards are more willing to say bye to morals and dignity by having ravenous sex left and right with anyone they can get a hold of, especially if they’re attracted to someone’s face. Hmm… so drinking makes you more attracted to faces, while spontaneous sex is likelier when you’re drawn to a person’s face.

Surely researchers weren’t content with just one experiment forever deciding this issue, right? Apparently not, because another group of British researchers were hungry for fresh victims… I mean subjects for a similar experiment to test attraction influenced by alcohol. This time around researchers scavenged restaurants for participants who wanted a free beer. It didn’t take much to find 84 college kids willing to trade some of their time for beer. Not all the drinks served had alcohol though. Half were simply placebos that simply tasted like beer, but had no alcohol whatsoever!

15 minutes pass by and the researchers show photographs of men and women the subject’s age. Just like in the other experiment, people rated faces sexier when buzzed, but something interesting occurred. Contrary to the previous experiment, those with alcohol also rated faces of the same sex as more attractive! Oh boy, this caused some heated debate.

One explanation is that the first experiment was carried out in the highly sexualized atmospheres of clubs and bars, where the only reason to go there (let’s be honest) is for sex. Therefore, people are focusing their love on people they’d want to sleep with. In the second experiment’s restaurant setting, people are more able to talk about who they think looks better in general, because sex isn’t the first thing popping into their mind. It’s really anyone’s guess as to why the results differ, but one thing’s for sure. When you drink, everyone just seems to be slightly more tolerable for that special loving.

Works Cited:

•http://www.newscientist.com/channel/being-human/drugs-alcohol/mg19926694.500-beer-goggles-are-real--its-official.htmlhuman/drugs-alcohol/mg19926694.500-beer-goggles-are-real--its-official.htmlhuman/drugs-alcohol/mg19926694.500-beer-goggles-are-real--its-official.html

•http://pt.wkhealth.com/pt/re/addi/abstract.00008514-200308000-00009.htm;jsessionid=Lrnf1W5PmcxYS1p6SpVCc19nwpsvp5s1wnfnpnLqMzyPG9TsQsgQ!1162365647!181195628!8091!-1200308000-00009.htm;jsessionid=Lrnf1W5PmcxYS1p6SpVCc19nwpsvp5s1wnfnpnLqMzyPG9TsQsgQ!1162365647!181195628!8091!-1

•http://psychology.psy.bris.ac.uk/people/marcusmunafo.htmo.htm

•http://alcalc.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/agn065v1gn065v1

NASA bone-loss test sends man to bed for 84 days

I presented a current event on a study that NASA is conducting, which was explained on Tuesday, September 16, 2008. Scientists have proven that astronauts lose about 10 times more bone monthly, than postmenopausal women. As you may know, postmenopausal women have very low bone mass when compared with other younger women. The scientists are trying to figure out ways to be able to cure bone loss for astronauts, as well as on earth. One goal of the research is to be able to find a cure or be able to treat osteoporosis.
NASA is conducting a study where their test subject lies horizontal for 3 months, with his body tilted 6 degrees towards his head. http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/09/16/nasa.bone.loss/index.html?iref=newssearch

The article talks about a man named Roderick Jones, who, in the past was a chemist. While on the Internet he found an application to work as a test subject for NASA. He was chosen out of a group of 300, to be a test subject. Scientists believe that best way to simulate zero gravity here on Earth, is to have the man lie at the 6 degree angle. "The 3 month period is enough time to allow fluid in the body, to be redistributed in the same way that fluid is redistributed in space," explains Dr. Peter Cavanagh. Dr. Cavangah was the former director for the Cleveland Clinic Center for Space Medicine. He is working on the study trying to compare the results of Mr. Jones, with the astronauts. Mr. Jones isn't laying around for free though. NASA has decided to pay the bed bound man, $12,000 for his 12 weeks of service. Rod is the twelfth study subject, which NASA has conducted this type of research on, and they believe they have halfway completed their project.

Gajilan, Chris. "NASA bone-loss test sends man to bed for 84 days." CNN.com. 16 Sept. 2008 .

Energy...From Space!

The most abundant energy source that the Earth has at its disposal is the sun. But the conditions for collecting sunlight are not always ideal. Cloud coverage and the number of hours of daylight are just a few of the problems with collecting and using solar energy to its full potential. However, soon those obstacles may be overcome.

A new technology has been developed which allows us to transmit energy via radio waves across long distances. The benefits? Satellites could be used to collect pure sunlight 24/7 and beam it right down to Earth to our homes. To top it all off, its 100% green renewable energy.

This technology could be used to transmit electrical energy to third world countries that do not have the infrastructure set up to distribute energy to homes. Emergency areas where the existing infrastructure has been destroyed can use this method of distributing energy as a temporary substitute.

The potential benefits of further developing and using this type of energy are very promising. Soon we may not even have to have power lines directing energy into our homes.

Sources: CNN.com, NYTimes.com

Comments? Questions? Feel free to use the comments section!

Liquid Body Armor

Imagine what it would be like to feel like a "super hero" when bullets just bounce off you. Well, in recent news, US military scientists and engineers are developing and designing a new kind of armor. This new armor is so high tech, it’s liquid, as you can check out at this Howstuffworks.com demo. They call it Liquid Body Armor; it’s strong like a 2 inch metal plate, can cover virtually every part on a human body, and is light weight and extremely flexible.

This armor uses new kinds of materials or what Science Daily calls "smart materials", materials that can sense and respond to change in the environment, either through the application of electricity or magnetism, or to changes in temperature. The US military emphasizes that this new armor is a break through in technology and possibly a new way to protect soldiers and their vulnerable body parts. In the future it could be a way to protect your self and your family.

It’s interesting to see how the military is thinking to switch their focus from weapons to defenses. I think it’s an important change. Bringing more alive soldiers back and having a new way to protect their lives.

Check out this video on Liquid Body Armor

Thank you for reading.

Welcome to the 2008 Class Blog for Core 210-05

Throughout this semester, our class studying Scientific Revolutions will create posts that elaborate upon course content and connect to other materials through links to outside sources such as articles and videos.

Your contribution will consist of a minimum of 5 posts, as outlined below, plus comments on other student postings as appropriate. (Of course, you are welcome and encouraged to blog more frequently if you wish!) Although it is a required course component, I hope you will approach this blog as an opportunity to show your unique perspective on the material we read and discuss, to be creative, and to personalize what we are doing in class in a way that interests and excites you.

REQUIRED POSTINGS:

1. Reading Connections #1: This posting must be made during course weeks 2-5. Create a blog post with links to articles, video, or other content of your choosing that extend concepts we are covering in class during these weeks. You must provide a clear explanation of how your link(s) connect to and expand upon class content, and you must specifically refer to and cite class texts when developing your explanations.
2. Reading Connections #2: This posting is just like the first, only it must be made during course weeks 6-8 and it must deal connect to course content covered during that same period.
3. Abstract: This posting must be done during course week 9. Together with your project partner, post your project abstract and provide a minimum of two links to follow for readers interested in learning more.
4. Darwin Revelation: This posting must be made during course weeks 13-15 (prior to final exam period). Identify a revelation you had after reading about and studying Darwin, and embed a YouTube video that represents the revelation. Your revelation must be clearly explained and supported through specific references to in-class readings, and the connection between your revelation and your chosen video must be thoroughly articulated. (You will also present and explain your revelation to the class during our Final Exam period.)
5. What’s New(s) in Science?: This posting must be completed within 1 week of your in-class What's New(s) Presentation. Create a blog posting that mirrors your in-class presentation, including links to outside content and explanations of their relevance.
   

Have fun, and remember, you are literally writing for the whole world to read!