We use this page to provide articles, links etc to science news that we think will be of interest to members. If you’ve seen something that you think would be of interest to the group, please let us know.
The Universe’s 7 biggest mysteries (and why they’re unsolved) - BBC Science Focus Magazine
www.sciencefocus.comDark matter, the nature of time, aliens and supermassive black holes: these seven things will be puzzling astronomers for years to come.
UK achieves first long-distance secure data transfer over a quantum network
eandt.theiet.orgResearchers from the Universities of Bristol and Cambridgen have successfully conducted the UK’s first long-distance, ultra-secure data transfer using a quantum communications network.
COVID-19 could put us at a greater risk of neurodegenerative diseases and stroke - BBC Science Focus Magazine
www.sciencefocus.comAnalysis of nearly one million Danish health records has found patients who tested positive for COVID-19 were subsequently more likely to be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and stroke.
Physicist Brian Cox explains quantum physics in 22 minutes
www.youtube.comWith a topic as seemingly complicated as quantum physics, where can you start if you want to build your understanding? In just 22 minutes, physicist and professor Brian Cox unpacks the subatomic world, beginning with the theories as we understand them today.
In the video above, Brian Cox references this Richard Feynman lecture as “the best description of the double-slit experiment”:
The Feynman Lectures on Physics: Quantum Behavior
feynmanlectures.caltech.eduQuantum mechanics is the description of the behavior of matter and light in all its details and, in particular, of the happenings on an atomic scale. Things on a very small scale behave like nothing that you have any direct experience about. They do not behave like waves, they do not behave like particles, they do not behave like clouds, or billiard balls, or weights on springs, or like anything that you have ever seen.
Here’s another explanation of the double-slit experiment that some might find more accessible:
What Is The Double-Slit Experiment?
www.scienceabc.comThe double-slit experiment shows the duality in the quantum world. A photon's wave/particle duality is affected when it is observed.
Book recommendation: How to Teach Quantum Physics to Your Dog
www.simonandschuster.co.ukA few of us have been reading this book. The author takes us through the core concepts of quantum physics by explaining them to his dog! It's well written and very enjoyable. Although it's reasonably accessible, some of the concepts are complex (quantum teleportation...) and might benefit from a second reading. The official blurb:
Emmy is no ordinary dog. When adopted from the shelter by physics professor Chad Orzel, she becomes immediately fascinated by his work. Could she use quantum tunnelling to get through the neighbour’s fence? How about diffracting round a tree to chase squirrels? Or using virtual particles to catch bunnies made of cheese?
Taking Emmy’s anarchic behaviour as a starting point, Orzel explains the key theories of quantum physics. From quarks and gluons to Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle, this is a uniquely entertaining way to unlock the secrets of the universe.
A nanoparticle-based wireless deep brain stimulation system that reverses Parkinson's disease
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govDeep brain stimulation technology enables the neural modulation with precise spatial control but requires permanent implantation of conduits. Here, we describe a photothermal wireless deep brain stimulation nanosystem capable of eliminating α-synuclein aggregates and restoring degenerated dopamine n …
Eating more polyphenols could be the secret to a longer, healthier life. Here’s how
www.sciencefocus.comPolyphenols are ring like structures composed of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms. It’s these unique structures that play a crucial role in the biological reasons behind polyphenol’s health benefits including antioxidant, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects. Foods such as olives, plums, hazelnuts and tea all contain high levels of polyphenols.
Dietary Supplements: Herbals and Botanicals - 9.370 - Extension
extension.colostate.eduHerbals and botanicals have been used medicinally for thousands of years. Once thought of as ‘traditional medicine’ used by native or ancient cultures, herbal medicine has emerged as a popular complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), or supplement to modern medicine. The herbal market is growing steadily at about 20% each year, and it is estimated that in the United States alone the sale of botanical dietary supplements exceeded $5.3 billion in 2011.
Sodium-ion batteries need breakthroughs to compete
news.stanford.eduA thorough analysis of market and supply chain outcomes for sodium-ion batteries and their lithium-ion competitors is the first by STEER, a new Stanford and SLAC energy technology analysis program.