Science Teachers

Association of Nigeria

Physics

Devising nano vision for an optical microscope
Contrary to conventional wisdom, technology's advance into the vanishingly small realm of molecules and atoms may not be out of sight for the venerable optical microscope, after all. In fact, research at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) suggests that a hybrid version of the optical microscope might be able to image and measure features smaller than 10 nanometers--a tiny fraction of the wavelength of visible light.
mark.bello@nist.gov
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

Suicide bomber sensors would not reduce casualties
Sensors to detect suicide bombers before they can reach a target and detonate explosives would not substantially reduce deaths and injuries in urban settings, Yale researchers report in the July 5 early edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

karen.peart@yale.edu
Yale University  

New software changes wireless technology functions on demand
Taking wireless technology to the next level, NASA is leading the way in the field of Software Defined Radio, or SDR, a wireless technology that gives an electronic device the ability to quickly and easily perform new functions on demand.
Robert.J.Gutro.1@gsfc.nasa.gov
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center--EOS Project Science Office

NIST method improves timing in oscilloscopes
A new method for correcting common timing errors in high-speed oscilloscopes has been developed by researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The method improves the accuracy and clarity of measurements performed in the development and troubleshooting of components for wireless and optical communications, military radar and other technologies.
laura.ost@nist.gov
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

It's good to talk - but don't make a sound
Soon we may be using phones that can be heard over the din of loud background noise such as in a factory or loud bar. One of the technologies being pursued by the US military is aimed at replacing the microphone in a mobile phone with non-acoustic sensors worn around the user's neck that can detect movement in the vocal cords.

claire.bowles@rbi.co.uk
New Scientist  

Predicting the lifetime of extreme ultraviolet optics
In an effort to develop metrology and calibration services for the "printing" of advanced semiconductor circuits, NIST researchers are creating a measurement system for accelerated lifetime testing of the mirrors used in extreme ultraviolet lithography. A dedicated beamline at the NIST Synchrotron Ultraviolet Radiation Facility has been established for durability testing of these nanostructured, multilayer mirrors.
laura.ost@nist.gov
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

Carnegie Mellon's Sandstorm robot makes unprecedented 200-mile autonomous run
Carnegie Mellon University's Sandstorm robot drove an unprecedented 200 miles in seven hours without human guidance in preparation for the 2005 DARPA Grand Challenge, a 175-mile driverless desert race with a $2 millon winner-take-all prize.

aw16@andrew.cmu.edu
Carnegie Mellon University

NIST finds rough spot in surface measurement
In an upcoming issue of Applied Optics, NIST researchers report that roughness measurements made with white light interferometric microscopes differed by as much as 80 percent from those obtained with two other surface-profiling methods. The comparative study should be of interest to manufacturers of computer disk drives, semiconductors, and other sophisticated technologies that rely on smooth surfaces.
mark.bello@nist.gov
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

The World Year of Physics: Einstein in the 21st Century

April 29 -- 2005 is the World Year of Physics, a U.N.-endorsed international celebration of physics. It also marks the 100th anniversary of the publication of Albert Einstein's series of papers that shook the foundations of modern science. At a National Academy of Sciences symposium, five speakers will discuss these papers and how Einstein's ideas still resonate in the most advanced areas of research in modern physics.
  In one of his papers, Einstein showed that the fluctuating motions of Brownian particles in a fluid can be used to compute Avogadro's number, and thus to prove that atoms exist. In another, he showed that the photoelectric effect can be understood by assuming that light consists of quantized photons. And in another, he introduced his theory of special relativity, which forever changed our concepts of space and time.

The National Academies

Scientists Say It’s Time to Redefine the Kilogram

For 115 years, the “gold standard” of mass has been a kilogram (2.2 pounds) of platinum-iridium alloy, specially housed outside of Paris. A group of scientists, however, is arguing the artifact is archaic. They say the time has come to redefine this most basic measuring unit. Researchers have offered two suggestions for a new kilogram standard. One idea would be to use a watt balance, in which a magnetic force levitates an object. Another idea is to count the number of atoms in a silicon crystal using X-ray imaging.