Polka Dot Pet Carrier

2006 Youth Award for Science and Technology

comes a point is you have to assume you're not going to change the world. That although you like science and technology are probably not bright enough. You have to settle for a tiny contribution. I really happened. But that is not true for everyone.


few days ago, Antonio Lopez, a friend and professor at the Public University of Navarra received Youth Award 2006, awarded by Complutense University of Madrid, in the category of science and technology, as best researcher under 35 in Spain . I will not speak of how finds time to be a professor at two universities in different continents. Neither of his numerous publications and patents although he did not see a euro. Travel, conference calls and numerous scheduling problems involving designing chips for Seiko, NASA and a few English companies. Of the fifteen hour days and weeks to seven days. In his annual "vacation" from work at the State University of New Mexico. Anybody can get an idea reading a summary of everything that has made . Only

writing to encourage those who now study and dream difference. Sure, some are good enough and worth trying. Even from a small town like Pamplona. Despite the lack of resources, facilities or social support. Although these stories appear only relegated to small boxes of paper. Or be forgotten among the owners of the latest political fight, soccer or heart. Twenty years ago that Antonio and I are friends and I can say that research is a better person. And although I have no merit in any of those things I can not help but be proud.

Why Everybody Should Wear Diapers

depend on the light we generate a thousand different ways. However, they all boil down to one basic principle, move the electrons inside an atom.


Within electromagnetic radiation only a small band of wavelengths (between 380 and 780 nm) form the visible spectrum, what we know as light. Understanding the mechanism for generating it requires us to descend to the level of atoms. Among them we find the electrons that form part of its structure. His position is not fixed and varies depending on the power they have, but his natural tendency is to reduce your energy level to a minimum and thus must discard any excess. His method? Exactly. Emit.

To make a material emits radiation, some electrons must provide enough energy to reach higher orbits so that, to decay naturally, the issue as radiation. Throughout history mankind has tried all methods but can be summarized in just five.

• Thermal Power: An increase in temperature provides energy to electrons. A common example would be an incandescent bulb has a filament between 2000 and 6000 degrees. An extreme example would be to sonoluminescence, where the implosion of bubbles generated by sound waves can raise small amounts of water temperatures above 30,000 degrees. But any body above absolute 0 (-273 degrees Celsius) emits infrared radiation constantly, more or less intensity, cooling in the process.

• chemical reactions: Probably the first thing the man could use. The formation of new molecules alters the position of the electrons that emit radiation to return to the position of minimum energy. There is also usually an increase in temperature, as in the fire, but this is not necessary as in the case of bioluminescence .

• particle bombardment: From the use of electron guns, as in a classic tube TV, to that emitted by ionizing radiation. In this case the energy travels directly transfer electrons to emit radiation back into position.

• movement of electric charges, which involves the movement of electrons. A flash or any type of arc would be good examples. But phenomena like mechanoluminescence where friction causes the formation of electrostatic charges and the emission of light to recombine these loads.

• Another source of light with sufficient photon energy, both visible radiation, high frequency, etc. A special case would be the lasers can be pumped with light until most of the electrons occupy high positions of power.

There are other methods to emit radiation outside the visible range. A radar or microwave oven using different techniques. Of these, none is as powerful as the annihilation of matter and antimatter . Enough energy to take us to the stars but that is for another story.



Category: Physics, Chemistry

Moorea Designer Black Pearls

Let there be light Biting the currency - Part

Bite a coin was a necessary precaution when its value depended on the material that formed. A surface layer could mimic the characteristics of gold, hiding a much cheaper composition. And is that a thin layer of gold can do great things.

Fortunately there are many applications that do not involve fraud. Getting the properties of gold for a cheap material has great advantages but is not without problems. The first is how to position and attach it. The easiest method is purely mechanical. Gold is tremendously ductile and malleable , which allows the formation of extremely thin sheets (up to ten thousandth of a millimeter thick). In the form of gold leaf was used for millennia to decorate all kinds of objects.
Although chemical reactions can be used to coat an object, are of little use for gold is a very reactive element ( except mercury). The comment on another occasion.

The method used is electricity. The electroplating is the coating of a material using electricity. To oversimplify, it would be something to reverse the operation of a battery. Instead of getting electricity from a chemical reaction, uses electricity to form a thin layer of material attached to a piece that acts as an electrode. Using many materials such as zinc and cadmium but gold has its place. Its very low emissivity (0.02) makes it highly valued as insulation against radiation. Do I have to protect a satellite from solar radiation? Nothing better than a sheet of mylar covered in gold. It is so effective that is used in infrared mirrors when looking for top quality. The picture below is part of a mirror I travel to Mars in the failed Mars mission Surveyor.





course useful as a mirror also be applied in a laser . Gold covers the resonant cavities to reduce losses and maximize power.

Its superb electrical conductivity and resistance to oxidation should use in electrical connections especially important, for example in the electronics of the airbags. You can also save the vision of astronauts against solar radiation covering their viewers. Or you can protect the crew of some war planes electronics of the electromagnetic radiation produced . But gold will not only serve to hide and protect. One of the many methods used to prepare samples electron microscope is covered with a thin conductive layer. For example, a layer of gold.
And if it is true. It is also used in jewelry. But while consuming much of its production still seems a less interesting.


Category: Chemistry