Article archives

The road to quantum gravity (3): The speed of light and the origin of mass

The road to quantum gravity (3): The speed of light and the origin of mass

CosmologyHistoryTheoretical physics

By Daniel Fernández

In the previous chapter of this series, we went over the subjective, relative separation of the network of events known as Spacetime into space and time. The speed of light played a major role in the discussion. In particular, we divided Spacetime into three regions (with respect to a particular event) defined by the existence […]

MI weekly selection #329

MI weekly selection #329

Weekly Selection

By César Tomé

Bright gamma-ray flashes found around pulsars Extremely bright gamma-ray flashes known as Cherenkov emissions have been detected circling around pulsars, created when charged particles moving in a sense faster than light travel through the pulsar’s surrounding quantum vacuum. “This is a very exciting new prediction because it could provide answers to basic questions such as […]

Why SnSe is so thermoelectrically efficient

Why SnSe is so thermoelectrically efficient

Condensed matterMaterialsPhysicsQuantum physics

By DIPC

With the possible exception of Avogadro’s number, which was in reality defined and made popular by Stanislao Cannizzaro, many things in the sciences are usually named after the person who makes them popular. The Seebeck effect is an example. Originally discovered in 1794 by Alessandro Volta, it is named after Thomas Johann Seebeck, who in […]

Weaving for a killer

Weaving for a killer

Biology

By José Ramón Alonso

Spiders build their webs using the silk they synthesize and secrete from their spinning glands, structures located in the back of the abdomen. The most primitive species have few glands and build their nets with fairly uniform silks. The most evolved spiders, on the other hand, have up to seven different spinning glands with which […]

An app to predict short-term evolution of patients with flare-ups of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

An app to predict short-term evolution of patients with flare-ups of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Computer scienceMedicine

By BCAM

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is persistent narrowing (blocking, or obstruction) of the airways occurring with emphysema, chronic obstructive bronchitis, or both disorders. Worldwide, the number of people with COPD is increasing. Factors contributing to COPD include an increase in smoking in many developing countries and, throughout the world, exposure to toxins in biomass fuels […]

MI weekly selection #328

MI weekly selection #328

Weekly Selection

By César Tomé

Universe is expanding faster than once thought The universe’s expansion rate is faster than previously believed. Researchers used the Hubble Space Telescope and observations by the Araucaria Project to determine that the universe is expanding roughly 10% faster than earlier estimates. Space.com Exploring the neuropeptide behind stress-eating weight gain Stress eating may result in greater […]

Chromatic multiphoton serial microscopy can generate brain-wide atlas-like colour datasets with subcellular resolution

Chromatic multiphoton serial microscopy can generate brain-wide atlas-like colour datasets with subcellular resolution

BiologyBiomedicineComputer scienceNanotechnologyNeurosciencePhysics

By DIPC

In 1873, the microscopist Ernst Abbe stipulated a physical limit for the maximum resolution of traditional optical microscopy: 0.2 micrometers, or 200 nanometers (the shortest wavelength for visible light, the extreme limit of violet). This meant that scientists could distinguish whole cells, as well as some parts of the cell called organelles. However, they would […]

The spreading of science news, from Arthur Eddington (1919) to black holes (2019).

The spreading of science news, from Arthur Eddington (1919) to black holes (2019).

HistoryPhilosophy of science

By Invited Researcher

On April 10 th 2019, the Event Horizon Telescope project released the first image ever of a black hole. Five simultaneous press conferences, in Brussels, Taipei, Santiago de Chile, Tokyo and Washington were broadcast live, staging a global media event for astrophysics. Besides the inevitable memes in the so-called social media, more serious press outlets […]

MI weekly selection #327

MI weekly selection #327

Weekly Selection

By César Tomé

Researchers create computers in human cells The human body’s similarity to a computer inspired researchers at ETH Zurich to use CRISPR gene editing to build dual-core processors in human cells. The development could lead to the creation of biocomputers to diagnose and treat diseases. New Atlas Brain cells linked to sleep co-opted by general anesthesia […]