Category archives: Science

Superconductivity and the BCS theory

Superconductivity and the BCS theory

Condensed matterPhysics

By DIPC

The band theory of metals has been subjected to experimental tests many times and is now the accepted model of the behaviour of conductors and insulators. But it has to be modified when it comes to superconductivity. Electrical resistance is due to collisions of the electrons (whether treated as particles or waves) with impurities, imperfections […]

No talking while walking

No talking while walking

Biology

By José Ramón Alonso

Complex systems in biology have several levels of organization, establishing a hierarchy of systems and subsystems. An ant colony is a wonderful example with the highest level being the colony itself, formed by hundreds or thousands of insects, each individual ant formed by millions of cells including 10 5 -10 6 neurons, and each cell […]

The loophole-free quantum entanglement experiment (2): The locality loophole

The loophole-free quantum entanglement experiment (2): The locality loophole

PhysicsQuantum physics

By Daniel Manzano

In our previous post, we have discussed the importance of a loophole-free entanglement experiment. Now, we are going to discuss one of the most important loopholes for this kind of experiments, the locality (or communication) loophole . To understand the locality loophole we need to review the Bell’s inequalities experiments one more time. Alice and […]

All-metal aromatic compounds

All-metal aromatic compounds

ChemistryCondensed matter

By DIPC

In the early days of organic chemistry, the word aromatic was used to describe fragrant substances such as benzene (from coal distillate), benzaldehyde (from cherries, peaches, and almonds), and toluene (from tolu balsam). It was soon realized, however, that substances classed as aromatic differed from most other organic compounds in their chemical behaviour. Today, the […]

MI weekly selection #165

MI weekly selection #165

Humanities & Social SciencesScienceTechnologyWeekly Selection

By César Tomé

Noodle-, hazelnut-shaped plasma lenses may be hiding in Milky Way Scientists are learning more about the shape of mysterious plasma lenses, which seem to invisibly float around the Milky Way, detected through radio waves. Researchers were able to detect a lengthy lensing event that gave them an idea of the shapes of the lenses. Space.com […]

It’s raining ants !

It’s raining ants !

Biology

By José Ramón Alonso

Animals drift when they enter a fluid (liquid or gas) and are transported to a new location by gravity or currents. Drift is best known from rivers and ocean currents, but can also occur on land, whenever organisms leave their former solid position, pass into the air, and are moved significant distances by the combined […]

MI weekly selection #164

MI weekly selection #164

Humanities & Social SciencesScienceTechnologyWeekly Selection

By César Tomé

Fish communicate to stay close to each other Fish use calls to stick together as a group, a new study suggests. Researchers played recordings of bigeye vocalizations for captive wild bigeyes, and noted that their own vocalizations increased and they swam more closely together than they did when no recordings were played. “This study means […]