The most extensive use of semiconductors, such as silicon or germanium, including their use as transistors, arises from their behavior when, after being sufficiently purified of atoms other than the basic element (e.g., silicon or germanium), very small amounts of special impurities are carefully introduced. While the methods for first purifying then adding small amounts […]
Trains are one of the least consuming means of transport, and it is mainly due to the metallic wheels and rails: there is almost no energy dissipation due to the rolling contact. Of course, not everything is so great with a steel wheel rolling on a steel rail, as the loads transferred between them can […]
Humanities & Social Sciences • Science • Technology • Weekly Selection
Farthest galaxy ever seen spotted by Hubble The Hubble Space Telescope has spotted the farthest galaxy found so far, 13.4 billion light-years away, according to findings published in the Astrophysical Journal. Astronomers say the galaxy, GN-z11, dates back to just 400 million years after the Big Bang. The Christian Science Monitor Mars’ outer layers shifted […]
The number of people who speak one language (monolinguals) is rather small today , with many of us growing up with more than one language or learning another one during our lifetime. Language experts argue that what counts as speaking two languages (bilingualism) is not only a matter of the number of languages we speak […]
Chemistry • Computer science • Condensed matter • Materials • Physics
A visionary perspective of molecular electronics is the use of single molecules as functional entities in electronic devices. In this context, some of the most important components are molecular switches, which are molecules that can be interconverted reversibly between at least two stable states, one for the OFF and one for the ON. In order […]
Today February 29th is celebrated worldwide the Rare Disease Day. This year’ slogan is “Join us in making the voice of rare diseases heard”. So this is my small contribution to such campaign, essential nowadays to increase support to all the people suffering those disorders and to their families. Because rare is the disorder but […]
Humanities & Social Sciences • Science • Technology • Weekly Selection
Scientists find clues to suggest new type of neutrino Hints of the existence of an elusive sterile neutrino have been detected in the Daya Bay nuclear reactor facility near Hong Kong. This would be the first discovery of a particle which cannot be accommodated in the framework of the so-called standard model. Science News Quantum […]
They say that Information is power. Probably because having the knowledge, when the data are correct, it is essential to anticipate the right move that will lead to success. Today, several decades into the information age seems to be no doubt about that. Regardless, in matters affecting our health we find a tangible example of […]
The most prevalent use today of semiconductors is forming them into transistors, the basic electronic building blocks of all “solid-state electronics” and computer microchips. Semiconductors are the most important materials in the burgeoning revolution in computers and other electronic devices today. Such applications also arose, beginning in the 1930s, from the quantum mechanics of the […]
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Disks can store information for billions of years A new five-dimensional data storage method has been developed that researchers say can last up to 13.8 billion years, withstand extreme heat and hold all sorts of information. The data are encoded into minuscule nanostructures in small glass discs. The Verge New carbon structure can hold liquids […]