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Cool Findings: Nanotubes Could Improve Thermal Management in Electronics
March 29, 2007: As the electronics industry continues to churn out smaller portable devices, manufacturers have been challenged to find new ways to combat the persistent problem of thermal management. New research suggests that carbon nanotubes may soon be integrated into cell phones, digital audio players, and personal digital assistants to help ensure the equipment does not overheat, malfunction, or fail. |
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When It Comes to Risk, Not All Nanomaterials Are Created Equal
March 25, 2007: Nanomaterials are being used in everything from golf clubs to computer circuitry, but little is known about the effects these minuscule materials could have on our health and environment. Rensselaer scientists recently worked to better understand the effect of nanomaterials on both mammalian cells and bacteria. |
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The Next Great Earthquake
March 22, 2007: The 2004 Sumatra-Andaman earthquake and resulting tsunami are now infamous for the damage they caused, but at the time many scientists believed this area was unlikely to create a quake of such magnitude. In the March 23 issue of the journal Science, geophysicist Rob McCaffrey urges the public and policy makers to consider all subduction-type tectonic boundaries to be “locked, loaded, and dangerous.” |
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Bacterium Could Treat PCBs Without the Need for Dredging
March 7, 2007: You might want to reconsider your feelings about bacteria. These microscopic creatures have been assaulted by hand soap and antibacterial gels, but a shining star among these organisms could one day transform the way we remove polychlorinated biphenyls from our environment. Rensselaer researchers have discovered an organism that could be the key to developing methods that help detoxify commercial PCB compounds on site — without the need for dredging. |
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Geologists Reveal Secrets Behind Ancient Supervolcano Eruption
March 5, 2007: Rensselaer researchers have discovered what likely triggered the eruption of a “supervolcano” that coated much of the western half of the United States with ash fallout 760,000 years ago. Their research sheds light on what causes these large-scale, explosive eruptions, and it could help geologists develop methods to predict such eruptions in the future. |
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Researchers Create World’s First Ideal Anti-Reflection Coating
March 1, 2007: A team of Rensselaer researchers has created the world’s first material that reflects virtually no light. Reporting in the March issue of Nature Photonics, they describe an optical coating made from the material that enables vastly improved control over the basic properties of light. The research could open the door to much brighter LEDs and a new class of “smart” light sources that adjust to specific environments, among many other potential applications. |
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