a blog by the NSF Center for Sustainable Nanotechnology
An acronym you have probably seen a whole lot of in recent years is LED, or Light Emitting Diode. Long used only for low-intensity illumination (think of the blinking lights on the front of your computer), the new generations of LEDs are being used to replace all sorts of light sources from car head lights …
Continue reading "Explainer: How does an LED work?"
This post is written by Anna Bisaro and originally appeared on Medill Reports, a project of Northwestern University graduate journalism students. Sustainability. The magic word that rings with the promises of a better world and cost savings. People want to create clean energy, recycle wastes and eat locally-grown food, all in the quest for sustainability. …
Continue reading "Scientists work to prevent a nano-crisis"
The idea that an image is worth a thousand words applies just as much in science as it does in other contexts. Using images, scientists can convey complex information more quickly and often more clearly than is possible using words—which do you prefer: words (left) or a picture (right)? Today I want to talk about …
Continue reading "Zooming in on the Nano World: Limitations and Breakthroughs in Light Microscopy"
For many people the celebration of the 4th of July is not totally complete without a good aerial fireworks show. A good firework show needs to have two essential components to deliver that thrilling experience most of us love to see—sound and color effects. Nanotechnology could make it possible for these fireworks effects to be …
Continue reading "Nanomaterials Making Their Way into Fireworks"
You’ve heard about how lasers work, but what does this mean for science?! We see everyday how light interacts with matter. Ever wonder how a rainbow is formed? Or why your straw looks bent or even broken when it is placed in a cup of water? Both of these phenomena have to do with light …
Continue reading "Laser Science. Light Can Do Way More Than Just Bend"
When Luke Skywalker receives his father’s lightsaber from Obi Wan in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, he learns that it is “not as random or clumsy as a blaster; an elegant weapon for a more civilized age.” Here at our Center for Sustainable Nanotechnology, we don’t work with weapons, no matter how sophisticated …
Continue reading "“How do Lasers Work?” or “Not your father’s lightsaber”"
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