a blog by the NSF Center for Sustainable Nanotechnology
I am a second-generation science fiction fan; my parents have been Star Trek fans since the ‘60s, and I grew up on PBS reruns of Doctor Who in the ‘80s. Like so many others, my appreciation for science fiction definitely played a role in developing my interests in real-world science. One of my favorite ways …
Continue reading "Celebrating Science at a Science Fiction Convention"
Do you have a favorite color of M&M, or a favorite type of M&M? Personally, I’m partial to orange M&Ms and mini M&Ms. You might think that orange M&Ms taste the same as all the other colors, and minis taste the same as regular-size, but you’d only be half right! Although you might expect both …
Continue reading "Valentine’s Day Science: What do M&Ms have to do with nanotechnology?"
Gold is one of the most highly desired metals in the world. The precious yellow metal is rare in nature and has been used as a medium of currency and in the making of jewelry since ancient times (Figure 1).1 Believed to be brought to Earth by meteors, gold is truly out of this world!2 …
Continue reading "Can gold melt at room temperature? Melting temperature depression!"
If you took high school chemistry, you might remember using pH indicator strips. You’d take a piece of the specially treated paper, dip it in your solution, and watch it change color depending on whether you had an acid or base. At the time, you might have been more excited by the fact that the …
Continue reading "Nano-Sensors: Small size, big impact"
Only over the past 20 years have we begun to harness the unique properties of nano-scale materials, while nature has been using nano- “technology” since the beginning of time to prevent infections, repel water, create colors, and climb vertical surfaces. Inspired by nature’s advances, scientists and engineers are generating biomimetic applications for nanotechnology in today’s …
During a recent visit to Home Depot I came face to face with a lithium-ion battery, nanotechnology, and my interest in making a wooden-framed mirror. I had my eyes on some shiny, new Dewalt power tools. I decided that it would be much easier to build a wooden frame with a high quality drill and …
Continue reading "How do Lithium Ion Batteries Work? A Nanotechnology Explainer."
"You've gotta give it a taste to know!" answered the long-haired, cowboy shirt-wearing distiller dude at Madison, Wisconsin's Old Sugar Distillery. He was responding to my incessant questions about how long their liquors take to age. His answer was interesting, but I wanted numbers! After some more pointed questions, he told me that most of their liquors …
Continue reading "Liquor Aging, Tiny Barrels, and Next Generation Solar Cells"
Sustainable Nano 