Volume 9 - April-June 2010
-
Story 1 - 13/4/2010
Neurons, Freeze!
Neurons are the building block of the arguably most complex structure of the Universe: the human brain. Recent experiments show innovative ways to shock-freeze neurons while they are communicating with each other.
-
Story 2 - 3/5/2010
The Coolest Thermometer
Temperature measurements are key in science and technology. Close to absolute zero, however, they are extremely difficult. A new method now allows the measuring of some of the coolest temperatures ever produced.
-
Story 3 - 16/5/2010 - THE VIEWPOINT by Alejandra Valencia
Happy Birthday Laser!
May 16, 1960. A day like many others, except, of course, for the fact that on this day the laser was born. A candy store owner, a photographer, and at least four American and two Russian scientists took part in the story that led to this accomplishment. This was a humble event, which could not foreshadow the future success of the newborn laser. This year the world celebrates the 50th birthday of the laser through an initiative jointly organized by various optics and photonics organizations: the LaserFest. Happy birthday laser!
-
Story 4 - 31/5/2010
Truly Random Results: You Can Bet on It!
True randomness can hardly ever be proved. However, latest experiments on quantum systems deliver truly random results — guaranteed!
-
![How noise enters our communication. Claude Shannon’s communication model places the noise source exclusively on the channel [1]. In an oral presentation, however, much worse is the noise that comes from the transmitter (the speaker).](./content/v9/s5/opfocus_v9_s5_p1_100.gif)
Story 5 - 9/6/2010 - THE VIEWPOINT by Jean-luc Doumont
Fighting the Noise in Your Communication
One of the best-known rules of telecommunication — maximize the signal-to-noise ratio — applies equally well to professional communication and can help us greatly improve our oral presentations, written documents, and graphs.
-
Story 6 - 17/6/2010
In Pursuit of Bacteria: A Cat-and-Mouse Game
Cells in the immune system seem to have a sixth sense for tracking down invasive bacteria. A new technique for manipulating single cells could revolutionize our understanding of their tactics and eventually lead to new strategies for mobilizing our body's defenses against disease.
-
Story 7 - 30/6/2010
Cells through X-Rays
Thanks to their ability to see through solid objects, X-rays are one of the most powerful tools of modern medicine. They may soon enable us to see inside a single cell with a stunning resolution of ten nanometers.
