Stevie’s Science Tidbits
I’ll be posting interesting articles every week or so! Check out the archive, too.
2/22 - 2/28
Jacketed hamsters demonstrate movement-powered nanogenerators
Author: Darren Murph
Stevie: Poor electricity generating mouse…
Imagine this — one day, with enough steroids, your pet hamster actually could power your home by just running on its wheel. Georgia Tech researchers have discovered ways to “convert even irregular biomechanical energy into electricity,” and it’s demonstrating the finding by showing off jacket-wearing rodents that are game to run. According to the institution’s Zhong Lin Wang, the minuscule nanogenerators “can convert any mechanical disturbance into electrical energy,” which theoretically means that power can be driven by simple, irregular mechanical motion such as the vibration of vocal cords, flapping of a flag or the tapping of fingers. As with most of these university discoveries, there’s no telling how soon this stuff will be pushed out to the commercial realm, but at least they’ve found something to keep the rats busy during the off hours.
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World’s smallest periscope provides multi-dimensional view of cells
Author: Darren Murph
Stevie: Like submarines. But smaller. :D
We never thought we’d say this, but the standard microscope’s day may be coming to an end. Okay, so maybe that’s a stretch, but a new device conjured up by scientists at Vanderbilt University sure could stand in as a suitable and deserving replacement. In what’s being described as the world’s smallest version of the periscope, the so-called mirrored pyramidal wells are being used to allow researchers to see several sides of cells simultaneously. The pyramidal-shaped cavities are molded into silicon “whose interior surfaces are coated with a reflective layer of gold or platinum,” and when a cell is placed inside, it gives Earthlings a magical multi-dimensional view. It’s said that this technology is actually stupendously inexpensive compared to other methods of 3D microscopy, and according to Vandy’s own Ron Reiserer, this “could easily become as ubiquitous as the microscope slid! e.” Them ’s fightin’ words, no?
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