Mask Mandates and Starships…

Topics: Civics, Civil Rights, Climate Change, COVID-19, Democracy, Existentialism, Human Rights Thank you, Reginald! You’re all signed up for “(1st Dose) COVID – 19 Vaccine Clinic.” Vaccine Appointment 03/11/2021 (Thu.) 1:45pm – 2:00pm EST Location: NC A&T Alumni Foundation Building (200 N. Benbow Rd.) My Comment: Older graduate student, 58 years. Thank you for registeringContinue reading “Mask Mandates and Starships…”

Snaps From Perseverance…

Topics: Mars, NASA, Space Exploration, Spaceflight Data from the powerful science tool includes sounds of its laser zapping a rock in order to test what it’s made of.   The first readings from the SuperCam instrument aboard NASA’s Perseverance rover have arrived on Earth. SuperCam was developed jointly by the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL)Continue reading “Snaps From Perseverance…”

Our Flexible Molecule…

Topics: Biology, DNA, Physics, Polymer Science, Research DNA molecules are not fixed objects – they are constantly getting broken up and glued back together to adopt new shapes. Davide Michieletto explains how this process can be harnessed to create a new generation of “topologically active” materials. Call me naïve, but until a few years ago I hadContinue reading “Our Flexible Molecule…”

Haplotypes and Neanderthals…

Topics: Biology, COVID-19, Genetics, Research Abstract A recent genetic association study1 identified a gene cluster on chromosome 3 as a risk locus for respiratory failure after infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). A separate study (COVID-19 Host Genetics Initiative)2 comprising 3,199 hospitalized patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and control individuals showed that this clusterContinue reading “Haplotypes and Neanderthals…”

Colloidal Quantum Dots…

Topics: Energy, Materials Science, Nanotechnology, Quantum Mechanics, Solar Power ABSTRACTSolution-processed colloidal quantum dot (CQD) solar cells are lightweight, flexible, inexpensive, and can be spray-coated on various substrates. However, their power conversion efficiency is still insufficient for commercial applications. To further boost CQD solar cell efficiency, researchers need to better understand and control how charge carriersContinue reading “Colloidal Quantum Dots…”

What They Meant…

Topics: Civics, Civil Rights, Democratic Republic, Existentialism, Fascism, Human Rights 100 photos, Time: In August 1955, Emmett Till, a black teenager from Chicago, was visiting relatives in Mississippi when he stopped at Bryant’s Grocery and Meat Market. There he encountered Carolyn Bryant, a white woman. Whether Till really flirted with Bryant or whistled at herContinue reading “What They Meant…”

The Black Edison…

Topics: African Americans, Civics, Civil Rights, History, Human Rights “If you can control a man’s thinking you do not have to worry about his action. When you determine what a man shall think you do not have to concern yourself about what he will do. If you make a man feel that he is inferior,Continue reading “The Black Edison…”

Snapping Polymer Discs…

Topics: Chemistry, Polymer Science, Materials Science, Research A polymer-based gel made by researchers in the US and inspired by the Venus flytrap plant can snap, jump and “reset” itself autonomously. The new self-propelled material might have applications in micron-sized robots and other devices that operate without batteries or motors. “Many plants and animals, especially smallContinue reading “Snapping Polymer Discs…”

Einsteinium Chemistry…

Topics: Chemistry, Einstein, Materials Science, Research To date, researchers have created more than two dozen synthetic chemical elements that don’t exist naturally on Earth. Neptunium (atomic number Z = 93) and plutonium (Z = 94), the first two artificial elements after naturally occurring uranium, are produced in nuclear reactors by the thousands of kilograms. But the accessibility ofContinue reading “Einsteinium Chemistry…”

Touchdown…

Topics: Mars, NASA, Perseverance, Space Exploration, Spaceflight Editor’s Note: This release was updated on Feb. 22 to correct the metric unit for the speed at which the rover’s wheels made contact with the surface to kph. New video from NASA’s Mars 2020 Perseverance rover chronicles major milestones during the final minutes of its entry, descent, andContinue reading “Touchdown…”