.JPG)
Just for fun:
(h/t Roger Pielke, Jr.)
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VRBWLpYCPY)
(h/t Megan McArdle)
Working as a young, self-funded, independent investigator, Charles Darwin formulated the theory of evolution by variation and natural selection.
Modern science funds independent investigators differently:
It has become increasingly difficult for young U.S. researchers to win funding for their ideas.
Unfortunately, our iconic images of great scientists distort perceptions of age and accomplishment. Both Darwin and Einstein were [...]
Graphene (not disrupted by mysterious forces)
Many scientific papers suggest that the mere existence of free-standing graphene sheets violates theoretical expectations, that it is an anomaly that demands an explanation. A paper in the current Nature describes “Ultraflat graphene”, but this graphene resides safely on mica surfaces. The paper mentions the numerous observations of microscopic corrugations [...]
Video: A digitally controlled molecular machine (>3 billion years of patchwork)
A few weeks ago, I highlighted some of the most popular posts in Metamodern’s first year (see “Knowledge about Knowledge…”). Posts that offer videos, documents, or talk slides also ranked high:
With downloadable documents and talk slides:
Molecular Nanomachines: Physical Principles and Implementation Strategies
My MIT [...] Quantum Bayesian Networks
My recent post on quantum computation drew comments from quantum information scientist Robert Tucci, which led us into a discussion of hype in science, the pervasive mistake of equating quantum parallelism with parallel computing, and then to Bayesian quantum networks (see Robert’s wide-ranging blog on developments in quantum information science and technology).
You [...]
Over at Nanoclast, Dexter Johnson writes:
It seems when nanotech is applied to photovoltaics it can either boost their efficiency to new heights or it can cheapen their manufacturing process. But it never seems to provide a solution to both of these. It’s always a tradeoff: increased efficiency but difficult manufacturing processes or a cheaper production [...] Made at 180°C (a record low, not long ago)
As I noted in a recent post on self-assembled nanoelectronics (“Carbon Nanotube Transistors through DNA Origami”), carbon nanotubes (CNTs) hold promise for self-assembled nanomechanical systems, too: They are orders of magnitude stiffer than biomolecules, and can serve not only as rigid components, but also as [...]
International comparison of health care costs and performance metrics
Life expectancy and infant mortality vs. total health spending as a percentage of GDP.
Data plots are from here and here. Circle areas are proportional to population.
I found this surprising.
See also:
TED-talk video: Let my dataset change your mindset (Gapminder)
Self-assembly of crossed carbon nanotubes
Caltech researchers have applied DNA-based self-assembly to bind pairs of carbon nanotubes into structures that can act as field-effect transistors. Nature Nanotechnology has a prepublication release of their paper, “Self-assembly of carbon nanotubes into two-dimensional geometries using DNA origami templates”; the work emerged from a collaboration centered on the Winfree [...]