Physics and Astronomy News Archive: November 2004

Image: Sandia imagists overcome maelstrom obscuring Z machine’s drive force

Sandia imagists overcome maelstrom obscuring Z machine’s drive force

Source: Sandia   Posted: 11/23/04

Other than a nuclear bomb, Z is the most powerful generator of X-rays on the planet. Scientists have now for the first time peered into the center of Sandia National Laboratory’s Z machine as it fires.
Image: Polaroid Sunglasses let astronomers take a closer look at Black Holes

Polaroid Sunglasses let astronomers take a closer look at Black Holes

Source: PParc   Posted: 11/18/04

An international team led by an Edinburgh astronomer have discovered that by studying polarized light from black holes they can focus on what exactly is going on around them.
Image: Sandia, Stirling to build solar dish engine power plant

Sandia, Stirling to build solar dish engine power plant

Source: Sandia   Posted: 11/10/04

Sandia National Laboratories and Stirling Energy Systems, Inc. (SES) to build and test six new solar dish-engine systems for electricity generation that will provide enough grid-ready solar electricity to power more than 40 homes.
Image: Radar Image Shows Titan's Surface Live and in Color

Radar Image Shows Titan's Surface Live and in Color

Source: JPL/NASA   Posted: 11/9/04

Saturn's moon Titan shows a sharp contrast between its smooth and rough edges in a new false-color radar image.
Image: Laser Points to the Future at Palomar

Laser Points to the Future at Palomar

Source: Caltech   Posted: 11/8/04

Team of astronomers from Caltech and JPL and the University of Chicago created an artificial star by propagating a 4-watt laser beam out from the Hale Telescope and up into the night sky.
Image: Using nanotechnology to target sick cells

Using nanotechnology to target sick cells

Source: UToronto   Posted: 11/2/04

Can nanosized quantum dots which light up like multicoloured fireflies when exposed to ultraviolet light be used to detect, target and kill cancer cells? One University of Toronto researcher is set to find out.
Image: Researchers detect methane on Mars

Researchers detect methane on Mars

Source: UMich   Posted: 11/1/04

The spectrometer aboard the Mars Express has detected an average 10 parts per billion by volume (ppbv) of methane on Mars.