Category Physics

Professor Matthew Sullivan levitates a DeLorean figurine using superconductors. Credit: Image courtesy of Ithaca College

The levitating technology Marty McFly encountered in his jaunt through Oct. 21, 2015 during the 1989 film “Back to the Future II” isn’t as far-fetched as it might seem, thanks to superconductivity. “We’re probably closer to being able to create a transportation system that’s levitating than we are to creating personal automobiles that can both fly and drive,” said A/Prof Matthew C. Sullivan

When properly cooled, a superconductor will resist magnetic attraction and actually float above a magnet...

Electrodeposited TO films on a variety of surface geometries and steel grades

The surface coating, made from rough nanoporous tungsten oxide, is the most durable anti-fouling and anti-corrosive material to date, capable of repelling any kind of liquid even after sustaining intense structural abuse.

Aizenberg’s team developed Slippery Liquid-Infused Porous Surfaces in 2011 and has demonstrated a broad range of applications for the super-slick coating, SLIPS. “Our slippery steel is orders of magnitude more durable than any anti-fouling material that has been developed before,” said Aizenberg. “So far, these 2 concepts – mechanical durability and anti-fouling – were at odds with each other...

All-optical system for control of wave dynamics in biological media.

Team first to use optogenetics to control excitation waves in heart cells.
We depend on electrical waves to regulate the rhythm of our heartbeat. When those signals go awry, the result is a potentially fatal arrhythmia.
For heart patients there are currently 2 options to keep these waves in check: electrical devices (pacemakers or defibrillators) or drugs (eg beta blockers). However, these methods are relatively crude: they can stop or start waves but cannot provide fine control over the wave speed and direction

Dr Gil Bub, from Oxford University explained: ‘When there is scar tissue in the heart or fibrosis, this can cause part of the wave to slow down...

Redistribution of electronic clouds causes a lattice instability and freezes the flow of heat in highly efficient tin selenide. The crystal lattice adopts a distorted state in which the chemical bonds are stretched into an accordion-like configuration, and makes an excellent thermoelectric because heat propagation is thwarted. Credit: Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Dept. of Energy

Engines, laptops and power plants generate waste heat. Thermoelectric materials, which convert temperature gradients to electricity and vice versa, can recover some of that heat and improve energy efficiency. Scientists have explored the fundamental physics of the world’s best thermoelectric material — tin selenide – using neutron scattering and computer simulations...