The U.S. drone program has seen significant press since the first Gulf War when the defenders of Faylaka Island surrendered to the Pioneer drone, or Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), flying spotting services for the USS Wisconsin (BB 64). Since that time, the technology powering U.S. drones has steadily improved now allowing the MQ-1B Predator and MQ-9 Reaper to conduct surgical strikes in addition to Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions. Other common U.S. drones being flown by the U.S. military and government include the RQ-4 Global Hawk, MQ-8 Fire Scout, Read More

Angular acceleration is the rate of change of a body’s angular velocity compared to time. It is considered a vector quantity since it has a direction and magnitude. Angular acceleration is similar to linear acceleration except that it travels on an arc. Scientifically, it is equal to (final angular velocity – initial angular velocity) / time. A body’s angular velocity is the rate of change of angular distance with respect to time and acceleration is the rate of this change over the same time frame. How is Angular Acceleration Measured? Read More

Mossbauer Spectroscopy is a multipurpose technique that is applied in various scientific fields including Physics, Biology, and Metallurgy. It is most useful in deriving accurate data about the chemical, structural, and magnetic properties of a material. This technique exists today due to the discovery of the resonant absorption and recoil-less emission of nuclear y-rays, now known as the “Mossbauer Effect.” Rudolph Mossbauer discovered this when he was a graduate student at the Institute of Physics at the Max Planck Institute for Medical Research in Heidelberg, Germany. He first observed this Read More

Snakebots are the next generation robotic probes that NASA is planning to develop in order to explore other worlds. Snakebots are named such because of their ability to move like biological snakes. Furthermore, they can change their shapes in order to accomplish different tasks such as digging under the soil, climbing over obstacles, moving around a different environment, etc. The body of a snakebot is composed of 30 identical modules linked together to form a chain. A central spine will act as the communication pathway between the modules and will Read More

Acrylonitrile is a highly flammable and toxic chemical that is used in the production of acrylic materials and other plastics. In its pure form, acrylonitrile is a colorless liquid but impurities can give it a yellow appearance. Acrylonitrile is soluble in water and most organic solvents, boils at 77.3 degrees Celsius, and melts at 82 degrees Celsius. Acrylonitrile polymerizes spontaneously when heated, although polymerization inhibitors are often used to prevent this. Acrylonitrile releases hydrogen cyanide and nitrous oxide when burned, and is widely investigated and disapproved of due to its Read More

Photonic crystals are those that manipulate how photons are absorbed or reflected off of them. They occur in nature and are made of dielectric nanostructures that allow certain wavelengths to pass through them while blocking other wavelengths. The visible light portion of the electromagnetic spectrum’s wavelengths is responsible for colors, therefore photonic crystals can spontaneously emit exotic colors. How Photonic Crystals Work Photonic crystals are made of nanoscale structures that either allow or block individual wavelengths of light, depending on the frequency of their dielectric constants. Each wavelength of light Read More

Elasticity and conductivity are often mutually exclusive in industrial materials, making it difficult to find a material that one could twist and bend and use for electric conduction at the same time. Electrical wires, often made out of copper or some other metal stretched out into threadlike widths, were invented to try and bridge the gap but was impractical if one wished to apply them to a surface. Metals are also highly reactive to chemicals and this is a problem if one wanted to use them for everyday purposes. As Read More

Nanopollution refers to the waste matter or byproducts of nanoscopic device or material manufacture. Nanoscopic device or material manufacturing processes leave behind nanoparticles (smaller than a billionth of a meter) which can infiltrate the cells of humans, animals and all living organisms that may be unprepared for the influx of artificial particles. A 1941 study from Johns Hopkins Hospital discovered that nanoscopic particles, when inhaled, could make their way into the brain via the olfactory tract. This raises some concerns about the possible health risks connected to the recent developments Read More

Most particle detectors are used in applied particle physics, nuclear physics, and nuclear engineering. Most particle detectors measure the momentum, spin, charge, etc. of high energy particles. This is integral to the study of the particles, their sources, and any observable actions. Particle detectors can be very large and can produce a wide range of results depending on their main mode of application. Very large particle detectors, such as the Compact Muon Solenoid, is a general purpose detector that is used with the Large Hadron Collider, a particle accelerator that Read More

Many of us require medication for optimum health and this usually leads us to the pharmacist where we pick up our medicine in the form of pills. As the months and years go by our medicine cabinets become full with a variety of different pills for a host of ailments. Sometimes we no longer know what each pill is and what it is used for. However, it should be noted that practically all pills sold in the US have a pill identification mark to easily advise us what it is. Read More