Dylan gets into science

Scientists sneak Bob Dylan lyrics into articles as part of long-running bet

Speedy cycle

In September 2015, Aerovelo's Eta Speedbike set a new world record in human powered speed by going 139.45 km/hr (86.65 mph).

Decrease entropy?

Argonne researchers posit way to locally circumvent Second Law of Thermodynamics where entropy always increases.

Terahertz deflector

Work by UCLA-led engineers could dramatically improve imaging, sensing and communication applications

Slippery slope

Why being dishonest is a slippery slope

Walking on water

"Elegant Shadow Making Tiny Force Visible for Water-Walking Arthropods and Updated Archimedes' Principle" Langmuir

Bendable electronic paper displays whole colour range

Electronic paper from Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden

Who needs a watch?

The latest figures on smartwatch shipments show a dramatic decline in 2016. Analyst house IDC report a 51.6 per cent drop in sales, with just 2.7 million wrist-mounted computers shipped in the third quarter, compared to 5.6 million over the same period last year.

Aixtron to stay German?

The German government has withdrawn its previously given approval for a Chinese takeover of semiconductor equipment maker Aixtron, throwing up an unexpected hurdle in the US$728 million deal.

Teensy transistor

A research team at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory has created the smallest transistor to date. The device has a molybdenum disulphide channel with a one nanometre carbon nanotube gate.

Why less praise for women?

An analysis of 1,224 recommendation letters for postdoctoral fellowships in geosciences revealed that female applicants are only half as likely to receive ‘excellent’ letters versus ‘good’ letters compared to male applicants. However, there was no evidence that male and female recommenders differ in their likelihood to write stronger letters for male applicants over female applicants. The full paper is published in Nature Geoscience and can be accessed via this physicsworld link.

Is science doomed?

Could it be damaging to equate the success of science and scientists to metrics such as the number of papers published, how many times those papers have been cited and whether the journals the papers are published in are high-impact? An interesting attempt to simulate the scientific ‘ecosystem’ along the lines of natural selection has been published. It argues that certain quantitative metrics used to measure performance could lead to unethical behaviours and loss of public trust in science.

Blowing in the wind?

Bob Dylan may, or may not, be somewhat ambivalent, but awarding him the 2016 Nobel Prize in Literature has certainly produced much media comment. The award is for having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition. There is no Nobel Prize in Mathematics. Alfred Nobel’s will is very clear regarding the areas to be honoured. However mathematics appears to me to be a fundamental element in advancing physics, for example using topology, and perhaps in other areas including chemistry and economics. Like Mr Dylan, it allows for the creation of new expressions and concepts, but this time within traditional science. Is it time for the Nobel Committee to review the award categories?

Just an idea blowing in the wind but perhaps these times need to be a changing?

Thought for the month - November 2016

“Never mistake activity for achievement.” John Wooden, US basketball player and coach (1910 – 2010).