Applied Physics

What Is BlackMax?

A team of theoretical and experimental physicists  have designed a new black hole simulator called BlackMax to search for evidence that extra dimensions might exist in the universe.  Black holes are theorized to be regions in space where the gravitational ...

Article - News Staff - Nov 7 2008 - 7:56pm

Reverse Drafting- Why Sometimes The Leader Of The Pack Has Less Drag

From the Tour de France to NASCAR, competitors and fans know that speed is only part of the equation. Strategy, including the ability to use elements like aerodynamic drafting, which makes it easier to follow closely behind a leader than to be out in front ...

Article - News Staff - Nov 9 2008 - 11:11am

Your IPod Is No Problem, But Headphones Could Interfere With Pacemakers, Says Study

Headphones for MP3 players placed within an inch of pacemakers and implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) may interfere with these devices, according to research presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2008. An MP3 pl ...

Article - News Staff - Nov 9 2008 - 6:00pm

Liquid Crystal Lubricants Reduce Friction, Save Lots Of Electricity

We rarely think about the electricity impact of something like a conveyor belt at an airport.   When our luggage goes on, or we step on one, numerous gears with ball- and slide-bearings go to work. The power consumption is tremendous, in the range of sever ...

Article - News Staff - Nov 10 2008 - 11:27am

Nanobamas: 3-D Portraits Of The President-elect That Are Smaller Than A Grain Of Salt

A University of Michigan professor has created 3-D portraits of the president-elect that are smaller than a grain of salt. He calls them "nanobamas." John Hart, an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, made the mini-Bar ...

Article - News Staff - Nov 15 2008 - 12:39pm

Thermo-Pimp Your Home: Save On Heating & Cooling Costs With Thermodynamics

A smart scientist is a frugal scientist. The Frugal Scientist is a series of articles focusing on frugality with special attention to the fundamentals of science. When it comes to saving money on heating and cooling costs in the household, the frugal scie ...

Article - Jen Palmares Meadows - Dec 8 2008 - 2:14pm

Turbulent Flow Doesn't Always Stay Turbulent, Says Study

When a flow reaches a certain speed, things get turbulent: The fluid or the gas no longer flows in an orderly fashion but whirls around wildly.   Turbulent flows in pipes are of importance for many every-day applications. What they all have in common is th ...

Article - News Staff - Nov 21 2008 - 11:51am

Numerical Modeling Wants To Save Your Golf Game

Don't give up the driving range just yet, but a group of physicists at the 61st Meeting of the American Physical Society's Division of Fluid Dynamics say they can optimize a golf ball with numerical simulations, leaving prototyping to verify manu ...

Article - News Staff - Nov 24 2008 - 10:46pm

Cenocell Will Turn Coal Ash Into Cement Without Concrete

Each year, coal-burning power plants, steel factories and similar facilities in the United States produce more than 125 million tons of waste, much of it fly ash and bottom ash left over from combustion. Mulalo Doyoyo has plans for that material. An assist ...

Article - News Staff - Nov 28 2008 - 1:30am

Piezoelectrics Promise To Create Energy From Everything

Wouldn't it be great if your cell phone or mp3 player could charge itself? What if your house could generate electricity from the noise of the cars on the road? Or if the waste heat generated by your air conditioner could help put a dent in that expen ...

Article - Chris Rollins - Dec 9 2008 - 7:08pm