Applied Physics

Engineering Absolved- London Millenium Bridge 'Wobble' Happened Because People Walk Wrong

On its opening day, the London Millennium Bridge experienced unexpected swaying due to the large number of people crossing it. A new study finally explains the Millennium Bridge 'wobble' by concluding that humans did not walk the way engineers wo ...

Article - News Staff - Dec 16 2008 - 9:17pm

Quantum Cascade Laser Discovery Yields New Lower Power Version

Researchers say they have discovered an entirely new mechanism for making common electronic materials emit laser beams. The finding could lead to lasers that operate more efficiently and at higher temperatures than existing devices, and find applications i ...

Article - News Staff - Dec 22 2008 - 12:24pm

Auralization, Acoustics And The Quest For The Perfect Concert Hall

When many of us go to see a live performance of some kind, like a play or a concert, we are often mostly concerned with the quality of the performers. We've gone to hear the flowing sounds of the San Francisco Symphony or the clear voices of Broadway ...

Article - Chris Rollins - Dec 24 2008 - 11:58am

Why Will We Have A 'Leap Second' This Year?

2008 will be a little longer than you might have assumed at the beginning of the year. But not so much that you’ll be early for that New Year’s Eve party. The spin of the Earth is slowing down. Not by much, only about 0.002 seconds a day (it actually varie ...

Article - News Staff - Dec 26 2008 - 1:53pm

What Good Is A Fence With Holes? Some Blizzard Basics

If you've ever been to a windy beach or a snow-blown landscape, you may have noticed a useless-looking fence with a pile of snow or sand on one side. The fence looks useless because it's full of holes- they're usually about 50% porous- and y ...

Article - Chris Rollins - Jan 30 2009 - 4:35pm

Quasimodo: Master Of Permutative Group Theory

To ring traditional church bells, a team of human operators pulls ropes that spin the giant bells (some in the multiple tons) and the mechanics of the system impose strict rules on what can be played. Gone entirely is melody, replaced by the idiomatically ...

Article - Garth Sundem - Apr 30 2009 - 6:58pm

The Origami Frog High Jump Challenge

Many geeks adhere to Stiff Paper Theory (SPT), holding that frogs made of expensive company letterhead will jump higher than those made of flimsy copy paper. However, while SPT adds giddy-up to any origami amphibian, it also adds weight. The trick is to fi ...

Article - Garth Sundem - Jul 30 2009 - 1:27pm

Glass Blowing- A Controversial Solid State Mystery

Scientists can easily explain the structural order that makes steel and aluminium out of molten metal and they have discovered the molecular changes that take place as water turns to ice, but glass blowers have been plying their trade since the first centu ...

Article - News Staff - Feb 6 2009 - 4:06pm

New Magnetocaloric Material Will Allow Magnetic Refrigeration

When people think of a refrigerator, magnetism isn't necessarily the first thought that comes to their minds. We've all become accustomed to the loud humming noise of the compressor and blowing fan that keeps our food nicely chilled, and anybody ...

Article - Chris Rollins - Feb 16 2009 - 5:48pm

GPS and the 4th Satellite

One subject I love to explore is how everyday technology depends upon some very deep theories either in pure or applied sciences that in their abstract form might be viewed at best as academic or at worst as science fiction.  GPS is a prime example.  GPS i ...

Blog Post - Jon Lederman - Feb 12 2009 - 8:45pm