HON CHEMISTRY: So what do you figure is the half-life of a banana? But I digress…. Here’s the lecture for Wednesday on half-life problems.
Have fun with the half-life simulation lab! Be sure and post your data in the Half Life Lab web post by the time listed on the syllabus. Don’t forget to include pics and your graph! The lab report is to be submitted as a PDF 2X by the due date listed on the syllabus. 🙂
Like saliva and urine, tears contain tiny sacs stuffed with cellular messages. If scientists could intercept these microscopic mailbags, they could offer new intel on what’s happening inside the body. But collecting enough of these sacs, called exosomes, is tricky. Unlike fluid from other body parts, just a trickle of liquid leaks from the eyes.
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/human-tears-disease-particles-technology
Doctors and scientists in Pittsburgh have discovered a device to potentially recover paralyzed nerves. The device is placed on the spinal cord to stimulate the nerves. These doctors had success in this study through a woman who, while being paralyzed, was able to move and use her hand for the first time.
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/stroke-recovery-new-treatment-implant-patient-paralysis
New developments in quantum computing have allowed scientists to significantly shrink the error rates in the new quantum computers. This is achieved by combining quibits, or quantum bits, to form a higher, self checking computer bit. Since it checks itself during the calculations rather than after, it’s error rates have plummeted.
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/google-quantum-computer-sycamore-milestone
Researchers have discovered how electrodes grow inside of living fish, pushing the boundary between biology and science closer. These electrodes could be used in the future to study biology and improve machine interfaces. The tissues that are present are also not harmed while they grow and are used.
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/gel-body-sugar-grow-electrodes-fish
The Milky Way is producing more stars than expected. This was revealed through the radioactive isotope, aluminum-26, which showed that the milky way creates four to eight stars each year from dust and interstellar gas. The amount of new stars being made is around two to four times the regular amount. The more stars that are formed lead to more gamma rays appearing.
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/milky-way-star-formation-astronomy