Scientists have unexpectedly discovered the first manganese-based superconductor, an element whose magnetism was thought to be too strong to permit superconductivity. This research might lead to new superconductors that can better resist magnetic disruption.
Month: March 2015
New X-ray laser technique could reveal atomic detail of proteins
Use of the Linac Coherent Light Source has led to the development of a unique X-ray laser innovation at the Department of Energy's SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory that may make it easier and faster for scientists to fully map medically important proteins whose structures have remained stubbornly out of reach.
Restoring the Foundation: The Vital Role of Research in Preserving the American Dream
“Restoring the Foundation: The Vital Role of Research in Preserving the American Dream,” a 154-page report released by the American Academy of Arts and Science, reinforces many of the findings and recommendations of the 2005 report “Rising Above the Gathering Storm.” The earlier report focused on the causes of America’s dwindling leadership in science, technology, engineering and math and ways of “energizing and employing America for a brighter future.”
Boom Awardees Making Headlines
The Cryogenic Society of America is very proud of the recipients of our Roger W. Boom Award. Over the years since 1996, we have watched as our awardees have moved ahead in their fields, living up to the promise the Boom awards committee saw in them. We caught up with several Boom awardees and asked them to update us on the specifics of their career advances.
Frozen Aliens and Superpowers
Liquid nitrogen is cool. That’s a classic pun, but it’s also true. Liquid nitrogen is dramatic and a little bit dangerous, and its startling effects on everyday objects are immediate, making it a fantastic tool for science education and outreach.
Coefficient of Performance and Figure of Merit
The coefficient of performance (COP) is used to describe the effectiveness of refrigerators, including those operating at cryogenic temperatures. The COP is defined as the amount of heat removed at the cryogenic operating temperature of the refrigerator divided by the amount of work that must be applied to remove the heat. If two refrigerators remove … Continue reading Coefficient of Performance and Figure of Merit
LHC experiments join forces to zoom in on the Higgs boson
For the first time, CERN's ATLAS and CMS have presented a combination of their results on the mass of the Higgs boson--on March 17, 2015, during the 50th session of “Rencontres de Moriond” in La Thuile Italy. The combined mass of the Higgs boson corresponds to a measurement precision of better than 0.2%.
Neutrons provide first images of refrigerant flow
Using noninvasive techniques, researchers at DOE's Oak Ridge National Laboratory have captured undistorted snapshots of refrigerants flowing through small heat exchangers, helping to further elucidate characteristics of heat transfer.
When temperature goes quantum
A University of Arizona-led collaboration of physicists and chemists has discovered that temperature behaves in strange and unexpected ways in graphene, a material that has great potential for new technological devices ranging from computing to medicine.
Review gives green light to pursue ITER cryostat manufacturing
Later this year, in mid-September, the first batch of the 54 segments of the ITER cryostat (the huge vacuum chamber that insulates the superconducting magnets of the machine) will leave the Larsen & Toubro factory in Hazira, India, to be delivered to the ITER site for welding and assembly.
Scientists to celebrate 20th anniversary of top quark discovery at Fermilab
From April 9-10, the particle physicists community will commemorate the 1995 discovery of the top quark, the heaviest subatomic particle ever observed, with a workshop to be held at Fermilab.