Toward Quantum Computing - December 9, 2009
Lunch 'n Learn presentation: Imagine a computer that made direct use of quantum mechanical phenomena. Such a machine would likely operate exponentially faster than our present computers.
Zahid Hasan is leading an international scientific collaboration that has observed an exciting and strange behavior in electrons' spin within a new material that could be harnessed to transform computing and electronics. The team believes that the discovery is an advancement in the fundamental physics of quantu
The Fruits of the Genome for Society - February 17, 2010
Lunch 'n Learn presentation: The sequence of the human genome, the primary goal of the Human Genome Project, was achieved just a few years ago. Because our genomes are a string of 3 billion sequences of four chemical letters in the DNA polymer, the ability to obtain genomic sequences depended on revolutionary progress not just in DNA chemistry but also on the equally revolutionary advances in speed, capacity and versatility of digital computers. By far the most prominent result of the determinat
The Fruits of the Genome for Society PDF - February 17, 2010
Lunch 'n Learn presentation: The sequence of the human genome, the primary goal of the Human Genome Project, was achieved just a few years ago. Because our genomes are a string of 3 billion sequences of four chemical letters in the DNA polymer, the ability to obtain genomic sequences depended on revolutionary progress not just in DNA chemistry but also on the equally revolutionary advances in speed, capacity and versatility of digital computers. By far the most prominent result of the determinat
5. Policy Law and Social Issues (July 23, 2007)
Stem cell, medicine, health, disease, science, technology, research, clinical advances, controversy, ethics, law, society, politics, economics, social issue, religion, plasma, cytoplasm, nucleus, white blood cell, chromosome, gene expression, DNA, central
Fundamentals of Cancer Research: Introduction and Overview
This inaugural address lays the groundwork for an 11-part series on MIT’s efforts in cancer research. Susan Hockfield views MIT’s Center for Cancer Research as a central example of how “life sciences are coming into conversation with engineering in a powerful way.” Robert Silbey provides histo
Network-Driven Transportation
Today, cell phones are a menace to safe driving, as they distract operators who should otherwise focus on the road. Tomorrow, cell phones could actually improve our driving, and help drivers avoid traffic congestion, use the road system more effectively, and manage the parking supply. Li-Shiuan Peh says that the key to these serv
Acknowledgements
Following on from the advances made in diagnosing disorders using genetic testing, this unit looks at the possibilities for genetic therapies. Two approaches to gene therapy are discussed: correcting genes involved in causing illness; and using genes to treat disorders. Before closing on a discussion of the issues around 'designer babies' somatic gene therapy and germline gene therapy are discussed.
Learning outcomes
Following on from the advances made in diagnosing disorders using genetic testing, this unit looks at the possibilities for genetic therapies. Two approaches to gene therapy are discussed: correcting genes involved in causing illness; and using genes to treat disorders. Before closing on a discussion of the issues around 'designer babies' somatic gene therapy and germline gene therapy are discussed.
The Kaleidoscope Scientific Vision for Research in Technology Enhanced Learning
The objective for this document is to develop a reference text for the Network's scientific development, and for communication to others of the shared perspective of its participants. For its internal focus, it will lead to a stronger integration of the disciplines and cultures represented by the scientific communities within the Network. For its external focus it will contribute to promoting and clarifying the understanding of technology enhanced learning (TEL) in the European Research Area.
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Two Years Of Use Of The Aplusix System
APLUSIX is a learning environment for helping students to learn algebra. This system is designed and developed in the IMAG-Leibniz laboratory. Its basic training mode consists of letting the students perform their owns calculations, thanks to a two-dimensions editor of algebraic expressions, providing feedback on the correctness of the calculations and on the end of the resolution.
APLUSIX has now been used for two years at school, in different contexts. One use was made by four teachers during
Parabolic beach marks on a polystyrene fracture surface
The fracture surfaces are generally very sharp and angular, indicating fast, brittle fracture with little ductile tearing. Parabolic 'beach marks', can be seen where the fracture has grown at a speed comparable to the speed of sound in the material. This results in periodic, momentary arrests in the crack propagation and periodic ridges in the fracture surface as it advances. These indicate the direction in which the fracture has occurred. Inside the beach marks is a disc-shaped flat region wh
Researching solutions to global water shortages
Director of the University of Nottingham’s Centre for Clean Water Technologies. Making sure the world’s population has enough drinking water is one of the biggest challenges we face today. A rapidly increasing global population, the fact that only a very small percentage of global water is available for consumption and an uneven global distribution of clean drinking water are the main problems in regard to the current global water crisis. Professor Hilal discusses these problems and some of
Tensile failure surface of a carbon fibre composite
This is from the region of the fracture surface which was in tension. The fibres show clean, brittle fracture surfaces (with no fibrillation or distortion and little distortion of the matrix) and have broken at varying lengths and hence some stick out while others have left holes in the matrix. This is indicative of fibre pull-out having occurred after an initial failure of the matrix, followed by failure of the fibres themselves. This is a toughening mechanism in fibre reinforced composites. It
50th Anniversary Group Promo
Over 1000 students, faculty and staff come together to form the number 50 on the lawn in front of the Student Union.
Wiggle -- Predicting Functionally Flexible Regions from Primary Sequence
The Wiggle series are support vector machine-based predictors that identify regions of functional flexibility using only protein sequence information. Functionally flexible regions are defined as regions that can adopt different conformational states and are assumed to be necessary for bioactivity. Many advances have been made in understanding the relationship between protein sequence and structure. This work contributes to those efforts by making strides to understand the relationship between p
Quake: 1906 San Francisco Quake
This site tells why the April 18, 1906, earthquake along the San Andreas Fault was one of the most significant earthquakes of all time. See photos, eyewitness accounts, the 1906 seismogram, and casualty and damage statistics. Learn about the flurry of scientific investigation unleashed by the quake and the advances that followed.
Researching solutions to global water shortages
Making sure the world's population has enough drinking water is one of the biggest challenges we face today. A rapidly increasing global population, the fact that only a very small percentage of global water is available for consumption and an uneven global distribution of clean drinking water are the main problems in regard to the current global water crisis.
Professor Hilal discusses these problems and some of the possible solutions the University's Centre for Clean Water Technologies is curr
Tracing Human Evolution to Its Roots
This graphic from Biology by Kenneth R. Miller and Joseph Levine suggests how some recent hominid fossil finds might fit into the overall picture of hominid evolution. As more fossils are found and further analysis advances our understanding of human evolution, this picture will almost certainly be ...
Health
Students are asked to explain how advances in technology have affected people's health.
Engineering and the Human Body
The Engineering and the Human Body unit covers the broad spectrum of topics that make-up our very amazing human body. Students are introduced to the space environment and learn the major differences between the environment on Earth and that of outer space. The engineering challenges that arise because of these discrepancies are also discussed. Then, students dive into the different components that make up the human body: muscles, bones and joints, the digestive and circulatory systems, the nervo
