R&D INSIGHT
Sea-squirt solves century-old puzzle
The structure of vaterite, an enigmatic mineral present in cement, has finally been elucidated thanks to the help of a sea squirt. A team of scientists from the Technion-Israel
Institute of Technology and the University of Wisconsin-Madison used the spicule, a tiny spike-like structure present in the squirt made up of the aforementioned vaterite, to solve the puzzle. It appears that vaterite is in fact composed of two different crystal structures that coexist within a pseudo-single crystal. “It was a total surprise, but at the same time it made so much sense knowing the years of
conflicting results from different groups publishing on the
structure of vaterite,” says Boaz Pokroy, a professor of materials science and engineering.
Invisible ‘dark lightning’ linked to visible variety
Researchers have observed a flash of ‘dark lightning’ immediately preceding a normal flash of lightning, sparking speculation that the two phenomena may be connected in some way, although the exact nature of the relationship between the two remains unclear Dark lightning is the name for
bursts of gamma rays produced during thunderstorms by extremely fast moving electrons colliding with air molecules, and it is the most energetic radiation produced naturally on Earth.
The observation that garnered
interest from space scientists at the University of Bergen in Norway appears to have been rather fortuitous. In 2006, two independent satellites - one equipped with an optical detector and the other carrying a gamma ray detector - coincidentally flew within 300 kilometers of a Venezuelan storm as a powerful lightning bolt exploded within a thundercloud, but only
recently were the two pieces of data connected.
It is suspected that the strong electric field that formed immediately before the visible lightning could have been the trigger for the dark lightning. The electric field may have caused a cascade of electrons moving close to the speed of light, which, when they collided with air molecules, could have generated gamma rays and a strong radio pulse.
Dark and bright lightning may be intrinsic processes in the discharge of lightning, said space scientist Nikolai Østgaard, but he stressed that more research needs to be done to elucidate the link. “Dark lightning has remained a perplexing phenomenon due to scientific limitations and a dearth of measurements,” he explained. “It is a natural process that we were completely unaware of before 1991. But it is right above our heads, which makes it very fascinating.”
IN BRIEF
Tracking gunfire with a smartphone
Software for smartphones that can pinpoint the location of incoming gunfire using triangulation has been developed by computer engineers from Vanderbilt University. Based on research from the US Department of Defense, in which microphones on soldiers’ combat helmets allowed for the origin of the gunfire to be deciphered, the smartphone software utilises other smartphones in the vicinity of the gunfire to carry out the same function.
“It would be very valuable for dignitary protection,” said Kenneth Pence, a retired SWAT officer and associate professor of the practice of engineering management who participated in the project. “I’d also love to see a version developed for police squad cars. The sensor could be made to inform headquarters about a gunfight much faster than a radio dispatcher could.”
Bath biologist honoured Dr Jean van den Elsen, a
structural biologist from the University of Bath, has been elected a Fellow of the Society of Biology for his contribution to the advancement of biological sciences. His work has led to a better understanding of the interaction between innate and adaptive immune systems, and he has used this knowledge to improve vaccines and therapies for autoimmune diseases. The Society of Biology is the leading professional body for biologists in the UK, which aims to advise government and influence policy, advance biology education and engage and encourage public interest in the life sciences.
www.projectsmagazine.eu.com 11
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