Author: Srishti Saha

The first week of October 2016 observed one significant phenomenon in Physics – when the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences decided to award the Nobel Prize in Physics 2016 to three British-born scientists for their theoretical work on an unknown world, where matter exists in strange states. The Nobel Prize for Physics 2016 was awarded with one half to David J. Thouless from the University of Washington, Seattle and the other half, jointly to F. Duncan M. Haldane, Princeton University and J. Michael Kosterlitz, Brown University. To define the subject of their research in the most incoherent form, the three…

The hype around Virtual Reality is not showing any signs of slowing down. The industry remains the one to watch out for this decade. Mark Zuckerberg, in particular, remains heavily invested in bringing VR tech to the masses. Demystifying Virtual Reality Virtual reality is of course, a computer generated 3D simulation, or an environment that can be interacted with in a seemingly physical manner by us, using specially fabricated electronic devices equipped with sensors and a screen. In a VR environment, we experience what we call immersion – the feeling of being inside and a part of that virtual world. Once immersed, you can interact…

Ever read the synopsis of a book wrapped in a transparent cover and wished you could glance through the prologue to get a better insight into the book? Many of us have been tempted to open the books and read a few pages before buying. If it isn’t allowed in your favorite bookstore, fret not! MIT researchers and their colleagues have designed a prototype of an imaging technology that could read closed books. In September 2016, a team of researchers at MIT published a paper in Nature Communications, describing a prototype imaging device they had developed. To put it in layman…

Fashion and clothing evolve by the passing hour. With dynamic market needs growing at a high pace, integrating technology with the aesthetics of the industry becomes inevitable. Smart textile innovations have opened up multiple avenues and opportunities, the most recent intriguing one being around fabric that can mend itself. Yes – imagine not having to stash up an emergency sewing kit, safety pins or glue to cover that unsolicited tear up. This concept of a self-healing fabric has been inspired by automatic repairing technology exhibited by many other synthetic and natural materials. Like plastic, ceramic and even metal, self healing fabric…

Some questions that human beings have grappled with for centuries still manage to boggle us with amusing answers and facts. One concept that has interested all researchers, academicians and science enthusiasts alike is light – its properties, and speed being the most riveting of them all. So, what actually happens as one approaches ‘light-speed’? Relativity Demystifies Light for Us Albert Einstein, amongst various theoretical marvels and practical scientific concepts, also gave us his Theory of General Relativity in 1915. The theory determines that the laws of physics are the same for all non-accelerating observers. Einstein also proved that the speed…

The roaring sound of heavy machinery, the rapid movements of the production line and bustling lanes with adept workers dealing with the industrial machines like maneuvered exercises – these are all that the largest manufacturing giants and famous industrial brands boast of behind the scenes. To create a customer base of over 190 countries, it is a no brainier that a mega-brand will rely upon mega-technology and novel techniques to produce its invincible quality products in massive quantities. Television shows like mega factories have captured the inside-stories of many of these brand names and have repeatedly intrigued us with these…

The concept of automation and its imminent dangers have recognized and documented in almanacs dating back to the Industrial Revolution in the 18th century. The early 19th century saw isolated events in England where members of the English textile workers’ community, the Luddites smashed and damaged textile machinery like the lace-making machines in Loughborough. These incidents were preceded by an uprising in the Luddites’ community where in industrial equipment and machines were destroyed thus making protection acts like the Protection of Stocking Frames, etc. Act 1788 incumbent. These introductory instances are proof enough that the human civilization has imbibed a…

Technology has no doubt, transformed the face of our planet, and continues to do so. Besides creating revolutionary marvels that change Earth’s landscape, we’ve also been harnessing technology to unveil secrets of science and life that were lost over the years. Remote Sensing is used to retrieve information about objects and areas from a distance, using sensors mounted on satellites or aircrafts. It uses the natural energy reflected or emitted from the surfaces to map their layouts and other intricate details. LiDAR or Light Detection and Ranging is a remote sensing method used to check the surface of Earth and encompasses data collection from air…

Story telling is an art that has been a part of the human civilization since its commencement. Stories and narratives remain amongst the most effective ways of conveying ideas and entertaining. The art of telling stories has evolved over the years and currently stands at a pedestal where stories are being created in the form of images, blogs, videos and audio forms. A visual stimulus tends to have maximum impact on our minds. The craft of creating videos and depicting stories therefore, is the most convincing procedure to put a point across. Movies, documentaries and short films have a worldwide viewership catering…

Last night, I had to send out a mail immediately while I was having dinner at a certain high end restaurant. Unfortunately, neither I nor my friend had cellular data and hence I asked the manager of the restaurant if they had Wi-Fi on the premises. He apologized, smiled and kindly said ‘No’. I was disappointed that a posh restaurant did not have support for what is considered a basic human right by the UN now. But I realized that establishing wireless internet access might not be feasible at all places at all times. Solution? Imagine a light bulb right above your table at the…

Gerard K. O’Neill’s name might not ring a bell for many of us, but he certainly is one of the most significant names in the world of physics and space sciences. Gerard was an American physicist whose ideologies resonated with the concept of Space Manufacturing and Space Colonization as early as 1969. He visualized establishment of a space manufacturing facility that would product end products for use in the outer space. Located in a very high orbit as compared to Earth, or on any celestial body, he claimed that the manufacturing facility would be self-sufficient and would be built entirely using materials available on…

Data and technology have created a niche for themselves in today’s world. With dependencies ranging from household to the world’s finest industries and defense organizations, there is an obvious need for data to be secure and handled appropriately. Malfunctioning data engines or insecure data channels are as potentially harmful as hackers or ignorant users trying to manipulate data. Given the intensity and frequency of data breaches in 2015, it’s apparent that data isn’t secure even with multiple layers of encryption. However, having known the pace of aggressive research that goes on across the globe, one would not be surprised to read…