Nobel Prize in Physics For Discovery of Graphene

bugsbunnyak writes "The 2010 Nobel Prize in Physics has been awarded for the discovery of graphene to Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov. Graphene is a novel one-atom-thick lattice state of carbon which has demonstrated unique quantum mechanical properties. These properties derive in part from the 2-dimensional nature of the material: quantum interactions are constrained to the effectively planar dimension of the lattice. Graphene holds promise for physical applications including touch screens, light cells, and potentially solar panels. Geim becomes the first scientist to achieve a Nobel prize despite earlier winning the highly-coveted Ig Nobel in 2000 for his studies of diamagnetic levitation — also known as The Flying Frog." Slashdot originally mentioned the frog almost exactly 10 years ago.

Comments

Re:Heh

[snowraver1]

I remember that story too. I remember feeling sorry for the frog. I imagine that it would feel like you were being electrocuted. That high of a magenetic field would likely induce funky currents in your nerves.

The frog story is interesting

[BadAnalogyGuy]

Not to take anything away from the graphene story, but the floating frog story is really interesting.

It posits that there is a magnetic field surrounding all matter. The positive and negative particles produce a tiny force that can be measured with even crude instruments like a compass. Strangely, these fields become stronger and weaker depending on many variables, including emotional state, vitality, and stress levels.

I'm not saying this is what psychics "see" when they "read someone's aura", but there seems to be more to their woo-woo than many skeptics are willing to accept. If there is a measurable energy field around all things, then there might be something to things like Reiki and other eastern traditional medicines.

Phiztehi otmechayutsya zdes

[mapkinase]

Poehali. ./ grobit moyu kirilliku, i eto v takoy den!