New Milestone in Optic Technology Allows Better Data Transmissions

Scientists in Germany have discovered a technique to  produce a pulse of light so short that it contains just a single oscillation of a light wave. Using optical-fibre-optic cables, Alfred Leitenstorfer's group at the University of Konstanz in Germany has found a way to boost data transmission significantly.  By reducing the amount of light needed to represent a 1 or 0, binary transmissions can be sent with higher efficiency.  This is a fascinating article that discusses a milestone in optical technology that will help in applications like advanced imaging, sensing and signal processing. 

Single light wave flashes out from fibre laser - physics-math - 21 December 2009 - New Scientist


(Image: Kim Steele/Getty)

New Hypothesis says Moon may have formed in a nuclear explosion

According to a new hypothesis, the moon's composition may have been caused by a nuclear explosion.  The hypothesis states that the centrifugal forces during the Earth's creation could have had concentrated heavy elements such as thorium and uranium at the Earth core-mantle boundary. If the concentrations of these radioactive elements were high enough, this could have led to a nuclear chain reaction that ejected the material that later formed the Earth and the Moon as separate entities.

The Moon may have formed in a nuclear explosion


Photo by NASA