Science blog

Grameen Shakti is a renewable energy resources company based out of Bangladesh. They are a part of the Grameen family of companies, which has been working for decades to alleviate the burdens of poverty in developing countries. The Grameen Bank, one of their founding companies, has become world-renowned for their charitable work and for helping to establish groundbreaking programs focused on the needs of people. In recent years, the Grameen Bank has financed and supported a number of projects aimed at removing social and financial barriers and creating opportunities for those less fortunate. Grameen Telecom is one such example. The central aim of this company is to provide collateral-free loans to rural villagers for use in establishing local communications networks. This model has become known as the Village Phone. They have now committed significant resources to sustainable energy development. The cornerstone of this effort is the Photovoltaic Program. In Bangladesh, only 30% of the population is receiving energy from the electrical power grid. In this developing nation, the infrastructure to provide energy to every household simply doesn't exist. In an effort to address this problem, Grameen Shakti has financed the installation of thousands of solar energy systems in rural communities. This has created immense opportunities for people in rural villages. Children now have the ability to pursue their studies long after the sun has gone down. Businesses now have the ability to operate beyond their traditional work hours, thus increasing productivity and sales. A world of opportunity has opened up for an entire generation of rural villagers. As a consequence, they are no longer rural villagers. They are now members of our global village. One of the most amazing consequences of this program has been the level of technological engagement that has occurred among the youth in Bangladesh. For young people in rural communities, the future is bright. Due to the advancement in technological knowledge and understanding, the demand for skilled workers has increased at a phenomenal pace. To address this concern, Grameen Shakti has also established training programs that educate young people in the principles of electronics and engineering. It is both exciting and encouraging to witness the immediate and tangible effects of an enlightened business model that measures its true profitability by its social impact. It is an idea that is completely foreign to the western capitalist mindset, and one that serves as a shining example of the power of an idea. Western corporations take heed; there are lessons to be learned in rural Bangladesh.

Louis Essen was born in 1908 in a small city in England called Nottingham. His childhood was typical of the time and he pursued his education with enjoyment and dedication. At the age of 20 Louis graduated from the University of Nottingham, where he had been studying. It was at this time that his career started to take off, as he was invited to join the NPL, or National Physics Laboratory. It was during Louis’s time at the NPL that he began working to develop a quartz crystal oscillator as he believed they were capable of measuring time as accurately as a pendulum based clock. Ten years after joining the NPL Louis had invented the Essen ring. This was an eponymous invention which took its name from the shape of the quartz which Louis had used in his latest clock and which was three times more accurate than the previous versions. Louis soon moved on to newer areas of research and began to study ways to measure the speed of light. During World War II he began to work on high frequency radar and used his technical ability to develop the cavity resonance wavemeter. From 1946 it was this wavemeter which he used, along with a colleague by the name of Albert Gordon-Smith, to make his lightspeed measurements. It has been acknowledged recently that Louis’s measurements were by far the most accurate to have been recorded up until that time. During the early part of the 1950’s Louis began to take an interest in research which was being carried out at the National Bureau of Standards (NBS) in the United States of America. He learnt that work was being carried out to invent a clock which was more accurate than any other. The American scientists were using the idea of maintaining a clock’s accuracy by using the radiation emitted or absorbed by atoms. At that time the Americans were using a molecule of ammonia but Louis felt that this was not working as well as if they were using different atoms, such as hydrogen or caesium, and so he began working on his own clock using these materials instead. 1953 saw Louis and a colleague, Jack Parry, receiving permission to develop an atomic clock at the NPL based on Louis’s existing knowledge of quartz crystal oscillators and other relevant techniques he had learned from the cavity resonance wavemeter he had previously designed. Only two years later Louis's first atomic clock was running, Caesium I, designed by the UK scientists. Development in the United States had all but stopped due to political difficulties. Louis continued to work on his atomic clock and by 1964 he had managed to increase the accuracy of the atomic clock from one second in 300 years to one second every 2000 years! The continued success of Louis’s work resulted in the definition of a second being changed from 1/864000 of a mean solar day to being calculated as the time it took for 9192631770 cycles of the radiation in an atomic clock. Louis Essen died in 1997 and before his death had been honoured with, amongst others, an OBE and the Tompion Gold Medal of the Clockmakers’ Company.

Metal detectors – When people think of Metal Detectors, some people think of combing a beach in search of coins or buried treasure while other people think of security, or the handheld scanners at a concert or sporting event. Metal detector technology is a huge part of our everyday lives, with a range of uses that span from recreational activities to work and to safety. The metal detectors in airports, office buildings and prisons for example help ensure that no one is bringing a weapon onto the property. Consumer oriented metal detectors provide entertainment to people and give chance in discovering hidden treasures. There are many different kinds and styles of metal detectors - gold detectors, coin and jewel detectors, beach-hunting detectors, underwater metal detectors, handheld and walk through metal detectors. Buying a metal detector can be complicated. Before deciding on a metal detector, there are a few points you should carefully consider. Where it will be used? Who will use it? How often will it be put to use? How much do metal detectors cost? Metal detectors range greatly in price… anywhere from $75.00 to all the way into the thousands. It’s advisable to do your research thoroughly and find out which features you should be looking for when purchasing. Another option to consider would be purchasing a used metal detector. It is best to buy used metal detectors from a respected dealer as apposed to advertisements found in newspaper classifieds. Most dealers will not have the manufacturers warranty but will offer a money back guarantee or trade-in options. By carefully examining your options you will be able to find a metal detector that is suitable for your needs without the need to dig deep unnecessarily.

Forensic Science is the application of science in forensic studies, the forensic part of forensic science implies that it is to be utilized in some form or another with a court of law and is relevant to legal proceedings. Forensic Science is rapidly progressing to the point that the science fiction of today could well be the science reality of tomorrow. Forensic Science has been around for many centuries. However, it was not until recently that advances in scientific research and scientific studies made this a true and individual aspect of forensic research. Recent studies and research have brought the field of forensic science to new heights and given it increasing credibility and importance as a deciding factor in many legal proceedings, where forensic evidence often outweighs the testimony even of witnesses on the scene. Almost everybody has heard of DNA evidence or fluorescing as well as many other recent scientific developments in forensic science. While many of us get our information from television programs such as CSI, the reality is that forensic science is rapidly moving from the realm of television to the broader expanse of the real world. DNA evidence is now an important part of most legal proceedings involving any human body. Whether discussing fibers from hair, clothes or even something so mundane as dust, forensic science can often draw conclusions and point to irrefutable facts that often lead to convictions of criminals who, if not for forensic science, would be free to commit more atrocities. Fibers can have a telling tale that can only be exposed by the use of forensic science. Carpet fibers are unique to makes and manufacturers. Gunpowder contains microscopic residue that can correctly identify the type of powder, the manufacturer of the shell and much more information. Simple particles of dust, when viewed by using forensic science can place items or individuals at definitive places often down to an exact time frame. Something that we may see as just a bug or insect can tell how long an item has been in a particular location. There are many factors that are explored with Forensic Science. The scientific conclusion offers irrefutable proof and can be an effective tool in the fight against crime. Advances in science and in particular with forensic science are not only new and fascinating but are constantly improving and being refined. Not only is forensic science a great tool for today, but the future looks bright indeed. An interest in Forensic science may even help the underachiever of today take enough interest in science and related fields of study to turn around and study harder to become the next practitioner of forensic science tomorrow. Forensic science benefits society as a whole in many different ways.