A student built a particle detector for just $100; the pocket-sized device can track invisible particles raining down from space at light’s speed; it is now being used in high-altitude balloon missions and major physics experiments

A student built a particle detector for just $100; the pocket-sized device can track invisible particles raining down from space at light’s speed; it is now being used in high-altitude balloon missions and major physics experiments

A device that can detect particles arriving from space does not necessarily require a multimillion-dollar laboratory. A compact detector developed by physicist Spencer Axani began as a low-cost student project and has since grown into a tool used for particle-physics research, education and high-altitude experiments. The University of Delaware detailed its latest developments in September, … Read more

In 2019, US researchers added fluorescent dye to a Pennsylvania mine-water wetland and flew 12 drone missions; a system designed for 29-hour retention held water for only 4.65 hours

In 2019, US researchers added fluorescent dye to a Pennsylvania mine-water wetland and flew 12 drone missions; a system designed for 29-hour retention held water for only 4.65 hours

Visual observations indicated a retention time of about 61 minutes in Cell 3 and 66 minutes in Cell 4. Monastery Run Wetland 1, near Latrobe, Pennsylvania, was built in 1997-1998 as a passive treatment system for several discharges from an abandoned underground mine. Adequate retention time for iron removal from mine water before discharge to … Read more

Melinda French Gates’ father worked on NASA’s Apollo missions; the women engineers she met at his company picnics shaped her thinking

Melinda French Gates' father worked on NASA's Apollo missions; the women engineers she met at his company picnics shaped her thinking

Melinda French Gates grew up in a household where science, engineering and education were closely woven into family life. Her father, Raymond Joseph French Jr., was an aerospace engineer whose career included work connected to NASA’s Apollo programme, giving his daughter an early glimpse into the world of space exploration and advanced technology. But some … Read more

US Army temporarily halts Apache training missions after two soldiers killed in Texas crash

US Army temporarily halts Apache training missions after two soldiers killed in Texas crash

The US Army on Friday (local time) announced a temporary halt to all Apache helicopter training missions, two days after a crash in Texas killed both soldiers on board.“The stand-down will remain in effect until we have a better understanding of the root cause of the accident,” the Army said in a statement.The cause of … Read more