I'm far from "science literate"... but this sort of stuff always intrigues me....
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2370245,00.asp Graphene is the strongest and thinnest known material in existence, and its discovery six years ago has won University of Manchester professors Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov the 2010 Nobel Prize in Physics. "It has all the potential to change your life in the same way that plastics did," Geim told the Associated Press. The "wonder material" is a form of carbon. It's just one atom thick but it's more than 100 times stronger than steel. Nearly transparent, graphene is a highly heat-resistant conductor of electricity that has potential for use in transportation, electronics, and computers. Its particles have an organization that looks similar to that of a honeycomb, but it's too dense to be penetrated by even helium. Because of its strength and conducting abilities, it could be used in the production of planes, cars, and satellites, and it could be used to make integrated circuits. According to a Tuesday press release from The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, "graphene is suitable for producing transparent touch screens, light panels, and maybe even solar cells." However, it will be a while before graphene will be used for any kind of widespread application. Although the material could have many, varied complex uses, the foundation of its discovery was actually pretty simple. Geim and Novoselov used a piece of scotch tape to grab particles of graphite, similar to what's in a regular pencil, according to the AP. The discovery of graphene is part of an unusual research history between the two Russian-born professors. Seven years ago, for example, Geim, 51, and Novoselov, 36 created a super-sticky tape that mimicked the properties of a gecko's feet, AFP reported. On Monday, this year's Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded to Robert Edwards for pioneering in-vitro fertilization. The chemistry winner will be revealed Wednesday and the literature laureate on Thursday, followed by the peace prize on Friday and the economics award on Monday, Oct. 11. -- Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum * Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/ * It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. * Read the latest breaking news, and more.
