Quantum information
There is more to information than a string of ones and zeroes - the ability of "quantum bits" to be in two states at the same time could revolutionize information technology
Author archive
China plans massive nuclear programme
China is one of the fastest growing nuclear energy markets in the world. Only one per cent of China’s energy needs presently comes from nuclear power and over the next fifteen years China will spend $60 billion on nuclear reactors. To keep costs down China is pushing hard for foreign investment in its nuclear programmme, […]
EU clashes with US over atmosphere tests
HAARP is a facility to study upper atmospheric and solar terrestrial physics. The programme is paid for by the US Air Force and Navy and has already cost hundreds of million dollars. Opponents of the project believe that the defence department is studying ways of improving communications with the US submarine fleet. The array acts […]
Plessey sold to Mitel
Plessey will join Mitel’s semiconductor division to form one of the world’s top ten manufacturers of communication semiconductors. Plessey is the 11th company that GEC has sold since September 1996, as it tries to focus on its core businesses of defence and aerospace, telecommunications and industrial electronics. Plessey is renowned for its application-specific integrated circuits […]
Retinal TV
The growth of virtual reality has increased demand for more realistic video displays, but existing head-up display helmets are expensive and difficult to use. Gerard de Wit and Joseph Braat at Delft have developed a retinal scanning display (RSD) which uses less power and offers higher resolution than current models. RSD works by adapting the […]
US prepares to go beyond the Endless Frontier
The committee was set up by Newt Gingrich, speaker of the House of Representatives, to update the famous 1945 report by Vannevar Bush, The Endless Frontier, that has formed the basis of US science policy for the past 50 years. Ehlers is vice-chairman of the House of Representatives science committee. Remarkably, Gingrich has given the […]
War of words over waste
The broken promise has led to disagreements between the government and the utilities companies that operate nuclear power plants. Underlying the conflict is the fact that the DOE has charged electricity users literally billions of dollars to cover the costs of building a site for the burial of radioactive waste. More than 40 000 tons […]
Cheaper fusion machine sought
The international thermonuclear experimental reactor (ITER) was intended to demonstrate the scientific and technological feasibility of fusion energy by producing an ignited, energy-yielding plasma for the first time. Construction was scheduled to start after the engineering design activities were completed in July this year. These activities will now be extended for another three years while […]
NASA looks to next Mars mission
The Surveyor 98 mission consists of a satellite called Mars Climate Orbiter, and a ground probe, Mars Polar Lander. Both craft will arrive at Mars during 1999. The orbiter will spend two years measuring atmospheric properties – such as volatiles and water vapour – and taking high-resolution photographs of the surface. The lander will search […]
Newsbytes: Voyager, NASA and Edinburgh
NASA Safety Advisory Panel presents report The Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel (ASAP) has presented its 1997 report. The panel provides a independent assessment of the safety features in NASA’s space program. The group was set up after the Apollo 1 capsule fire in 1967. This year the panel recommends that NASA keeps a closer watch […]
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