Author Archives: rberkowitz

A chiral fluid has odd viscosity

Posted on September 23, 2019 by rberkowitz

Viscous forces drive wave propagation along a two-dimensional fluid’s free surface.  Continue reading →

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A tiny swimmer generates rapid, far-reaching signals in water

Posted on September 1, 2019 by rberkowitz

Colonies of a single-celled organism synchronize their contractions to release toxins that may deter predators. Continue reading →

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Arsenic-Eating Fern Hints at Cleanup Solutions

Posted on August 20, 2019 by rberkowitz

The Chinese brake fern’s genes let it safely store the poison. Continue reading →

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Ultrafast signalling among aquatic single-celled organisms

Posted on August 2, 2019 by rberkowitz

Colonies of Spirostomum ambiguum synchronize to release toxins that may deter predators. Continue reading →

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A big step for nanoporous graphene provides a small step for desalination

Posted on August 1, 2019 by rberkowitz

Carbon-nanotube reinforcement and template-based etching help scale up membranes. Continue reading →

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Ultraviolet illumination helps birds avoid power lines

Posted on August 1, 2019 by rberkowitz

Birds are dying from power-line collisions—now there’s a solution. Read more in Scientific American (August 2019)…

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Addressing a 700-year-old problem: Reproducibility of results

Posted on July 30, 2019 by rberkowitz

More than 700 years ago, philosopher Roger Bacon argued that reproducible empirical results were essential to scientific progress.  Researchers today are finding new ways to address concerns related to robustness in scientific publications. Continue reading →

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Nanoporous graphene for desalination

Posted on July 3, 2019 by rberkowitz

Carbon nanotube reinforcement and template-based etching help scale up membranes. Continue reading →

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Iron-rich object closely orbits a white dwarf

Posted on June 2, 2019 by rberkowitz

The newly discovered object could be the core of a planet that survived the transition of its host star into a red giant. Continue reading →

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Volcano topography can distort ground deformation data

Posted on May 10, 2019 by rberkowitz

Cliff-like features could explain the anomalous measurements taken by tiltmeters deployed at Hawaii’s Kilauea and other volcanoes. Continue reading →

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