SVC Election Results
The results for the recent election have been certified. Congratulations to our re-elected Treasurer, Michael Andreasen!
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All highlights reprinted with permission from
Inside Science
,
an editorially independent news product of the American Institute of
Physics (AIP), a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing,
promoting and serving the physical sciences.
SVC is an
AIP affiiate member
.
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Scientists Crack Spaghetti Snapping Mystery
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Researchers found that adding a full twist made it possible to break spaghetti in half.
It is nearly impossible to snap a dry spaghetti noodle neatly in two --
a challenge that has confounded pasta-loving researchers for decades.
Now scientists from MIT have finally figured out how to break such
noodles in two -- with a twist. These findings may help shed light on
how cracks form and how to control breaks in other kinds of rods, such
as carbon fibers in golf clubs and helicopter blades, or even
microtubules in cells
.
READ FULL ARTICLE.
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Helium 150 Years After Its Discovery
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One hundred fifty years ago, scientists observed in light from the sun the first evidence of the inert gas.
Today,
we honor helium, that most noble of gasses, which was discovered 150
years ago. You may know the second element on the periodic table as the
stuff that fills party balloons and makes your voice sound like Alvin
the Chipmunk, but it's not all fun and games for the colorless, odorless
gas. Helium is a workhorse for the science and technology industries.
It performs such diverse tasks as cooling the superconducting magnets in
MRI scanners, aiding the manufacture of semiconductor chips and finding
leaks in ships. A recent global
helium shortage
caused prices to balloon and scientists to fret.
READ FULL ARTICLE.
Image credits:
chriskeller via
pixabay
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A Quantum Way to Synchronize Atomic Clocks
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Physicists are exploring new ways to improve the accuracy of global clock networks essential to applications such as GPS.
Developing
an atomic clock that's accurate to the nanosecond may seem obsessive to
even the most punctual of us, but many global technologies of today,
including GPS and the internet, wouldn't function properly without them.
Yet physicists aren't satisfied with even that level of accuracy. Even
such exact clocks can desynchronize over time, creating problems with a
host of modern technologies. Now, scientists are considering using
emerging quantum communication technologies to synchronize these clocks.
READ FULL ARTICLE.
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Fighting ISIS and Fake Facebook Accounts with Physics
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Online
extremist groups emerge like curdling milk, a dynamic that may also
describe how the recently disclosed fake Facebook accounts attract
followers.
In late 2014 and early 2015, pro-ISIS groups proliferated on VKontakte,
a Russian online social network. Within months of their founding, the
groups had amassed more than a hundred thousand members -- including at
least one who would lead ISIS fighters in Syria.
READ FULL ARTICLE.
Image credits:
N. Johnson, P. Manrique and M. Zheng
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How Famines and Epidemics Trigger Wars
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A new analysis reveals links between more than 5,000 natural disasters and 1,000 armed conflicts in China’s history.
"There
are only nine meals between mankind and anarchy," once said American
journalist Alfred Henry Lewis (1855-1914). A recent study that examined
the correlation between thousands of natural disasters and wars in
China’s history may prove him right. The
paper
,
published
in the journal The Holocene, adds to the growing body of
literature on the sociological impact of extreme weather events, a field
that researchers argue will be important to understand as the current
climate continues to change.
READ FULL ARTICLE.
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Catching Lightning With Photography
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How photographers took the first pictures of lightning.
“The history of photographing lightning really starts with the history
of photography. The invention of photography was announced in 1839 in
Paris; the photograph that was produced was called the Daguerreotype,
named after Louis Daguerre. It was several years later before the first
lightning photograph was made, and several decades would pass before
there was the first, I guess, successful efforts to photograph lightning
for the purpose of science." --
Terry Nathan at the University of California, Davis.
READ FULL ARTICLE.
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Thanks to Wildfires, Some Streams Are Flowing More Smoothly
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Researchers find that wildfires are responsible for up to 20 percent of water flowing in some Western U.S. streams.
Understanding
the impacts of wildfire on regional waterways can be a murky endeavor.
Soot and chemicals released in large blazes can contaminate nearby water
supplies, and wildfires often weaken soils, releasing sediment into
streams and rivers. They also impact how much water flows into streams
and rivers.
READ FULL ARTICLE.
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July's Stunning Space Pictures
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Enjoy the drama of supermassive black holes, colliding planets and glittering “starscapes."
This
month, astronomers released a diversity of images that showcase the
grandness of astronomical discoveries. By translating data into
pictures, they illustrate the results of new large-scale tests of
Einstein's theory of general relativity, herald years of telescope
observations, and reveal the answers to distant mysteries.
READ FULL ARTICLE.
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A Better Prosthetic Foot for the Developing World
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A new approach to prosthetic design allows for quick and easy fitting while keeping the costs low.
Losing
a leg can be profoundly debilitating. And it's especially so for those
in developing countries, where most of the world's amputees live. Up to
95 percent of an estimated 30 million amputees in developing
nations
don't have access to prosthetics
.
READ FULL ARTICLE.
Image credits:
Courtesy of the researchers
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Wait! Don't Throw Away That Hand Sanitizer Yet
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Yes,
a hospital superbug may be growing more tolerant to alcohol exposure --
but alcohol-based hand rubs still save millions of lives a year.
Rumors
of hand sanitizer's demise are greatly exaggerated. Last week,
headlines warned of an antibiotic-resistant superbug with the power to
survive alcohol, perhaps prompting some people to eye their hand
sanitizers with new skepticism. But when it comes to preventing
infection, alcohol-based hand rubs are still your best friend, according
to the scientists who discovered the alcohol-tolerant bacteria and
other experts.
READ FULL ARTICLE.
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Conquering Chemical Weapons with Enzymes
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Researchers discover that enzymes can be used to ward off the effects of damaging nerve agents.
It’s the stuff of spy novels: Scientists are working to create a salve
that could help protect people against the devastating -- and often
lethal -- effects of chemical weapons like VX, Novichok and sarin, all
of which can be absorbed through the skin or inhaled.
READ FULL ARTICLE.
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Agilent Technologies
Pfeiffer Vacuum
Temescal
ULVAC Technologies
Ferrotec
INFICON
Nor-Cal Products
Vacuum Research Corporation
Fil-Tech
Thin-Films Research
Materials Research Society
VT&C Magazine
Thin Film Group
Vacuum Coating Group
SEMICON West
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2018 AIMCAL R2R USA Conference
Roll to Roll Web Coating and Finishing
Oct. 28 - 31, 2018, Phoenix, AZ
Join
us in Phoenix for the premier roll to roll web coating and finishing
conference of 2018. Learn from top consultants, grow your business by
networking with other attendees and enjoy all that Phoenix has to offer.
Register today!
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Society of Vacuum Coaters Foundation
Founding
Principle: The Society of Vacuum Coaters recognizes that in order
to sustain its growth, it is important to attract young, well trained
individuals to the field of Vacuum Coatings.
The
SVC Foundation pursues this principle by providing scholarships to
well qualified students planning to enter fields related to vacuum
coatings, and/or providing stipends for travel expenses to attend the
annual SVC Technical Conference, usually to present technical papers.
The Society of Vacuum Coaters (SVC), the SVCF's founder, and AIMCAL, an
organization committed to advancing vacuum roll-coating technology, and
their members, provides support for the Foundation to pursue these
goals.
Since
its inception in 2002, the SVCF has awarded more than 70 scholarships
and travel awards totaling over $250,000 to students from 18 countries.
Our support can really have an impact in the life of these students;
quoting a recent award recipient:
"Not
only does the scholarship give the gift of financial support and the
possibility to continue learning, it also gives those that have a
passion for vacuum coating the blessing of attending such a wonderful
program [SVC TechCon] to network and further their knowledge."
Inviting
scholarship recipients to the SVC TechCon is an important element of
the overall strategy for attracting new talent to our industry.
Scholarship beneficiaries carry a special identification on the TechCon
badge and we encourage you to meet them and make them feel welcome.
Scholarship Applications must be postmarked by November 30th of each year.
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Society of Vacuum Coaters | PO Box 10628, Albuquerque, NM 87184
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