Professor Sir Martyn Poliakoff. Photograph: Brady Haran/Periodic Table of Videos/CC BY-SA 3.0 This morning, I was most pleased to learn that Martyn Poliakoff, professor of chemistry at the University of Nottingham, was awarded a bachelor knighthood by the Queen. So pleased was I that I struggled out of bed (badly wrecked back), my teeth gritted, so I could share this news with you. Those of you who have followed this blog will know Professor Poliakoff as the friendly fuzzy-haired chemist who hosts most episodes of the Periodic Table of Videos series (Periodic Videos), created and produced by independent filmmaker and video journalist Brady Haran. This series of short videos was designed to (re)introduce the public to the 118 elements of the periodic table, and it was featured here every Friday as the element of the week -- until we ran out of elements to talk about. (The series continues, mostly by talking about molecules, although sometimes, they update old elements videos or comment upon news events of the day.) Now Professor Poliakoff -- who now is more properly known as Professor SIR Martyn Poliakoff -- was awarded one of the highest civilian honours in the land, and his continued online … Continue reading →

December 30, 2014 Credit: Thinkstock Brett Smith for redOrbit.com Your Universe Online Current methods for detecting life in a foreign environment rely on chemistry, but what if the life forms were looking for like those that might be on other planets dont conform to our current notions of biological chemistry? Now, scientists at the cole Polytechnique Fdrale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland have developed a way for the detection of life without the use of chemistry by using a tiny microscopic cantilever. Typically seen in bridges and free-standing radio towers, a cantilever is defined as a long beam that is anchored on one end and load-bearing at the other end. When created on a microscopic scale, a cantilever can be used to sense hundreds of bacteria placed on it. According to a new report in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the EPFL researchers have adapted an existing microscope cantilever system to detect the motion of tiny unseen organisms. The new device was developed from the atomic force microscope, which is capable of imaging singular atoms. An atomic force microscope works by scanning a surface like a record players needle scans a vinyl disc for sonic information. The … Continue reading →

Ali Fazal has said that he hopes his chemistry with Vidya Balan comes across in new film Bobby Jasoos. The 3 Idiots and Fukrey actor said that Balan's professionalism made it easy to perform romantic scenes. Although the 27-year-old is nine years younger than Balan, Fazal said that this was not a problem during the filming process. "Even though she is a senior actress, I wasn't scared of romancing her, it was both fun and challenging. "There was no awkwardness in the sense that she is a married woman, probably thanks to the workshops we did together before we started shooting. Hopefully our chemistry translates on screen." Directed by Samar Shaikh, Bobby Jasoos makes its cinema debut on July 4. Watch a trailer for the film below: Read more: Ali Fazal: 'I hope chemistry with Vidya Balan works on screen' … Continue reading →