 |
  |
 |
|
| Send FReepmail if you want on/off SVP list | |
| Silicon Valley Slang | |
| The List of Ping Lists | |
Posted on 08/28/2006 12:27:37 AM PDT by nickcarraway
A University of California Berkeley chemist has come up with what could be an effective means of addressing new concerns about liquid explosives.
KCBS's Jeff Bell reports that Department of Chemistry assistant professor Chris Chang never set out to be a key player in the War on Terrorism, and, in fact, the original goals of his research had nothing to do with national security.
"The intent of this research was to develop chemical tools to study the molecular basis of aging," Chang told KCBS's Bell. "We're interested in aging and age-related diseases."
But in the course of his research, he developed something called chemical sensors -- or, as he called them -- "small molecules that can sense other molecules, specifically."
The molecules, Chang says, are "specially designed so that when it sees or recognizes another molecule, it will give off a signal."
The signal would be a clear, bright "glow of light when our chemical sensor sees what it's supposed to see; or, it can change its color."
Chang says even trace amounts of peroxides, or other chemicals that might be used to make explosives, could be detected.
Chang says it's quite possible the breakthrough process could be applied to the technology of baggage screening, for example.
"You would take out liquids that may look suspicious, and then you would have either a dip-stick, or some sort of strip of paper that would have the sensor on it" -- a strip something like those often used to measure pH levels.
"You could just dip it, and then instantly look at it and see if there's a color change," he said. A color change would indicate the presence of chemicals "of interest."
Chang says he has not yet had conversations about the process with security experts or agencies, but he's confident his breakthrough will attract interest from within that field.
"Oh I definitely think so, and I think that there's a lot of opportunity in general for basic research in this direction," he said.
He also told KCBS's Bell that the process would not be expensive. "You would need very little of the sensor in order to get a readout."
PING
|
|
| |
|
| Send FReepmail if you want on/off SVP list | |
| Silicon Valley Slang | |
| The List of Ping Lists | |
bump
They have inconvienced the entire world long enough! It's past time to return the favor!
There is ZIP new here. There are a bazillion guys working on "chemical sensors" of one or another similar mechanism, many of them specifically focussed on detecting explosives. Thus far, none of them have delivered a PRACTICAL device.
Define practical.
This process sounds like it would be cheap, easy and accurate; Like litmus paper.
If one out of a bazillion hits the mark, whats the problem?
So I guess there isn't going to be any way I can take my Miss Clairol with me.
Something that works in the real world.
"This process sounds like it would be cheap, easy and accurate; Like litmus paper. If one out of a bazillion hits the mark, whats the problem?"
There are a thousand different companies producing "diagnostic test strips" of one sort or another. Evidently this guy's process isn't very sensitive, if he is going to require an actual LIQUID SAMPLE to dip his "dipstick" into.
HIGHLY unlikely that this guy has something sufficiently new and different to make it the "instant smash success" the article makes it out to be. Far more likely that this is an inexperienced reporter who got smoke blown up his a** over coffee by an overenthusiastic researcher.
They have inconvienced the entire world long enough! It's past time to return the favor!"
Amen and AMEN, brother.......
RE post 5. I hope it comes to that, and soon. Imagine men of military age sporting swastika armbands being allowed on trains during WW II. Or Japanese people allowed on public transport. In fact, they were all placed in camps so they couldn't cause any mischief. Hmmmm.........
It's acceptable for them to practice a homosataninsanicidal religion, that commands them to murder, but it's not acceptable for us to protect ourselves by removing the murderers from our presence.
Eff is-Slime and muuuhamhed (Pigs be inseminating her)! is-SLime doesn't contribute to mankind, it destroys it!
Cool. So it's theoretically possible, say, to make a sword glow blue in the presence of orcs?
Exactly.
After I typed that, I realized that I should be glad this is an anonymous forum, because if it wasn't I'd never get a woman to go out with me ever again.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.