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The author reflects on the perceived health risks of technology due to the public's beliefs that modern technology, like microwaves, is harmful. She argues that the public's education, in its truest form, can counter the people's fear in new technology . It is the author's opinion that it is not sufficient just to cite study and ask people to take scientists' word that microwaves won't give them cancer, the public needs to engage in critical thinking to correct their ignorance.

How do students engage in reflective practice in teaching-learning situations when they have been told that first person writing is not scholarly and that expressions of their thinking are merely opinions? Thinking narratively, three students and a nurse-teacher critically reflect on identity and knowledge construction emergent through the pattern of knowing that is personal. Exemplars from a Knowledge & Inquiry course show that learning and transformation are, at least in part, internal processes that require activities to foster self-awareness for working within relationships. Teachers in diverse disciplines are invited to consider how it matters socially that professional education embraces personal transformation through reflecting on and reconstructing experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article informs that data-carrying photons may be transmitted by laser and detected in such a way that any interference will be noticed. QKD was proposed roughly 20 years ago, but its premise rests on the formulation of Heisenberg's uncertainty principle in 1927. The very act of observing or measuring a particle, such as a photon in a data stream, changes its behavior. Any moving photon can have one of four orientations, vertical, horizontal, or diagonal in either direction. A standard laser can be modified to emit single photons, each with a particular orientation. Would-be hackers can record the orientations with photon detectors, but doing so changes the orientation of some photons, and, thus, alerts the sender and receiver of a compromised transmission.

Reports on advances in acoustic microscopy. Components of an acoustic microscope; Research-oriented applications of acoustic microscopy; Materials characterization ability; Biological uses of acoustic microscopy

The article presents information about John Woollam's,a renowned ellipsometrist and founder of J.A Woollam Co., headquarters in Lincoln, Nebraska. It also describes his life story, educational achievements in physics, careers in National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), where his assignments included developing advanced power and propulsion systems among other projects, business success and teaching period. He works as, a physics and electrical engineering professor at the University of Nebraska. His company has grown into a worldwide leader in spectroscopic ellipsometry which holds more than 40 patents .

Discusses the workability of the newly developed time-resolved spectroscopy technique. Capacity to measure temporal dynamics and the kinetics of photophysical processes; Utilization of camera or a pulsed beam of light as a detector; Application of pump-robe spectroscopy.

Focuses on the design and availability of magneto- and electro-rheological fluids in the marketplace. Primary classes of smart fluids; Application of magneto-rheological fluids in automotive-suspension technology; Means of reducing vehicle weight.

Focuses on developments in bioinformatics. Importance of sophisticated computational techniques for vast amount of biological data generated through genome mapping; Definition of bioinformatics; Transformation of bioinformatics into software designed for a specific project in academic laboratories to the chemical mainstream.

Discusses advancement in the field of microfluidic devices, that control flow of minute amount of gases or liquids. Advantage of microchips in microfluidics; Application of microfluidics in ink-jet printing; Methods employed in microfluidic devices to move fluid around a microchip; Features of holographic optical tweezers technique for microfluidics. INSET: MICRO VERSUS MACRO.

Discusses the role of physicists in the development of a theoretical framework in biology. Physicists' shift to biophysics; Ned Wingreen's operation of a bioinformatics research group along with fellow physicist, Chao Tang; Job responsibilities of Stephen Laderman, manager of the molecular diagnostics department in Agilent's Life Science Technologies Laboratory in Palo Alto, California.

Features semiconductor quantum dots that emerge as a bonafide industry with a few start-up companies poised to introduce the product in the U.S. Biotechnology applications of the product; Combination of semiconductor quantum dots with many of the properties of atoms; Statement of Clint Ballinger, chief executive officer of Evident Technologies; Formation and production of quantum dots; Difference in applications of the two manufacturing methods; Reason for quantum dots found their first commercial applications in biotechnology; Availability of tunable semiconductor quantum-dot lasers; Reliability of quantum-dot-based quantum computers on the manipulation of electron spin.

Focuses on the use of carbon nanotubes in nanotechnology. Use of nanotubes in lithium-ion batteries; Other potential applications of nanotubes.

Focuses on the impact of autonomous underwater vessels (AUV) in deep-sea exploration. Application of AUV on several oceanographic surveys; Specifications of the vessel; Statement of executive Frank van Mierlo of Bluefin Robotics.

Explores the impact of silicon-germanium technology on the semiconductor industry. Acceleration of operating speed; Reduction of electronic noise; Decrease of power consumption; Support to higher levels of integration; Further integration of functional components in microchips. INSET: Characterizing silicon-germanium.

Explores the use of light detection and ranging (LIDAR). Description of LIDAR; Basic types of LIDAR; Development of the global positioning system from LIDAR technology; Application of LIDAR in intensity recording.

Profiles physicist Venky Venkatesan. Career highlights; Educational background; Efforts in raising venture capital investments for Neocera.

Highlights commercial applications of photonic crystals. Potential use of photonic crystal lasers, light-emitting diodes and photonic-crystal thin films as anti-counterfeit protection on credit cards; Use of dielectric materials in the crystals; Creation of energy levels in the photonic band gap via introduction of defects; Control of flow of electrons in semiconductors.

Provides information about semiconducting polymers. Types of semiconducting polymers; Replacement of cathode-ray tube and liquid-crystal diode by light-emitting polymers; Possibility of a solid-state lasers.

Focuses on the industrial applications of quantum cascade lasers in the U.S. Application in telecommunications market; Operations in midinfrared spectrum; Description of the laser wavelength.

Focuses on the efforts of Spectra-Physics Inc. to develop fiber-optic components of telecommunication systems in the U.S. Views of Spectra-Physics executive Greg Sanger on the potentials of the technology; Trends in fiber-optic communications; Identification of the major areas of growth in the optical components sector.

Reports on the development of a radio-on-a-chip technology using microelectromechanical systems in the United States. Combination of transmission and reception elements in the wireless telephone; Challenges in upgrading the existing wireless-network infrastructure; Support of the telecommunication industry to wireless Internet.

Discusses the importance of DNA testing in criminal investigations in the United States. Innovations in DNA testing; Methods used in DNA analysis; Techniques in the detection of fingerprints.

Reports the employment of physicists in finance in the United States. Role of physicists and mathematicians in successful investment strategies; Categories of physicists in finance.

Focuses on the optoelectronic technology smart pixels. Functions of smart pixels; Advantages of optic use in communications; Application of pixels in computers.

Focuses on the contribution of laser technology to the scope of eye surgery, treatment of kidney stones and certain cancers. Development of laser tweezers and scissors; Details of the history of laser; Benefits of laser in ophthalmology; Participation of companies to ophthalmology markets; Types of laser surgery.

Features the development of combinatorial chemistry in material science by engineers in the United States. Reports from the National Academy of Science's Committee on Science, Engineering and Public Policy; Details on the formulation of the method; Recognition on the performance of the method applied in Symyx.

Focuses on the innovations of superconductor prototype electrical-power devices in the United States. Studies conducted by the Department of Energy's Superconductivity Program for Electrical Power Systems; Transmission and distribution applications of the device; Challenges faced in the commercialization of high-T[sub c] electric powers.

Reports on the variety of ultrasound therapeutic applications in disease process in the United States. Use of acoustic waves on treatment of kidney stones. Innovation on the use of phased arrays for therapeutic applications; Treatment of kidney using extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy; therapeutic effect of laser-guided ablative acoustic surgery.

Focuses on the usability developments of superconducting quantum inference devices (SQUID) in the United States. Use of SQUIDS for magnetometers and gradiometers; Objectives of the U.S. companies for the expansion of the application of devices; Advantages of technological advancements on the biomedical and research application on SQUID sensors.

Evaluates the importance of failure analysis on the semiconductor industry for developments in the integrated circuit technology. Establishment of physical development methods for identification and localization of critical faults and failures; Anticipation on the increasing demand of microprocessing transistors; Priority on the development of logic-fault isolation techniques.

Explores speech recognition technology. Futuristic view of speech recognition technology; Introduction of personal computer-based continuous-speech systems; Role of speech recognition in the revolution of the use of computers.

Focuses on the plans of the optical storage industry for an expansion of high-density storage capacities beyond 4.7 gigabytes per disk by the year 2000. Implications of the expansion of storage capacity; Domination of Japan in the industry; Prevalence of the compact disk format in the market.

Focuses on the contamination control in the vacuum manufacturing in semiconductor industry. Use of unlubricated bearings to reduce friction between vacuum components; Role of contamination control in yield management; Dependence of contamination control in hi-technology; Computer models of the mechanisms of contamination control.

Focuses on the application of smart materials in the United States. Consideration of piezoelectric ceramics as the most widely used smart materials; Integration of smart packs or patches for emerging commercial markets; Features of Smart House automation system developed by Anderson electronic Inc.

Reports on nanostructured materials. Central tenet of materials science; Result of research on control of the structure of materials; Reputed cost of nanostructured materials.

Reports the utilization of virtual reality (VR) systems to solve real-world problems in various markets in the United States. Features of the system; Levels of VR; Capabilities of the VR system for the entertainment industry.

Focuses on the increasing demand for micro electrical mechanical systems (MEMS) in the United States. Industrial and commercial applications of MEMS; Characteristic of the device; Emergence of the market for MEMS design software.