Graphene

Today it has been announced that Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov will receive the Nobel Prize in Physics 2010 for their remarkable experiments with graphene. Graphene is compound consisting of a single layer of carbon atoms (bonded as seen in the image above). It can be described as large polyaromatic planar molecule. Graphene has several interesting properties, for example:

• It is the thinnest and strongest compound. It has a breaking strength 200 times higher than steel.
• It conducts electricity just as well as copper
• It does not let gasmolecules pass

Graphene is expected to be an important compound in development of new and improved transistors and other electronics applications. Furthermore, it is expected to be useful in the new field of spintronics.

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On science and religion

This is perhaps not a new or even current issue, but it seems to have some sort of universal presence anyway. In medieval times religion and science were not two independent entities, in the sense that science depended on religion, needed its acceptance and too a large extent did not challenge religion dogmas. Today this has changed and science is almost entirely independent from religion. There are however som areas where religion still plays a role, at least in some parts of the world, for example when it comes to the theory of evolution. Where conservative religious Christians advocate creationism as opposed to the scientifically accepted theory of evolution.

Science is based on exploring and questioning of the world around, that is way religion should be nowhere near science. Religion is based on rules, dogmas and some sort of authority, all of which limits the opportunities for good science. I am not saying that there are no rules for science, but those rules are enabling science rather than limiting it, and they can always be challenged and changed if proven wrong. As schools are in the end based on science, religion should be nowhere near schools. We should still study religion in schools, but religion should not control the studies.

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