A photonic alloy with topological properties

Schematic diagram of a topological photonic alloy. The red star indicates the position of the line source, and the arrow indicates the direction of propagation of the chiral edge state. Credit: Qu et al.




Photonic alloys, alloy-like materials combining two or more photonic crystals, are promising candidates for the development of structures that control the propagation of electromagnetic waves, also known as waveguides. Despite their potential, these materials typically reflect light back in the direction where it originated.

This phenomenon, known as light backscattering, limits the transmission of data and energy, adversely impacting the materials' performance as waveguides. Reliably reducing or preventing light backscattering in photonic alloys will thus be a key milestone towards the practical use of these materials.

Researchers at Shanxi University and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology recently fabricated a new photonic alloy with topological properties that enables the propagation of microwaves without light backscattering. This material, introduced in Physical Review Letters, could pave the way for the development of new topological photonic crystals.

"Our paper introduces a new concept: the topological photonic alloy as a nonperiodic topological material," Lei Zhang, co-author of the paper, told Phys.org. "We achieved this by combining non-magnetized and magnetized rods in a nonperiodic 2D photonic crystal configuration. This created photonic alloys that sustain chiral edge states in the microwave regime."            READ MORE...

Crash

 

Embracing the FUTURE

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) are at the forefront of drone technology advancements. Companies like Skydio are leading the way in this area with drones that can navigate complex environments autonomously using AI. Maris-Tech offers innovative Edge AI accelerated video solutions designed to integrate with autonomous and semi-autonomous platforms for a wide range of applications, such as surveillance and defense. 

These drones can learn from their environment, adapt to changes, and make decisions autonomously, making them particularly useful in tasks such as surveying, where drones can identify patterns and anomalies faster and more accurately than humans. 

The market for AI in drones is expected to grow significantly, impacting sectors like agriculture, construction, and security. According to a report by MarketsandMarkets, the market size for drones with AI is expected to grow from $2.1 billion in 2022 to $6.5 billion by 2027.          READ MORE...

It's Your Money

 

If you had enough extra money to make a charitable donation, which one would you give your money?

• DISABLED VETERANS
• CHILDREN WITH CANCER
• ABANDONED ANIMALS

Grilling

 

Your THoughts

 

Our Current Government

 

Commandments

 

Our Inalienable Rights

 

Criminal

 

Voter ID

 

WTF???

 

BOOOOOOOM

Why it’s too late to stop World War 3
by Richard Overy

Apocalypse now: a nuclear test in French Polynesia, 1970 - Science History Images / Alamy Stock Photo

Imagine, for a moment, that the Iranian government ann­ounces it has developed a nuc­lear bomb and threatens to use it on Israel. The United States reacts with the threat of military intervention, as it did in 1991 and 2003 in Iraq. Iran signals that it will not tolerate a third Gulf war and looks for allies. American forces mass to enter Iran, which orders national mobilisation. Russia, China and North Korea express their support for Iran, and Washington expands its intervention force, bringing in a British contingent. Russia enters the game, raising the stakes in the expectation that the West will back down. A nuclear standoff follows, but with tense and itchy fingers on both sides, as leaders gamble on the risk of not striking first, it all ends in disaster. The Third World War begins with an exchange of nuclear fire, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Or picture this: Chinese frustration over the status of Taiwan prompts a build-up of invasion forces. The United States is pre­occupied with its own domestic political crisis. Japan anxiously watches the exchange of harsh words between China and Taiwan, wondering whether to intervene. The United Nations condemns Chinese actions, and China repudiates the censure and orders invasion, confident that a quick victory will prevent others from intervening, as Hitler hoped when he invaded Poland in 1939. The United States now activates contingency plans to save Taiwan, and each side uses tactical nuclear weapons against the other’s armed forces. North Korea and Russia side with China. There is no general nuclear strike, but Russia warns Europe to keep out, dividing American strategy between the two theatres, as it was in the Second World War. The conflict continues to escalate.            READ MORE...

America Funding China's Growth

"Underwriting the Enemy" invites Fox Nation viewers to listen to experts share their takes on China's financial infiltration into the U.S. economy. (Fox Nation / Fox New





Now could be the "most consequential moment in the history of our country," author Gordon Chang warned as he sat across from FOX Business' Maria Bartiromo.


The "Coming Collapse of China" writer and commentator made his repeated warning that China poses the greatest existential threat to America yet again. But the question is: why do Americans keep funding their enemy?

Chang, along with others, joined Bartiromo for her new Fox Nation series, "Underwriting the Enemy," to explore China's insidious infiltration into the American economy.

"Chinese companies are trading on the New York Stock Exchange, on the Nasdaq right now," Bartiromo said. "That means American investors, unwittingly or not, are funding the expansion of our number one adversary."


Several foreign policy and financial analysts have acknowledged the long, silent war that the Chinese Communist Party has waged against the United States, their cautionary tales repeatedly airing in segments across different media outlets.

One such warning came from former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

"They are deep inside our infrastructure, our capital markets," he warned.          READ MORE...

Shopping and Lunch

 

A couple of days ago, my wife and I went down to Knoxville to buy some items at SAMS Wholesale club.  In previous visits, we discovered that not all items in SAMS were cheaper than they were selling at Walmart, so we make sure to compare prices.

We usually buy toilet tissue, paper towels, kleenex, cereal, coffee, olive oil, pretzels, captain's crackers, trail mix and a few other items at SAMS because they are always cheaper.  Most of these items we store on shelves in the garage until we need them.

We also noticed the day we went that unleaded gasoline was selling for $2.66/gallon which is by far the best place in town, including the new Buc-ee's.

Before we left SAMS, we purchased two all beef hot dogs and two 32oz drinks for $2.80, bring them home to eat for dinner.

After leaving SAMS we drove across the highway to Cheddars restaurant for lunch.  My wife had a grilled chicken salad while I ordered grilled salmon and rice, broccoli, and a loaded baked potato without butter.  Our bill was $31.66 which included tax.  I got the 8oz (largest) piece of salmon.  My meal was under $15, and the salmon was cooked perfectly.

When my wife and I go out to lunch/dinner, we always get water with lemon rather than some other kind of drink because all these other drinks start at $3...  so, you have immediately added $6 to the cost of your meal.

I have compared Cheddars to Red Lobster, and I cannot tell the difference in how the salmon were cooked but the price is over $5 less at Cheddars, plus the service is much better.  Both cuts of salmon were from fish farm and were not wild which disappoints me.

Sharing this post with you is intentional because I want you, the reader, to know that if you hunt around, you can find clever ways to spend your money while saving money.

We live in EAST TN and this area is cheaper to live in than south TN (Chattanooga) or mid TN (Nashville) and of course, it is much cheaper to live here than Atlanta, GA, Raliegh, NC, or Washington, DC.

I made the decision 34 years ago to move from NC to TN for the sole purpose of lowering my cost-of-living expenses.  While that move had its pros/cons, in the long run it proved to be very beneficial, and I have not missed anything that might have been offered in NC that was not offered here.

Somewhat Political

 

Record Breaking Robot

Engineers at The University of Manchester have unlocked the secrets to designing a robot capable of jumping 120 meters—higher than any other jumping robot designed to date.


Using a combination of mathematics, computer simulations, and laboratory experiments, the researchers have discovered how to design a robot with the optimum size, shape, and arrangement of its parts, allowing it to jump high enough to clear obstacles many times its own size.


The current highest-jumping robot can reach up to 33 meters, which is equivalent to 110 times its own size. Now, researchers have designed a robot that could jump more than 120 meters in the air—or 200 meters on the moon, which is more than twice the height of Big Ben's tower.


The advancement, published in the journal Mechanism and Machine Theory, will revolutionize applications ranging from planetary exploration to disaster rescue to surveillance of hazardous or inaccessible spaces.             READ MORE...

Our Universe

 

Caitlin Clark

 Prior to 1982, I was a fan of football and baseball, namely the Washington Redskins (before they changed their name) and the Washington Senators (before they moved to Baltimore).

That all changed in 1982 when Michael Jordan played basketball for the University of North Carolina "Tarheels" and was instrumental in beating Georgetown for the national title.  After that game I followed Jordan and his career with the Chicago Bulls.

I did not see Michael Jordan as a black man but as an American who was damn talented on the basketball court.

After Jordan retired, I pretty much ignored athletes both college and professional until I began hearing stories of Caitlin Clark.  I watched her play a couple of times and was impressed with her abilities.

When she turned pro, I was sad to hear all the negative comments about her, especially from the black community.  One comment stood out in my mind and that was that she was only talented because she was white and afforded white privilege.  I was amazed by the ignorance of a comment like that.

I had no idea until then that white privilege extended to athletic abilities.

So, Caitlin Clark began playing professional women's basketball and her main critics were from the black community.  GO FIGURE?

Even the fouls that were perpetrated against her came mainly from BLACK PLAYERS.

Some people were upset concerning the flagrant intentional fouls, but for me, that is part of professional basketball and really should have little to do with race.  However, it now seems that some people are using race as the catalyst for these fouls.

Michael Jordan had flagrant intentional fouls committed upon his body and nobody claimed racism.  These fouls came from both white and black players alike.

It is a damn shame that RACISM has peed its way into professional sports and if it continues, it is going to ruin the sport for the SPECTATORS and maybe for the players as well.

Another solution is just to have ALL WHITE SPORTS and ALL BLACK SPORTS...  and maybe this will solve the racism problem...  However, I doubt that MLK Jr. would have wanted that to happen.

Caitlin Clark is white.  She was an outstanding college basketball player, and she is destined to be an outstanding professional basketball player.  It has nothing to do with the color of her skin.  If you want to make it about the color of her skin, then you are the one who should be criticized for perpetuating RACISM in America.

YOU are the problem!!!

Caitlin Clark is simply a very talented and skilled athlete.

Culture