Hulleye Comes By!

The theorists who first created the mathematics that describe the behavior of the recently announced “invisibility cloak“ have revealed a new analysis that may extend the current cloak’s powers, enabling it to hide even actively radiating objects like a flashlight or cell phone.

Allan Greenleaf, professor of mathematics at the University of Rochester, working with colleagues around the globe, has announced a mathematical theory that predicts some strange goings on inside the cloak–and that what happens inside is crucial to the cloak’s effectiveness.

This past summer, however, Greenleaf and his colleagues learned about a paper that researchers at Duke and Imperial College had published in the journal Science, which used nearly identical equations to give a theoretical proposal for a cloaking device. Once Greenleaf and his colleagues saw that their results could also be used to show how to “hide” an object, they decided to analyze and improve the proposed cloaking device, using the techniques they had developed in their earlier work. They knew that a crucial question would be: What was going on inside the cloaked region?

Smith, a physicist, gave a description of why the cloaking device should work. Greenleaf, as a mathematician, knew that to have any hope of extending and improving the cloaking, it was important to fully understand its mathematical underpinnings. Then, in October, Smith published another paper, describing how he and his team actually built a cloaking device. This made it even more crucial to carefully analyze the underlying structure.

the top 10 special FX moments in cinematic history. can you think of anyone that has been missed out?

Ashley’s mom and dad called her their “Pillow Angel” - the girl has a rare medical condition called “static encephalopathy of unknown etiology.” Ashley’s condition means that even though her body grows normally, her brain is “stuck” developmentally as a 3-month-old baby.Ashley’s parents had now revealed that doctors have given Ashley a hormone treatment to limit her growth (as well as to remove her uterus and block the development of her breast), thus stopping her from growing into a woman. In effect, Ashley will forever remain in a child’s body.

Ashley’s parents say that because she will remain the weight of a child, it will be easier for them to move her around, bathe her and involve her in family activities - movement that will benefit her physical and mental well-being.

Dr Douglas Diekema from the University of Washington in Seattle, who was on the ethics committee that gave the go-ahead for Ashley’s treatment, told the BBC that the panel agreed “because the parents convinced us it was in fact in this little girl’s best interests”.

“If she were smaller it would be much easier for them to continue to provide a much more personal level of care,” he said.

But Agnes Fletcher of the UK’s Disability Rights Commission said is was “unnecessary medical treatment to deal with what is essentially a social problem”, referring to “the poverty and lack of support” faced by families with disabled children.

Needless to say, this is controversial. Read the whole story before you decide whether this is morally right or wrong. Links: Ashley’s Blog | BBC | Times

From National Geographic:

The stealthy ways of snakes, the plight of African elephants, and some of the animal kingdom’s mightiest battles topped the list of this year’s most popular videos from National Geographic News. Replay the year in science, nature, and exploration with 2006’s top ten videos.

10. Kitty Cam Reveals Killers in Our Midst
Is your furry bundle of joy an invasive ecological disaster? Get a cat’s-eye view of one pet’s nightly prowl to see how effectively kitty can kill. Watch the Video >>

9. Antarctica’s Big Meltdown
A study released in March reported that Antarctica has been losing ice rapidly—the equivalent of about 40 trillion gallons (151 trillion liters) of water a year. Learn what this big melt may mean for the future. Watch the Video >>

8. Anaconda Stalks World’s Largest Rodent
Watch as a female anaconda in Venezuela hunts down a capybara—the world’s largest rodent—and swallows her meal whole. Watch the Video >>

More here.

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