When scientists make observations of matter, they in most cases observe large numbers of molecules and base their conclusions about a “typical” molecule on the results. Inherent in this fundamental approach is an averaging process. This can be illustrated by the following “thought experiment.” Imagine a can containing millions of dice. Each die in the [...]

If you’ve stopped by a fragrance counter recently, you may have seen a number of new colognes and perfumes on the market. New scents by Tommy Hilfiger, Coty, and Clinique, among others, feature exotic blends that range from “a bouquet of rose, jasmine, water lily and lily of the valley” to “a burst of chili [...]

In 2000, we reported on new research on buckyballs, spherical forms of carbon that were first discovered in 1985. In 1991, physicist Sumio Iijima discovered related structures called nanotubes. These tubular forms of carbon seem to have even greater potential as conductors, superconductors, semiconductors, reinforcing fibers in building materials, and other uses. In fact, Richard [...]