Cold atoms and nanotubes come together in an atomic 'black hole'

[DavidDvorkin]

These scientists are mad, I tell you, maaaaaad!

Physicists at Harvard University have found that a high-voltage nanotube can cause cold atoms to spiral inward under dramatic acceleration before disintegrating violently. Their experiments, the first to demonstrate something akin to a black hole at atomic scale, are described in the current issue of the journal Physical Review Letters.

"On a scale of nanometers, we create an inexorable and destructive pull similar to what black holes exert on matter at cosmic scales," says Lene Vestergaard Hau, Mallinckrodt Professor of Physics and of Applied Physics at Harvard. "As importantly for scientists, this is the first merging of cold-atom and nanoscale science, and it opens the door to a new generation of cold atom experiments and nanoscale devices."

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2010-04/hu-caa040610.php

[Oregone]

1. "and it opens the door to a new generation of cold atom experiments and nanoscale devices"

...which will eventually clothe all the homeless and feed all the starving children

[MineralMan]

6. And don't forget its military applications, either.

Uff da! Nanotube black holes projected at our enemies. What could be better, eh? Oh...wait...this actually has nothing to do with black holes? Never mind.

[DavidDvorkin]

12. The military applications must be terrifying, considering that

merely posting a link to the article caused an explosion here on DU!

[MineralMan]

13. There are some of us who find sensationalism in science

reporting to be a bad thing. I'm one of them. Having done science writing professionally during my career, it always offends me when that writing misses its point, which should be to educate, not confuse, readers.

Sorry.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

2. Christ, what's with the misleading science articles this morning.

[MineralMan]

3. No kidding. That writer should be fired forthwith.

This phenomenon has nothing whatever to do with black holes.

[ananda]

4. Misleading?

???

[MineralMan]

5. The phenomenon that was exhibited had nothing whatever to

do with black holes. Instead electrons were stripped from a carbon atom, resulting in an ion which was repelled by the electrode. The title is misleading, and the additional black hole reference in the article is equally misleading.

I suspect this was written by some young science writer in Harvard's PR department. I have emailed the contact person and scolded him for this overblown, erroneous report on what is actually a very interesting phenomenon that has nothing whatever to do with black holes in any way.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

7. The article highlights a comparison to black holes.

Misleading the in attentive reader to think this has something to do with black holes.

You can also compare the experiment to water circling the drain. That would probably be more comparable, but not as misleading.

[MineralMan]

8. I sent an email to the writer who was linked to the article.

I complained about the misleading title and reference in the article.

He responded by saying that the scientists involved with the project suggested the "black hole" comparison. As I suspected, he's a PR guy, writing up research projects for release to the press. He was unapologetic in his response, but thanked me for writing.

And so it all continues. Breakthroughs! Cancer Cure! Cold Freaking Fusion! 200 MPG Carburetor!

Feh!

[KittyWampus]

9. "something akin to a black hole at atomic scale". It's an analogy to give a general impression

of the dynamics of the experiment.

You seem to think the article says it's the same thing and directly related. It most certainly doesn't.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

10. Hence the term "misleading" rather than "flat out wrong."

[MineralMan]

11. I know what the article says, and understand the physics

involved in the phenomenon. Many people who read this will not understand either, and will think this experiment creates black holes. It's sensationalistic science writing, designed to get published in newspapers and provide publicity for Harvard research.

As written, it will seriously confuse people who have little to no knowledge of physics at the atomic level. The black hole analogy used is very misleading and misdirects laymen into thinking that this phenomenon has something to do with black holes, rather than simply producing carbon ions.

Having written science articles myself and always making sure that they explained rather than confused, I know exactly what is going on here. The information isn't important. The aggrandizement of the research program at Harvard is.

Worst of all, this press release will be rewritten by unqualified writers at various publications. It's like a game of Telephone. Eventually, someone will write a title that reads "Harvard Lab Creates Black Holes," and some DUer will post it here. That's how it works.