Science Archives – Page 26 of 39

Into The Crystal Maze

To many, crystals are pretty and mysterious rocks with magical properties. But real crystals are nothing of the sort. They are groups of atoms or molecules arranged in a highly regular way. Their study is important in many fields including chemistry, biology and pharmaceuticals. Dr Liana Vella-Zarb, Dr Rosalin Bonetta and Dr Daphne Attard explain to Francesca Vassallo why crystals are better than diamonds.

Science unchained

Lucia Farrugia, vice-president of S-Cubed, gives us her opinion on the development of the Faculty of Science.

#research #science 2015 Communication cross-faculty communication degree education faculty of science Faculty of Science Centenary Celebrations Lucia Farrugia postgraduate s-cubed student The Science Issue Think Magazine Think Website UM undergraduate university of malta

Every Breath You Take

The air we breathe is vital to our health. Researchers at the Department of Geosciences (University of Malta) are measuring how clean Malta’s air is. They are also optimising a model of the Mediterranean atmosphere to see how climate change will affect the Maltese Islands and their surrounding region. Words by Natasha Padfield. Photography by Jean Claude Vancell.

#science 2015 air atmosphere chemistry ciarlo climate change climate model desertification faculty of science Faculty of Science Centenary Celebrations global warming HARMONIE hicklin Jean Claude Vancell malta natasha padfield noel aquilina physics Pollution RegCM4 respiratory disease Science 100 science100 secondary organic aerosols teleconnection The Science Issue university of malta VOC Volatile Organic Compounds weather prediction model

The first Maltese mathematics textbook

In 1913, Tommaso Vella published an arithmetic textbook in both English and Maltese called Aritmetica Bil Malti u Bl’Inglis. Dr Claude Bajada explores this intriguing book.

100 years of science 2015 arithmetics Aritmetica Bil Malti u Bl'Inglis Claude Bajada code-switching education English Faculty of Science Centenary Celebrations Liana Vella-Zarb lord strickland malta maltese manwel dimech mathematics Science 100 science100 teaching textbook The Science Issue Think Magazine Think Website university of malta UoM wally vella-zarb

A Patchwork Mediterranean: Knitting It Together

The Mediterranean is surrounded by over 20 countries each of which claim ownership over its nearby sea. To try and prevent over fishing and other pressures, many countries have set up protected areas. Jessica Edwards talks to Prof. Patrick J. Schembri who leads the Marine Ecology Research Group (Department of Biology) to find out how all of these areas are being linked to protect the Mediterranean Sea from the threats it faces.

#research #science 100 years of science 2015 alien species atlantic biology black sea climate change coconet current Environment eu european union Faculty of Science Centenary Celebrations jessica edwards marine biology marine ecology marine life Mediterranean newcomer species Patrick J. Schembri research project Science 100 science100 sea strait of gibraltar Suez Canal The Science Issue university of malta UoM

Don’t throw away that microwave

How are physicists using the technology of microwave ovens to cure cancer? Prof. Charles V. Sammut and his team in the electromagnetics research group speak to Dr Claude Bajada.

#science 2015 cancer cancer treatment charles sammut Claude Bajada electromagnatic radiation Faculty of Science Centenary Celebrations health physics radiation Science 100 The Science Issue treatment university of malta UoM

The Underbelly of the Graph

How does Facebook suggest new long lost friends? And, how does Google get your searches right so often. The answer is Graph Theory, an area of mathematics being investigated by Prof. Josef Lauri. Dr Claude Bajada finds out more.

2015 Claude Bajada computer faculty of science Faculty of Science Centenary Celebrations Graph Theory ict Josef Lauri maths pure maths Science 100 search engine social media Social Network technology The Science Issue Think Magazine university of malta UoM

Magnets, Spinning Nuclei, and Light

An NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance) spectrometer is a vital machine for the organic chemist. Using its powerful magnet the type, number of atoms, and how they are connected can be figured out. This is key for understanding the structure of organic chemicals such as drugs, pharmaceuticals, and those used in chemical computers.

#research 2015 chemistry david magri Environment Giovanna Boscia green chemistry nature nmr nuclear magnetic resonance organic chemistry Robert M. Borg toolkit UM university of malta UV light

Research, Teeth, and the Community

Prof. Nikolai Attard was on the other end of the phone and was passionately describing what he had in mind. ‘A mobile dental clinic will be able to reach out to the community, schools, old people’s homes, village squares and we’ll be collecting epidemiological data on oral health which can then be fed into existing health data. At the same time we’ll be providing a free dental examination and advice to thousands of people, which they will then follow up with their personal dentist. This could be a first for Malta.’ Nikolai, Dean of the Faculty of Dental Surgery (University of Malta), is determined to expand the Faculty’s teaching activities and promote oral health.

#research #science 2015 education July Edition malta research trust RIDT think Think Magazine Think Website University university of malta UoM

Sleep, Nerves, and Maltese Neuroscience

By Claude Bajada

In the previous edition of Think, Professor Giuseppe DiGiovanni announced the launch of the Malta Neuroscience Network. The group has now had its first public seminar that attracted neuroscientists, neurologists, psychologists and psychiatrists. It consisted of two talks by world-renowned researchers.

2015 brain malta Malta Neuroscience Network neuroscience sleep university of malta