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"Discovery Files" Features from the National Science Foundation
"Extreme X-Rays"
Fully produced report in MP3 format:
48 kbps |
96 kbps
(90 seconds)
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READER SCRIPT
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TRIPPING THE LIGHT FANTASTIC... THE "DISCOVERY FILES": NEW ADVANCES IN SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING, FROM THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION. WE HAVE HIGH-DEFINITION T-V, H-D RADIO--BUT, TO PRODUCE A HIGH-RESOLUTION LASER X-RAY, IT TAKES SO MUCH POWER THAT IT REQUIRES A LASER FACILITY THE SIZE OF A FOOTBALL STADIUM! SCIENTISTS HAVE BEEN SEARCHING FOR 50 YEARS FOR A WAY TO PRODUCE A SMALLER LASER X-RAY DEVICE. AND NOW, THERE APPEARS TO BE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL. A TEAM LED BY SOME REALLY "ON THE BEAM" RESEARCHERS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO AT BOULDER BELIEVES THAT IT HAS COME UP WITH A TECHNIQUE THAT COULD MAKE THE TABLETOP LASER X-RAY A REALITY. ESSENTIALLY, THEY HAVE FOUND A NOVEL WAY OF MAKING THE X-RAY WAVES THAT ARE NORMALLY NOT IN SYNC, LINE UP WITH EACH OTHER IN UNISON--INTENSIFYING THE STRENGTH OF THE BEAM. THE RESULTS COULD LEAD TO AN X-RAY IMAGE RESOLUTION ONE-THOUSAND TIMES BETTER THAN CONVENTIONAL X-RAYS--AND NO FOOTBALL-STADIUM-SIZED FACILITY NEEDED. THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS WORK EXTENDS BEYOND THE CONVENIENCE OF A SMALLER X-RAY LASER. THESE HIGH-RESOLUTION IMAGES MAY PROVIDE DOCTORS WITH EVIDENCE OF EVEN THE TINIEST TUMORS--OR OTHER PROBLEMS THAT CAN'T BE SEEN WITH TODAY'S X-RAYS. IN OUR H-D WORLD, WE'RE BEGINNING TO SEE THE LIGHT IN X-RAY LASER IMAGING--A REAL HIGH-RESOLUTION SOLUTION. THE "DISCOVERY FILES" COVERS PROJECTS FUNDED BY THE GOVERNMENT'S NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION: FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH BROUGHT TO YOU BY YOU! LEARN MORE AT "N-S-F"-DOT-GOV--OR ON THEIR PODCAST.
For additional "Discovery Files" features from the National Science Foundation, click here.
