Category Archives: Research

Tähtienvälistä pölyä ja vuosittaisia supernovaräjähdyksiä

Suurimman osan ajasta tähdet ovat tasapainossa tähden omaan energiantuotantoon perustuvan paineen ulospäin työntämän voiman ja tähden oman massan sisäänpäin vetävän painovoiman välillä. Tähtien energiantuotannon lähde on ydinfuusio, jossa kevyemmät alkuaineet muuttuvat raskaammiksi, kuten vety heliumiksi, vapauttaen energiaa tähden ytimessä. Massiivisimmissa … Continue reading

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Biomimicry: A fairway to seek sustainable solutions for a better world

Biomimicry is “Innovation Inspired from Nature.” It is nothing but learning from nature or taking design ideas from nature. It is a new way of inventing by looking at the natural world for inspiration. When I was in school and … Continue reading

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Medicinal Chemistry: an essential field in dire need of dedicated experts

I was in Italy when the first case of COVID-19 appeared in China, but when things became more serious globally, I moved back to India. Suddenly Italy, the place that was like a second home to me, got wrecked by … Continue reading

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Exploring unconventional ways to make physical systems compute

There are many tasks of practical interest that are not suited for conventional computer algorithms. Suppose for instance that we want to turn speech into text. Although it is easy for us to prepare examples of speech and the corresponding … Continue reading

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Search for a Vanished River

A couple of weeks ago, Mikel Calle Navarro discussed the concept of the river in his exciting entry in this same blog. I spontaneously commented it, because I had previously pondered the same problematic, albeit in a different context. As … Continue reading

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River: an erroneous concept

Before you keep reading, please think for a moment the scenery the word ‘river’ evokes to you… Does it include a flowing water line with green trees on sides, swimming fish or some other animal drinking water from it? Did … Continue reading

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Embracing the New Year in the Midst of Seasonal Darkness

I sincerely wish everyone a happy new year! The 2020 was extraordinary, particularly shaded by the pandemic. Normal academic life is challenged, but it seems not to be only negative. For instance, several my colleagues expressed higher effectiveness in remote … Continue reading

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Lignin – the new petroleum?

The world has been heavily dependent on fossil geo-resources for its scientific exploration and material progress, so far. Due to fast depletion, non-renewability, and increased carbon foot prints of fossil geo-resources, there is a need for technological maneuvers to combat … Continue reading

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Should research always be “useful”? A case for fundamental science, by Sophie Reichert

This question came up with a friend and fellow researcher recently. She had just given a public lecture on her topic of research in ecology and was asked why her work was important /relevant / useful. As researchers this is … Continue reading

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NOT, ketterä teleskooppi, kirjoittajana Erkki Kankare

Covid-19 pandemian aikana sosiaalisten lähikontaktien vähentäminen on tärkeää koronaviruksen leviämisen ehkäisemiseksi. Turun yliopistossakin henkilökunta on yhä pääsääntöisesti etätöissä, jos se työtehtävien puolesta on mahdollista. Aikaisemmin keväällä parin kuukauden ajan päällä oli kattavampi “lockdown”. Tutkijoille koronavirukseen liittyvät rajoitukset vaikuttavat tutkimusaineiston hankintaan … Continue reading

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