Wed, Jul 01, 2009
June 29 - July 3, 2009
Laser-Created Temporal Lens Could Lead to Movies of Molecular Processes
Finding a way to observe and record the behavior of matter at the molecular level has long been a holy grail among physicists. That ability could open the door to a wide range of applications in ultrafast electron microscopy used in a large array of scientific, medical and technological fields.
Now, a team at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln has figured out a possible way to do that. Working in collaboration with Nobel laureate Ahmed Zewail (chemistry, 1999) of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, they developed mathematical models to show that laser beams create ultra-high-speed "temporal lenses" that would be capable of making "movies" of molecular processes. The finding was published in the June 15-19 online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. more...
Flu Update
The university's emergency Web site has been updated with new H1N1 information. Please see http://emergency.unl.edu/ for more information. To prevent the spread of illnesses, University Health Center director Dr. James Guest advises everyone to cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze, wash your hands or use hand sanitizer, avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth, and stay home if you don't feel well.
NU State Museum offers free Thursday night admission in July
The University of Nebraska State Museum will offer free admission to Morrill Hall Thursday nights in July. The museum will be open free of charge 4:30 to 8 p.m. July 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30.
In addition, Mueller Planetarium, located inside the museum, will feature a limited run of the fulldome shows, "Secret of the Cardboard Rocket" and "Dark Side of the Moon: The Fulldome Experience," Thursday evenings in July. Tickets to planetarium shows can be purchased at the front desk of the museum. more...
NEBRASKA STATE MUSEUM
MARY RIEPMA ROSS MEDIA ARTS CENTER
Tulpan and Anvil Play at the Ross
UNL's Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center presents Tulpan and Anvil. Tulpan will screen through July 2, while Anvil will show through July 9.
Acclaimed documentarian Sergey Dvortsevoy's debut narrative feature, Tulpan is a work of extraordinary filmmaking bravado, an exhilaratingly alive and sweet-natured fairytale set in the barren landscape of a Kazakh steppe, an environment where only shepherds live. Asa (Askhat Kuchinchirekov) returns from military service to live with his sister, Samal (Samal Yeslyamova), her husband, Ondas (Ondasyn Besikbasov), and their three children. Asa's dream is to have his own flock of sheep, but his boss tells him that until he gets married, his wish will never be granted. The only trouble is that in this particular case, the candidates for potential wife can be counted on one finger. Her name is Tulpan, and though he's never seen her entire face, Asa is certain that she is the one for him. Unfortunately, she doesn't appear to feel the same way, complaining that his ears are too big. Yet Asa remains hopeful, envisioning the day when his dream will come true. Dvortsevoy's background as a documentary director is put to masterly use here. He refuses to be anything but authentic, to the point where he captures some of the most miraculous footage the screen has ever seen.
Anvil! The Story of Anvil is a timeless tale of survival and the unadulterated passion it takes to follow your dream, year after year. The story follows Steve "Lips" Kudlow and Robb Reiner and their heavy metal band, Anvil, which released one of the heaviest albums in metal history, 1982's Metal on Metal. The album influenced an entire generation of rock bands, including Metallica, Slayer, and Anthrax, who went on to sell millions of records. Anvil, on the other hand, took a different path -- straight to obscurity. A wonderful and often hilarious account of Anvil's last-ditch quest for elusive fame and fortune, the film features appearances by an array of heavy metal icons, including Metallica's Lars Ulrich, Guns N' Roses' Slash, Anthrax's Scott Ian, and Slayer's Tom Araya, among others.
More information is available at the Ross website.
