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Building Blocks That Fall from the Sky
Building blocks that fall from the sky How did life on Earth begin? Scientists from the “Heidelberg Initiative for the Origin of Life” have set about answering this truly existential question. Indeed, they are going one step further and examining the conditions under which life can emerge. The initiative was founded by Thomas Henning, Director at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy in Heidelberg, and brings together researchers from chemistry, physics and the geological and biological sciences. 18 MaxPlanckResearch 3 | 18 FOCUS_The Origin of Life TEXT THOMAS BUEHRKE he great questions of our exis- However, recent developments are The initiative was triggered by the dis- tence are the ones that fasci- forcing researchers to break down this covery of an ever greater number of nate us the most: how did the specialization and combine different rocky planets orbiting around stars oth- universe evolve, and how did disciplines. “That’s what we’re trying er than the Sun. “We now know that Earth form and life begin? to do with the Heidelberg Initiative terrestrial planets of this kind are more DoesT life exist anywhere else, or are we for the Origins of Life, which was commonplace than the Jupiter-like gas alone in the vastness of space? By ap- founded three years ago,” says Thom- giants we identified initially,” says Hen- proaching these puzzles from various as Henning. HIFOL, as the initiative’s ning. Accordingly, our Milky Way alone angles, scientists can answer different as- name is abbreviated, not only incor- is home to billions of rocky planets, pects of this question. -
Adaptive Optics Imaging of Circumstellar Environments
Star Formation at High Angular Resolution IAU Symposium, Vol. 221, 2004 M. G. Burton, R. Jayawardhana & T.L. Bourke, eds. Adaptive Optics Imaging of Circumstellar Environments Daniel Apai, Ilaria Pascucci, Hongchi Wang, Wolfgang Brandner and Thomas Henning Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, Kimiqsiuhl 17., Heidelberg, Germany D-69117 Carol Grady NOAO/STIS, Goddard Space Flight Center, Code 681, NASA/GSFC, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA Dan Potter Steward Observatory, University of Arizona, 933 N. Cherry Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA Abstract. We present results from our high-resolution, high-contrast imaging campaign targeting the circumstellar environments of young, nearby stars of different masses. The observations have been conducted using the ALFA/CA 3.5m and NACO UT4/VLT adaptive optics systems. In order to enhance the contrast we applied the methods PSF-subtraction and polarimetric differential imaging (PDI). The observations of young stars yielded the identification of numerous new companion candidates, the most interesting one being rv 0.5" from FU Ori. We also obtained high-resolution near-infrared imaging of the circumstellar envelope of SU Aur and AB Aur. Our PDI of the TW Hya circumstellar disk traced back the disk emission as close as 0.1" ~ 6 AU from the star, the closest yet. Our results demonstrate the potential of the adaptive optics systems in achieving high-resolution and high-contrast imaging and thus in the study of circumstellar disks, envelopes and companions. 1. Introduction Young, nearby stars are our prime source of information to study the circum- stellar disk structure and evolution. They are also the ideal targets for adaptive optics (AO) observations, as they are usually bright enough to provide excellent wavefront reference. -
Route to Complex Organic Molecules in Astrophysical Environments
A New “Non-energetic” Route to Complex Organic Molecules in Astrophysical Environments: The C + H2O → H2CO Solid-state Reaction Alexey Potapov1, Serge Krasnokutski1, Cornelia Jäger1 and Thomas Henning2 1Laboratory Astrophysics Group of the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy at the Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Institute of Solid State Physics, Helmholtzweg 3, 07743 Jena, Germany, email: [email protected] 2Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, Königstuhl 17, D-69117 Heidelberg, Germany Abstract The solid-state reaction C + H2O → H2CO was studied experimentally following the co- deposition of C atoms and H2O molecules at low temperatures. In spite of the reaction barrier and absence of energetic triggering, the reaction proceeds fast on the experimental timescale pointing to its quantum tunneling mechanism. This route to formaldehyde shows a new “non- energetic” pathway to complex organic and prebiotic molecules in astrophysical environments. Energetic processing of the produced ice by UV irradiation leads mainly to the destruction of H2CO and the formation of CO2 challenging the role of energetic processing in the synthesis of complex organic molecules under astrophysically relevant conditions. 1 1. Introduction Understanding the reaction pathways to complex organic and prebiotic molecules at the conditions relevant to various astrophysical environments, such as prestellar cores, protostars and planet-forming disks, will provide insight in the molecular diversity during the planet formation process (Jörgensen, Belloche, & Garrod 2020). Modern astrochemical reaction networks contain thousands of reactions (see, e.g., astrochemical databases such as KIDA (http://kida.astrophy.u- bordeaux.fr/) and UDFA (http://udfa.ajmarkwick.net/)). However, these networks are very sensitive to inclusions of new reactions. -
Massive Simulation Shows HIV Capsid Interacting with Its Environment 19 July 2017
Massive simulation shows HIV capsid interacting with its environment 19 July 2017 scientist Juan R. Perilla, who led the study with U. of I. physics professor Klaus Schulten. Such details could help scientists find new ways to defeat the virus, Perilla said. Schulten, who died in October 2016, pioneered the application of molecular dynamics simulations to study large biological systems. He called the method "computational microscopy." The capsid simulation was performed on the Department of Energy's Titan supercomputer. Analyzing the data required a second supercomputer, Blue Waters, at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications at the U. of I. The HIV capsid is made up of hundreds of identical proteins arrayed in a network of six-sided and five- sided structures, each with a tiny pore at its center. The capsid contains the virus's genetic material, The genetic material of the HIV virus is encased in hiding it from host cell defenses. It also transports multiple structures that hide it from the host immune the virus to the cell nucleus, which it must infiltrate system. The capsid, in blue, protects the virus after it to complete infection. enters a cell and shuttles it to the nucleus, where it completes the process of infection. Credit: Juan Perilla It took two years on a supercomputer to simulate 1.2 microseconds in the life of the HIV capsid, a protein cage that shuttles the HIV virus to the nucleus of a human cell. The 64-million-atom simulation offers new insights into how the virus senses its environment and completes its infective cycle. -
HIV Structure by A&U
aumag.org http://aumag.org/wordpress/2013/07/29/hiv-structure/ HIV Structure by A&U Small Protein, Big Picture HIV capsid structure. Image by Klaus Schulten In order for HIV to replicate, the virus needs to carry its genetic material into new cells and then, once inside, to release it. This process is made possible in part by a protein shell: the HIV capsid, which functions to both protect the genetic material and then, at the right time, make it accessible. This makes the capsid an ideal antiviral target. One of the keys of disrupting this function is knowing the precise chemical structure of the HIV-1 capsid, and researchers, as reported in the journal Nature, have done just that. Up till now, scientists have been able to glimpse individual parts of the capsid but never a detailed molecular map of its whole, whose cone-shaped structure is formed by a polymorphic assemblage of more than 1,300 identical proteins. A dynamic view of the entire structure in atomic-level detail—namely, the interactions of 64 million atoms— was made possible with the use of the supercomputer Blue Waters at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications at the University of Illinois. Thanks to the largest computer simulation ever run, the digital model was created by researchers Klaus Schulten and Juan Perilla at the University of Illinois, who built on previous research and their own simulations of how the building blocks of the proteins—hexagons and pentagons, arranged in ever-changing patterns—interacted and fit together, and in what numbers. -
Electrochemical and Spectroelectrochemical Characterisation of Cyano and Trifluoromethyl
Electrochemical and Spectroelectrochemical characterisation of cyano and trifluoromethyl substituted polypyridines and their transition metal complexes Alexander R. L. Delf Thesis submitted for the degree of Ph.D. The University of Edinburgh May 2011 Declaration I hereby declare that this thesis has been entirely composed by myself and that the work described herein is my own except where clearly mentioned either in acknowledgement, reference or text. It has not been submitted in whole or in part for any other degree, diploma or other qualification. Alexander R. L. Delf May 2011 i Acknowledgments First and foremost I would like to thank Prof. Lesley Yellowlees for all of her help, advice, enthusiasm and bars of Swiss chocolate that she has given me during my time with “the lab rats”. But most of all I would like to thank her for believing in me when even I didn’t. Thanks have to go to Prof. Eric Mcinnes for the solid phase EPR simulations. I’d also like to thank the University of Edinburgh crystallography service for the crystal structures. For their help with NMR, Mass Spectrometry and CHN analysis thanks must go to Marika DeCremoux, Alan Talyor and Sylvia Williamson respectively. A special thank you has to go to Dr. Patricia Richardson of the EAsT Chem Research Computing Facility for her all her help and advice on all things computational and for long rambling discussions about interesting aspects of spectroscopy. For helpful discussions about the finer points of electrochemistry I’d like to thank Dr. Andy Mount, Dr. John Henry and Charlotte Brady. Thanks must also go to Dr. -
Oslo 2004: the Abel Prize Celebrations
NEWS OsloOslo 2004:2004: TheThe AbelAbel PrizePrize celebrationscelebrations Nils Voje Johansen and Yngvar Reichelt (Oslo, Norway) On 25 March, the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters announced that the Abel Prize for 2004 was to be awarded to Sir Michael F. Atiyah of the University of Edinburgh and Isadore M. Singer of MIT. This is the second Abel Prize awarded following the Norwegian Government’s decision in 2001 to allocate NOK 200 million to the creation of the Abel Foundation, with the intention of award- ing an international prize for outstanding research in mathematics. The prize, amounting to NOK 6 million, was insti- tuted to make up for the fact that there is no Nobel Prize for mathematics. In addi- tion to awarding the international prize, the Foundation shall contribute part of its earnings to measures for increasing inter- est in, and stimulating recruitment to, Nils Voje Johansen Yngvar Reichelt mathematical and scientific fields. The first Abel Prize was awarded in machine – the brain and the computer, break those rules creatively, just like an 2003 to the French mathematician Jean- with the subtitle “Will a computer ever be artist or a musical composer. Pierre Serre for playing a key role in shap- awarded the Abel Prize?” Quentin After a brief interval, Quentin Cooper ing the modern form of many parts of Cooper, one of the BBC’s most popular invited questions from the audience and a mathematics. In 2004, the Abel radio presenters, chaired the meeting, in number of points were brought up that Committee decided that Michael F. which Sir Michael spoke for an hour to an Atiyah addressed thoroughly and profes- Atiyah and Isadore M. -
Blue Waters Computing System
GPU Clusters for HPC Bill Kramer Director of Blue Waters National Center for Supercomputing Applications University of Illinois at Urbana- Champaign National Center for Supercomputing Applications University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign National Center for Supercomputing Applications: 30 years of leadership • NCSA • R&D unit of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign • One of original five NSF-funded supercomputing centers • Mission: Provide state-of-the-art computing capabilities (hardware, software, hpc expertise) to nation’s scientists and engineers • The Numbers • Approximately 200 staff (160+ technical/professional staff) • Approximately 15 graduate students (+ new SPIN program), 15 undergrad students • Two major facilities (NCSA Building, NPCF) • Operating NSF’s most powerful computing system: Blue Waters • Managing NSF’s national cyberinfrastructure: XSEDE Source: Thom Dunning Petascale Computing Facility: Home to Blue Waters • Blue Waters • 13PF, 1500TB, 300PB • >1PF On real apps • NAMD, MILC, WRF, PPM, NWChem, etc • Modern Data Center • Energy Efficiency • 90,000+ ft2 total • LEED certified Gold • 30,000 ft2 raised floor • Power Utilization Efficiency 2 = 1.1–1.2 20,000 ft machine room gallery Source: Thom Dunning Data Intensive Computing Personalized Medicine w/ Mayo LSST, DES Source: Thom Dunning NCSA’s Industrial Partners Source: Thom Dunning NCSA, NVIDIA and GPUs • NCSA and NVIDIA have been partners for over a decade, building the expertise, experience and technology. • The efforts were at first exploratory and small -
N° 1595 Assemblée Nationale
Document mis en distribution le 19 mai 2004 N° 1595 —— ASSEMBLÉE NATIONALE CONSTITUTION DU 4 OCTOBRE 1958 DOUZIÈME LÉGISLATURE Enregistré à la Présidence de l’Assemblée nationale le 12 mai 2004. RAPPORT FAIT AU NOM DE LA COMMISSION DES LOIS CONSTITUTIONNELLES, DE LA LÉGISLATION ET DE L'ADMINISTRATION GÉNÉRALE DE LA RÉPUBLIQUE SUR LE PROJET DE LOI CONSTITUTIONNELLE (N° 992) relatif à la Charte de l’environnement, PAR Mme Nathalie KOSCIUSKO-MORIZET, Députée. —— Voir le numéro : 1593. — 3 — SOMMAIRE ___ Pages INTRODUCTION I. — VERS UNE NOUVELLE DIMENSION ÉCOLOGIQUE : UN TEXTE NÉCESSAIRE A. LA PRISE DE CONSCIENCE DE LA GRAVITÉ ET DE LA GLOBALITÉ DES MENACES À L’ENVIRONNEMENT 1. Des menaces devenues planétaires 2. La conscience d’un devenir commun de l’humanité 3. Une forte demande sociale B. UN « DROIT MILLEFEUILLE » 1. Une « prolifération juridique » : grandes lois et politiques sectorielles 2. La « loi Barnier » : un texte précurseur devenu insuffisant 3. L’écologie saisie par le droit C. TRENTE ANS DE TENTATIVES DE CONSÉCRATION CONSTITUTIONNELLE 1. 1975-1977 : la proposition de loi constitutionnelle sur les libertés élaborée par la « commission Edgar Faure » 2. Une longue série d’initiatives parlementaires 3. Une lacune grave et persistante du « bloc de constitutionnalité » D. LE PARACHÈVEMENT EN DROIT FRANÇAIS D’UNE EVOLUTION DU DROIT INTERNATIONAL 1. Conférences et accords internationaux : un « droit faible » 2. Le développement des politiques communautaires 3. La primauté du droit européen sur la loi ordinaire II. — LA RÉVISION CONSTITUTIONNELLE : PROGRÈS DU DROIT ET SÉCURITÉ JURIDIQUE A. UNE RÉVISION CONSTITUTIONNELLE N’EST PAS UNE LOI COMME LES AUTRES 1. Les adaptations de la procédure législative de droit commun 2. -
CHANIA Internet.Key
The Internet for Africa meeting, Montpellier 10-12 Dec 2007 and Follow-up activities Sharing Knowledge (4) , MAICh, 7-9 April 2008 Robert Klapisch 1 Geneva, 30 April 2007 Robert Klapisch Président H.E. Ambassador Boudewijn J. van Eenennaam Permanent Representative Netherlands Mission to the UN Office in Geneva 31-33 Avenue Giuseppe Motta CH-1202 Genève Re : Invitation to a Meeting Dear Ambassador van Eenennaam In the last three years, I have organised a series of meetings on “Sharing Knowledge Across the Mediterranean“. The purpose is to get together scientists and engineers from the developped North and the developping South and East of the Mediterranean in order to facilitate contacts leading to concrete projects for a sustainable development. My experience from CERN (where I was Director of Research 1981-87) is that scientists have a common language and purpose and will work together whatever their difference in origin, religion or philosopy. What was effective during the Cold War to bridge the East-West gap should now be devoted to a North South dialogue in order to avoid a “Clash of Civilisations“. The first meeting in the series was held in Geneva in 2004 for the 50th Anniversary of CERN. The 2005 meeting took place in Casablanca and the 2006 edition was hosted by the Abdus Salam Institute (ICTP) in Trieste. Because these meetings were so successful, I have created a Foundation last November to develop and sustain them. Our next planned activity will be focused on a problem of acute interest : the common management of water resources between Israel, Jordan and the Palestinian Authority, in particular through implementing the Red Sea- Dead Sea Water Conveyance project. -
The History of the Abel Prize and the Honorary Abel Prize the History of the Abel Prize
The History of the Abel Prize and the Honorary Abel Prize The History of the Abel Prize Arild Stubhaug On the bicentennial of Niels Henrik Abel’s birth in 2002, the Norwegian Govern- ment decided to establish a memorial fund of NOK 200 million. The chief purpose of the fund was to lay the financial groundwork for an annual international prize of NOK 6 million to one or more mathematicians for outstanding scientific work. The prize was awarded for the first time in 2003. That is the history in brief of the Abel Prize as we know it today. Behind this government decision to commemorate and honor the country’s great mathematician, however, lies a more than hundred year old wish and a short and intense period of activity. Volumes of Abel’s collected works were published in 1839 and 1881. The first was edited by Bernt Michael Holmboe (Abel’s teacher), the second by Sophus Lie and Ludvig Sylow. Both editions were paid for with public funds and published to honor the famous scientist. The first time that there was a discussion in a broader context about honoring Niels Henrik Abel’s memory, was at the meeting of Scan- dinavian natural scientists in Norway’s capital in 1886. These meetings of natural scientists, which were held alternately in each of the Scandinavian capitals (with the exception of the very first meeting in 1839, which took place in Gothenburg, Swe- den), were the most important fora for Scandinavian natural scientists. The meeting in 1886 in Oslo (called Christiania at the time) was the 13th in the series. -
Discours De Robert Klapisch
Réponse de Robert Klapisch au discours de l’Ambassadeur Mattei lui remettant la médaille d’officier de la Légion d’Honneur. Le 9 novembre 2007 Excellence, Monsieur le Directeur Général, Cher Carlo Rubbia, Chers Amis, Merci Monsieur l’Ambassadeur pour vos paroles qui me remplissent d’émotion. Merci aussi à vous tous d’être venus, et certains de fort loin, pour être à mes côtés en ce jour où je suis honoré– pour la deuxième fois– par la République. Vous venez de citer, avec une éloquence dont je vous sais gré infiniment, ce qu’ont été les étapes de ma carrière. Ôserais-je le rappeler, une carrière se construit au fil du temps, on ne se rend pas toujours compte soi-même de l’enchaînement des perspectives. Le grand honneur qui m’est fait aujourd’hui, est peut-être une occasion de prendre du recul et de réfléchir aux motivations qui ont été les miennes durant ce parcours. Chercheur, j’ai d’abord connu les joies ineffables de la recherche et de la découverte. On sait aujourd’hui que les éléments chimiques de la matière qui nous entoure ont été formés au cours de la vie d’étoiles mortes depuis longtemps. Nous sommes tous des fossiles! Mon grain de sel dans cette cuisine cosmique, c’est d’avoir contribué à résoudre l’énigme des éléments légers très rares que sont le Lithium, le Beryllium et le Bore qui n’existent que par une sorte de miracle. Par la suite, les mêmes instruments nous ont permis de découvrir des noyaux bizarres, que j’ai appelé “exotiques”, comme le lithium 11 ou le sodium 35 qui comprennent deux fois ou trois fois plus de neutrons que de protons.