Engineer the Tools of Scientific Discovery

To Infinity and Beyond

Engineer the Tools of Scientific Discovery

Fundamental Theory of Everything

What Do We Need?

• Tools to better map circuits of the brain
• Tools to measure brain activity
• Means to accurately evaluate what this activity means
• Data infrastructures to handle large scale data sets

• Astronomy: the study of celestial objects, space, and the universe as a whole.
• Why is it important to the world of science?

Concern

Great Astronomical Discoveries

• Heliocentric Model: Earth revolves around the sun. (Copernicus)
• Herschel's Map: Map of the Milky Way galaxy, with the Sun in the center. (William and Caroline Herschel)

The Brain

What Can This Help?

• Imperative for improving memory
• Ability to learn
• Emotions and reactions
• Understanding and treating mental disorders
• Preventative measures

Questions Raised

Recent Tools and Discoveries

• Type Ia Supernovae: A massive class of supernova that brightens and dims very predictably. Used to measure the universe’s expansions and to discovery dark energy.
• Gravitational Lensing - when one massive object, such as a galaxy or black hole, blocks around distant object, light behind it acts as a lens for the things that are behind it. Used to measure the shape of stars and even look for exoplanets.

What tools do engineers and scientists need to work collaboratively on in order to solve the pressing challenges and mysteries we face in our world today?

• Age-long search
• Explain outcome of all physical interactions
• Understand the fundamentals of nature to allow for greater control, unimaginable discoveries
• Examples: String Theory/M Theory

• Do tools need to be made smaller? (atom smashers)
• More durable? (ROV's)
• New computing methods?
• In developing these tools, do we need to take a step back and re-investigate Earthly materials and their properties?

Plasma Physics and Fusion Power

Biological Advancement

• Petroleum, natural gas, and coal accounted for 85% of US energy in 2009. These resources are limited! Passed peak oil
• Hydro, solar, wind energy cannot suffice world's current energy demands
• Search for new processes: Nuclear Fusion

- Same process that occurs on the sun

- Near Unlimited fuel/energy supply

- Abundance ensures ability to meet long tern energy needs

What chemistry needs?

Space Colonization

Quantum Mechanics

• Tools needed in the recording of human genes
• What determines activity or dormancy of genes
• could help prevent diseases
• unwanted traits and syndromes
• "useless" DNA

How can we think about engineering?

..."the world" is something like a great chess game being played by the gods, and we are observers of the game. We do not know what the rules of the game are; all we are allowed to do is to watch the playing, if we watch long enough, we may eventually catch on to a few of the rules. The rules of the game are what we mean by fundamental physics...

I often use the analogy of a chess game: one can learn all the rules of chess, but one doesn't know how to play well.

To be able to probe into the processes.

To be able to predict the properties.

To be able to see the structures.

To be able to manipulate matter.

• Quantum Mechanics

- Explains the interactions of elementary particles

• Applications

- Quantum Computing

• Still in its infancy
• Millions of calculations at once
• Chemistry and Nanotechnology -DNA mapping

- Quantum Entanglement

• Sending information instantly
• Teleportation: large molecules, objects, humans?

With the spaceships that we have today it is impossible for us to travel into deep space. Scientists are researching fusion technology that will greatly surpass today's chemical rockets allowing humans to go beyond our solar system and explore the other regions of the milky way.

Improvements to be Made

Create new tools to see the inner workings of chemistry.

• Microscopy: able see the structures of matter.
• Spectroscopy: able to interpret the dynamics of chemical processes.

Create new tools to do chemistry experiments with less cost.

• Lab-on-a chip: able to conduct faster and cheaper lab tests.
• Computer-aided design: able to "test" the properties without doing the actual experiment.

Create new tools to rearrange matter to the way we want.

• Molecular Assembler: able to arrange molecules with precision to guide chemical reactions.

How can we help chemistry?

• Computational Biology
• Need to ensure scientists are able to take obtained data and analyze it in detail
• Understand every aspect of what data means
• Functional Imaging Tools
• Transformation and Transient Expression Technologies
• allow culture systems to be used for productions of compounds for further research
• Further Advancements in Nanotechnology