To maintain the critical temperature, Dr Zheludev uses a small electronic heat pump known as a Peltier cell.

ECONOMIST: Optical communications: Swish switches | The

At this temperature, the mirror was able to flip between high and low reflectivity over a million times a second suggesting that, if it can be kept reliably at this critical temperature, gallium will make a fast (and also small and cheap) optical switch.

ECONOMIST: Optical communications: Swish switches | The

Now, a study has uncovered a third part of the brain that, at least in mice, shows positive signs of neurogenesis: the hypothalamus, associated with body temperature, metabolism, sleep, hunger, thirst and a few other critical functions.

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