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Ever wondered if a gym ball could explain the universe or if your own breath is hiding a microscopic drama? This session ditches the textbook for a dive into the physics, nanotechnology, and engineering breakthroughs happening right here in Newcastle, from microscopes that "see" with atoms to laser-powered diamonds that touch the quantum realm. Grab a pint and discover how our local experts are turning the invisible into the incredible.
Viral Drama in Your Breath
Harleen Kaur
(I am a Ph.D. student at the University of Newcastle, Australia. My research focuses on isolation and characterisation of extracellular vesicles from breath for non-invasive diagnostics.)
My research uses nanotechnology to detect so-called “extracellular vesicles” in breath. These are tiny, invisible particles which contain markers of disease. Measuring breath is far more comfortable than taking a blood test. The aim is early, non-invasive virus detection.
Touching the Quantum Realm
Lachlan Rogers
(Senior lecturer at U. Newcastle, UNESCO Quantum 100 (2025). Researches laser-powered glowing diamonds for quantum tech. Co-founder of Redback Systems. Host of Clear as Quantum & ABC Newcastle's Is it Quantum?)
What if a skipping rope and a gym ball were all you needed to understand quantum physics? Dr Lachlan Rogers (host of the Clear as Quantum podcast) will try to prove it — and the results are as surprising as the science itself.
Imaging with Atoms
Matthew Bergin
(Matthew is a research associate in the Centre for Organic Electronics (COE) and a support officer for the Australian National Fabrication Facility (ANFF). He received his M.Sci. and PhD from the University of Cambridge.)
Normally when we talk about ‘looking’ at something, we are referring to visible light scattering from a subject into our eyes. However, many alternate imaging techniques extend our perception to reveal objects that are hidden to the naked eye. Instead of using light or even electrons, this talk introduces how the team at the University of Newcastle have built a completely new type of microscope that uses helium atoms.
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