George E. Smith, Nobel Winner Who Created a Digital Eye, Dies at 95
His death was confirmed by his daughter Lauren Lanning.
It was while he was working at Bell Laboratories in 1969 that Dr. Smith and a colleague, Willard S. Boyle, came up with the idea for what is known as the charge-coupled device, or CCD — a technology that is an essential component of nearly every telescope, medical scanner, photocopier and digital camera in use today.
Their work helped build 'the foundation to our modern information society,' Gunnar Oquist, the Nobel academy's secretary general, said when it was announced that Dr. Smith and Dr. Boyle would share the 2009 prize for physics. (They split the award with Charles K. Kao, who was recognized for work that resulted in the development of fiber-optic cables.)
Dr. Smith and Dr. Boyle had been trying to create better memory storage for computers when the idea for the CCD arose. They thought the photoelectric effect — which Einstein had explained, an explanation that won him a 1921 Nobel Prize — might offer a solution.
The photoelectric phenomenon occurs when electromagnetic radiation, such as light, hits a metal surface, dislodging electrons from atoms and causing a current to flow through the metal. The device that Dr. Smith and Dr. Boyle created employs rows of tiny capacitors to store and transfer the electrical charge — essentially capturing light — and uses the information to construct an image.
Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
29 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Scientists tracking ‘interstellar' object that has come to us from another solar system
Astronomers may have just discovered a new interstellar object passing through our solar system. The object, a celestial body from another star system, was discovered on Tuesday by the University of Hawaii's Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System, or ATLAS, team. At this point, it remains unclear what the object may be or look like as it moves near Jupiter. Now, scientists are checking to confirm their findings. 'ESA's Planetary Defenders are observing the object, provisionally known as #A11pl3Z, right now using telescopes around the world,' the European Space Agency said in a social media post on Wednesday. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration told The Associated Press that it is monitoring the situation. David Rankin, of the University of Arizona's Catalina Sky Survey, said in posts on BlueSky that follow-up observations were made not long after the discovery. A precovery — observations from archival images in which the object was not originally discovered — from CalTech's Zwicky Transient Facility hinted at the presence of an interstellar object. 'After a few more precovery observations, and follow-ups, it became clear this object is on a hyperbolic trajectory through the solar system,' Rankin wrote. Since then, new observations have been 'rolling in,' helping astronomers to better determine its orbit. Rankin noted that the first known interstellar object to visit our solar system was 'Oumuamua, which was spotted in 2017. Up to one-quarter mile-long and 10 times as long as it is wide, its resembles a rocky cigar with a reddish hue. Its aspect ratio, which is greater than that of any asteroid or comet observed in our solar system to date, even led to speculation that it could be an alien spacecraft. Observations then suggested that it had been wandering through our Milky Way galaxy for hundreds of millions of years before its encounter with our star system, according to NASA. The second known object was Comet 2I/Borisov, found in 2019. It is the first confirmed interstellar comet, and was later captured by the Hubble Space Telescope. Scientists believe that many more such objects regularly pass by the Earth, with a number of them flying relatively near to us each year. However, many of them go undetected because they are hard to spot and it is difficult to know for sure where they have come from. Researchers hope to eventually learn more about them and even use them as evidence for distant star systems and planets. They also hope to find more of them in the years to come, thanks to new and more powerful telescopes, such as the recently switched-on Vera C Rubin Observatory.
Yahoo
37 minutes ago
- Yahoo
I Asked Italian Chefs to Name the Best Jarred Marinara Sauce—There Was a Clear Favorite
Most Italian chefs agree that homemade marinara tastes best—but some jarred sauces come really close. Rao's Homemade Marinara was the top pick for its simple ingredient list and rich tomato flavor. In general, the chefs recommend looking for jarred sauces with no added sugar or a last name like Rotondo, I know my way around a marinara sauce. My grandmother's recipe comes together in roughly 20 minutes—about the same time it takes to boil a pot of water and cook pasta—so as a good Italian American, I should never reach for the jarred stuff, right? Ask a lot of chefs (like I did for this story) and they'll agree. "I don't know a single person in Italy that would consider buying jarred sauce," Gregorio Fierro, a Philadelphia-based pizza consultant who has had a hand in some of that city's best pies, tells me in no uncertain terms. And he has a point: When you make your own sauce, you know exactly where the ingredients came from, how much salt's been added, if you need a bit more homemade just tastes I would never even think to replace my grandmother's recipe with a jarred version, that doesn't mean I don't keep a jar or two in my pantry for weeknight pasta emergencies (everyone has those, right?) or when I need to quickly turn leftover meatballs in my freezer into sandwiches. Turns out, most of the chefs I spoke with agreed, and many even went so far as to name Rao's Homemade Marinara as one of their top choices. "Hands down, the best overall," says chef Steve Chiappetti, a James Beard Award–winning chef and the Chicago mainstay behind the Albert at the Hotel EMC2. "It keeps things simple and lets the natural sweetness and acidity of tomatoes shine. No overworked seasoning—just clean, rich tomato flavor. It's as close to homemade as it gets on a shelf." Marinara sauce is known for its simplicity—the best versions let the tomatoes truly shine. Often, the ingredient list is short: Besides tomatoes (canned or fresh can be used, but fresh ones involve a bit more prep work), expect to see extra-virgin olive oil, garlic and Italian herbs like basil and oregano. Some recipes call for onions, some like to add crushed red pepper for a slight kick. It's more of an art than a science—and it's not meant to be hard to where supermarket sauces have previously fallen short, several of the chefs I spoke with said. Often, they use preservatives or artificial flavors—or they contain too much added sugar, making the sauce too sweet. "That reputation hasn't come out of nowhere. Plenty of sauces on the market have leaned too heavily on shortcuts, using overly processed ingredients and sacrificing depth of flavor," says Domenico "Mimmo" Tolomeo, a pizzaiola who co-owns Taglio Pizza in Mineola, NY, and is the corporate chef for Orlando Foods, an Italian food importer. But that isn't to say all jarred marinara is a no-go, he adds: "When done right, a jarred sauce can offer both convenience and authenticity. It all comes down to the intention and care behind it." Many chefs recommended Rao's because the ingredient list is straightforward—just Italian whole peeled tomatoes, olive oil, onions, salt, garlic, basil, black pepper and oregano. "No added sugar is the top thing for me, I want the sauce to have acidity, which is what I crave from tomato-based sauces," Italian American chef Carla Contreras says. "Making my own sauce doesn't take a lot of time, but on a busy night as a parent who has worked all day, I want to get dinner on the table in less than 10 minutes. I can boil the pasta, toss in some sauce, freshly grate Parmesan on top of the pasta and serve a salad or veggies I roasted on the weekend, and dinner is done."Beyond sugar, avoid sauces that have vinegars or citric acid, and try to avoid going the cheapest route. "Treat the sauce like you're going to eat it," says Matt Harding, a former chef and Chief Concept Officer at Piada Italian Street Food. "Pick the ones with the least added sugar, free from preservatives, and for God's sake don't get the least expensive. A jar of expensive sauce is $8, which equates to around $1.50 per serving." While Rao's doesn't use San Marzano tomatoes, that can also be a clue that a jarred sauce is high-quality. Look for a DOP (Denominazione di Origine Protetta) designation on the label, indicating that the tomatoes used in the sauce came from the protected region of Italy known for San Marzano production. "Also, the words 'imported,' 'Italian' or 'San Marzano' before 'tomatoes' on the ingredients list is always a green flag, along with these words being the very first ingredient," advises chef and sommelier Dana Beninati. While you can certainly use a jar of Rao's to sauce your pasta (spaghetti, penne and rigatoni were the top pasta shapes for marinara among chefs we spoke with), most chefs had plenty of other uses. Chiappetti uses jarred marinara as the base for shakshuka, which makes pulling off the dish in the morning particularly easy. Others mentioned using it as a tomato soup base, along with some water and cream. Whether reaching for Rao's or another brand, nearly all the chefs told us to feel free to punch up the garlic or herbs to your liking. "I treat it like a blank canvas," Chiappetti explains. "I'll warm olive oil in a pan, lightly toast some sliced garlic, add chili flakes and let fresh basil infuse into the oil. Then I stir in the jarred marinara and season to taste. It's a fast way to create a deeply flavored sauce that feels totally your own." While I certainly wouldn't suggest always forgoing homemade sauce (I'll never stop making my grandmother's recipe), if you're in a pinch, take a suggestion from the chefs we interviewed and try Rao's Homemade Marinara. Chefs like this jarred sauce for its simple ingredient list, no added sugar and rich tomato flavor. You can easily jazz up the sauce by warming it with garlic and olive oil to give it a deeper flavor. It's the perfect solution on a busy weeknight. Read the original article on EATINGWELL
Digital Trends
38 minutes ago
- Digital Trends
NASA's skywatching tips for July include an ‘eagle'
NASA is back with its monthly roundup on what to look out for in the skies over the coming weeks. And there's plenty to enjoy. The planets take center stage this month, with July offering a great chance to view Mercury, Mars, Saturn, Venus, and Jupiter. You'll be able to see Mercury for a brief period following sunset during the first week of July. Cast your gaze very low in the west 30 to 45 minutes after sundown. Mercury sets within the hour after that, so be sure to carefully pinpoint it before it vanishes from view. Next up, Mars. The red planet will be visible for the first hour or two after it gets dark. 'You'll find it sinking lower in the sky each day and looking a bit dimmer over the course of the month, as our two planets' orbits carry them farther apart,' NASA says in its latest roundup video (top), adding that the crescent moon will appear right next to Mars on July 28. The space agency also notes that July marks the 60th anniversary of the first successful flyby of Mars, by NASA's Mariner 4 spacecraft. During the mission, Mariner 4 also became the first spacecraft to beam back photos of another planet. Saturn — the sixth planet from the sun and the second largest planet in our solar system — rises late in the evening this month, and by dawn appears high overhead to the south. Meanwhile, Venus — our brightest planet — will be shining brightly throughout the month, making it easy to spot. However, you'll have to wake up early as it's only viewable a couple of hours before sunrise, toward the east. Last but not least, Jupiter — the largest planet in our solar system — will be rising in the hour before sunrise and appearing a little higher with each passing day. NASA also points out that July and August is an excellent chance to view the constellation Aquila, also known as the eagle as its star pattern resembles an eagle in flight. 'This time of year, it soars high into the sky in the first half of the night,' NASA says. adding that to find it, first locate its brightest star, Altair. 'It's one of the three bright stars in the Summer Triangle, which is super easy to pick out during summer months in the Northern Hemisphere. Altair is the second brightest of the three, and sits at the southernmost corner of the triangle.' Check out the video for more details — including helpful images — on how to view Aquila and also the planets.
