A group from IBM Research just published a note in Nature on a rather stunning advance in electron microscopy. One of main issues with an electron microscope (or any sort of microsope) is dealing with the aberations. It turns out that spherical aberations are dominant in electron microscopes and one has to build complex lenses to minimize the problem
The IBM folks have come up with a computer controlled 40 element lens that corrects in real time (Nature does not have a free version of the article, but if you are profoundly interested in this, you either subscribe or have it in yor library) giving a 0.075nm beam! Note that this is smaller than a hydrogen atom. It is also important to note that the accelerating voltage is only 120keV - this will probably be very useful for semiconductor analysis work.
Electron microscopy had been giving hints at interesting structure, but this is the first time an sub atomic scale electron probe has existed. They are already working on the next generation with will allow 5th order corrections and could, in theory, give a beam about a third the diameter of the current model.
Searching around I found a link with some stunning images.
http://domino.research.ibm.com/Comm/bios.nsf/pages/sub-a.html
A few of us once had a seminar series where we discussed the flaws of perpetual energy machines. This sort of exercise starts out as great fun, but soon it becomes clear that the dreamers who "invent" such devices have no working knowledge of physics and spotting the critical flaws isn't a big deal.
Someone has a page on unworkable devices along with a short categorization of issues that the perpetual motion folks tend to ignore.
http://www.lhup.edu/~dsimanek/museum/physgal.htm
Perpetual motion, in addition to a disreguard for physics, often mixes in bits of right wing politics, paranoia, and snake oil. Reading about some of the schemes can be entertaining and gives one the sense that Internet companies are rock solid in comparison -- Enron was solid in comparison.
Here are a few that I've collected over the past year - unfortuantely it is a tiny subset of my notes on the subject, but those that make it to the web tend to die quickly.
http://cjonline.com/stories/020801/bus_heatingplans.shtml
http://www.viewnews.com/2000/VIEW-Nov-25-Sat-2000/NWest/14869689.html
http://www.phact.org/e/dennis.html
ah -- the Adams motor - one of my favorites
http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Lab/1287/adams/adamsall.htm
from the "Amazing Randi's Crackpot Inventions" page
http://www.randi.org/jr/03-22-2000.html
Lots of people actually get patents for these devices -- hey, a patentable idea doesn't have to work:-) Apparently several perpetual motion patents are granted in the US every year.
http://www.newebmasters.com/freeenergy/index.shtml
Moving back to the real world I note that the Perseid meteor shower is rapidly approaching. This is my favorite (although the Leonid shower would change my mind if it could be be as intense as last year's display -- of course seeing over 1000 meteors in a few hours is a one in a lifetime event) as the trails are beautiful and the weather is generally good in the Northern Hemisphere.
Sky and Telescope has some notes on the subject. Start making your plans now!
http://skyandtelescope.com/observing/objects/meteors/article_649_1.asp
2:50:30 PM 
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