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Indonesian Swallowtail Butterfly (Papilio blumei) DEFINITIONS
Pigment - Pigments are chemical compounds that only reflect certain wavelengths of visible light.
Microscopic - Something that is too small to be seen with the naked eye; a microscope must be used to see it.
Nanofabrication: Nanofabrication is the design and manufacture of devices with dimensions measured in nanometers. One nanometer is 10 -9 meter, or a millionth of a millimeter.
SUMMARY
British scientists have found a way to mimic the colors found on the wings of tropical butterflies. This method could help prevent forgery. Prior to this finding, researchers had trouble duplicating the colors on insects like beetles and butterflies. The colors were difficult to duplicate because those colors were produced by light bouncing off microscopic structures (on the wings) instead of through pigmentation.
The problem was solved by researchers in Cambridge University. These researchers studied the Indonesian Swallowtail Butterfly (Papilio blumei), whose wing scales are composed of intricate, microscopic structures, kind of like the inside of an egg carton. Using a combination of nanofabrication procedures, Cambridge researchers were able to create a structurally identical copies of the butterfly wings, and those copies produced the same vivd colors as the butterfly wings.
One of the researchers stated that, "These artificial structures could be used to encrypt information in optical signatures on banknotes or other valuable items to protect them against forgery."
The problem was solved by researchers in Cambridge University. These researchers studied the Indonesian Swallowtail Butterfly (Papilio blumei), whose wing scales are composed of intricate, microscopic structures, kind of like the inside of an egg carton. Using a combination of nanofabrication procedures, Cambridge researchers were able to create a structurally identical copies of the butterfly wings, and those copies produced the same vivd colors as the butterfly wings.
One of the researchers stated that, "These artificial structures could be used to encrypt information in optical signatures on banknotes or other valuable items to protect them against forgery."
DISCUSSION
I found this article extremely interesting. The title of the article caught my eye and I was intrigued by the information provided. I think that it's such a creative idea to use something like butterfly wing colors to prevent forgery. It is a great idea because the colors on the wings are extremely hard to duplicate, making it a good way to protect against forgery.
QUESTIONS
1. The colors on the butterfly wings seem extremely difficult to duplicate. Will this be available to a wide range of people?
2. The article states that the colors can be used as signatures to protect forgery and provide better security. How does that work?
CITATIONS
Article: "Bright butterfly wing colors duplicated." Science Online. N.p., 21 June 2010.
Web. 18 Nov. 2010..
Web. 18 Nov. 2010.
Picture: http://www.bugunderglass.com/shop/buttefly_displays.html
- catherine
2 comments:
Catherine,
I definitely think that putting hard-to-copy colors on money is a good way to prevent forgery. The people trying to forge the money will have to make that color, which costs a lot, and would probably cost more money than it yields. Also, I ask the same questions as you do. With many countries already in billion or trillions of dollars in debt, how can they afford to build the color and put it in every single piece of paper money? Also, you can work on not restating what you said in your summary in your discussion. You basically just said that what was said in the article is a good idea and did not develop the idea any more.
Really interesting article choice.
In your "definitions" section, I think you should have included the word "iridescent," for some readers may not be familiar with it. Other than that, however, I think you covered all the other difficult words.
Your summary was very good and included all the important points found in the article. Specifying the researchers' names, Mathias Kolle, Professors Ullrich Steiner and Jeremy Baumberg, is my suggestion for your next CSB.
I agree with what you said in your "discussion" section. I think that you should elaborate a little bit more here, though.
Your questions were ones that I would have asked as well.
Correct citations.
Some formatting mistakes seemed to have happened; the font and font sizes should be uniform.
Overall, great CSB! I really enjoyed reading it.
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