Stories of paleolithic humans often depict men hunting megafauna like the mammoths, while the roles of women, children, and elders were assumed to be minimal. That was, until a Manhattan fashion executive turned archeologist helped to prove that women were crafting textiles long before such technology was believed to exist.
The University of Illinois Observatory is undergoing renovations this summer that will bring back some historical features of the national landmark. The project is supported by a grant from the National Park Service through the Save America’s Treasures program, which funds the preservation of properties designated to have national historical significance.
Ying Diao now studies how chirality — asymmetry in molecules and physical structures — might be able to make electronics more energy-efficient. The inspiration comes from the natural world, where chirality allows plants to perform photosynthesis with near-perfect energy efficiency and might help our brains to operate at supercomputer levels without anywhere near as much energy wasted as heat.
