Spring/summer 2008

Do you worry about the safety of the information you enter online when shopping or paying bills? Are you concerned that your employer has stored your social security number in the company's systems? A new research group at ASU is making sure businesses know how to protect your data. --by Debbie Freeman

A new type of solar cell from ASU and a new catalyst for splitting water from MIT have been combined to create a cost-effective means of sustainable energy production. --by Jim Brewer

An ASU engineering student has shown his school spirit in a small way--by creating a microscopic etching of Sparky, the Sun Devil mascot, that's smaller than a human red blood cell. --by Chelsea Brown

The impact of nitrogen released from the burning of fossil fuels and widespread use of fertilizers is much greater that previously recognized. Scientists say the impact even extends to remote alpine lakes. --by Margaret Coulombe

Diodes are used in an endless array of devices. They are essential ingredients for the semiconductor industry. Making diodes smaller means cheaper cost and better performance for electronic devices. ASU researchers have now made diodes on the scale of a single molecule.--by Richard Harth

Who is the ugliest? A paper wasp with a deadly sting? A scorpion that crushes its prey? Cast your vote for the ugliest bug by December 15, 2009. --by Carol Hughes