The Water Institute is pleased to host a seminar by Dr. Gerald H. Pollack titled:
The Secret Life of Water: E = H2O
Gerald H. Pollack
Professor
Department of Bioengineering
University of Washington
Friday February 10, 2012, 11:30 am
Environment 3, room 1408 - Minto Lecture Hall University of Waterloo
All are welcome.
Regards,
Mary Anne Hardy
The Water Institute
University of Waterloo
519.888.4567 ext. 32658
mahardy@uwaterloo.ca
water.uwaterloo.ca
---- ABSTRACT ----
School children learn that water has three phases: solid, liquid and vapor. But
we have recently uncovered what appears to be a fourth phase. This phase occurs
next to water-loving (hydrophilic) surfaces. It is surprisingly extensive,
projecting out from the surface by up to millions of molecular layers.
Of particular significance is the observation that this fourth phase is charged;
and, the water just beyond is oppositely charged, creating a battery that can
produce current. We found that light recharges this battery. Thus, water can
receive and process electromagnetic energy drawn from the environment —
much like plants. The absorbed light energy can then be exploited for performing
work, including electrical and mechanical work. Recent experiments
confirm the reality of such energy conversion.
The energy-conversion framework implied above seems rich with implication.
Not only does it provide an understanding of how water processes solar and
other energies, but also it may provide a foundation for simpler understanding
natural phenomena ranging from weather and green energy all the way to biological
issues such as the origin of life, transport, and osmosis.
The lecture will present evidence for the presence of this novel phase of water,
and will consider the potentially broad implications of this phase for physics,
chemistry and biology, as well as some practical applications for engineering.
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