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Annabella_W

19 karma · joined September 5, 2025

I write a Substack called - the Potential Surface - that gives insights into the latest most transformative areas of science, tech, and AI
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Annabella_W··on [dead]
How the Outdated Space Treaty Is Not Equipped for the New Lunar World
Annabella_W··on [dead]
A new amplifier design that overcomes a fundamental engineering trade off, creating a palm-sized laser that could move imaging from the workbench to the bedside
Annabella_W··on [dead]
How the Outdated Space Treaty Is Not Equipped for the New Lunar World
Annabella_W··on When must we lobotomize ourselves?
I really enjoyed this post! Thanks for sharing
Annabella_W··on [dead]
This week was full of bold claims that need bringing down to earth. This newsletter covers:

Google’s new “quantum advantage” claim and why the 2019 precedent makes me skeptical.

Starcloud’s plan for data centers in space and its fundamental engineering fallacies.

The laser rainbow that offers tiny chip solution for the ever growing datacenter bottleneck.

A ‘solar panel’ for the eye that can restore lost vision.

Annabella_W··on [dead]
New treatments are needed for the millions of people with drug-resistant epilepsy. This article explores how neural networks are now able to simulate the complex quantum mechanical processes at the heart of the disease.
Annabella_W··on [dead]
The thing I’m most excited about this new method is that it introduces a new prototyping stage. Having the hydrogel as the starting point means structures can be rapidly printed and tested for complex fit, geometry, and tolerance before costly metal infusion and sintering steps are committed.
Annabella_W··on Sponges, Sensors, and the True Cost of Green Tech
Today’s newsletter covers:

The Nobel prize winning ‘molecular sponges’ and their surprising uses in biosecurity.

A 200% safer AI-designed car bumper that may never materialise.

Virtual sensors for fusion discoveries and a tough dilemma for future science.

Chinas tariffs and the dirty secret of the rare-earth metals powering our green future.

Annabella_W··on The Future of Clean Air Is Stuck Behind a Physics Problem
As the risk of engineered pandemics and biological weapons continues to increase, experts now estimate there is a 1 in 8 chance of a pandemic killing over 90 million people by 2050.

Far-UVC light offers a new line of defence, promising to make the air we breathe as safe as the water we drink.

Annabella_W··on Metamaterials, AI, and the Road to Invisibility Cloaks
Now that really would be science fiction haha!
Annabella_W··on Metamaterials, AI, and the Road to Invisibility Cloaks
Thanks for sharing!
Annabella_W··on Metamaterials, AI, and the Road to Invisibility Cloaks
This would actually be great! I guess the core challenge to achieving this would be in designing a metamaterial that meets the structural demands (strength-to-weight ratio) of a car body while also performing the complex wave manipulation required for invisibility. I wonder how far we are from reconciling those two very different requirements. Perhaps with the use of AI for metamaterials design we could be closer than we think!
Annabella_W··on Metamaterials, AI, and the Road to Invisibility Cloaks
Agree, both screens and metamaterials for this application have their pros and cons. Manufacturing metamaterials at a large scale is an area I'm looking into next!