Comments on: Making sense of nanotechnology – a piece of cake! http://2020science.org/2010/04/04/making-sense-of-nanotechnology-a-piece-of-cake/ Providing a clear perspective on developing science and technology responsibly Mon, 21 May 2012 14:01:46 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Nanotechnology is like Cooking « Peter's Blog http://2020science.org/2010/04/04/making-sense-of-nanotechnology-a-piece-of-cake/#comment-68976 Nanotechnology is like Cooking « Peter's Blog Sat, 22 May 2010 17:31:07 +0000 http://2020science.org/?p=3025#comment-68976 [...] Filed Under: Uncategorized by pmihalik — Leave a comment May 22, 2010 Here is original presentation about nanotechnology where Andrew Maynard from University of Michigan [...] [...] Filed Under: Uncategorized by pmihalik — Leave a comment May 22, 2010 Here is original presentation about nanotechnology where Andrew Maynard from University of Michigan [...]

]]> By: Andrew Maynard http://2020science.org/2010/04/04/making-sense-of-nanotechnology-a-piece-of-cake/#comment-60704 Andrew Maynard Tue, 13 Apr 2010 14:54:06 +0000 http://2020science.org/?p=3025#comment-60704 Thanks for this Aarti - appreciate the write-up! Thanks for this Aarti – appreciate the write-up!

]]> By: Andrew Maynard http://2020science.org/2010/04/04/making-sense-of-nanotechnology-a-piece-of-cake/#comment-60702 Andrew Maynard Tue, 13 Apr 2010 14:50:23 +0000 http://2020science.org/?p=3025#comment-60702 Thanks Amy Thanks Amy

]]> By: Amy http://2020science.org/2010/04/04/making-sense-of-nanotechnology-a-piece-of-cake/#comment-60698 Amy Tue, 13 Apr 2010 14:36:54 +0000 http://2020science.org/?p=3025#comment-60698 Good post and a wonderful video.. Good post and a wonderful video..

]]> By: Aarti Kapoor http://2020science.org/2010/04/04/making-sense-of-nanotechnology-a-piece-of-cake/#comment-60254 Aarti Kapoor Sat, 10 Apr 2010 03:19:39 +0000 http://2020science.org/?p=3025#comment-60254 Dr. Maynard, this was a really entertaining talk! Loved the baking analogy and the interesting issues you raised. Mentioned your talk in my recent blog titled "Cake takes center stage at nanotechnology talk" (http://www.nanoscienceworld.com/nano-news-2/australian-study-most-effec.html) Dr. Maynard, this was a really entertaining talk! Loved the baking analogy and the interesting issues you raised. Mentioned your talk in my recent blog titled “Cake takes center stage at nanotechnology talk” (http://www.nanoscienceworld.com/nano-news-2/australian-study-most-effec.html)

]]> By: Andrew Maynard http://2020science.org/2010/04/04/making-sense-of-nanotechnology-a-piece-of-cake/#comment-59567 Andrew Maynard Tue, 06 Apr 2010 16:03:29 +0000 http://2020science.org/?p=3025#comment-59567 The pressure is increasing to prove I really can bake a cake! Stay tuned on this one... The pressure is increasing to prove I really can bake a cake! Stay tuned on this one…

]]> By: Mary Spiro http://2020science.org/2010/04/04/making-sense-of-nanotechnology-a-piece-of-cake/#comment-59564 Mary Spiro Tue, 06 Apr 2010 15:54:07 +0000 http://2020science.org/?p=3025#comment-59564 Andrew, this should be turned into a TEDx talk. But you'll have to be able to make an edible cake! :) Andrew, this should be turned into a TEDx talk. But you’ll have to be able to make an edible cake! :)

]]> By: Kiyomi http://2020science.org/2010/04/04/making-sense-of-nanotechnology-a-piece-of-cake/#comment-59372 Kiyomi Tue, 06 Apr 2010 00:37:47 +0000 http://2020science.org/?p=3025#comment-59372 I really enjoyed your presentation, it was one of the most engaging and interesting scientific talks I've seen and I give you huge points for baking in public! My personal trick is mixing by hand between the initial mix everything together stage and the final stirring frenzy. The heat from our hands help the butter to melt slightly making the batter more liquid, which seems to help homogenize the mixture. I really enjoyed your presentation, it was one of the most engaging and interesting scientific talks I’ve seen and I give you huge points for baking in public! My personal trick is mixing by hand between the initial mix everything together stage and the final stirring frenzy. The heat from our hands help the butter to melt slightly making the batter more liquid, which seems to help homogenize the mixture.

]]> By: Andrew Maynard http://2020science.org/2010/04/04/making-sense-of-nanotechnology-a-piece-of-cake/#comment-59299 Andrew Maynard Mon, 05 Apr 2010 18:28:16 +0000 http://2020science.org/?p=3025#comment-59299 Believe it or not, there was method to my madness! I've been obsessed with baking the perfect pound cake for years - have tried all the long complex approaches involving kitchen limbering-up exercises and obscure culinary arts (including aerating the flour!). But have never had great success. However, when I started rehearsing for this talk, I was more interested in the process than the product, so I threw everything I knew out of the window and just chucked the ingredients together - in the right sequence of course, so I ended up with something resembling a plausible cake mix. That sequence was... quickly cream the butter with the sugar using the spoon; smash, add and roughly mix the eggs; pour in the flour and baking powder (un-sieved!!) and mix; throw in a dash of vanilla essence - and you're there. Just for a lark, first time I ran through this to check the timing, I thought I might as well actually bake the cake - it was the best cake I'd made! And in case you think it was a fluke, the backup-cake for Saturday's talk (sadly eaten before I had a chance to photograph it) was made in the same way - and turned out just as well. I have a sneaky suspicion that cooking has its fair share of redundant folk-lore. But I suspect I am going to have to prove this one on video - if only to show that I really can bake a cake :-) Believe it or not, there was method to my madness! I’ve been obsessed with baking the perfect pound cake for years – have tried all the long complex approaches involving kitchen limbering-up exercises and obscure culinary arts (including aerating the flour!). But have never had great success.

However, when I started rehearsing for this talk, I was more interested in the process than the product, so I threw everything I knew out of the window and just chucked the ingredients together – in the right sequence of course, so I ended up with something resembling a plausible cake mix. That sequence was… quickly cream the butter with the sugar using the spoon; smash, add and roughly mix the eggs; pour in the flour and baking powder (un-sieved!!) and mix; throw in a dash of vanilla essence – and you’re there.

Just for a lark, first time I ran through this to check the timing, I thought I might as well actually bake the cake – it was the best cake I’d made! And in case you think it was a fluke, the backup-cake for Saturday’s talk (sadly eaten before I had a chance to photograph it) was made in the same way – and turned out just as well.

I have a sneaky suspicion that cooking has its fair share of redundant folk-lore. But I suspect I am going to have to prove this one on video – if only to show that I really can bake a cake :-)

]]> By: Ruth Seeley http://2020science.org/2010/04/04/making-sense-of-nanotechnology-a-piece-of-cake/#comment-59045 Ruth Seeley Sun, 04 Apr 2010 22:22:59 +0000 http://2020science.org/?p=3025#comment-59045 Oh my. The cake assembly portion of this video was rather appalling and I'm enrolling you in baking 101 twice as a punishment. How did you expect the cake to rise when you hadn't put any air into it to begin with? And was there a leavening agent? Did you actually succeed in creaming the butter with the flour rather than with the sugar? I'm pretty sure I didn't see you beat the eggs before adding to the (now hopelessly jumbled) mix of wet and dry ingredients. Wise not to post the result, even for comic relief. Still, once one's over the shock of the baking portion, some nice and clear analogies here. And your apron co-ordinated beautifully with your shirt. ;) Oh my. The cake assembly portion of this video was rather appalling and I’m enrolling you in baking 101 twice as a punishment. How did you expect the cake to rise when you hadn’t put any air into it to begin with? And was there a leavening agent? Did you actually succeed in creaming the butter with the flour rather than with the sugar? I’m pretty sure I didn’t see you beat the eggs before adding to the (now hopelessly jumbled) mix of wet and dry ingredients. Wise not to post the result, even for comic relief.

Still, once one’s over the shock of the baking portion, some nice and clear analogies here. And your apron co-ordinated beautifully with your shirt. ;)

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