Category: Inventions, Innovations (wef. Feb 01sy, 2022

BAHRAIN Wins the Golden Lion for Best National Participation at the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale

The Kingdom of Bahrain’s Heatwave exhibition , curated by architect Andrea Faraguna has been announced as the winner of the Golden Lion for the Best National Participation at the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale.

The winner has been selected by an international jury comprising of Swiss curator, critic, and art historian Hans Ulrich Obrist as jury chair, South African architect, lecturer, and curator Mpho Matsipa, and Italian curator Paola Antonelli .

The awards ceremony is broadcast live from the headquarters of the Biennale at Ca’Giustinian. The pavilion stands out for addressing the pressing issue of extreme heat through a site-specific installation that showcases passive cooling strategies rooted in Bahrain’s climatic realities and cultural context.

The design of the pavilion explores passive cooling using geothermal wells and solar chimneys connected via a thermo-hygrometric axis, which links underground conditions to outdoor air. In exhibition settings where excavation isn’t possible, mechanical ventilation mimics this system. The modular structure features a floor and cantilevered ceiling supported by a central column, adaptable for various urban environments. The project highlights low-impact, climate-responsive design for outdoor workspaces in hot climates, emphasizing environmental responsibility, social fairness, and innovative architectural solutions.

The Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement and the Special Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement in Memoriam have been previously announced to be awarded to American philosopher Donna Haraway and the late Italian architect and designer Italo Rota (1953–2024), respectively. Donna Haraway is participating via remote connection to highlight the wider implications of this edition’s biennale. “Intelligence is a word that bubbles with meaning of the power of discerning,” she declares. The Golden Lion in Memoriam is awarded in absentia to Italo Rota.

Two special mentions have been awarded to participants in the international exhibition. The first one goes to Alternative Urbanism: The Central Organized Markets of Lagos by Tosin Oshinowo, Oshinowo Studio. “This award is for the Global South,” Oshinowo declares in her acceptance speech. The second special mention for a project of a participant goes to Elephant Chapel by Boonserm Premthada.

For the national pavilions, a special mention is awarded to Opera Aperta, the Holy See’s Pavilion by Paul Tighe of the Department of Education and Culture of the Holy See. The project is a “construction site, an ongoing process, which everyone is invited to collaborate.” The pavilion is curated by Marina Otero Verzier, curator and researcher, and Giovanna Zabotti, artistic director of Fondaco Italia and former curator of the Venice Pavilion, in collaboration with the design studios Tatiana Bilbao Estudio of Mexico City and MAIO Architects of Barcelona.

The other special mention goes to the Pavilion of Great Britain: GBR: Geology of Britannic Repair, commissioned by Sevra Davis of the British Council and curated by Owen Hopkins, Kathryn Yusoff, Kabage Karanja, Stella Mutegi. The selected team of expositors comprises experts from the UK and Kenya, including Nairobi–based Cave _bureau,  aiming to open up difficult conversations about interconnected relationships between the two countries, decolonization, and the embedded relationships to the ground.

Golden Lion for Best Participant in the exhibition Intelligens. Natural. Artificial. Collective

Golden Lion for Best Participant in the exhibition Intelligens. Natural. Artificial. Collective is awarded to Canal Café by Diller Scofidio + Renfro, Natural Systems Utilities, SODAI, Aaron Betsky, Davide Oldani. The installation is set up to use natural filtration systems to purify water from the city’s canals and make it info coffee that visitors of the Arsenale can enjoy.

source/content: archdaily.com (headline edited)

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BAHRAIN

ALGERIA : NASA honors Algerian parks with Martian namesakes

NASA’s mapping of Mars now bears the names of three iconic Algerian national parks, Algerian physicist Noureddine Melikechi, a member of the US space agency’s largest Mars probe mission, has told AFP.

The Tassili n’Ajjer, Ghoufi and Djurdjura national parks have found their Martian namesakes after a proposition by Melikechi, which he sought as both a tribute to his native Algeria and a call to protect Earth.

“Our planet is fragile, and it’s a signal to the world that we really need to take care of our national parks, whether they are in Algeria or elsewhere,” the US-based scientist told AFP in a recent interview.

He said the visual resemblance between some of the Martian landscapes and the ones after which they were labeled was also a key reason for the naming.

“The first one that came to my mind was the Tassili n’Ajjer,” he said of the UNESCO-listed vast plateau in the Sahara Desert with prehistoric art dating back at least 12,000 years.

“Every time I see pictures of Mars, they remind me of Tassili n’Ajjer, and now every time I see Tassili n’Ajjer, it reminds me of Mars,” added Melikechi, who left Algeria in 1990 for the United States, where he now teaches at the University of Massachusetts Lowell.

The ancient art found in Tassili n’Ajjer depicts figures that can seem otherworldly, he said.

Some of the paintings show single-eyed and horned giants, among others which French archaeologist Henri Lhote dubbed as “great Martian” deities in his 1958 book, “The Search for the Tassili Frescoes”.

“Those paintings are a signature… a book of how people used to live,” said Melikechi.

“You see animals, but also figures that look like they came from somewhere else.”

‘Historic’

Melikechi’s second pick was the Ghoufi canyon in eastern Algeria, whose rocky desert landscape was the site of an ancient settlement off the Aures Mountains.

Now a UNESCO-listed site and a tourist attraction, it has cliffside dwellings carved in the mountain, a testament to human resilience in a place where survival can be adverse.

“Ghoufi gives you a sense that life can be hard, but you can manage to keep at it as you go,” Melikechi said.

“You can see that through those homes.”

The third site, Djurdjura, is a snowy mountain range some 140 kilometers (about 90 miles) east of the capital Algiers.

Comapred to Tassili or Ghoufi, it bears the least resemblance to Mars.

Melikechi said its pick stemmed of Djurdjura’s “reminder of the richness of natural habitats”.

He said the naming process came after Perseverence, NASA’s Mars rover exploring the Red Planet, made it into uncharted territory.

That area was then split into small quadrants, each needing a name.

“We were asked to propose names for specific quadrants,” he said.

“I suggested these three national parks, while others proposed names from parks worldwide. A team then reviewed and selected the final names.”

The announcement, made by NASA earlier this month, sparked celebrations among Algerians.

Algerian Culture Minister Zouhir Ballalou hailed it as a “historic and global recognition” of the North African country’s landscapes.

Melikechi said he hopes that it will attract more visitors as Algeria has been striving to promote tourism, especially in the Sahara region, with authorities promising to facilitate tourist visas.

Official figures said some 2.5 million tourists visited the country last year—its highest number of visitors in two decades.

“These places are a treasure that we as humans have inherited,” Melikechi said.

“We need to make sure they are preserved.”

source/content: phys.org (headline edited)

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Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

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ALGERIA

SAUDI ARABIA : Dr. Mahmoud Aljurf, First Non-US Physician Wins Weinberger Prize for Hematology and Stem Cell Research

Director of the Adult Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy Program at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre (KFSHRC) Dr. Mahmoud Aljurf, M.D., MACP, has been awarded the Steven E. Weinberger Award for Physician Executives/Leaders by the American College of Physicians (ACP), the largest medical specialty organization in the US.


According to a recent KFSHRC press release, ‏Dr. Aljurf is the first recipient from outside the United States, underscoring his global impact on hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and oncology. He was honored at the ACP Convocation Ceremony held at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, Louisiana, during ACP’s Internal Medicine Meeting 2025.


‏At KFSHRC, Dr. Aljurf has played a key role in developing one of the world’s largest and most recognized hematopoietic stem cell transplantation programs, significantly improving treatment options for patients with hematologic malignancies. His leadership has helped expand access to novel transplant therapies and elevate global standards in hematology and oncology.


‏In addition to his clinical contributions, Dr. Aljurf is widely recognized for his research and editorial leadership. He served as the editor-in-chief of the Annals of Saudi Medicine.

He was the founding editor-in-chief of the Elsevier Journal of Hematology/Oncology and Stem Cell Therapy.

Currently, He serves as an editorial board member of several high-impact field-related scientific journals, including his role on the international advisory board of The Lancet Hematology. He has published nearly 500 scientific contributions in high-impact journals. He has also served as the editor of five books, primarily focused on building units and programs for cancer care and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.


His contribution to bone marrow, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, and cellular therapy was recognized by his election as the Worldwide Network for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (WBMT) president in 2023. He is the founding member and scientific director of the Eastern Mediterranean Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EMBMT) Group, affiliated with the World Health Organization’s Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office (WHO/EMRO).


‏The release also highlighted that Dr. Aljurf was the recipient of several international awards, including the Florence A. Carter Leukemia Research Award of the American Medical Association (AMA) Education and Research Foundation, the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research (CIBMTR) Annual Distinguished Service Award, the King Hussein Cancer Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Research Development and Innovation Authority (RDIA).

source/content: spa.gov.sa (headline edited)

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SAUDI ARABIA

The SOMALI man Ahmed Ibrahim Awale who has a scorpion named after him

If you were going to have a creature named after you then a scorpion may not be your first choice, but Ahmed Ibrahim Awale believes the Pandinurus awalei will serve as an inspiration to budding Somali scientists.

The 66-year-old scientist from Somaliland has been honoured by the three researchers who discovered the new scorpion species in the region in recognition of his decades of work in conservation and environmental protection.

“Most of the species identified in Somalia and Somaliland are named after a place, a characteristic that a plant or animal may have or somebody from Europe or America,” he told the BBC in his lively voice on the line from his office in Hargeisa.

“But for many young people here, it will encourage them to know that this species is named after Awale – after all Awale is a Somali.” His pride in having this honour clearly shines through.

‘Large but not that lethal’

Since the 19th Century, researchers, mostly from Europe, have been exploring the rich ecology of the Somali region, but Mr Awale wants to add to the growing number of Somalis taking up zoology and botany.

The 15cm large-clawed scorpion that now carries his name was found in an arid landscape near Agabara village about 50km (30 miles) north of Hargeisa, the capital of the self-declared republic of Somaliland.

It is not as venomous as some of its smaller cousins as there is often an inverse relationship between the size of a scorpion’s claws and the power of its sting, Mr Awale explains.

But Pandinurus awalei is just one of 50 scorpion species that live in Somaliland, some of which are only found in the Somali region.

This fact gives a hint at its rich biodiversity. As well as a host of animal species, there are at least 3,000 species of plants that have been identified and more than 700 of them are endemic to the region – and that number is growing.

“Every year new discoveries are coming,” says Mr Awale, who himself found a new species of aloe in 2014.

“This articulates the message that all that is coming from Somaliland and the region is not that bleak. We always hear negative news and this marks a shift in the narrative that is different from the mainstream perception of piracy, extremism, famine and instability.”

True to his name – Awale means “the lucky one” in Somali – he made his own discovery by chance.

He was driving off-road “in the middle of nowhere” on one of his many field trips when he spotted huge clumps of more than 1,000 aloe plants.

“It was something I had never seen in my life,” he says and he went to investigate.

The plant was also a different colour to other aloes and though the local people knew it as dacar-cas (red aloe), they did not know how unusual it was.

After taking a sample and going through a lengthy research and verification process – which included searching the archive at London’s Royal Botanic Gardens and the East African Herbarium in Nairobi – it was proved last year that this was a new species. Mr Awale and his team of researchers named it Aloe sanguinalis (red aloe).

The discovery was the culmination of a lifetime’s passion that he partly puts down to where he grew up.

Born in 1954 in Adadlay, a village 95km east of Hargeisa, he lived near the Gaan Libah mountain, “which is one of the most beautiful places in Somaliland in terms of biodiversity”.

He came from a family of pastoralists, but his father, who ran a small shop in the village, paid for his education and in the end he studied agriculture and environmental science at the Somali National University in Mogadishu.

‘Extinction threat’

Mr Awale’s upbeat message about the biodiversity of Somaliland is tempered by a concern for its future.

Like everywhere else, species are under threat and some are dying out.

A combination of changes of land use for urban development, the clearing of forests for charcoal, the proliferation of invasive species and climate change are “pushing a number of species into extinction”.

For Mr Awale, this is not about prioritising the needs of the natural world over human need.

“Biodiversity is the web of life,” he says.

“We draw on that natural resource for our sustenance, for our medicine, our shelter. The richer the biodiversity, the richer our quality of life will be too.

“A declining biodiversity means that we are becoming poorer and that makes our survival problematic.

To push this message in Somaliland, in 1995 he helped set up Candlelight, an organisation aimed at creating a society that is aware of environmental concerns.

He has also written books and articles, and appears on the radio and TV to increase awareness about the issue.

Mr Awale says he has noticed some changes in government policy, but most importantly he has a growing number of young people engaged in the work.

Despite being recognised by having a scorpion named after him, the environmentalist knows that this is not his struggle alone.

“The Somalis have a proverb: ‘A single finger cannot wash a face.’

“In other words: It’s no use myself being prominent and well known, if I don’t have people supporting me.”

As for the lesson that the discovery of Pandinurus awalei teaches, he is convinced “that there are more species to be discovered… if the time and space allows there will be a lot of discoveries”

source/content: bbc.com/news (headline edited)

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Ahmed Ibrahim Awale / Somaliland environmentalist

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SOMALIA / SOMALILAND

MOROCCAN AMERICAN Scientist Khalil Amine Elected to US Academy of Engineering

His team’s research benefits industries such as automotive, power grids, satellites, military, and healthcare.

Khalil Amine, a Moroccan materials scientist, has been elected to the National Academy of Engineering of the United States for his contributions to battery and energy storage technologies.

The recognition comes for his leadership in the field of materials science, specifically in the development of batteries and energy storage devices. 

Amine, who also serves as a professor at the University of Chicago, is among 128 members and 22 international members inducted into the NAE class of 2025.

“I am very delighted to be selected as a member of the National Academy of Engineering,” said Amine. “This is a recognition not only for me, but also for all my co-workers and collaborators around the world, as well as Argonne, which has provided an unmatched, state-of-the-art capability to do excellent work.”

Amine leads the Advanced Battery Technology team at Argonne, where his research focuses on the development of advanced chemistries, materials, and battery systems. His team’s work spans several industries, including automotive, power grids, satellites, military, and medical applications. 

A key focus of Amine’s research is the creation of new cathodes, anodes, solid-state electrolytes, and additives for lithium-ion batteries, as well as exploring “beyond-lithium” batteries that use alternative chemistries for energy storage.

Amine’s significant contributions to the field of battery technology have made him a leading figure in materials science. He holds more than 200 patents or patent applications in the field, and he was for 23 years the most cited scientist in battery technology globally. 

His accomplishments have earned him numerous accolades, including the prestigious Global Energy Prize in 2019. Amine is also a member of several prestigious scientific organizations, including the National Academy of Inventors, the European Academy of Sciences, and the Electrochemical Society, among others.

Born in Morocco, Amine earned degrees in chemistry and materials science from the University of Bordeaux. After his academic training, he joined Argonne in 1998, bringing with him experience gained from research positions in Belgium and Japan. 

His innovative work has played a pivotal role in advancing energy storage technologies that have far-reaching applications in today’s technological landscape.

The National Academy of Engineering, founded in 1964, provides independent analysis and advice on engineering matters, offering leadership and insight into complex global challenges. Amine, along with other members of the NAE class of 2025, will be formally inducted at the Academy’s annual meeting in October.

source/content: moroccoworldnews.com (headline edited)

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AMERICAN / MOROCCAN

ARAB WOMEN IN ENGINEERING : Celebrating Women in Engineering in the Arab World

For National Arab American Heritage Month, SWE recognizes some of the Arab women engineers making their mark in the industry.

National Arab American Heritage Month was first recognized at the federal level in the U.S. in April 2021, though celebrations recognizing the Arab community and their contributions in the United States were observed in previous years. 

Here at the Society of Women Engineers, we are excited to celebrate some of the amazing Arab women engineers from around the world who are paving the way for others to pursue a future in STEM and thrive in their careers. 

Diana Alsindy

Diana Alsindy is a propulsion engineering manager at Blue Origin where she leads a team of engineers building the next rocket to the moon. She is also the founder of The Arabian Stargazer, a bilingual educational platform that promotes science and space in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Diana is an Iraqi refugee who fled the Iraq war in 2004 with her family and now calls Los Angeles home. She frequently hosts lectures and seminars with schools that do not have access to engineering resources and aspires to continue paving the way to space and advocate for others to look up. Diana earned a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering with a focus in mechanical and aerospace engineering from University of California San Diego. Hear her speak as a panel member on From the Classroom to the Cosmos: How Educators Can Help Girls Succeed in Space available in the Advance Learning Center.

Alshaima Abduallah Alshayeb

Alshaima Abduallah Alshayeb is the founder and chairperson of the Saudi Women Engineers Society (SWES) and the first Saudi engineer specializing in structural engineering. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in civil engineering from the University of Technology Sydney and is the first engineer to hold a Certified Mostadam Accredited Professional license, a groundbreaking sustainable framework she led development on, which focuses on green building practices aligned with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 goals. She is an advisor with the Saudi Association of Sustainability Professionals and founder of the Urban Heritage Association, presenting at World ESG Summit and Global Project Management Forum and promoting diversity and women in engineering. Under her leadership, SWES has forged partnerships with organizations such as Bechtel and Saudi Arabia Parsons Corporation to promote opportunities for Saudi women in engineering fields.   

Dr. Habiba Alsafar

Dr. Habiba Alsafar is dean of the College of Medicine and Health Sciences and professor of genomics at Khalifa University, one of the United Arab Emirates top universities for STEM education. She earned a BS in biochemistry at San Diego State University, an MS in biomedical engineering from the University of Liverpool in the United Kingdom, and Ph.D. in medical and forensics science from the University of Western Australia. She is credited with establishing the Emirates Family Registry — the first study of its kind in the Middle East — which was instrumental in discovering diabetes risk factors unique to the area’s Bedouin population. She is the recipient of the UAE’s First Honor Model award and the International L’Oréal-UNESCO Fellowship for Women in Science, as well as the International L’Oréal-UNESCO Rising Talents award in recognition of her trailblazing work in genetics.

Dr. Chiraz Ennaceur

Dr. Chiraz Ennaceur is the CEO and co-founder of Cambridge-headquartered CorrosionRADAR Ltd, a technology startup in the predictive corrosion monitoring and assets management space. The organization has received recognition for its groundbreaking Predictive Corrosion Under Insulation Monitoring System, and Dr. Ennaceur received the 2024 Women in Excellence Achievement Award from the International Maintenance, Reliability, and Asset Management conference (MAINTCON) in recognition of her outstanding contributions and leadership in her field. Born in Tunisia, Dr. Ennaceur completed her schooling there, earning a civil engineering degree at Ecole National d’Ingénieurs de Gabès (National Engineering School of Gabes), where she was only one of two girls in a class of 20 students, and then a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering at the University of Technology of Compiègne in France.  

Marwa Al Mamari

The first aerospace engineer in the history of the United Arab Emirates, Marwa Al Mamari is pursuing a Ph.D. studying artificial intelligence in aviation at Coventry University, where she also earned a Master of Science in aviation safety and a Bachelor of Applied Science in aerospace engineering. She has previously worked with the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority, specializing in accident prevention and safety recommendations. This mother of two is also an adjunct lecturer in engineering at New York University Abu Dhabi. In 2024, she was honored as an Emirati Woman Achiever, an award recognizing visionary Emirati women leading entrepreneurship and innovation in the UAE. She has spoken at TEDx and other events globally on changing the narratives, the power of STEM, and women’s empowerment in shaping the future. 

Dr. Raida Al-Alawi

As the president of the Bahrain Society of Engineers, Dr. Raida Al-Alawi is the first woman to lead the organization in its 50+ year history and the first Bahraini woman to earn a Ph.D. in engineering. Her professional experience includes serving as dean of Student Affairs at Manama’s Ahlia University, and as associate professor in the department of electrical and electronics engineering at the University of Bahrain, where she also chaired the department of computer engineering. Dr. Al-Alawi is a Fellow of both the Institution of Engineering and Technology and the Academy of Engineering and Technology of the Developing World, and senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and the International Association of Engineers. She holds a Ph.D. in Computational Intelligence from Brunel University London, an MSc in Computer Engineering from King’s College London, and a BSc in Electrical Engineering from Kuwait University.

source/content: alltogether.swe.org (headline edited)

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ARAB

OMAN Wins “Excellence, Innovation Award” at 26th Gulf Engineering Forum, Bahrain

The Sultanate of Oman won the 26th Gulf Engineering Forum’s “Excellence and Innovation Award” through a project titled “Combined Combustion Truck for Carbon Reduction”.

The forum is being held in the Kingdom of Bahrain until 13 February 2025, under the theme “Challenges of Energy Conversion”. Oman is represented at the forum by the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology.

The project that won the award aims to reduce carbon emissions and promote sustainable mobility. Through this project, Blue Ice Oman is developing a combined combustion engine for trucks, using a blend of hydrogen and diesel. This contributes to 50 percent reduction of emissions. The initiative is in line with Oman’s Zero Neutrality Strategy 2050 to achieve zero emissions.

The 26th Gulf Engineering Forum brings together an elite group of experts specialized in the fields of environment conservation, energy and industry. The forum elaborates on engineering issues related to energy transformation and the challenges posed to this specialty. It seeks to reach the best innovative solutions, technologies and modern designs to address these challenges.

A number of dialogue sessions and workshops will be held during the three days of the forum. The activities will see the participation of a group of engineers, researchers and academics, who will exchange visions on energy transformation, renewable energy, decarbonization, technologies and innovations for devising a clean energy policy.

source/content: omannews.gov.om (headline edited)

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OMAN

EGYPTIAN-AMERICAN : Freeze-frame: U of A researchers led by Physicist Prof. Mohammed Hassan develop World’s Fastest Microscope that can see electrons in motion

Imagine owning a camera so powerful it can take freeze-frame photographs of a moving electron – an object traveling so fast it could circle the Earth many times in a matter of a second. Researchers at the University of Arizona have developed the world’s fastest electron microscope that can do just that.

They believe their work will lead to groundbreaking advancements in physics, chemistry, bioengineering, materials sciences and more.

“When you get the latest version of a smartphone, it comes with a better camera,” said Mohammed Hassan, associate professor of physics and optical sciences. “This transmission electron microscope is like a very powerful camera in the latest version of smart phones; it allows us to take pictures of things we were not able to see before – like electrons. With this microscope, we hope the scientific community can understand the quantum physics behind how an electron behaves and how an electron moves.”

Hassan led a team of researchers in the departments of physics and optical sciences that published the research article “Attosecond electron microscopy and diffraction” in the Science Advances journal. Hassan worked alongside Nikolay Golubev, assistant professor of physics; Dandan Hui, co-lead author and former research associate in optics and physics who now works at the Xi’an Institute of Optics and Precision Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Husain Alqattan, co-lead author, U of A alumnus and assistant professor of physics at Kuwait University; and Mohamed Sennary, a graduate student studying optics and physics.

A transmission electron microscope is a tool used by scientists and researchers to magnify objects up to millions of times their actual size in order to see details too small for a traditional light microscope to detect. Instead of using visible light, a transmission electron microscope directs beams of electrons through whatever sample is being studied. The interaction between the electrons and the sample is captured by lenses and detected by a camera sensor in order to generate detailed images of the sample.

Ultrafast electron microscopes using these principles were first developed in the 2000’s and use a laser to generate pulsed beams of electrons. This technique greatly increases a microscope’s temporal resolution – its ability to measure and observe changes in a sample over time. In these ultrafast microscopes, instead of relying on the speed of a camera’s shutter to dictate image quality, the resolution of a transmission electron microscope is determined by the duration of electron pulses.

The faster the pulse, the better the image.

Ultrafast electron microscopes previously operated by emitting a train of electron pulses at speeds of a few attoseconds. An attosecond is one quintillionth of a second. Pulses at these speeds create a series of images, like frames in a movie – but scientists were still missing the reactions and changes in an electron that takes place in between those frames as it evolves in real time. In order to see an electron frozen in place, U of A researchers, for the first time, generated a single attosecond electron pulse, which is as fast as electrons moves, thereby enhancing the microscope’s temporal resolution, like a high-speed camera capturing movements that would otherwise be invisible.

Hassan and his colleagues based their work on the Nobel Prize-winning accomplishments of Pierre Agostini, Ferenc Krausz and Anne L’Huilliere, who won the Novel Prize in Physics in 2023 after generating the first extreme ultraviolet radiation pulse so short it could be measured in attoseconds.

Using that work as a steppingstone, U of A researchers developed a microscope in which a powerful laser is split and converted into two parts – a very fast electron pulse and two ultra-short light pulses. The first light pulse, known as the pump pulse, feeds energy into a sample and causes electrons to move or undergo other rapid changes. The second light pulse, also called the “optical gating pulse” acts like a gate by creating a brief window of time in which the gated, single attosecond electron pulse is generated. The speed of the gating pulse therefore dictates the resolution of the image. By carefully synchronizing the two pulses, researchers control when the electron pulses probe the sample to observe ultrafast processes at the atomic level.

“The improvement of the temporal resolution inside of electron microscopes has been long anticipated and the focus of many research groups – because we all want to see the electron motion,” Hassan said. “These movements happen in attoseconds. But now, for the first time, we are able to attain attosecond temporal resolution with our electron transmission microscope – and we coined it ‘attomicroscopy.’ For the first time, we can see pieces of the electron in motion.”

source/content: eurekaalert.org / University of Arizona / (headline edited)

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Mohammed Hassan, associate professor of physics and optical sciences, let a group of researchers in developing the first transmission electron microscope powerful enough to capture images of electrons in motion.

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AMERICAN / EGYPTIAN

EGYPTIAN-BRITISH : Making history again! Egyptian heart surgeon Sir Magdi Yacoub innovates valves that grow naturally in body

Making history again! Egyptian heart surgeon Sir Magdi Yacoub innovates valves that grow naturally in body.

This pioneering innovation envisions the development of biological heart valves that can grow and be accommodated naturally within the human body. This opens the door to a new era in heart disease treatment. 

The prospect of heart valves naturally expanding within the body, a concept once confined to science fiction, is now on the brink of realization, thanks to the remarkable discovery spearheaded by renowned heart surgeon Professor Sir Magdi Yacoub.

While the initial study documenting this breakthrough was unveiled in Nature in 2023, recent media coverage has underscored its practical implications.

Esteemed publications like The Times have pinpointed this cutting-edge innovation’s profound impact on biomedical science and medical engineering. They have recognized it as a monumental leap in the realm of healthcare.

On Monday, Dr. Yacoub discussed the latest developments in this field with Egyptian talk show host Amr Adib.

He explained how his team has engineered temporary heart valve scaffolds composed of surgically implanted fibres into the body.

These scaffolds gradually disintegrate over time, leaving behind a living, fully functional valve crafted from the patient’s tissues, a testament to the marvels of modern medical ingenuity.

source/content: english.ahram.org.eg (headline edited)

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Sir Magdi Yacoub

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EGYPT / UNITED KINGDOM

OMAN Across Ages Museum wins prestigious architecture award in Paris

 Oman Across Ages Museum in Manah has been honoured with one of the world’s most prestigious architecture awards – the Prix Versailles World Titles.

The museum received the ‘Special Prize for an Exterior’, while the ‘Special Prize for an Interior’ was awarded to the Smritivan Earthquake Museum in Bhuj, India. The grand prize, the Prix Versailles, went to the Simose Art Museum in Otake, Japan.

Granted annually at Unesco headquarters in Paris since 2015, the Prix Versailles celebrates architectural excellence by showcasing the finest contemporary achievements worldwide.

In June, for the first time, Prix Versailles unveiled its World’s Most Beautiful Museums List for 2024, featuring seven newly opened or reopened museums that embody creativity, local heritage, and ecological efficiency.

Among the listed museums was Oman Across Ages Museum, recognised for its exceptional impact on its surroundings. Other shortlisted museums included the A4 Art Museum in Chengdu, China; Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza, Egypt; Paleis Het Loo in Apeldoorn, Netherlands; and the Polish History Museum in Warsaw, Poland.

This year’s ceremony was held on December 2, celebrating 70 of the ‘World’s Most Beautiful’ achievements across eight categories: Museums, Hotels, Restaurants, Emporiums, Airports, Campuses, Passenger Stations, and Sports.

This year’s finalists were selected through a rigorous process that reviewed new and recently opened sites across 31 nations. The 2024 World Jury, chaired by Benjamin Millepied, awarded three World Titles in each category.

Commenting on the event, Millepied said, “Architecture has the ability to display creative and stylistic diversity with great force. That diversity is the sign that the attention given to nature, togetherness, and different forms of expertise can help an environment emerge – one that is both receptive to expression and capable of harmony. Such an assembly of actors from every background reminds us of culture’s unique talent for leading humankind into dialogue.”

The recognition affirms Oman Across Ages Museum’s standing as a cultural and architectural beacon, reflecting the nation’s commitment to preserving heritage while embracing modernity.

source/content: muscatdaily.com (headline edited)

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OMAN