Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is an analytical technique used to obtain information about the chemical composition and physical properties of a sample by analyzing the near-infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum, which typically ranges from about 750 nm to 2500 nm. ### Key Features of NIRS: 1. **Principle of Operation**: NIRS involves the absorption of near-infrared light by molecular vibrations.

The term "invisible wall" can refer to a few different concepts, depending on the context in which it is used: 1. **Psychological Barrier**: In psychology, an "invisible wall" might refer to emotional or social barriers that prevent people from connecting with one another. This can include things like social anxiety, mistrust, or unexpressed feelings that create distance between individuals, even when they are physically close.

Pre-rendering is a web development technique used to enhance the performance and loading speed of web applications, especially single-page applications (SPAs). It involves generating HTML content for a web page ahead of time, instead of relying solely on client-side JavaScript to build the page when users request it. ### Key Aspects of Pre-rendering: 1. **Static Content Generation**: - Pre-rendering typically generates static HTML files for each route or page of the application.

Buy-to-play (B2P) is a business model commonly used in the video game industry where players must purchase a game upfront to access and play it. This model contrasts with free-to-play (F2P) games, which are free to play but may include microtransactions or in-game purchases for additional content, features, or advantages.

A LAN party is a gathering of people who come together to play video games over a Local Area Network (LAN). Participants typically bring their own computers or gaming consoles, connect them to the same local network, and engage in multiplayer gaming. These events can range from small get-togethers with a few friends in someone's home to large-scale events hosted in dedicated venues, often featuring competition, tournaments, and various gaming-related activities.

In Christian theology, charity is considered one of the cardinal virtues and is often regarded as the most important among them. The term "charity" is derived from the Latin word "caritas," which refers to a selfless, unconditional love and concern for others. In the Christian context, charity embodies the love that God has for humanity and the love that individuals are called to express towards one another.

Justice, as a virtue, refers to the moral principle of fairness, righteousness, and equitability. It embodies the idea of giving each individual their due, ensuring that people receive what they are entitled to, and considering their rights and needs. Justice can manifest in various contexts, including legal, social, and personal dimensions, and is often associated with concepts such as equity, honesty, and integrity.

Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) was an Italian Dominican friar, theologian, and philosopher, widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in Western philosophy and Catholic theology. He is best known for his work in synthesizing Aristotelian philosophy with Christian theology, earning him the title of Doctor Angelicus (Angelic Doctor) within the Catholic Church.

A "synchronoptic view" refers to a perspective that aims to provide a comprehensive and simultaneous representation of various elements or aspects of a subject. This term is often used in contexts where an overview or holistic understanding is desired, emphasizing the interconnectedness of different components within a system or scenario. In various fields such as history, sociology, or systems theory, a synchronoptic view allows for the observation of multiple factors at once, rather than examining them in isolation.

An Automated Weather Map Display is a system or technology that generates and presents meteorological data in a visual format. This type of system uses real-time data collected from various weather stations, satellites, and radar to create graphical representations of weather conditions. Here are some key features and components typically associated with automated weather map displays: 1. **Data Integration**: The system gathers data from multiple sources, including ground-based weather stations, remote sensors, satellites, and weather models.

Plurality voting is an electoral system in which the candidate who receives the most votes in an election wins. This system is often used in single-member district elections, where each constituency elects one representative. In a plurality voting system, it is not necessary for the winning candidate to achieve an absolute majority (more than 50% of the votes). Instead, the candidate with the highest number of votes—regardless of whether that number constitutes a majority of the total votes cast—wins.

Electoral system criteria refer to the principles and standards used to evaluate and design electoral systems. These criteria help ensure that electoral processes are fair, effective, and representative of the electorate's preferences. Here are some key criteria commonly used to assess electoral systems: 1. **Representativeness**: The extent to which the electoral outcome reflects the preferences of the electorate. A good electoral system should translate votes into seats in a way that mirrors the distribution of public support for different parties or candidates.

The term "minorities" generally refers to groups of people who are differentiated from the larger or dominant group within a society based on characteristics such as ethnicity, race, religion, language, or cultural heritage. Minorities may have a smaller population size or relatively less power, influence, or representation in social, political, or economic spheres compared to the majority group.

This is quite close! But as mentioned at: stars nearest to the Sun, there are several others nearby. Notably Sirius at 9 ly, the brightest star in the sky as of 2020.

Bought by Illumina for 600 million in 2007 for 600 million dollars.

This is one of the prime examples of Europe's decline.

Instead of trying to dominate the sequencing market and gain trillions of dollars from it, they local British early stage investors were more than happy to get a 20x return on their small initial investments, and sold out to the Americans who will then make the real profit.

And now Solexa doesn't even have its own Wikipedia page, while Illumina is set out to be the next Microsoft. What a disgrace.

Here are some good articles about the company:

Cambridge visitors can still visit the Panton Arms pub, which was the location of the legendary "hey we should talk" founders meeting, chosen due to its proximity to the chemistry department of the University of Cambridge.

In 2021 the founders were awarded the Breakthrough Prize. The third person awarded was Pascal Mayer. He was apparently at Serono Pharmaceutical Research Institute at the time of development. They do have a wiki page unlike Solexa: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serono. They paid a 700 million fine in 2005 in the United States, and sold out in 2006 to Merck for 10 billion USD.

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