Milo: I do think the around-the-world journey that you're always talking about is a good idea, you know.

Doris: You think so? Some people may think it's a pipe dream.

Absorbing electromagnetic energy while avoiding the heat

Electrical engineers at Duke University have created the world's first electromagnetic metamaterial made without any metal. The device's ability to absorb electromagnetic energy without heating up has direct applications in imaging, sensing and lighting.

Metamaterials are synthetic materials composed of many individual, engineered features that together produce properties not found in nature. Imagine an electromagnetic wave moving through a flat surface made of thousands of tiny electrical cells. If researchers can tune each cell to manipulate the wave in a specific way, they can dictate exactly how the wave behaves as a whole.

For researchers to manipulate electromagnetic waves, however, they've typically had to use electrically conducting metals. That approach, however, brings with it a fundamental problem of metals—the higher the electrical conductivity, the better the material also conducts heat. This limits their usefulness in temperature-dependent applications.

Irene: Wait, what? How?

Lydia: Well, it all started when Margaret's boyfriend broke up with her. I always thought it was about time for her to lose him, he was a giant asshole. But, anyway, she feels kind of sad and humiliated. She wasn't even the one to dump him, and I think he left her indicating she wasn't good enough for him. So I said "babe, let's just go to Solar Coast and wash your troubles away". And she agreed. So...

Irene: Okay... But, just for your information, Milo has a small house, I don't think he'll be able to host everyone. Perhaps Eden-

Lydia: Pfft! Sister! Who do you think we are? Of course we booked a hotel. And Eden? I wouldn't even dare to bother Eden, she literally lives in the dorms and probably is dying for crumbs of privacy with her girlfriend. But that invitation to hang out together stands. You and your best friend, me and my best friend...

... if only some locals could also relax and forget about their worries for a while.

Elated, Irene hasn't even noticed Lydia in the corridor and almost bumped into her.

Irene: Oh, Lyds! Sorry, I was a bit...

Lydia: ... dazed? Head in the clouds? What happened? Did Milo do something? He didn't send you a nude, did he?

Irene: What? Oh my god, no! I mean, it's too early for that- No, I mean, we're not even-

Milo got flustered a little bit at the mention of his online best friend, like he did quite frequently. He and Irene really did have a special bond, and everyone was pretty aware of it.

He has met Irene in person a few times before, although only for a few days at a time, because Twinbrook and Solar Coast were quite far apart. They have been friends since they were teenagers, and only started meeting not so long ago because both used to be quite shy and only talked online.