From the Editor
In the Wake of Tragedy, Technology Advances
I'm sure every person reading this letter can remember exactly where they were and what they were doing on September 11, 2001. The details and specifics of that day have been the subject of many movies, documentaries, and television specials at this point, as have the events that evolved from that day. However, one aspect of 9/11 that does not often make its way into mainstream pop culture is the impact it has had on the scientific community, particularly the field of analytical chemistry.
David Walsh
Advances in airport-screening technology have exploded, as have advances in portable instrumentation for explosives detection, benchtop instrumentation for chemical weapons identification, and more. The scientific community has made technological leaps at a greatly accelerated pace, and as you may have seen during the media coverage of the new risqué X-ray technology now being implemented in airports worldwide, some outsiders can be downright startled to see some of the technologies that now exist as a result. In many ways, it is as though we have collectively jumped ahead in time, and we are now seeing technological advances that would not have existed if not for that tragic day.
Which brings us to the reason for this supplement. As always, Spectroscopy's goal is to bring the latest advances and the most cutting-edge technologies to members of the analytical chemistry community, and once again, we believe we have achieved this. Here in one issue are all of the research leaders in the field of homeland security. From handheld devices that have been compared to the famous Star Trek "Tricorder" to benchtop instruments right out of an episode of CSI, all of the latest advances in this area are here for your perusal.
It is a certainty that homeland security technologies will continue to advance at their current staggering pace, and Spectroscopy will be there to cover those advances as they happen. So please feel free to contact us, submit a technical article, or simply send an e-mail with your feedback. The next technological leap is always right around the corner.
Enjoy the issue.
David Walsh
Editor-in-Chief
How Satellite-Based Spectroscopy is Transforming Inland Water Quality Monitoring
Published: April 29th 2025 | Updated: April 29th 2025New research highlights how remote satellite sensing technologies are changing the way scientists monitor inland water quality, offering powerful tools for tracking pollutants, analyzing ecological health, and supporting environmental policies across the globe.
Chinese Researchers Develop Dual-Channel Probe for Biothiol Detection
April 28th 2025Researchers at Qiqihar Medical University have developed a dual-channel fluorescent probe, PYL-NBD, that enables highly sensitive, rapid, and selective detection of biothiols in food, pharmaceuticals, and living organisms.
The fNIRS Glossary Project: A Community-Sourced Glossary of Key Terms
April 28th 2025Established to develop a community-sourced glossary covering key functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) terms, including those related to the continuous-wave (CW), frequency-domain (FD), and time-domain (TD) NIRS techniques, the fNIRS Glossary Project features over 300 terms categorized into six key domains: analysis, experimental design, hardware, neuroscience, mathematics, and physics. It also includes abbreviations, symbols, synonyms, references, alternative definitions, and figures where relevant.
