Australia must wake up to the power of light

"It's time for Australian industry to wake up to the power of light," says Sir Peter Williams, President of the UK Institute for Physics.

"When Australia's synchroton opens for business in 2007 the intense light it creates will have the potential to create untold industrial opportunities - but technology businesses have to start planning now if they hope to reap the rewards," he said.

Sir Peter is in Australia to meet scientists and business leaders in Sydney and Melbourne to brief them on the industrial opportunities that will arise when Australia's synchroton opens for business in Victoria in 2007.

Synchrotons generate powerful light and x-rays which can explore molecular structures and create micromachines. They are massive scientific intruments worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

Sir Peter says the opportunities include:

• Drug design - pharmaceutical companies are using synchroton light to understand the structure of proteins and design new drugs.
• Food product design - food companies are using synchroton light to develop new products such as: instant filter coffee; better chip packets for crisper chips; and smoother chocolate.
• Mining applications - mining companies are using synchroton light to identify trace minerals in exploration and to invent cleaner, more energy efficient mineral separation systems.
• Manufacturing - manufacturers are using synchroton light to create new semi-conductors for electronics industries and to develop nanotechnology and microtechnology including micromachines.

"To take advantage of the opportunities," Sir Peter says, "technology based business should consider the role of molecular analysis and nanotechnology in their product development, train and recruit qualified staff and start working with industrial synchrotron users."

For further information please contact Niall Byrne

Or visit http://www.byc.com.au/