Latest science news in Physics & Chemistry
Transferring orbital angular momentum of light to plasmonic excitations in metamaterials
The vortex beam with orbital angular momentum (OAM) is a new and ideal tool to selectively excite dipole forbidden states through linear optical absorption. The emergence of the vortex beam...
Quantum physics provides a way to hide ignorance
Students can hide their ignorance and answer questions correctly in an exam without their lack of knowledge being detected by teachers—but only in the quantum world.
'Unboil an egg' machine creates improved bacteria detector
Traditional fluorescent dyes to examine bacteria viability are toxic and suffer poor photostability—but using the VFD has enabled the preparation of a new generation of aggregation-induced emission dye (AIE) luminogens...
His plane-disinfecting invention didn't take off — until COVID-19 hit
The germ-killing invention for airplane cabins, created by an orthopedic surgeon from Los Angeles, now has the backing of Honeywell International.
Scientists develop numerical capability of laser-driven X-ray imaging
A team of scientists led by University of Nevada, Reno's Hiroshi Sawada, an associate professor of the Physics Department, demonstrated that numerical modeling accurately reproduces X-ray images using laser-produced X-rays....
'Janus' nanorods convert light to heat that can destroy pollutants in water
With a new nanoparticle that converts light to heat, a team of researchers has found a promising technology for clearing water of pollutants.
Researchers glean insights into how enzymes achieve specific reactions
Catalytic dioxygen activation and selective oxidative cleavage of C–C bonds have become the research hotspots in the field of chemistry due to their great application value in organic synthesis and...
Using chaos as a tool, scientists discover new method of making 3-D-heterostructured materials
Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Ames Laboratory and their collaborators from Iowa State University have developed a new approach for generating layered, difficult-to-combine, heterostructured solids. Heterostructured materials, composed...
What "Less Lethal" Weapons Actually Do
Rubber bullets and tear gas are not as innocuous as they sound -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
Illumination technique for cell surface receptors developed by researchers
Human cells sense and communicate via cell surface receptors. Information about the environment is relayed to the inside of the cell through dynamic changes in their arrangement or conformation. To...
Nanomaterials used as broad-spectrum antimicrobial agents for first time
In a significant breakthrough in the battle against antibiotic resistance, a research team from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) has synthesized a nanomaterial that mimics an enzyme and can...
Calcium helps build strong cells
Every time you flex your bicep or stretch your calf muscle, you put your cells under stress. Every move we make throughout the day causes our cells to stretch and...
New design for 'optical ruler' could revolutionize clocks, telescopes, telecommunications
Just as a meter stick with hundreds of tick marks can be used to measure distances with great precision, a device known as a laser frequency comb, with its hundreds...
Fluorocarbon bonds are no match for light-powered nanocatalyst
Engineers have created a light-powered catalyst that can break the strong chemical bonds in fluorocarbons, a group of synthetic materials that includes persistent environmental pollutants.
Geometry of intricately fabricated glass makes light trap itself
Laser light traveling through ornately microfabricated glass has been shown to interact with itself to form self-sustaining wave patterns called solitons.
Oil forecasting technique adapted for spreadsheets may cut shale operator costs
Porous rock containing oil and natural gas are buried so deep inside the earth that shale operators rely on complex models of the underground environment to estimate fossil fuel recovery....
These air fryers deliver crispy food with none of the oil
Healthier, crispy bites. (Joyce Panda via Unsplash/)The magical promise of an air fryer is crispy and delicious food without vats of oil. How’s it pull off this culinary miracle? Air fryers don’t actually...
All-purpose printers that will bring your ideas to life
Print as you need. (Evelyn Geissler via Unsplash/)Despite a reliance on mobile devices and cloud computing, most homes and offices still need a good printer. Printers come in two standard varieties—ink-jet or laser—delivering...
Your kitchen needs a hand mixer. Here are our favorites.
A must-have kitchen appliance. (Sorin Gheorghita via Unsplash/)Hand mixers are a staple of any kitchen, an essential tool to blend, beat, or whip batter, eggs, icing, salad dressing, dough, and more. While mixers...
35 COVID-19 cases found in single Air Force unit in Guam
A sudden increase in COVID-19 infections at Andersen Air Force Base in Guam is under investigation, officials said on Monday.
Strainoptronics: A new way to control photons
Researchers discovered a new way to engineer optoelectronic devices by stretching a two-dimensional material on top of a silicon photonic platform.
Super-resolution microscopy reveals a twist inside of cells
Biophysicists have developed a high-throughput super-resolution microscope to probe nanoscale structures and dynamics of mammalian cells, showing in unprecedented detail the twists and turns of an organelle important for cell...
New battery electrolyte may boost the performance of electric vehicles
Researchers have designed a new electrolyte for lithium metal batteries that could increase the driving range of electric cars.
Scientists home in on pairs of atoms that boost a catalyst's activity
Replacing the expensive metals that break down exhaust gases in catalytic converters with cheaper, more effective materials is a top priority for scientists, for both economic and environmental reasons. Catalysts...
Team unveils catalyst that can break problematic C-F bonds
Rice University engineers have created a light-powered catalyst that can break the strong chemical bonds in fluorocarbons, a group of synthetic materials that includes persistent environmental pollutants.
Disneyland Paris to reopen in July
Disneyland Paris said Monday it would reopen July 15 after being closed since mid-March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
A fresh twist in chiral topology
Electrons in ''chiral crystals'', solid-state materials with definite ''handedness'', can behave in unexpected ways. An interdisciplinary team has realized now a theoretically predicted peculiar electronic state in a chiral compound,...
Oil forecasting technique adapted for spreadsheets may cut shale operator costs
Porous rock containing oil and natural gas are buried so deep inside the earth that shale operators rely on complex models of the underground environment to estimate fossil fuel recovery....