Latest science news in Physics & Chemistry
Research reveals Bristol won't reach 2030 carbon neural target without major transport transformation
Bristol must make significant changes to its transport sector in order to meet its 2030 carbon neutral target, according to a new report led by a team of postgraduate students...
Manipulating metals for adaptive camouflage
Many species have naturally evolved remarkable strategies to visually adapt to their environments for protection and predation. Researchers have studied adaptive camouflaging in the infrared (IR) spectrum, although the method...
Cracking open the proton
Physicists around the world are cracking open the proton, within the nucleus of the atom, to see what's inside.
High-speed atomic video
Researchers have successfully captured video of single molecules in motion at 1,600 frames per second. This is 100 times faster than previous experiments of this nature. They accomplished this by...
For organic chemists, micellar chemistry offers water as a solvent
Green chemistry technique promises improved reaction performance and environmental friendliness, but hurdles stand in the way of broader adoption
Breaking symmetry leads to responsive organic photodetectors
A column of liquid crystal molecules could form the basis of a new breed of flexible light detectors that have ultrafast responses, an all-RIKEN team has demonstrated.
Silicon 'neurons' may add a new dimension to computer processors
Research shows that energy constraints on a system, coupled with an intrinsic property of systems, push silicon neurons to create a dynamic, at-a-distance communication that is more robust and efficient...
Scientists iron out the physics of wrinkling
When we think of wrinkles, we usually envision the lines etched into our skin, for some an unwelcome reality and for others a proud sign of a life well-lived. In...
Researchers experimentally prove flat mirror ability to focus light
For the first time, researchers of Tomsk Polytechnic University jointly with teams from Taiwan and Spain have experimentally confirmed the flat focusing mirror effect, which they previously predicted. Physical properties...
Combat drone to go head-to-head with piloted plane
The US Air Force will pit an advanced autonomous aircraft against a piloted plane in tests.
Hillary Clinton slams Trump handling of dual crises: 'He is without shame'
Though she sees room for 'cautious optimism,' Hillary Clinton finds 'no bottom' to Donald Trump.
New modeling approach helps laser glass design
Nd-doped phosphate glasses are used in high energy / high power laser applications due to their low nonlinear refractive index and high stimulated emission cross section. In order to ensure...
Research explores how to build and maintain teams that will bounce back from adversity
As the coronavirus pandemic brings with it a number of enormous challenges, almost every team in every workplace is facing adversity, and some teams will recover more successfully than others....
How is a metal formed?
What does it mean to be a metal? How is a metal formed? These seem like textbook questions with a simple answer: Metal is characterized by free electrons that give...
Ultrastable, selective catalyst for propane dehydrogenation developed
A group of Japanese scientists has developed an ultrastable, selective catalyst to dehydrogenate propane—an essential process to produce the key petrochemical substance of propylene—without deactivation, even at temperatures of more...
Peter Garik
Address: 2467Email: garik@bu.eduInstitution Name: Boston UniversityDivision: General ScienceArea of Expertise: physics and science education
NHL, players association reach agreement on playoff format
The NHL and the NHL Players Association agreed to a postseason format for the league's 24-team return-to-play plan.
Watch a stunt athlete hit the autobahn (hard) on a bike
Sebastian “Satu” Kopke rides the pedal-controlled eRockit on Germany’s famed Autobahn. (eRockit/)This story originally featured on Cycle Volta.Driving on Germany’s Autobahn is a bucket-list experience for many an automotive enthusiast. But what about pedaling...
Precision spray coating could enable solar cells with better performance and stability
Although perovskites are a promising alternative to the silicon used to make most of today's solar cells, new manufacturing processes are needed to make them practical for commercial production. To...
Watch: Kenyan boy, 9, receives award for hand-washing machine invention
A 9-year-old Kenyan boy was given an award by the country's president for inventing a hand-washing machine designed to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
Showtime for Photosynthesis
Using a unique combination of nanoscale imaging and chemical analysis, an international team of researchers has revealed a key step in the molecular mechanism behind the water splitting reaction of photosynthesis,...
Self-assembling, biomimetic composites possess unusual electrical properties
Sometimes, breaking rules is not a bad thing. Especially when the rules are apparent laws of nature that apply in bulk material, but other forces appear in the nanoscale. “Nature...
Self-assembling, biomimetic composites possess unusual electrical properties
Sometimes, breaking rules is not a bad thing. Especially when the rules are apparent laws of nature that apply in bulk material, but other forces appear in the nanoscale.
Theres plenty of room at the Top: What will drive computer performance after Moores law?
The miniaturization of semiconductor transistors has driven the growth in computer performance for more than 50 years. As miniaturization approaches its limits, bringing an end to Moore’s law, performance gains...
Barcoded microbial system for high-resolution object provenance
Determining where an object has been is a fundamental challenge for human health, commerce, and food safety. Location-specific microbes in principle offer a cheap and sensitive way to determine object...
A fractional corner anomaly reveals higher-order topology
Spectral measurements of boundary-localized topological modes are commonly used to identify topological insulators. For high-order insulators, these modes appear at boundaries of higher codimension, such as the corners of a...
Iridium-catalyzed acid-assisted asymmetric hydrogenation of oximes to hydroxylamines
Asymmetric hydrogenations are among the most practical methods for the synthesis of chiral building blocks at industrial scale. The selective reduction of an oxime to the corresponding chiral hydroxylamine derivative...
Giant thermopower of ionic gelatin near room temperature
Harvesting heat from the environment into electricity has the potential to power Internet-of-things (IoT) sensors, freeing them from cables or batteries and thus making them especially useful for wearable devices....