Latest science news in Physics & Chemistry
Courant's Marateck describes math theory behind Higgs boson finding
Lost in the exhilaration surrounding this summer's presumed discovery of the Higgs boson, the subatomic particle that is a building block of the universe, were the theoretical clues that led...
Nature-inspired advance for treating sensitive teeth
Taking inspiration from Mother Nature, scientists are reporting an advance toward preventing the tooth sensitivity that affects millions of people around the world. Their report on development of the substance,...
Molecular Cell online: December 22, 2012
Molecular Cell online: December 22, 2012 An H3K36 methylation-engaging tudor motif of polycomb-like proteins mediates PRC2 complex targeting Ling Cai, Scott B. Rothbart, Rui Lu, Bowen Xu, Wei-Yi Chen, Ashutosh...
Nature Methods online: December 9, 2012
Nature Methods online: December 9, 2012 Fast multicolor 3D imaging using aberration-corrected multifocus microscopy Sara Abrahamsson, Jiji Chen, Bassam Hajj, Sjoerd Stallinga, Alexander Y Katsov, Jan Wisniewski, Gaku Mizuguchi, Pierre...
Memory molecule dethroned
Two studies refute an enzyme’s essential role in remembering and forgetting.Nature News doi: 10.1038/nature.2013.12139
Secure communication technology can conquer lack of trust
Many scenarios in business and communication require that two parties share information without either being sure if they can trust the other. Examples include secure auctions and identification at ATM...
Green Blog: Beyond the Myth: The Bounteous Mekong
At first glance, the river may seem a near-wilderness. On closer inspection, the Mekong and its banks are more like an unruly linear farm.
Sodium-air battery offers rechargeable advantages compared to Li-air batteries
(Phys.org)—Over the past few years, Li-air batteries (more precisely, Li-oxygen batteries) have become attractive due to their theoretical ability to store nearly as much energy per volume as gasoline. The...
Magnetic fields created before the first stars
Magnets have practically become everyday objects. Earlier on, however, the universe consisted only of nonmagnetic elements and particles. Just how the magnetic forces came into existence has been researched by...
LG's square-shaped robotic vacuums to entertain at CES 2013
LG Electronics will showcase its newest square robotic vacuum cleaner in a most creative fashion at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) from January 8-11 in Las Vegas.
Researchers receive $2.4 million ARPA-E grant to improve solar cell efficiency
(Phys.org)—Researchers at the California Institute of Technology have received a $2.4 million grant from the U.S. Advanced Research Projects Agency for Energy (ARPA-E) to study the feasibility of using a...
Award-winning PV cell pushes efficiency higher
(Phys.org)—It takes outside-the-box thinking to outsmart the solar spectrum and set a world record for solar cell efficiency. The solar spectrum has boundaries and immutable rules. No matter how much...
Miniaturized sensors hold up under pressure
Applications as diverse as oil-well drilling and robot-driven surgery are driving demand for improved micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) pressure sensors. As they are made smaller, however, simultaneously achieving high sensor stability...
Computational physics moulds the future of electronic devices
Fundamental studies based on computational physics are an essential part of many different branches of research – from medical technology to mobile communication. Javad Hashemi has studied the electronic properties...
New image-reconstruction method yields clear images of subsurface features
Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a popular imaging modality for obtaining three-dimensional, micrometer-resolution pictures of structures that lie beneath the surface of, for example, the human eye or silicon wafers...
Shine on you crazy Diamond
The Diamond Light Source based at Harwell, UK, is celebrating its 10th anniversary and five years of operation
Nanoscale engineering could lead to faster, smaller, more stable electronic memories
Developing a so-called 'universal memory', or the perfect electronic memory, has long been the holy grail of electronic engineering. A universal memory should have a fast read and write speed,...
Dot Earth Blog: Advice from Cervantes that Suits 2013 and Beyond: Plunge In
A 405-year-old thought from Cervantes applies in a turbulent era.
How To Remove Graffiti
He stood by the door of a subway car, looking from side to side to see if anyone was looking. Maybe my clothing camouflaged me against the background of my...
Higgs boson was just a start for Cern's atom smasher – other mysteries await
The Large Hadron Collider will shut down for an overhaul in preparation for exploring questions of dark matter, extra dimensions and other universesWhen it comes to shutting down the most powerful atom smasher...
How Smart LEDs Could Change Your Home
Smart LED bulbs offer homeowners new ways to control lighting and save energy.
Biofuels: First Enzyme Linked To Galactan Synthesis Identified
Galactan is a polymer of galactose, a six-carbon sugar that can be readily fermented by yeast into ethanol and is a target of interest for those researching advanced biofuels produced...
Second impact syndrome in a high school football player: Researchers use imaging findings to chronicle new details
Image series and other data help researchers shed new light on the rare and devastating condition of second impact syndrome.
Sony stops making PlayStation 2 in Japan
Japanese electronics giant Sony said it has stopped producing its PlayStation 2 consoles in Japan, fuelling online rumours a PlayStation 4 is in the pipeline.
Video: New technology to stop drunk driving
A research team is developing technology for vehicles that could detect if anyone is above the legal limit and prevent them from starting the vehicle. As Mark Strassmann reports, the...
Stephen Hawking takes on the terrible tenor - video
Professor Stephen Hawking, the theoretical physicist and author, has used his intellect in Saving the Nation from the UK's most annoying tenor, Gio Compario, from the Go Compare adverts
Basics: The Life of Pi, and Other Infinities
In the ever-evolving view of scientists, philosophers and other scholars, there really is no single, implacable entity called infinity.
Q & A: Is Year-Round Daylight Saving Time Feasible?
Any time plan can be adopted by human beings, but whether year-round daylight saving time would achieve its chief goal — saving energy — is another question.