Latest science news in Physics & Chemistry
Critical Decision-3A Clears Way Toward Standard Model Test
The U.S. Department of Energy has given the greenlight for the MOLLER experiment to begin procurement of key components with its granting of Critical Decision-3A (CD-3A): Approve Long Lead Procurements....
Cutting boards can produce microparticles when used to chop veggies, study shows
Cutting boards are handy tools found in most homes and restaurant kitchens. But a small-scale study in Environmental Science & Technology suggests that they are an overlooked source of micrometer-sized...
Thorium-229: How the first nuclear transition can be excited with lasers in the visible wavelength range
The thorium isotope with the mass number 229 (229Th) is highly exciting in many respects—for fundamental physics as well as for future applications, for example in the sense of a...
Accelerating nanoscale X-ray imaging of integrated circuits with machine learning
Researchers from MIT and Argonne National Laboratory have developed a machine learning technique that could greatly accelerate the process of nanoscale X-ray imaging of integrated circuits, potentially revolutionizing the way...
Ultrafast terahertz emission from emerging symmetry-broken materials
Terahertz (THz) emission spectroscopy has emerged as a valuable technique for investigating static physical properties as well as ultrafast dynamics occurring in novel material systems that may remain hidden to...
Smiles and jokes can help good managers boost hotel staff performance
Hotel managers who share a smile and a joke with their teams are more likely to see staff 'going the extra mile' when engaging with customers, a new study reveals.
6 clever ways to reuse silica gel packets
These little silica beads have a lot more uses than you may think. multifacetedgirl / Pixabay If you’ve bought shoes, torn into beef jerky, or taken certain medication recently, you have likely handled...
Tiny quantum electronic vortexes can circulate in superconductors in ways not seen before
Within superconductors little tornadoes of electrons, known as quantum vortices, can occur which have important implications in superconducting applications such as quantum sensors. Now a new kind of superconducting vortex...
X-rays visualize how one of nature's strongest bonds breaks
The use of short flashes of X-ray light brings scientists one big step closer toward developing better catalysts to transform the greenhouse gas methane into a less harmful chemical. The...
Early career scientist wins prestigious Hungarian physics award
Laszlo Horvath, an early career physicist at PPPL, is the winner of the 2022 Karoly Simonyi Memorial Plaque from the Hungarian Nuclear Society.
The 'breath' between atoms -- a new building block for quantum technology
University of Washington researchers have discovered they can detect atomic "breathing," or the mechanical vibration between two layers of atoms, by observing the type of light those atoms emitted when...
How Fiber-Optic Sensing and New Materials Could Reduce the Cost of Floating Offshore Wind
In this Q&A, Berkeley Lab's Yuxin Wu discusses how scientists are developing sensing technologies that could be installed on floating offshore structures. This would allow the structures to self-monitor damaging...
Producing large, clean 2D materials made easy: just KISS
Ever since the discovery of the two-dimensional form of graphite (called graphene) almost twenty years ago, interest in 2D materials with their special physical properties has skyrocketed.
Finally solved! The great mystery of quantized vortex motion
Liquid helium-4, which is in a superfluid state at cryogenic temperatures close to absolute zero (-273 deg.C), has a special vortex called a quantized vortex that originates from quantum mechanical...
Optical effect advances quantum computing with atomic qubits to a new dimension
Darmstadt physicists have developed a technique that could overcome one of the biggest hurdles in building a practically-relevant quantum computer. They make use of an optical effect here discovered by...
Treatment creates steel alloys with superior strength and plasticity
A new treatment tested on a high-quality steel alloy produces extraordinary strength and plasticity, two traits that must typically be balanced rather than combined. Ultra-fine metal grains that the treatment...
Researchers find a way to reduce the overheating of semiconductor devices
The demand to shrink the size of semiconductors coupled with the problem of the heat generated at the hot spots of the devices not being effectively dispersed has negatively affected...
The 'breath' between atoms—a new building block for quantum technology
University of Washington researchers have discovered they can detect atomic "breathing," or the mechanical vibration between two layers of atoms, by observing the type of light those atoms emitted when...
Flat fullerene fragments attractive to electrons, shows study
Researchers at Kyoto University in Japan have gained new insights into the unique chemical properties of spherical molecules composed entirely of carbon atoms, called fullerenes. They did it by making...
Save $700 on this Canon EOS R5, one of our favorite mirrorless cameras
Capture gorgeous pics of the natural world for less with this huge deal on a Canon EOS R5.
Measurements of a key radioactive decay nudge a nuclear clock closer to reality
Hickory dickory dock, this nucleus could make a great clock. A special variety of the element thorium hosts an atomic nucleus that could be used to keep time, scientists say. In a...
Producing large, clean 2D materials made easy: Just 'KISS'
Ever since the discovery of the two-dimensional form of graphite (called graphene) almost twenty years ago, interest in 2D materials and their special physical properties has skyrocketed. Famously, graphene was...
A Green Path to Net Zero Carbon Building
The Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology (KICT) made a groundbreaking achievement in the field of ecological building technology with the development of new "Net Zero Carbon Building...
New technique could probe the heart of powerful solar storms
Neutral particles accelerated to incredible speeds could be used to investigate powerful solar storms, according to a new study.
The Dallas airport is testing out EV charging bots that roll around like suitcases
ZiGGY will show off its skills this summer at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. EV Safe Charge/YouTube One of the world’s busiest airports will soon showcase an innovative, undeniably cute way to speed up...
Argonne's Jordi Roglans-Ribas claims second Secretary's Honor Award
Decades-long commitment to advancing peaceful nuclear energy and national security is lauded by U.S. Department of Energy.
Leveling up scanning electron microscope measurements for chip manufacturing
Researchers from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and KLA Corporation, a provider of inspection and measurement systems for the semiconductor and related industries, have improved the accuracy...
Exploring how we've underestimated Earth's heat storage
The increase in anthropogenic greenhouse gases in the atmosphere prevents the emission of heat into space. As a result, the Earth constantly absorbs more heat through solar radiation than it...