Latest science news in Physics & Chemistry
Electrochemical reaction powers new drug discoveries
A Cornell-led collaboration is flipping the switch on traditional synthetic chemistry by using electricity to drive a new chemical reaction that previously stumped chemists who rely on conventional methods.
Iron chemistry yields surprisingly effective catalyst
As every junkyard vehicle amply shows, iron is prone to rust into iron oxide. But this very reactivity also makes iron and its compounds useful tools for reinventing chemical transformations.
Quantum fridge works by superposing the order of events
Ever tried defrosting your dinner by popping it in one identical freezer after another? Strange as it sounds, recent studies of indefinite causal order—in which different orders of events are...
Understanding of relaxor ferroelectric properties could lead to many advances
A new fundamental understanding of polymeric relaxor ferroelectric behavior could lead to advances in flexible electronics, actuators and transducers, energy storage, piezoelectric sensors and electrocaloric cooling, according to a team...
Implants: Can special coatings reduce complications after implant surgery?
New coatings on implants could help make them more compatible. Researchers at the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU) have developed a new method of applying anti-inflammatory substances to implants in...
Researchers directly obtain 3-D, full-color images with conventional microscope
Conventional wide-field microscopy (WFM) cannot provide optical sectioning (OS) images that are required for 3-D volumetric reconstruction. The reason lies in the fact that the out-of-focus signals are always coupled...
Researchers propose generalized definition of cavitation intensity
Cavitation usually refers to the generation and subsequent dynamic behaviors of cavities when liquid is exposed to a sufficient pressure drop. It has been widely used in sonochemistry, biomedicine, environmental...
No touching: Researchers find contactless way to measure thickness of carbon nanotube films
Scientists from Skoltech and their colleagues from Russia and Finland have figured out a non-invasive way to measure the thickness of single-walled carbon nanotube films, which may find applications in...
Pro surfers hit artificial waves in the heat of the climate crisis
Kelly Slater (left) and Bianca Valenti test the waves at Slater's surf park in California. The facility is just one of many that have opened around the world to meet the demands...
Researchers catch a wave to determine how forces control granular material properties
Stress wave propagation through grainy, or granular, materials is important for detecting the magnitude of earthquakes, locating oil and gas reservoirs, designing acoustic insulation and designing materials for compacting powders.
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.
New solar forecasting model performs best
A new mathematical model for predicting variations in solar irradiance has been developed. It may help to promote more efficient use of electricity from solar energy. In tests of various...
Understanding of relaxor ferroelectric properties could lead to many advances
A new fundamental understanding of polymeric relaxor ferroelectric behavior could lead to advances in flexible electronics, actuators and transducers, energy storage, piezoelectric sensors and electrocaloric cooling, according to a team...
Understanding of relaxor ferroelectric properties could lead to many advances
A new fundamental understanding of polymeric relaxor ferroelectric behavior could lead to advances in flexible electronics, actuators and transducers, energy storage, piezoelectric sensors and electrocaloric cooling, according to a team...
Shred on most any surface with these sturdy skateboard wheels
Keep on rollin'. (Callum Shaw via Unsplash/)Skateboarding is an activity that can easily run the gamut from “just buying a plastic board off the shelf” to agonizing over the exact right ball bearings...
Producing a gaseous messenger molecule inside the body, on demand
Method could shed light on nitric oxide's role in the neural, circulatory, and immune systems.
Cartwheeling light reveals new optical phenomenon
A scientist might want to do cartwheels upon making a discovery, but this time the discovery itself relies on cartwheels.
Wrapping up hydrophobic hydration
Studied in detail, the embedding of hydrophobic molecules in water looks quite different than previously assumed.
Physicists see surprisingly strong light, high heat from nanogaps between plasmonic electrodes
Physicists discover that plasmonic metals can be prompted to produce ''hot carriers'' that in turn emit unexpectedly bright light in nanoscale gaps between electrodes. The phenomenon could be useful for...
The most efficient desk fans for any room or office
Fans for your desk. (Amazon/)If you’re going to be spending hours and hours of your day at your desk in front of a computer, the least you can do is make the...
Faster processing makes cutting-edge fluorescence microscopy more accessible
Scientists have developed new image processing techniques for microscopes that can reduce post-processing time up to several thousand-fold. The researchers are from the National Institutes of Health with collaborators at...
Nanotechnology applied to medicine: The first liquid retina prosthesis
Research at IIT-Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (Italian Institute of Technology) has led to the revolutionary development of an artificial liquid retinal prosthesis to counteract the effects of diseases such as...
New nanofiber protects against extreme temperatures, projectiles
Since World War I, the vast majority of American combat casualties has come not from gunshot wounds but from explosions. Today, most soldiers wear a heavy, bullet-proof vest to protect their torso...
Techy desk lamps that reduce eye strain and charge your devices
Much-needed bright spots. ( Matt Wojtaś via Unsplash/)Long hours working at a desk can cause both mental and physical stress. With the right lighting, you won’t have to strain your eyes, and...
Physicists see surprisingly strong light, high heat from nanogaps between plasmonic electrodes
Seeing light emerge from a nanoscale experiment didn't come as a big surprise to Rice University physicists. But it got their attention when that light was 10,000 times brighter than...
Wearable-tech glove translates sign language into speech in real time
Bioengineers have designed a glove-like device that can translate American Sign Language into English speech in real time though a smartphone app. The system includes a pair of gloves with...
Researchers control elusive spin fluctuations in 2-D magnets
Like Bigfoot and the Loch Ness monster, critical spin fluctuations in a magnetic system haven't been captured on film. Unlike the fabled creatures, these fluctuations—which are highly correlated electron spin...
An accurate simulation of high-pressure plasma for an economical helical fusion reactor
The research team of Assistant Professor Masahiko Sato and Professor Yasushi Todo of the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) National Institute for Fusion Science (NIFS) has succeeded using computer...