Latest science news in Physics & Chemistry
An electrocatalyst for oxygen evolution reaction in water splitting
The transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources strongly depends on an availability of effective systems for energy conversion and storage. Considering hydrogen as a carrier molecule, proton exchange...
The nature of nuclear forces imprinted in photons
IFJ PAN scientists together with colleagues from the University of Milano (Italy) and other countries confirmed the need to include the three-nucleon interactions in the description of electromagnetic transitions in...
Case for axion origin of dark matter gains traction
In a new study of axion motion, researchers propose a scenario known as "kinetic misalignment" that greatly strengthens the case for axion/dark matter equivalence. The novel concept answers key questions...
Light nucleus predicted to be stable despite having two strange quarks
Adding an exotic particle known as a Xi hyperon to a helium nucleus with three nucleons could produce a nucleus that is temporarily stable, calculations by RIKEN nuclear physicists have...
Life-emulating molecules show basic metabolism
In a system with self-replicating molecules, previously shown to have the capability to grow, divide and evolve, chemists from the University of Groningen have now discovered catalytic capabilities that result...
'Simulation microscope' examines transistors of the future
Since the discovery of graphene, two-dimensional materials have been the focus of materials research. Among other things, they could be used to build tiny, high-performance transistors. Researchers at ETH Zurich...
New Demi Lovato docuseries coming to YouTube
YouTube ordered and renewed series featuring Demi Lovato, James Charles, Stephen Curry, MrBeast and Marques Brownlee.
From the lab, the first cartilage-mimicking gel that's strong enough for knees
The thin, slippery layer of cartilage between the bones in the knee is magical stuff: strong enough to withstand a person's weight, but soft and supple enough to cushion the...
Chemistry paves the way for improved electronic materials
Indium nitride is a promising material for use in electronics, but difficult to manufacture. Scientists at Linköping University, Sweden, have developed a new molecule that can be used to create...
A Rubik's microfluidic cube
Scientists have recently engineered a modular system based on the Rubik's cube to design and reconfigure microfluidic systems. Research teams had previously pursued the arrangement of microfluidic blocks in diverse...
Record-breaking metalens could revolutionize optical technologies
Traditional lenses—like the ones found in eyeglasses—are bulky, heavy and only focus light across a limited number of wavelengths. A new, ultrathin metalens developed by researchers at the University of...
Cellulose for manufacturing advanced materials
The last decade has seen an increase in scientific publications and patents on cellulose, the most abundant natural polymer. By reviewing these papers, a researcher in the UPV/EHU's Department of...
A new material for light-matter interactions
Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne scientists have coupled a new material with light at the level of a single photon. The achievement opens up prospects for better controlling and understanding...
Rare color photos show Korean War through Colombian soldier's eyes
As South Korea commemorates the 70th anniversary of the start of the Korean War this week, an online exhibition launched Friday offers a rare, in-depth perspective of life during the...
How to Protect Yourself during Protests
Demonstrators face tear gas, flash bangs, coronavirus and surveillance -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
Developing new techniques to improve atomic force microscopy
Researchers at the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology have developed a new method to improve the detection ability of nanoscale chemical imaging using atomic force microscopy. These improvements...
New insights into the energy levels in quantum dots
Researchers have gained new insights into the energy states of quantum dots. They are semiconductor nanostructures and promising building blocks for quantum communication. With their experiments, the scientists confirmed certain...
Quantum entanglement demonstrated aboard orbiting CubeSat
In a critical step toward creating a global quantum communications network, researchers have generated and detected quantum entanglement onboard a CubeSat nanosatellite weighing less than 2.6 kilograms and orbiting the...
Scientists develop new tool to design better fusion devices
One way that scientists seek to bring to Earth the fusion process that powers the stars is trapping plasma within a twisting magnetic coil device shaped like a breakfast cruller....
Steep NYC traffic toll would reduce gridlock, pollution
Research shows that by creating steep tolls for cars to enter Manhattan, traffic congestion and greenhouse gas emissions could be reduced.
Toronto's Collision tech conference with 30,000 attendees goes online-only on COVID-19 fears
Organizers of the Collision conference say they are cancelling the in-person component this year amid concerns around a novel form of coronavirus.
Letter from 'Winnie the Pooh' to young fan fetches more than $15,000
A 1935 letter signed by "Winnie the Pooh" -- actually written by illustrator Ernest Howard Shepard -- fetched triple its expected amount when it sold for more than $15,000.
Man finds Haitian 'Phoenix Button' from 1800s on Washington state beach
A Washington state man using his metal detector on a beach made an unusual discovery -- a Haitian "Phoenix Button" from the 1800s.
Why are plants green?
When sunlight shining on a leaf changes rapidly, plants must protect themselves from the ensuing sudden surges of solar energy. To cope with these changes, photosynthetic organisms have developed numerous...
X-rays size up protein structure at the 'heart' of COVID-19 virus
A team of researchers at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge and Argonne national laboratories has performed the first room-temperature X-ray measurements on the SARS-CoV-2 main protease—the enzyme that enables...
Researchers discover new boron-lanthanide nanostructure
The discovery of carbon nanostructures like two-dimensional graphene and soccer ball-shaped buckyballs helped to launch a nanotechnology revolution. In recent years, researchers from Brown University and elsewhere have shown that...
Researchers develop method for producing precision diffraction gratings
Researchers at ETH Zurich have developed a method for the production of wavy surfaces with nanometer precision. In the future this method could be used, for instance, to make optical...
Bluetooth speakers that will rock your world
Impeccable portable speaker choices. (Amazon/)The fantasy of Bluetooth speakers goes something like this: You stroll into a quiet back yard party, just your phone and small speaker in your pocket. You swagger up...