Latest science news in Physics & Chemistry
Shellfish Inspire New Adhesives
Adhesive shellfish proteins bind regardless of how many binding elements they contain. This has potential for the development of new kinds of binding agents.
Coming soon: Improved lithium ion batteries?
Rechargeable lithium ion batteries provide portable devices that require a lot of energy, such as mobile telephones, digital cameras, and notebook computers, with power. However, their capacity, and thus the...
Toward A New Generation Of Paper-thin Loudspeakers
In research that may redefine ear buds, earphones, stereo loudspeakers, and other devices for producing sound, researchers in China are reporting development of flexible loudspeakers thinner than paper that might...
'Enlightened' Atoms Stage Nano-riot Against Uniformity
Theorists say atoms in a crystal can be made to behave in an unexpected way, a way that can be exploited to create tiny computer components that emit less heat...
Hybrid Cars Too Quiet For Pedestrian Safety? Add Engine Noise, Say Researchers
Hybrid and electric vehicles do not emit the sounds pedestrians and bicyclists are accustomed to hearing as a vehicle approaches them. Human factors/ergonomics researchers examined participants' preferences for sounds that...
Quicker, Easier Way To Make Coal Cleaner
Construction of new coal-fired power plants in the United States is in danger of coming to a standstill, partly due to the high cost of the requirement -- whether existing...
Safe storage of greenhouse-gas carbon dioxide
To prevent global warming, researchers and policymakers are exploring a variety of options to significantly cut the amount of carbon dioxide that reaches the atmosphere. One possible approach involves capturing...
Daresbury Laboratory's ALICE accelerates to 4 million volt milestone
A major milestone has been achieved in the completion of the UK's next-generation particle accelerator, ALICE, which is set to produce an intense beam of light that will revolutionise the...
Opinion: Plug-in electric vehicles and the electrification of road transport
Although the awareness of plug-in electric vehicles is only beginning to dawn in Australia, we need to embrace the technology in order to end our dependency on petroleum-based fuels, believes...
Dallas Mavericks owner charged with insider trading
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday charged Mark Cuban, the owner of the Dallas Mavericks basketball team, with insider trading.
Quantum calibration paves way for super-secure communication
(PhysOrg.com) -- A new approach to calibrating quantum mechanical measurement has been developed with particular applications in optics and super-secure quantum communication.
Hadron Collider repairs cost £14m
The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) will cost almost £14m ($21m) to repair and hopefully be back up and running for June 2009.
'Femtomolar Optical Tweezers' May Enable Sensitive Blood Tests
Cutting-edge "tweezers" are so sensitive that they can feel the tell-tale tug of tiny concentrations of pathogens in blood samples, yet don't ever need to be sterilized--or even held--as they...
One Dozen At A Blow: Main Principle For Alloys Discovered
Molecular metallurgists galvanize and gild atoms and discover main principle for alloys. In the neverland between molecule and metal they discovered a new family of compounds.
Cold Atoms Could Replace Hot Gallium In Focused Ion Beams
Scientists at NIST have developed a radical new method of focusing a stream of ions into a point as small as one nanometer, a versatile ion source that is expected...
Keeping Bridges Safe: New Imaging Program Automatically Detects Irregularities in Bridges
In order for motorists, cyclists and pedestrians to cross bridges safely, bridges must be regularly inspected for damage. An new image processing program automatically detects irregularities in the bridge material.
Toward greener, more energy-efficient buildings
In the face of growing environmental concerns and a renewed interest in energy efficiency, the construction of homes and businesses that emphasize "green" construction materials is on the rise, according...
'Powerhouses' from living cells power new explosives detector
Researchers in Missouri have borrowed the technology that living cells use to produce energy to develop a tiny, self-powered sensor for rapid detection of hidden explosives. The experimental sensor, about...
The Energy Debates: Wind Farms
A wind turbine can generate up to 2.5 megawatts, while one offshore amid mighty coastal winds could reach 5 megawatts.
Open thread: Is there such thing as a sixth sense?
The science minister, Lord Drayson, claims to have a 'sixth sense'. Is there such thing?
A new class of catalysts
A new class of chemical catalysts that promote the powerful olefin metathesis reaction has been discovered by a team of Boston College and MIT scientists, opening up a vast new...
Out of balance? Twist and stretch
Performing twists can help correct imbalances you may have between the right and left sides of your body. They can also add strength and power to your core and your...
United Airlines cuts fuel use, emissions in test program
Jumbo jets, among the largest airplanes aloft, aren't known for their fuel efficiency.
Tests question 'microwave safe' claims
MILWAUKEE, Nov. 16 (UPI) -- Certain products that advertise being "microwave safe" allegedly release the chemical bisphenol A when exposed to heat, test results indicate.
Keele University aims to become 'carbon neutral' on energy consumption
Keele University is aiming to become 'carbon neutral' on its energy consumption and reduce dependency on the national grid using a range of alternative energy sources...
John Moores gives two million to Scripps Research Institute
Moores, chairman and owner of the San Diego Padres baseball team has served as a member of the Scripps Research Board of Trustees since 1997 and as Chairman of the...
Carl D. Keith, a Father of the Catalytic Converter, Dies at 88
Dr. Keith was a co-inventor of the three-way automotive catalytic converter — a major advance in eliminating the toxic tailpipe emissions that once blanketed cities in smog.
In Times Square, a Company’s Name in (Wind- and Solar-Powered) Lights
By generating its own electricity, a new billboard planned for Times Square could save 18 tons of carbon emissions yearly.