Latest science news in Physics & Chemistry
Theoretically, two layers are better than one for solar-cell efficiency
Solar cells have come a long way, but inexpensive, thin film solar cells are still far behind more expensive, crystalline solar cells in efficiency. Now, a team of researchers suggests...
This essential survival tool can save your life 10 different ways
Paracord is a thin, strong, braided line that’s useful in dozens of hunting and fishing scenarios, and can mean the difference between life or death in a survival situation. (Tim MacWelch/)This story was...
Going small for big solutions: Sub-nanoparticle catalysts made from coinage elements as effective catalysts
'Sub-nanometer' particles (SNPs) are very popular because of their diverse applications, but technical difficulties in their synthesis has hindered research in this field. Scientists used an 'atom-hybridization method' to overcome...
USS Roosevelt heads to Black Sea for maritime security operations
The USS Roosevelt guided-missile destroyer headed to the Black Sea Tuesday. The Roosevelt will conduct maritime security operations with NATO allies and partners while it is in the region, according...
No-fuss fountain pens that make your note taking and letter writing more elegant
Fountain pens for all budgets. (Aaron Burden via Unsplash /)Fountain pens can be challenging for a beginner, but that finicky ink delivery ensures a more expressive hand. Plus, fountain pens are undeniably fun...
Sub-nanoparticle catalysts made from coinage elements as effective catalysts
Due to their small size, nanoparticles find varied applications in fields ranging from medicine to electronics. Their small size allows them a high reactivity and semiconducting property not found in...
Pandemic freight emissions reached 2030 target in just months. How do we make the changes stick?
The pandemic left a visible imprint on car, bus and bicycle use – and at its height brought about cleaner city air – but it also disrupted another, less obvious...
Werner Herzog on Fireball, his new film about the awe-inspiring power of meteors
The renowned German director behind a new film about the creative and destructive power of meteors says he isn’t losing sleep over the idea of space debris barrelling into Earth...
Big answers from tiny particles
Physicists demonstrate a theoretical mechanism that would explain the tiny value for the mass of neutrinos and point out that key operators of the mechanism can be probed by current...
New on/off functionality for fast, sensitive, ultra-small technologies
How do you turn on and off an ultra-small component in advanced technologies? You need an actuator, a device that transmits an input such as electricity into physical motion. However,...
New study helps characterise the fusion of metals
In recent years, a great deal of effort has been devoted to the study of the melting curve of elements at high pressure. This information is relevant, for example, for...
Scientists develop a technique to dynamically curve a photon jet
Scientists at Tomsk Polytechnic University jointly with international colleagues have found a simple technique to dynamically curve a photonic jet, turning it into a photonic hook. The method was published...
Ultra-fast magnetic switching with potential to transform fiber optical communications
Researchers have discovered that a new material can act as a super-fast magnetic switch. When struck by successive ultra-short laser pulses it exhibits 'toggle switching' that could increase the capacity...
Single photons from a silicon chip
Quantum technology holds great promise: Quantum computers are expected to revolutionize database searches, AI systems, and computational simulations. Today already, quantum cryptography can guarantee secure data transfer, albeit with limitations....
Rising temperatures could shift US West Nile virus transmission
West Nile virus spreads most efficiently in the US at temperatures between 24-25 degrees Celsius (75.2-77 degrees Fahrenheit), a new study shows.
Making waves in space
Image: The International Space Station is an exciting place for experiments. This one in particular was making waves in space. Called Fluidics, the experiment studies fluid dynamics in microgravity and recently performed another...
Fish, seaweed inspire slippery surfaces for ships
Long-distance cargo ships lose a significant amount of energy due to fluid friction. Looking to the drag reduction mechanisms employed by aquatic life can provide inspiration on how to improve...
Energy harvesting goes organic, gets more flexible
Nanogenerators capable of converting mechanical energy into electricity are typically made from metal oxides and lead-based perovskites. But these inorganic materials aren't biocompatible, so the race is on to create...
Shining a light on disordered and fractal systems
A research team has investigated the acoustic properties of disordered lysozyme proteins by using terahertz spectroscopy. They found that the fractal nature of the proteins is responsible for its unusually...
Single photons from a silicon chip
Quantum technology holds great promise: Just a few years from now, quantum computers are expected to revolutionize database searches, AI systems, and computational simulations. Today already, quantum cryptography can guarantee...
Ultra-fast magnetic switching with potential to transform fiber optical communications
Researchers at CRANN and Trinity's School of Physics have discovered that a new material can act as a super-fast magnetic switch.
Reviewing the quantum anomalous Hall effect
A collaboration across three FLEET nodes has reviewed the fundamental theories underpinning the quantum anomalous Hall effect (QAHE).
Fantasy football: Steelers RB James Conner sprains ankle
Pittsburgh Steelers running back James Conner sprained his ankle on Monday Night Football, which should open the door for fantasy football production for fellow running back Benny Snell.
Watch: Robert Westergaard still loves ex-girlfriend Jessica More
Robert Westergaard confirmed he's single but voiced his love for his ex-girlfriend and "Below Deck Mediterranean" co-star Jessica More.
Upgraded X-ray laser shows its soft side
The second phase of a major upgrade project is now online at the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS), the pioneering X-ray free-electron laser at Department of Energy's SLAC National Accelerator...
Materials in lithium-ion batteries may be recycled for reuse
China expects to generate 2.5 billion end-of-life lithium-ion batteries from portable electronics such as smartphones and laptops in 2020, but very few are recycled. Although these batteries are discarded, the...
Elements of surprise: Neutron stars contribute little, but something's making gold, research finds
Neutron star collisions do not create the quantity of chemical elements previously assumed, a new analysis of galaxy evolution finds. The research also reveals that current models can't explain the...
Predicting delayed instabilities in viscoelastic solids
It is presently challenging to determine the stability of viscoelastic structures since seemingly stable conformations may gradually creep (plastic deformation of a material under stress as a function of time) until their stability...