Latest science news in Physics & Chemistry
Libyan rebels in oil talks with Europe?
BENGHAZI, Libya, April 8 (UPI) -- Libyan rebel leaders are in discussions with several European energy companies regarding possible oil shipments, a Libyan representative said.
Cleaning up Japan's radioactive water could take decades
No one is sure how to safely dispose of millions of gallons of highly radioactive water at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. 'There is nothing like this, on this scale,...
Nanoparticles improve solar collection efficiency
Using minute graphite particles 1000 times smaller than the width of a human hair, mechanical engineers at Arizona State University hope to boost the efficiency - and profitability - of...
Force of acoustical waves tapped for metamaterials
A very simple bench-top technique that uses the force of acoustical waves to create a variety of 3D structures will benefit the rapidly expanding field of metamaterials and their myriad...
Inexpensive new instruments test building sealants under real-world conditions
Sealants, like weather stripping, are what separates the inside from the outside of a building, byproviding a barrier that prevents water from seeping in, for example, or heat from leaking...
Defective plastics repair themselves
It can be a total surprise: car tires burst, sealing rings fail and even your dearly beloved panton chair or your freely oscillating plastic chair develops cracks and the material...
Formaldehyde: Poison could have set the stage for the origins of life
Formaldehyde, a poison and a common molecule throughout the universe, is likely the source of the solar system's organic carbon solids - abundant in both comets and asteroids. Scientists have...
Exploring the possibilities for zeolites
Some people collect stamps and coins, but when it comes to sheer utility, few collections rival the usefulness of Rice University researcher Michael Deem's collection of 2.6 million zeolite structures...
Wind farms 'much less efficient'
A new study supported by conservation charity the John Muir Trust suggests wind farms produce under 10% of capacity for a third of the time.
Economics, physics are roadblocks for mass-scale algae biodiesel production, study finds
Companies looking to engineer an eco-friendly diesel fuel have more red lights in their path. According to researchers, making petroleum diesel completely green would not only bend the laws of...
Quantum mapmakers complete first voyage through spin liquid
Scientists have mapped a state of matter called 'quantum spin liquid', whose existence was proposed in the 1970s but which has only been observed recently.
Green: Republicans Open Inquiry on Yucca Mountain Shutdown
Two congressmen say there was "no scientific or technical basis" for the Obama administration's move to withdraw a construction application for the nuclear-waste storage site.
Chemical Engineering Students Develop a "Greener" Clean
Chemical engineering students at Villanova University are turning used cooking oil from dining services into hand soap and biodiesel fuel to power campus grounds equipment.
Engineering Researcher Available to Comment on Cracks and Damage to Fuselages
Ashok Saxena, Distinguished Professor and dean of the College of Engineering at the University of Arkansas, is available to comment on cracks and metal damage to airplane fuselages. Saxena's research...
Testing smart energy systems
A smartphone is all it takes to turn the heating on or off at home. This might sound like science fiction to the average user, but it is not unusual...
Despite Soaring Costs, College Still a Smart Choice
Expect higher salary and other benefits with a university degree.
Can Energy Innovation Learn From the Manhattan and Apollo Projects?
The president's budget proposal compares its energy innovation approach to the Manhattan and Apollo projects, but experts say that the analogy only goes so far.
IP costs cut under new US scheme
The energy department hopes to boost uptake of technology from its national labs by cutting upfront costs to $1000
Nigeria reviews nuclear power plans
ABUJA, Nigeria, April 5 (UPI) -- Oil-rich Nigeria might place less emphasis on nuclear energy in favor of conventional reserves, though the country's environment minister wants action.
U.S. radiation levels from Japan very low
WASHINGTON, April 5 (UPI) -- Though air monitors in the United States recovered more nuclear material from a crippled Japanese nuclear plant, there is no U.S. health concern, the...
Electromagnetic induction
A brief demonstration and explanation of electromagnetic induction, the phenomenon at the heart of all electricity power stationsMy friend, Alom Shaha, wrote and starred in this short but sweet little video about electromagnetic...
VIDEO: How much energy is there in cereal?
Jem Stansfield is helped by an explosives expert to demonstrate how much energy is locked up inside breakfast cereal.
City to build solar carports with chargers
CITY OF INDUSTRY, Calif., April 4 (UPI) -- A Southern California community says it will build almost 1,000 solar carports at a commuter rail station to produce electricity and...
Chemists produce first high-resolution RNA 'nano square'
Chemists have produced the first high resolution structure of a nano-scale square made from ribonucleic acid, or RNA.
'Shrek' producer joins Zynga board
Zynga on Monday said the film producer behind "Shrek" and other DreamWorks Animation hits has joined the board of directors at the hot online social games startup.
'In-depth' radar: Seeing what lies beneath the surface
Where do the water pipes and electric cables lie? Could valuable cultural artefacts be hidden here? And how high is the salt concentration on the road today? A georadar can...
Transmission lines for nanofocusing of infrared light
In conventional optical instruments, light cannot be focused to spot sizes smaller than half the wavelength because of diffraction effects. An important approach to beat this diffraction limit is based...
No 'business as usual' on nuclear after Fukushima: IAEA
The world cannot take a "business as usual" approach to nuclear power in the wake of the disaster in Japan, UN atomic watchdog chief Yukiya Amano said Monday.