Latest science news in Physics & Chemistry
Real-world graphene devices may have a bumpy ride
New measurements by researchers may affect the design of devices that rely on the high mobility of electrons in graphene -- they show that layering graphene on a substrate transforms...
NIST puts a new twist on the electron beam
Electron microscopes are among the most widely used scientific and medical tools for studying and understanding a wide range of materials, from biological tissue to miniature magnetic devices, at tiny...
New wave: JILA develops efficient source of terahertz radiation
JILA researchers have developed a laser-based source of terahertz radiation that is unusually efficient and less prone to damage than similar systems. The technology might be useful in applications such...
Insect eyes inspire improved solar cells
The eyes of moths, which allow them to see well at night, are also covered with a water-repellent, antireflective coating that makes their eyes among the least reflective surfaces in...
Scientists unveil unexpected properties in superconducting material
In 2008, an international team of scientists studying an exotic new superconductor based on the element ytterbium reported that it displays unusual properties that could change how scientists understand and...
Simple, ingenious way to create lab-on-a-chip devices could become a model for teaching and research
With little more than a conventional photocopier and transparency film, anyone can build a functional microfluidic chip...
Sleep researchers look at airline crash
SPOKANE, Wash., Jan. 20 (UPI) -- A Kentucky air traffic controller was fatigued when he cleared an airplane for takeoff from the wrong runway before the plane crashed, researchers...
New device may revolutionize computer memory
Researchers have developed a new device that represents a significant advance for computer memory, making large-scale "server farms" more energy efficient and allowing computers to start more quickly.
Stretching the truth: Biophysicists help unravel DNA stretching mystery
Using a new experimental test structure, biophysicists have unraveled part of a 15-year mystery in the mechanics of DNA -- just how the molecule manages to suddenly extend to almost...
Chemists separate water isomers
A decade after initial controversial claims, a new group says it has separated water into its two spin isomers
Italian Scientists Claim (Dubious) Cold Fusion Breakthrough
Rossi and Focardi's Cold Fusion Device The future of energy involves tin foil and Dell laptops. Good science is always rooted in good data, but the most entertaining science is the stuff...
Effects of atomic-scale roughness on adhesion between diamond surfaces
CNST Project Leader Rachel Cannara and collaborators from the United States Naval Academy (USNA) and the University of Pennsylvania have shown that atomic-scale surface roughness has a strong influence on...
Tough Road to Getting LED Lights on the Streets
LED street lights can save energy, but not all power systems are set up to reward cities for choosing a more efficient nighttime glow.
Latest American Chemical Society Podcast: Biodegradable Foam from Milk Protein and Clay
The latest episode in the American Chemical Society's (ACS) award-winning podcast series, "Global Challenges/Chemistry Solutions," focuses on development of a new ultra-light biodegradable foam plastic material made from two unlikely...
The exciting absence of certainty | Jonathan Jones
I'm not a scientist, but physics has a great deal to tell us about how being wrong can be a very good thingI recently read a book called The Trouble With Physics,...
Better turbine spacing for large wind farms
Large wind farms are being built around the world as a cleaner way to generate electricity, but operators are still searching for the most efficient way to arrange the massive...
African Chemists Meet In Johannesburg
International: Conference draws 500 people with themes of chemistry and Africa's future, sustainability.
Triblock spheres provide a simple path to complex structures
University of Illinois materials scientists have developed a simple, generalisable technique to fabricate complex structures that assemble themselves...
Hotspots tamed by BEAST
The secrets behind the mysterious nano-sized electromagnetic 'hotspots' that appear on metal surfaces under a light are finally being revealed with the help of a BEAST. Researchers at the U.S....
Dot Earth: Tough Climate Math in the Face of CO2 and Energy Forecasts
Trajectories for energy demand and CO2 lead to tough math for limiting climate risk.
NIST Physicist Joseph Stroscio Named Among 2010 AAAS Fellows
Joseph Stroscio, a physicist at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), has been named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).
Scientists generate megawatt-class laser beams for US Navy's next-generation weapon system
Scientists have achieved a breakthrough with the Office of Naval Research's Free Electron Laser (FEL) program, demonstrating an injector capable of producing the electrons needed to generate megawatt-class laser beams...
Fundamental property of how water and other liquids move at different temperatures
In a finding that has been met with surprise and some controversy in the scientific community, researchers have discovered a basic property that governs the way water and many other...
Electronic devices seen as airplane threat
WASHINGTON, Jan. 19 (UPI) -- The growing number of electronic devices being brought onto airplanes by passengers could pose a danger of a plane crash, U.S. aviation experts warn.
Tevatron to shut down in September
Lack of funds precludes continued operation of most powerful U.S. collider
Flexible screens expected to inspire a host of new devices
Later this year, Hewlett-Packard researchers say, they expect to deliver to the U.S. Army a working prototype of what they're calling a "Dick Tracy wristwatch" - a lightweight, wearable device...
Current Technology Could Reduce Global Energy Demand by 85%
Conservation: Design improvements in buildings, factories, and vehicles could slash energy consumption.
AECL reactor orders blocked by Ottawa: McGuinty
Premier Dalton McGuinty says Ontario still wants to buy two nuclear reactors from Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd., but the federal Conservatives are standing in the way.