Latest science news in Physics & Chemistry
Wind turbine noise rules 'dated'
The government needs to update its guidance on the impact of noise from wind turbines, a campaign group says.
Generating electricity from air flow
A group of researchers at the City College of New York is developing a new way to generate power for planes and automobiles based on materials known as piezoelectrics, which...
An anomaly in judging at Carson science fair
Professors and researchers had to wow tough critics -- fourth-graders from Foster and Carver elementary schools in Compton. ...
Energy-saving powder may allow exploitation of unused reserves of natural gas
Chemists are using a simple method to convert methane to methanol -- something that has the potential to exploit previously unused reserves of natural gas.
Tooth-binding micelles containing antimicrobials may provide long-term cavity protection
A new study suggests that tooth-binding micelles (or particles) may provide long-term cavity protection by adhering to tooth surfaces and gradually releasing encapsulated antimicrobials. Formulation of a mouthwash-based delivery system...
DNA molecules in moss open door to new biotechnology
Plasmids, which are DNA molecules capable of independent replication in cells, have played an important role in gene technology. Researchers have now demonstrated that plasmid-based methods, which had been limited...
Toward home-brewed electricity with 'personalized solar energy'
New scientific discoveries are moving society toward the era of "personalized solar energy," in which the focus of electricity production shifts from huge central generating stations to individuals in their...
Novelties: From the Lab, a New Weapon Against Cholesterol
Tiny particles containing gold and other metals may someday help keep cholesterol from building up in blood vessels.
Optical properties of the Antarctic system and new radiation information
In a new study, measurements were made during three Austral summers to study the optical properties of the Antarctic system and to produce radiation information for additional modeling studies. The...
Albert Crewe, First to Show a Single Atom, Is Dead at 82
Dr. Crewe, a University of Chicago physicist, developed the high-resolution electron microscope that captured the first image of an individual atom.
How Crystals Get Their Groove Back
Chemists reveal new details about why scratching a glass causes crystals to form [Read more]
How Long Can a Nuclear Reactor Last?
Could nuclear power plants last as long as the Hoover Dam?Increasingly dependable and emitting few greenhouse gases, the U.S. fleet of nuclear power plants will likely run for...
GE Scientists Developing Wearable RFID Sensors to Detect Airborne Chemical Agents
GE Global Research, the technology development arm for the General Electric, today announced a $2 million award from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences to develop wearable RFID sensors...
Tapering a Free-Electron Laser to Extract More Juice
(PhysOrg.com) -- Researchers from the NSLS and Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) have demonstrated a technique that could be used to significantly improve the quantity and quality of light produced...
EPA says fuel efficiency on the rise
WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 (UPI) -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said automakers are reporting an increase in the average fuel economy for new vehicles.
Microbes to Take Over Ethanol Production?
(PhysOrg.com) -- Not too long ago, it seemed that ethanol production was the wave of the future. The use of trash, wood chips or different types of plants -- usually...
Nuclear waste research resurfaces
New enthusiasm for nuclear power by UK government has focused attention on the stockpiles of 50 years’ worth of accumulated radioactive waste
Polymer with honeycomb structure: Sscientists synthesize graphene-like material
Two-dimensional carbon layers, so-called graphenes, are regarded as a possible substitute for silicon in the semiconductor industry. The electronic properties of these layers can be varied by “building in” specific...
New Abbott Technology Offers Rapid Alternative to Culture for Microbial Detection
Research presented today at the Association for Molecular Pathology (AMP) annual meeting indicates that a new molecular diagnostic technology from Abbott identified more microbes and delivered more rapid results than...
Using superconducting probes to get a picture of what it's like inside CNTs
(PhysOrg.com) -- "Carbon nanotubes are exciting for fundamental physics, and for potential technological applications," Nadya Mason tells PhysOrg.com. "However, we are generally limited in the way that we can study...
Robotic Spy Planes Go Green
Military vehicles powered by alternative energy provide more than environmental benefits.
Portable power supply takes a step forward
Chinese scientists have developed membranes that could improve direct methanol fuel cells
Bayer to reduce cost of chlorine production
New chlorine production process uses 30 per cent less energy than current methods, says Bayer
Braking news
Real-life particles released by car brake pads can harm lung cells in vitro. Researchers writing in BioMed Central's open access journal Particle and Fibre Toxicology found that heavy braking, as...
New Nanomethod Paves The Way For New Measuring Technology And Hypersensitive Sensors
Researchers have developed a new measurement technology that makes use of optical resonances in nanoparticles. The method, which opens new possibilities in the field of catalytics.
A Tiny Cage of Gold Responds to Light, Opening to Empty Its Contents
(PhysOrg.com) -- Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have developed a polymer-coated gold nanocage that not only opens in response to light to release a small amount of a...
Can Flywheels Help Balance Electricity Supply and Demand?
Beacon Power Corp. broke ground today on a 20-megawatt, energy-storage facility in southeastern New York. [More]
Pulling the plug on hybrid myths
(PhysOrg.com) -- Whether you call them myths, urban legends, fables or old wives' tales, there's a lot of misinformation out there about plug-in electric hybrid vehicles. These vehicles, abbreviated...