High-temperature Superconductors: New Method Exploring 'Energy Gap' Shows Electron Pairs Exist Before Superconductivity Sets In

Like astronomers tweaking images to gain a more detailed glimpse of distant stars, physicists have found ways to sharpen images of the energy spectra in high-temperature superconductors -- materials that...

Tiny Solar Cells Built To Power Microscopic Machines

Some of the tiniest solar cells ever built have been successfully tested as a power source for even tinier microscopic machines -- for example, an inch-long array of 20 of...

Gold Nanostars Hold Promise In Medical Diagnoses And Tests For Environmental Contaminants

Tiny gold stars, smaller than a billionth of a meter, may hold the promise for new approaches to medical diagnoses or testing for environmental contaminants.

Watching Electrons with Lasers

(PhysOrg.com) -- A team of researchers from the Stanford PULSE Institute for Ultrafast Energy Science at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory has recently moved a step closer to visualizing the motions...

Researchers develop ultrafast oscilloscope on a chip

(PhysOrg.com) -- As photonics -- using beams of light in place of electricity for communications and computing -- becomes more common, engineers need new tools for troubleshooting. Now researchers at...

Tiny backpacks for cells

MIT engineers have outfitted cells with tiny "backpacks" that could allow them to deliver chemotherapy agents, diagnose tumors or become building blocks for tissue engineering.

Sarcospan, a little protein for a big problem

The overlooked and undervalued protein, sarcospan, just got its moment in the spotlight. Peter et al. now show that adding it to muscle cells might ameliorate the most severe form...

Chemicals from test tubes may be fouling experiments, scientists say

Researchers in Alberta have discovered that two chemicals used in the making of plastic test tubes and other lab storage units can leach into experiments, interfering with some results.

Researchers turn biomass into energy

RENO, Nev., Nov. 6 (UPI) -- U.S. scientists say they are testing the viability of converting leafy or woody biomass into a commercially feasible fuel product.

DOE to make advanced technology car loans

WASHINGTON, Nov. 6 (UPI) -- The U.S. Department of Energy says it has implemented the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Incentive Program authorized by Congress last year.

Optical oscilloscope is fit for high-speed studies

Device beats the resolution of conventional devices by more than a factor of five

Winning Ph.D. research boosts the search for sensitive sensors

Research that could lead to brighter LCD screens, more efficient solar panels, improved biomedical imaging and high-tech security sensors has won the University of Melbourne's Chancellor's Prize for Excellence in...

Lasers, the Bragg Peak and Cancer Therapy

(PhysOrg.com) -- “When a laser goes through a plasma,” John Cary tells PhysOrg.com, “it pushes electrons away. Then when it snaps back, it generates an electric wake behind the laser...

SanDisk Introduces ExtremeFFS, Aims 100 Times Faster SSDs

SanDisk Corporation today unveiled an advanced flash file system for solid-state drives (SSDs) that yields dramatic improvement in performance and reliability for computing applications. Called ExtremeFFS, this next-generation patented flash...

Ecotechnologies - humidification applied to refrigeration equipment

Humidifiers using fine droplets of water have invaded hypermarket fruit and vegetable display units and Parisian cafe terraces during heat waves. Today, the humidification technique has been extended to refrigeration...

Vancouver's Envia aims to energize electric auto market

A retired pro snowboarder from Vancouver believes his new company, Envia, can beat major auto manufacturers in the race to make electric vehicles commercially viable.

Hydrogen-powered race car unveiled

Melbourne researchers have built Australia's first hydrogen-powered racing car using a modified internal combustion motorcycle engine.

Opinion: Green light for grey buildings - new hope for old offices

Instead of starting from scratch we should invest in making existing buildings meet the demands of today’s tenants for energy efficiency and increased amenity, believes Paul Sloman.

Nanoscale Dimensioning Is Fast, Cheap With New Optical Technique

A novel technique under development uses a relatively inexpensive optical microscope to quickly and cheaply analyze nanoscale dimensions with nanoscale measurement sensitivity.

Blink and you'll miss it

The invention of an ultrafast oscilloscope could yield advances in fields from telecoms to nuclear fusion.

Crichton: A Legacy of Sci-Fi Thrillers

Michael Crichton left behind a healthy legacy of science-themed novels, films and TV shows.

High-performance Steel For Possible Use In ITER Fusion Project Developed

Researchers have developed a new cast stainless steel that is 70 percent stronger than comparable steels and is being evaluated for use in the huge shield modules required by the...

Gravity waves could hold key to supersymmetry

(PhysOrg.com) -- "In Geneva," Anupam Mazumdar tells PhysOrg.com, "there is a big effort to discover supersymmetry particles at the Large Hadron Collider. But that is not the only way to...

A cleaner route to methanol

New catalytic process converts waste glycerol directly into methanol fuel

Low Cost Vehicle Stability Chip Reduces Rollover Risk

Drivers worldwide soon will be able to navigate dangerous road conditions more safely, due to new sensor technology. The 1.7 millimeter-wide device helps stabilize automobiles, allowing them to pass safely...

Lack of political will slowing Europe's renewables revolution, engineers say

Could Life Have Started In Lump Of Ice? Very Cold Ice Films In Laboratory Reveal Mysteries Of Universe

The universe is full of water, mostly in the form of very cold ice films deposited on interstellar dust particles, but until recently little was known about the detailed small...

New infrared cameras spot mechanical problems on trucks

Alberta is using thermal imaging technology to spot safety problems on transport trucks.