Latest science news in Physics & Chemistry
Researchers turn honey into antiseptic
Researchers have developed a wound dressing that uses honey's healing properties to absorb moisture and act as an antiseptic.
Feature: Oil pressure lifting bio-plastics to favour
As rising oil prices drive up the costs of conventional plastics, scientists are creating new, cheaper polymers that are also stronger and easier to recycle, reports Heather Catchpole.
Golden windows remove toxins
Stained glass windows that are painted with gold nanoparticles purify the air when they are lit up by sunlight, researchers have discovered.
Wireless Sensors Learn From Life
European and Indian researchers are applying principles learned from living organisms to design self-organising networks of wireless sensors suitable for a wide range of environmental monitoring purposes.
PHOTO IN THE NEWS: Cluster Smashup Is Dark Matter Proof
A distant cousin of the famous "bullet cluster" shows the same separation of dark and ordinary matter occurring as its two parent galaxy clusters collide at high speed.
How bacteria could help power the future
Hydrogen is the cleanest and most abundant fuel there is, but extracting it from water or organic material is currently not a very efficient process. Scientists are therefore studying certain...
First particles observed in Large Hadron Collider
(PhysOrg.com) -- Glasgow scientists, working at CERN, have observed the first particles in the Large Hadron Collider during preliminary tests ahead of the switch-on next month.
Perfect pitch may be heard often
ROCHESTER, N.Y., Aug. 26 (UPI) -- New York researchers say a new test shows that more humans have "perfect pitch" than expected.
Fingerprint analysis technique could be used to identify bombmakers
University of Leicester experts have held discussions with military personnel in Afghanistan following the discovery of new technology to identify fingerprints on metal.
Catalyst For Water Oxidation Adopted From Plants: A Means For Energy-efficient Production Of Hydrogen?
A team of Australian and American researchers has developed a catalyst that effectively catalyzes the photooxidation of water. The core of the catalyst is a manganese-containing complex modeled after those...
Scientists identify quantum differences between light and heavy water
Scientists know that light water (H2 O) and heavy water (D2 O) have similar but not identical structures. Using quantum mechanics, researchers have recently identified several differences between the two...
Wind farms put pressure on bats
Wind turbines are a hazard to bats because changes in air pressure can cause fatal internal injuries, a study reveals.
Demand for nuclear engineers rising
ROLLA, Mo., Aug. 26 (UPI) -- Demand for young nuclear engineers is on the rise, with nearly 20,000 veteran engineers poised to retire by 2012.
How to get a college roommate you can live with
Anxious college freshmen can relax. No matter who will be sharing their dorm room, they have the power to make the relationship better, University of Michigan research suggests. read more
Atom-smasher passes its tests
Science editor Alan Boyle's Weblog: CERN says the countdown to the startup of the world's biggest particle collider in two weeks is proceeding "without a hitch." Well, almost.
New process extracts pure hydrogen from contaminant in unrefined oil
A commercial-scale process to extract and reuse pure hydrogen from the hydrogen sulfide that naturally contaminates unrefined oil, including oil sands, is one step closer to reality thanks to a...
Sony Develops World's Highest Optical Output 7.2W, 635nm Red Semiconductor Laser Array
Sony Corporation today announced that it has developed a high-power, short-wavelength red semiconductor laser array diode, ideal for use as a light source in projection devices.
New hydrogen production method created
COLUMBUS, Ohio, Aug. 25 (UPI) -- U.S. chemists at Ohio State University say they have developed a catalyst that can very efficiently convert ethanol and other biofuels into...
Fast quantum computer building block created
The fastest quantum computer bit that exploits the main advantage of the qubit over the conventional bit has been demonstrated by researchers at University of Michigan, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory...
New 'nano-positioners' may have atomic-scale precision
Engineers have created a tiny motorized positioning device that has twice the dexterity of similar devices being developed for applications that include biological sensors and more compact, powerful computer hard...
Future for clean energy lies in 'big bang' of evolution
Amid mounting agreement that future clean, "carbon-neutral", energy will rely on efficient conversion of the sun's light energy into fuels and electric power, attention is focusing on one of the...
Nano-sized 'trojan horse' to aid nutrition
Researchers from Monash University have designed a nano-sized "trojan horse" particle to ensure healing antioxidants can be better absorbed by the human body.
Calories come off and lights come on
A gym in Portland, Ore., will use exercise equipment to generate renewable energy. ...
Operating quantum memory at room temperature
Quantum dots, along with quantum wires, have been attracting notice over the past decade as possible building blocks of quantum information processing. Indium arsenide quantum dots (InAs) can be used...
QinetiQ says it has broken unmanned flight record
LONDON (AP) -- An ultra-lightweight plane built from carbon fiber and powered using paper-thin solar panels has broken the world record for longest-lasting unmanned flight, its...
Candy-coating Keeps Proteins Sweet
Researchers have developed a fast, inexpensive and effective method for evaluating the sugars pharmaceutical companies use to stabilize protein-based drugs for storage at room temperature.
Bloomberg Offers Windmill Power Plan
Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg is seeking to put wind turbines on New York City’s bridges and skyscrapers and in its waters as part of a push to develop renewable energy.
Life under the laser
Researchers at The University of Nottingham have developed a unique technology that will allow scientists to look at microscopic activity within the body's chemical messenger system for the very first...