Latest science news in Physics & Chemistry
Autonomous robot plays with NanoLEGO
Atoms and molecules behave in a completely different way to macroscopic objects and each brick requires its own 'instruction manual'. Scientists have now developed an artificial intelligence system that autonomously...
Near-optimal chip-based photon source developed for quantum computing
Researchers have developed a new CMOS-compatible silicon photonics photon source that satisfies all the requirements necessary for large-scale photonic quantum computing. The research represents a significant step toward mass-manufacturable ideal...
Comprehensive look at US fuel economy standards show big savings on fuel and emissions
A new study finds that over their 40-year history, fuel economy standards in the United States have helped reduce reliance on foreign oil producers, saved $5 trillion in fuel costs...
Is consciousness continuous or discrete? Maybe it's both, argue researchers
Two major theories have fueled a now 1,500 year-long debate started by Saint Augustine: Is consciousness continuous, where we are conscious at each single point in time, or is it...
Researchers develop low-cost, drop-on-demand printing technique
Researchers at the Center for Nano Science and Engineering (CeNSE), IISc, have developed a low-cost, drop-on-demand printing technique capable of generating a wide range of droplet sizes using a variety...
An unusual superconductor
Professor Wang Jian at Peking University and collaborators investigated the superconducting properties of two-dimensional crystalline superconducting PdTe2 films grown by molecular beam epitaxy. They observed the experimental evidence of anomalous...
Tear gas should be banned, researchers find; here's why
The use of tear gas—particularly CS gas—as a riot control agent, cannot be reconciled with respect for fundamental human rights and should therefore be banned entirely in international law, the...
High levels of toxic flame retardant chemicals found in dust inside college classrooms
There are good reasons to be worried about indoor air quality right now, in light of COVID-19. In addition to transmitting infectious agents, indoor spaces can also be a source...
Autonomous robot plays with NanoLEGO
Molecules are the building blocks of everyday life. Many materials are composed of them, a little like a LEGO model consists of a multitude of different bricks. But while individual...
IBM announces AI based chemistry lab: RoboRXN
IBM has announced on its blog page the development of an AI/cloud-based chemistry lab named RoboRXN. Its purpose is to help chemists develop new materials in a faster and more...
New computational tool enables prediction of key functional sites in proteins based on structure
A new technology that uses a protein's structure to predict the inner wiring that controls the protein's function and dynamics is now available for scientists to utilize. The tool, developed...
LHC creates matter from light
The Large Hadron Collider plays with Albert Einstein's famous equation, E = mc2, to transform matter into energy and then back into different forms of matter. But on rare occasions,...
The ALICE TPC is upgraded
"One more centimeter," said the chief technician, while operating the hydraulic jack system on 14 August. The 5-m-diameter, 5-m-long cylindrical detector gently slid into the parking position, 56 meters below...
Nanoscale engines far colder than even deepest outer space
The theory of thermodynamics, commonly associated with the steam engines of the 19th century, is a universal set of laws that governs everything from black holes to the evolution of...
Crepe pans you’ll use for breakfast, lunch, and dinner
What will you go in yours? (Todd Cravens via Unsplash /)Pancakes are good, waffles are great but there is nothing better than a wonderfully thin, light crepe. You can pack them with...
Hybrid nanomaterials hold promise for improved ceramic composites
Researchers at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base are seeking to patent a novel process for manufacturing a type of material called preceramic polymer-grafted nanoparticles, or "hairy nanoparticles" (HNP).
The best scooters for a smooth commute or cruise
Easy, storable transportation. (MusicFox Fx via Unsplash/)There was a time when scootering was considered a children’s activity, but times are changing and scooters are becoming more and more popular amongst adults. A kick...
Floating a boat on the underside of a liquid
A team of researchers from Institut Langevin and Sorbonne Université has shown that it is possible to float boats on both the top and underside of a suspended fluid. In...
Making more of methane
Demand continues for plastics and solvents made from petrochemicals, which are mainly produced by refining oil despite diminishing global oil reserves, driving forward the search for new ways to produce...
Lumsden, Sask., gets $1.1M from Ottawa for solar power project
Saskatchewan's biggest cities have been steadily adding solar power, but smaller communities like Lumsden are doing it, too.
Physicists Create City-Sized Ultrasecure Quantum Network
Capable of connecting eight or more users across distances of 17 kilometers, the demonstration is another milestone toward developing a fully quantum Internet -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
City pavement is a big source of air pollution
Asphalt in cities heats up during the day. (Aleksandar Langer/Unsplash/)Witnessing a hazy summertime sky in Los Angeles, you might be tempted to blame the cars and trucks that teem on the region’s roadways....
Harvard partners with national labs to advance quantum computing
Harvard scientists will take leading roles in a new federal government effort to advance quantum computing, an experimental technology that could make it possible to perform calculations at speeds inconceivable today and usher...
Ambient light alters refraction in 2D material
Microscopic crystals in tantalum disulfide have a starring role in what could become a hit for 3D displays, virtual reality and even self-driving vehicles.
Physicists nudge atoms within less than a trillionth of a second
Scientists from Regensburg and Zurich have found a fascinating way to push an atom with controlled forces so quickly that they can choreograph the motion of a single molecule within...
Ambient light alters refraction in 2-D material
Microscopic crystals in tantalum disulfide have a starring role in what could become a hit for 3-D displays, virtual reality and even self-driving vehicles.
U.S. Army receives its first armored multipurpose vehicle from BAE
The first armored multipurpose vehicle, designed to replace Vietnam-era M113 tanks, has been delivered to the U. S. Army, builder BAE Systems announced.
U.S. Air Force test-launches unarmed ICBM in California
A test launch on Wednesday of an unarmed Minuteman III missile shows that the nuclear deterrent remains safe and reliable, the U.S. Air Force said.