Latest science news in Physics & Chemistry
Molecular additives enhance mechanical properties of organic solar cell material
Computational experiments on semiconducting polymers show that under harsh loading conditions -- stretching and compression -- the addition of small molecules enhances performance and stability. The research points to a...
Porous liquids allow for efficient gas separation
Scientists have developed 'porous liquids': Nanoparticles, that are able to separate gas molecules of different sizes from each other, float - finely distributed - in a solvent. The porous liquids...
Seafood study finds plastic in all samples
A study of five different seafoods has found traces of plastic in every sample tested.
Coffee stains inspire optimal printing technique for electronics
Using an alcohol mixture, researchers modified how ink droplets dry, enabling cheap industrial-scale printing of electronic devices at unprecedented scales.
New advance in superconductors with 'twist' in rhombohedral graphite
An international research team has revealed a nanomaterial that mirrors the 'magic angle' effect originally found in a complex human-made structure known as twisted bilayer graphene -- a key area...
Quantum researchers create an error-correcting cat
Physicists have developed an error-correcting cat -- a new device that combines the Schrödinger's cat concept of superposition (a physical system existing in two states at once) with the ability...
New nitrogen products are in the air
Researchers have found a way to combine atmospheric nitrogen with benzene to make a chemical compound called aniline, which is a precursor to materials used to make an assortment of...
Engaging undergrads remotely with an escape room game
Researchers describe an alternative way to engage students: a virtual game, modeled on an escape room, in which teams solve chemistry problems to progress and 'escape.'
Spider silk inspires new class of functional synthetic polymers
Synthetic polymers have changed the world around us. However, It is hard to finely tune some of their properties, such as the ability to transport ions. To overcome this problem,...
Selective conversion of reactive lithium compounds made possible
Researchers have developed a new catalyst that can catalyze reactions to produce pharmaceuticals or chemicals used in agriculture. It creates carbon-carbon bonds between what are known as organolithium compounds without...
Researchers develop catalyst for facilitating selective conversion of reactive lithium compounds
Researchers at Ruhr-Universität Bochum have developed a new catalyst that can catalyze reactions to produce pharmaceuticals or chemicals used in agriculture. It creates carbon-carbon bonds between what are known as...
Chemists discover way to make new nitrogen products 'out of thin air'
A nifty move with nitrogen has brought the world one step closer to creating a range of useful products—from dyes to pharmaceuticals—out of thin air.
Quantum researchers create an error-correcting cat
Yale physicists have developed an error-correcting cat—a new device that combines the Schrödinger's cat concept of superposition (a physical system existing in two states at once) with the ability to...
Ammonia on route to fuel ships and planes
Carbon-neutral ammonia could be a drop-in replacement for fossil fuels
One carbon capture project stalls as another advances
A coal plant mothballs its CO₂ facility, while a natural gas project moves forward
Engaging undergrads remotely with an escape room game
To prevent the spread of COVID-19, many universities canceled classes or held them online this spring—a change likely to continue for many this fall. As a result, hands-on chemistry labs...
Sen. Kamala Harris releases video of moment she accepts VP nod
Sen. Kamala Harris released a campaign ad Wednesday showing the moment she accepted former Vice President Joe Biden's request for her to be his running mate.
Bouncing, sticking, exploding viruses: Understanding the surface chemistry of SARS-CoV-2
Researchers highlight the need to understand the different environmental conditions that affect the surface chemistry of viruses like SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes the disease COVID-19.
Quantum materials quest could benefit from graphene that buckles
Graphene buckles when cooled while attached to a flat surface, resulting in pucker patterns that could benefit the search for novel quantum materials and superconductors, according to new research.
A quick, cost-effective method to track the spread of COVID-19 through untreated wastewater
Researchers have demonstrated that, from seven methods commonly used to test for viruses in untreated wastewater, an adsorption-extraction technique can most efficiently detect SARS-CoV-2.
Four types of flames join forces to make this eerie ‘blue whirl’
The ghostly blue flame stunned researchers when it first showed up unexpectedly in a laboratory experiment. Now scientists have determined the structure of this “blue whirl.” Four separate types of flames make up...
To solve climate change, we must deal with heat
Solar and wind power are an important part of solving the problem of climate change, but these renewable technologies on their own probably will never provide the energy for many...
The Tiny Chef heading to Nickelodeon in new series
The Tiny Chef of social media and YouTube fame is getting a new series that will air on Nickelodeon.
Scientists propose method for eliminating damaging heat bursts in fusion device
Researchers discover a technique for widening the windows of plasma current to enhance suppression of edge localized modes (ELMs) that can damage tokamak facilities.
Countries transitioning to zero carbon should look at more than technology cost
A 'one-size-fits-all' approach to producing cleaner energy based on cost alone could create social inequalities, finds a new study.
Upcycling plastic waste toward sustainable energy storage
Engineering professors and their students have been working for years on creating improved energy storage materials from sustainable sources, such as glass bottles, beach sand, Silly Putty, and portabella mushrooms....
Efficient valves for electron spins
Researchers have developed a new concept that uses the electron spin to switch an electrical current. In addition to fundamental research, such spin valves are also the key elements in...
Glass blowing inspires new class of quantum sensors
When Adelaide glass blower Karen Cunningham made art using diamond and glass she had no idea it would inspire a new kind of hybrid material. Now a consortium of scientists,...