Latest science news in Physics & Chemistry
New analysis of the structure of silks explains paradox of super-strength
Spiders and silkworms are masters of materials science, but scientists are finally catching up. Silks are among the toughest materials known, stronger and less brittle, pound for pound, than steel....
Unlocking the opium poppy's biggest secret
Researchers at the University of Calgary have discovered the unique genes that allow the opium poppy to make codeine and morphine, thus opening doors to alternate methods of producing these...
New atomic force microscopy system created
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., March 16 (UPI) -- U.S. scientists say they have recorded the first microscopic images showing the effects of naturally occurring proteins known as antimicrobial peptides.
Capitalizing on Carbon - Pt. 2: Pumping New Oil
Three ways that carbon can be captured from industry before it escapes into the air. And one way to make that process pay for itself by pumping new oil.
Study: Daylight saving time a waste of energy
(PhysOrg.com) -- Daylight saving time is supposed to reduce energy use, but data gathered from a state in the US suggests it actually does the opposite.
Controlling structure on the nanoscale could lead to better superconductors
A new experiment shows how adjacent regions affect each other in superconductors, and suggests ways that the materials could be improved by controlling their nanoscopic structures.
MIT scientists transform polyethylene into a heat-conducting material
Most polymers - materials made of long, chain-like molecules - are very good insulators for both heat and electricity. But an MIT team has found a way to transform the...
Atmospheric nanoparticles impact health, weather professor says
Nanoparticles are atmospheric materials so small that they can't be seen with the naked eye, but they can very visibly affect both weather patterns and human health all over the...
Nano-antennas could help keep quantum secrets
Nanorod arrays can guide light along the path toward quantum communication.
NASA holds systems engineering competition
WASHINGTON, March 15 (UPI) -- The U.S. space agency says it's inviting graduate and undergraduate U.S. students to take part in its fourth annual Systems Engineering Paper Competition.
Japan auto, power giants target global electric car standard
Four Japanese auto giants and the country's largest power company joined forces Monday to set up a common system to recharge electric cars, with the aim of creating a global...
Turning up the heat: Finding out how well the Webb telescope's sunshield will perform
Keeping an infrared telescope at very cold operating temperatures isn't an option, it's an absolute necessity. Serving as a radiation blocker, the Webb telescope sunshield is subjected to nearly 100,000...
Scientists glimpse nanobubbles on super non-stick surfaces
Scientists have obtained the first glimpse of minuscule air bubbles that keep water from wetting a super non-stick surface. The research could lead to a new class of non-stick materials...
Triple meter helps scooter users
Researchers have finally come up with an accurate battery meter for vehicles - by using three different methods at the same time.
Designer nano luggage to carry drugs to diseased cells
Scientists have succeeded in growing empty particles derived from a plant virus and have made them carry useful chemicals. The external surface of these nano containers could be decorated with...
Calculations made by physicist Gustav Mie in 1908 put to test on single nanoparticles
Rice students put calculations by German physicist Gustav Mie, made in 1908, to the test when they decided to look at the optical properties of single nanoparticles.
Two Jets, Two Protons, Nothing Else
I was delighted to receive news this afternoon of three new interesting results produced by the DZERO collaboration in the analysis of Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD) processes. QCD, the theory of strong...
Quest Aims to Create Bigger Atoms and New Kinds of Matter
Scientists are on quest to create ever larger atoms, using extremely high energies to fuse together many protons and neutrons into behemoth nuclei.
Testing the New Travel Tech
CNET Editor Natali Del Conte and Travel Editor Peter Greenberg Explain the Benefits and Pitfalls of New Travel Technology
Electrical signals transmitted via spin waves
Insulator-based 'spin wiring' could boost spintronics
MIT's Suresh Tapped to Be NSF Director
The dean of engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology is in line to... [Read more]
Iraq 'could be Nigeria on steroids'
BAGHDAD, March 12 (UPI) -- Iraq is embarking on an unprecedented expansion of its oil industry that aims to turn it into one of the world's top three producers...
Funky flies offer model for surgical adhesive
An underwater fly that builds a covering of pebbles and sand by gluing them together could point the way for developing a glue that works while wet. ...
Polaris releases all-electric ATV for hunters, military
Except for the sound of tires rolling on the ground, the latest generation of Polaris all-terrain vehicles moves almost silently across a snowy field. Powered by an electric battery instead...
Cooking Tips: Oats, Garlic and Tomatoes
The Curious Cook columnist Harold McGee answers reader questions about healthful cooking.
Striking algal oil
Algae may be touted as the next big thing in environmentally friendly fuel, but techniques to work out which algal strains will be best have been lacking - until now
Warsaw's energy efforts irks opposition
WARSAW, Poland, March 12 (UPI) -- A move by Warsaw to court controversial energy partners in the Caucasus raises serious political questions, members of Polish opposition parties said.
Readers Respond on "A Path to Sustainable Energy by 2030"
Winds of Change I found it surprising that in “ A Path to Sustainable Energy by 2030 ,” Mark Z. Jacobson and Mark A. Delucchi do not mention the effects...