Latest science news in Physics & Chemistry
Researchers Develop Nanofiber-Based Technology to Make Energy-Efficient Lighting
(PhysOrg.com) -- RTI International has developed a revolutionary lighting technology that is more energy efficient than the common incandescent light bulb and does not contain mercury, making it environmentally safer...
Morals don't come from God
The finding that religion scarcely influences moral intuition undermines the idea that a godless society will be immoral, says Philip Ball. Whether it 'explains' religion is another matter.
Energy from light and water: New photocatalytic method for the clean production of hydrogen from water
(PhysOrg.com) -- Hydrogen-powered fuel cells and solar energy are the best hope for a more environmentally friendly and resource-sparing energy supply in the future. A combination of the two is...
Home Fuel Cell Charging Station Could Help Power Hydrogen Economy
An interesting report from CNN over the weekend: a tabletop hydrogen fuel cell recharging station could bring hydrogen power to the individual home, allowing portable devices and eventually automobiles to charge up on...
Iran to step up uranium enrichment, angers West
VIENNA, Feb. 8 (UPI) -- Iran on Monday told the U.N. nuclear watchdog it will step up its uranium enrichment efforts, raising fears that Tehran is determined to build...
Albert Crewe obituary
Physicist who took the first pictures of individual atomsAlbert Crewe, who has died aged 82, was one of the world's most influential physicists, whose work included the development of a revolutionary electron microscope...
Moscow defends energy ties with Turkey
ANKARA, Turkey, Feb. 8 (UPI) -- The depth of the relationship between Ankara and Moscow in the energy sector is a matter for the Turkish government to decide, Russian...
Gazprom backing out of domestic market?
MOSCOW, Feb. 8 (UPI) -- Russian gas monopoly Gazprom offered few plans to increase domestic gas sales, opening the door to independent producers by as early as 2030.
Physicists investigate structural properties of spider webs
(PhysOrg.com) -- "Although the orb web of a spider is a lightweight structure, it seems to be a highly optimized structure, presumably as a result of evolution from the Jurassic...
Barnes & Noble's 'Nook' coming to stores this week
Bookstore giant Barnes & Noble said Monday that its new electronic book reader, the "Nook," will be available in US stores this week.
Beer is a rich source of silicon and may help prevent osteoporosis
A new study suggests that beer is a significant source of dietary silicon, a key ingredient for increasing bone mineral density. Beers containing high levels of malted barley and hops...
CERN Gears Up Its Computers for More Atom Smashing
A deluge of high-energy physics data is headed toward servers in Geneva, Switzerland, later this month. That's because the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) now says it plans to...
Protein might help fight global warming
DENTON, Texas, Feb. 8 (UPI) -- University of North Texas scientists say they've found a way of using eco-friendly proteins to capture carbon dioxide from industrial smokestacks.
Toshiba Develops SRAM Circuit Technique that Secures Low Voltage Operation of System LSI
Toshiba Corporation today announced that it has developed a breakthrough technology that achieves low voltage operation of System LSI, opening the way to reduced power consumption in digital products. The...
Glowing Wallpaper Made Of Plastic - Much Less Annoying Than It Sounds
Using graphene, Swedish and American researchers say they have succeeded in producing a new type of lighting component which they claim will be inexpensive to produce and can be fully...
Opinion: The Black Saturday dragon
Max Rheese argues that a repeat of Black Saturday is inevitable, and advises that more effort be made to control bushfire fuel by prescribed burning.
Closure on a knotty problem
Researchers use ring-closing metathesis to tie off loose ends of an open-knot complex to form a molecular trefoil knot
Princeton scientist makes a leap in quantum computing
A major hurdle in the ambitious quest to design and construct a radically new kind of quantum computer has been finding a way to manipulate the single electrons that very...
Habit-learning device will lower energy bills under new clean energy cashback scheme
Smart control units that learn householders' energy habits and provide immediate feedback on consumption could give home energy savings of up to 20% without compromising comfort...
How Can Ice Work Like A Horse?
How Can Ice Work Like A Horse? In this short series of articles about coal, engines and energy I am trying to show something of the history behind our current knowledge...
Sunny Record: Breakthrough for Hybrid Solar Cells
Scientists in Germany have succeeded in developing a method for treating the surface of nanoparticles which greatly improves the efficiency of organic solar cells. The researchers were able to attain...
The world through a lens: A moonbow, Hawaii
See more of Wally Pacholka's photographs at AstroPics.comIt is an image worthy of a science fiction film: a rainbow, photographed in the middle of the night, glimmers in the foreground while behind...
By tracking water molecules, physicists hope to unlock secrets of life
Compared to any other liquid on Earth, water behaves in strange and unexpected ways, yet its unusual properties enable and protect life as we know it. By tracking individual water...
Iraq heads for OPEC clash over quota
BAGHDAD, Feb. 5 (UPI) -- The government seems set to clash with the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries after declaring it will not participate in the cartel's production quota...
Texas entrepreneur hopes to turn mesquite into power
Randy Hill lives amid the fossil fuels of America, a place where natural gas and crude oil made millionaires and the landscape is dotted with pump jacks. But Hill, who...
Physics of curling probed for Olympic team
A researcher studying the science of curling has found that sweeping doesn't melt the pebbly ice as many believe, but softens it and subtly changes its physical characteristics.
Electrons on the brink: Fractal patterns may be key to semiconductor magnetism (w/ Video)
(PhysOrg.com) -- Just as the heartbeats of today's electronic devices depend on the ability to switch the flow of electricity in semiconductors on and off with lightning speed, the viability...
BP casts shadow over green energy
LONDON, Feb. 5 (UPI) -- Ambitions for a push to abandon conventional fossil fuels in favor of green energy technology are shortsighted, the chief executive of BP said in...