Latest science news in Physics & Chemistry
Gecko's lessons transfer well
Watch a gecko walk up a wall. It defies gravity as it sticks to the surface no matter how smooth it appears to be...
The real holes in climate science
Like any other field, research on climate change has some fundamental gaps, although not the ones typically claimed by sceptics. Quirin Schiermeier takes a hard look at some of the...
Watching crystals grow provides clues to making smoother, defect-free thin films
To make thin films for semiconductors in electronic devices, layers of atoms must be grown in neat, crystalline sheets. But while some materials grow smooth crystals, others tend to develop...
Queen's Human Media Lab makes board games electronic
KINGSTON, ON -- A groundbreaking technology developed at Queen's University in Ontario, Canada may make traditional board games a thing of the past.
Mussel-inspired 'glue' for fetal membrane repair
A sealant inspired by mussels' ability to stick to surfaces under wet conditions has shown promise in the repair of defects in human fetal membranes, according to a new study....
Ions trapped by optical fields
New laser-trapping technique for charged particles opens door to advanced quantum simulations
Could tsunamis offer an electric warning?
A killer surge of sea water racing across an ocean should, theoretically, generate an electrical current that ought to be detectable by existing undersea cables, say researchers. ...
German solar power market faces overhaul
BERLIN, Jan. 22 (UPI) -- The world's biggest solar energy market faces a major overhaul as the German government plans a significant cut to solar subsidies.
Quantum computer simulates hydrogen molecule just right
Team builds device that uses two photons to calculate electron energies
IBM Research Sets New Record in Magnetic Tape Data Density (w/ Video)
IBM researchers today announced they have demonstrated a world record in areal data density on linear magnetic tape - a significant update to one of the computer industry's most resilient,...
Infineon Launches New Generation Multimode HSPA+ RF Transceiver SMARTi UE2
Infineon Technologies AG today announced sample delivery of SMARTi UE2, the latest generation multi-band HSPA+/EDGE/GPRS RF transceiver for mobile devices.
UChicago Establishes New Center for Chemical Innovation
The University of Chicago and four partner universities have established a center for chemical innovation to pursue a broad range of similar research aimed at spurring innovation and economic competitiveness.
A Lawyer's View of the Risk of Black Hole Catastrophe at the LHC
(PhysOrg.com) -- Just bringing up the topic of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) creating a black hole that destroys the Earth might seem unscientific and out of place on a...
An organic transistor paves the way for new generations of neuro-inspired computers
For the first time, French researchers at CNRS and CEA have developed a transistor that can mimic the main functionalities of a synapse.
Slime design mimics Tokyo's rail system
What could human engineers possibly learn from the lowly slime mould? Reliable, cost-efficient network construction, apparently: a recent experiment suggests that Physarum polycephalum, a gelatinous fungus-like mould, might actually lead...
Chaos at French nanotech debates
Protestors have caused the public to be banned from nanotechnology debates taking place across France
Can the Eastern U.S. get a fifth of its power from wind by 2024?
Major upgrades to the transmission infrastructure and a sizable chunk of cash from private investors and the government are necessary for the Midwest and East Coast to move to 20...
South Korea aims for nuclear power deals
SEOUL, Jan. 21 (UPI) -- After closing 2009 with a $20 billion order from the United Arab Emirates to build nuclear power plants, South Korea aims to ink more...
Jostling balls reveal secrets of ultrathin films
Experiment with plastic colloidal spheres simulates epitaxial growth on the atomic scale
How does an outfielder know where to run for a fly ball?
Rockville, MD -- While baseball fans still rank "The Catch" by Willie Mays in the 1954 World Series as one of the greatest baseball moments of all times,...
Researchers suggest new memory storage mineral
(PhysOrg.com) -- Researcher Derek Stewart says the mineral kotoite could be an ideal insulator for memory storage devices called magnetic tunnel junctions.
Explained: Gallager codes
In the 1948 paper that created the field of information theory, MIT grad (and future professor) Claude Shannon threw down the gauntlet to future generations of researchers. In those predigital...
Go easy on the environment -- and our wallets, says Generation Y
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- When it comes to saving the environment, Generation Y is all for it -- as long as it comes with an economic benefit,...
Blinking Cadavers: Blindness Treatment?
Scientists Uncover Way to Make Eyelids Blink Using Electrical Charges
RFID tags to boost transit worker safety
Trackside transit workers may soon be sporting RFID tags to improve their safety.
Saying goodbye at airports the green way
Groundbreaking work is under way to establish just how big a carbon footprint is created by travel to and from airports.
Dye turns fabric into a battery
A method of creating energy storage devices using a carbon nanotube "ink" has been shown to work on ordinary fabrics.
Electromagnetic Pulse Cannon Has The Attention Of The USAF (w/ Video)
(PhysOrg.com) -- According to Flight International, a Canadian company will soon demo an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) cannon that is capable of stopping a car at a distance of 656 feet...