Latest science news in Physics & Chemistry
This 200-mph electric motorcycle will try to stop accidents before they happen
The Damon Hypersport is expected to ship next year. (Rob Bubek/)While automakers have loaded their cars with increasingly sophisticated and effective safety technology in recent years, motorcycles—which are in more desperate need of...
Light burns with new acids
Researchers at Nara Institute of Science and Technology (NAIST) report a photo-acid generator (PAG) that generates Lewis acids with a quantum yield that is vastly superior to PAGs that generate...
Invisible X-rays turn blue
A new reaction system can detect X-rays at the highest sensitivity ever recorded by using organic molecules. The system, developed by researchers at Nara Institute of Science and Technology (NAIST),...
Caught soap-handed: Understanding how soap molecules help proteins get in and out of shape
Understanding the interactions between proteins and soap molecules (surfactants) has long been important for the industry, particularly within detergents and cosmetics. The anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) is known...
Large dipole moment induced wide-spectrum bismuth chromate for efficient photocatalytic performance
The conversion and utilization of solar energy for chemical fuel production and environmental remediation through artificial photocatalysis have been recognized to be an ideal route to address the critical energy...
Next generation of greenhouses may be fully solar powered
Many greenhouses could become energy neutral by using see-through solar panels to harvest energy - primarily from the wavelengths of light that plants don't use for photosynthesis.
Caught soap-handed: Understanding how soap molecules help proteins get in and out of shape
Controlling protein structure is crucial in the production of detergents and cosmetics. Up to now we have not had a clear understanding of how soap molecules and proteins work together...
Discovering the Elusive Quantum Spin Liquid State
Scientists may have discovered a quantum phase where magnetic moments of electrons (the strength and orientation of a magnet) inherently change over time and never become ordered even at absolute...
2-foot-tall escaped owl captured on school playground
A large escaped owl spotted near a British elementary school was captured on the playground by a student's father.
Silver sawtooth creates valley-coherent light for nanophotonics
Scientists at the University of Groningen used a silver sawtooth nanoslit array to produce valley-coherent photoluminescence in two-dimensional tungsten disulfide flakes at room temperature. Until now, this could only be...
Jackiw-Rebbi zero-mode: Realizing non-Abelian braiding in non-Majorana system
As an important branch of quantum computation, topological quantum computation has been drawing extensive attention for holding great advantages such as fault-tolerance. Topological quantum computation is based on the non-Abelian...
Using neutrons and X-rays to analyze the aging of lithium batteries
An international team has used neutron and X-ray tomography to investigate the dynamic processes that lead to capacity degradation at the electrodes in lithium batteries. Using a new mathematical method,...
The power of going small: Copper oxide subnanoparticle catalysts prove most superior
Scientists have shown that copper oxide particles on the sub-nanoscale are more powerful catalysts than those on the nanoscale. These subnanoparticles can also catalyze the oxidation reactions of aromatic hydrocarbons...
The power of going small: Copper oxide subnanoparticle catalysts prove most superior
Scientists at Tokyo Institute of Technology have shown that copper oxide particles on the sub-nanoscale are more powerful catalysts than those on the nanoscale. These subnanoparticles can also catalyze the...
Neutrons, X-rays help scientists study aging process in lithium batteries
For the first time, scientists have used neutrons and X-rays to study the effects of repeated charge-discharge cycles on electrode surfaces in lithium batteries.
Engineers mix and match materials to make new stretchy electronics
A new process may be the key to manufacturing flexible electronics with multiple functionalities in a cost-effective way.
New multiplatform photon switch for application in quantum technology
An international team led by the Institute of Materials Science (ICMUV) of the University of Valencia has developed an optical (quantum) switch that modifies the emission properties of photons, the...
Simple, solar-powered water desalination
A completely passive solar-powered desalination system developed by researchers at MIT and in China could provide more than 1.5 gallons of fresh drinking water per hour for every square meter...
Yarn created from skin cells can be woven into human textiles
A team of researchers from France, Columbia and the U.S. has developed a type of yarn from human skin cells that can be woven into human textiles. In their paper...
Bending diamond at the nanoscale
A team of scientists has discovered diamond can be bent and deformed, at the nanoscale at least. The discovery opens up a range of possibilities for the design and engineering...
Scientists look inside batteries with a molecular eye
Scientists are closer to understanding exactly what happens inside batteries that make them prone to fire, thanks to a molecular eye of sorts.
The 120-year old cold case for the Grignard reaction is finally solved
The Grignard reaction is used to synthesize carbon-carbon bonds, a crucial step for making new molecules for academic and industry uses. Finding efficient and selective methods for this reaction, using...
Using neutrons and X-rays to analyze the aging of lithium batteries
Lithium batteries power smart phones, laptops, and electric bicycles and cars by storing energy in a very small space. This compact design is usually achieved by winding the thin sandwich...
Magnetoelectric coupling in a paramagnetic ferroelectric crystal demonstrated
A team of researchers at Shenzhen University has demonstrated magnetoelectric coupling in a paramagnetic ferroelectric crystal. In their paper published in the journal Science, the group describes the ytterbium-based molecular...
Watch: Barcelona knocked out of Copa del Rey after own goal
Sergio Busquets scored a goal against his own team in stoppage time to knock Barcelona out of the Copa del Rey, stopping the La Liga power from making it to...
New material created to clean up fossil fuel industry
Researchers at the University of Sydney have created a new material that has the potential to reduce CO2 emissions released during the refinement process of crude oil by up to...
Magnetic microrobots use capillary forces to coax particles into position
At microscopic scales, picking, placing, collecting, and arranging objects is a persistent challenge. Advances in nanotechnology mean that there are ever more complex things we'd like to build at those...
Chemist develops technique to improve solar cells
A RUDN University chemist has discovered four new stable compounds that can be obtained in the reaction of iodine with methylammonium iodide—the use of these substances will allow the production...