A phenomenon that has previously been seen when researchers simulate the properties of planet cores at extreme pressures has now also been observed in pure titanium at atmospheric pressure. Chains of atoms dash around at lightning speeds inside the solid material.
Read moreUsing a range of theoretical and simulation approaches, physicists have shown that liquids in contact with substrates can exhibit a finite number of classes of behavior and identify the important new ones.
Read moreAntique artefacts have been studied by chemists, revealing a hitherto unknown use of yellow in Ancient Egypt.
Read moreChemists have created a new material that self-assembles into 2D networks in a predictable and reproducible manner. They have successfully synthesized a complex material by design — paving the way for its suite of new properties to be applied in many fields.
Read moreScientists use the plasmonic properties of gold nanoparticles to amplify light from molecules triggered by electrochemiluminescence. The work could help researchers analyze the active surfaces of catalysts and other materials at the nanoscale.
Read moreA team of acoustic researchers has built macroscopic crystal structures that use internal rotation to attenuate the propagation of waves. The method makes it possible to build very light and stiff materials that can also 'swallow' low frequencies very well, as they report.
Read moreTopological insulators are innovative materials that conduct electricity on the surface, but act as insulators on the inside. Physicists have begun investigating how they react to friction. Their experiment shows that the heat generated through friction is significantly lower than in conventional materials. This is due to a new quantum mechanism, the researchers report.
Read moreScientists have created a nano-electronic circuit which vibrates without any external force. Just as a guitar string vibrates when plucked, the wire — 100,000 times thinner than a guitar string — vibrates when forced into motion by an oscillating voltage. The surprise came when they repeated the experiment without the forcing voltage. Under the right conditions, the wire oscillated of its own accord. The nano-guitar string was playing itself.
Read moreControlling the interactions between light and matter has been a long-standing ambition for scientists seeking to develop and advance numerous technologies that are fundamental to society. With the boom of nanotechnology in recent years, the nanoscale manipulation of light has become both, a promising pathway to continue this advancement, as well as a unique challenge due to new behaviors that appear when the dimensions of structures become comparable to the wavelength of light.
Read moreA new study explores the chemistry as well as the complicated and alarming history of DFDT, a fast-acting insecticide.
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