Ce-doped yttria transparent ceramic: A new ultraviolet-shielding material for extreme conditions
Ultraviolet (UV) radiation can break most of the chemical bonds in organic matter, and prolonged exposure to ultraviolet light can cause significant harm to humans and objects. In response, UV-shielding materials have been developed to fulfill variou.....»»
Researchers address material challenges to make commercial fusion power a reality
Imagine if we could take the energy of the sun, put it in a container, and use it to provide green, sustainable power for the world. Creating commercial fusion power plants would essentially make this idea a reality. However, there are several scient.....»»
Aerosols could be weakening summertime circulation in the Northern Hemisphere
Over the past several decades, summer jet streams (or west to east wind flow) and weather systems in the Northern Hemisphere have weakened. Projections suggest the trend will continue, which could make extreme heat events more likely and affect air q.....»»
Scientists provide insights into photosystem II under low-light conditions
In higher plants and green algae, photosystem II (PSII) usually combines with light harvesting complex II (LHCII) to form the PSII-LHCII supercomplex. Under low-light conditions, the PSII-LHCII supercomplexes are organized laterally into higher-order.....»»
Survey of 26,000 dead stars confirms key details of extreme stellar behavior
A study of more than 26,000 white dwarf stars has confirmed a long-predicted but elusive effect in these ultra-dense, dying stars: Hotter white dwarfs are slightly puffier than cooler ones, even when they have the same mass......»»
Study explores effects of particle emissions from offshore wind farms on blue mussels
After several years of service under harsh weather conditions, the rotor blades of offshore wind parks are subjected to degradation and surface erosion, releasing sizeable quantities of particle emissions into the environment......»»
Physicists magnetize a material with light: Terahertz technique could improve memory chip design
MIT physicists have created a new and long-lasting magnetic state in a material, using only light......»»
The winter solstice is almost here, the Northern Hemisphere"s darkest day
The winter solstice is Saturday, bringing the shortest day and longest night of the year to the Northern Hemisphere—ideal conditions for holiday lights and warm blankets......»»
Submarines for space exploration
Submarines are emerging as a unique research platform to study human adaption to extreme environments—from ocean depths to outer space......»»
Prehistoric rock in Japan reveals clues to major ocean anoxic event
By studying prehistoric rocks and fossils emerging from the side of Mount Ashibetsu in Japan, researchers have precisely refined the timing and duration of Ocean Anoxic Event 1a (OAE 1a), an extreme environmental disruption that choked oxygen from Ea.....»»
"Video game ecology" can help us understand the climate crisis in our forests
When we think of climate change we often think of extreme events like flooding rains and large bushfires. But climate change can also have slower, more subtle impacts on our landscapes......»»
Can deep learning techniques predict sudden state transitions in nonlinear dynamical systems?
Nonlinear dynamical systems are systems that can undergo sudden shifts not due to changes in their state or stability, but in response to the rate at which external conditions or parameters change. These sudden shifts, known as noise-induced and rate.....»»
Waal river draws more water, signaling potential Rhine system shift
Historical observations and model computations point to the Rhine system having crossed a tipping point. Since extreme peak flows in the 1990s, the Waal has gradually attracted more water at the Pannerdense Kop bifurcation. This is shown in research.....»»
Study reveals untapped potential in Switzerland"s wood material flows
Switzerland has set itself a goal that is as ambitious as it is necessary: net zero by 2050. One of the most important raw materials on the road to a climate-neutral future is wood. This renewable natural resource binds CO2 from the atmosphere as it.....»»
Unidentified jumping bristletail exhibits extreme specialization in male external genitalia
Researchers at Meijo University and University of Tsukuba collected and taxonomically re-examined numerous enigmatic jumping bristletails. These were first reported 75 years ago. The team observed extreme specialization in the external genitalia of t.....»»
Sea sponge-inspired microlenses offer new possibilities in optics
Beneath the ocean's surface, simple marine animals called sea sponges grow delicate glass skeletons that are as intricate as they are strong. These natural structures are made of a material called silica—also known as bioglass—that is both lightw.....»»
Scientists learn how to make nanotubes that point in one direction
Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have made tungsten disulfide nanotubes which point in the same direction when formed, for the first time. They used a sapphire surface under carefully controlled conditions to form arrayed tungsten disul.....»»
Watch the space station send the first wooden satellite into orbit
NASA has released footage showing the first-ever wooden satellite being deployed to orbit in a study to test its effectiveness as a space material......»»
ALMA observes dusty site of planet formation
The Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) has successfully observed a site of planet formation by detecting a high concentration of dust grains, a planet-forming material, outside the orbits of just-formed planets......»»
How an iconic desert tree survives extreme heat—and the unique risk it"s facing now
New research has found that the punishing summer temperatures and persistent drought conditions in much of Arizona and the Southwest are dealing a double whammy to trees attempting to regulate their own temperature, putting a critical part of the des.....»»
Southern states brace for water changes, report finds
Water is everywhere. It falls freely from the sky and flows across the earth. Humans are inextricably connected to water and to forests. Changes in land use, forest conditions, and climate affect water – with consequences for drinking water treatme.....»»