Light momentum turns pure silicon from an indirect to a direct bandgap semiconductor
UC Irvine-led research reveals that the optical properties of materials can be dramatically enhanced—not by changing the materials themselves, but by giving the light new properties......»»
Scientists find evidence of hellish, volcanic moon orbiting a distant exoplanet
Scientists have not yet found direct evidence of a moon outside our solar system -- but they just found a hint of a hellish one......»»
2025 VW ID Buzz: Heavy on the nostalgia, road; light on the range
The ID Buzz is more than a play for nostalgia. It helps VW expand into another, though, shrinking segment. VW expects the vehicle to draw buyers from minivans, crossovers and SUVs......»»
Climate change to alter seasonal outdoor activity patterns in US
It can be hard to connect a certain amount of average global warming with one's everyday experience, so researchers at MIT have devised a different approach to quantifying the direct impact of climate change......»»
Walk or run in the rain? A physics-based approached to staying dry (or at least drier)
We've all been there—caught outside without an umbrella as the sky opens up. Whether it's a light drizzle or a heavy downpour, instinct tells us that running will minimize how wet we get. But is that really true? Let's take a scientific look at thi.....»»
Satellite-derived data on artificial light at night indicate rapidly increasing industrial activities in the Arctic
More than 800,000 km2 of the Arctic were affected by human activity in 2013, according to an analysis of satellite-derived data on artificial light at night. On average, 85% of the light-polluted areas are due to industrial activities rather than urb.....»»
How plants compete for light: Researchers discover new mechanism in shade avoidance
Plants that are close together do everything they can to intercept light. This "shade avoidance" response has been extensively researched. It is therefore even more remarkable that researchers from the laboratory of Molecular Biology at Wageningen Un.....»»
Researchers to explore light and ultrasound therapy for melanoma treatment in pigs
Texas A&M University researchers are collaborating on a new project that studies how ultrasound and light can treat melanomas in pigs......»»
All-optical switch device paves way for faster fiber-optic communication
Modern high-speed internet uses light to quickly and reliably transmit large amounts of data through fiber-optic cables, but currently, light signals hit a bottleneck when data processing is necessary. For that, they must convert into electrical sign.....»»
Your Google TV can now control smart home devices
The new Google TV update turns it from an entertainment system into a command center for your entire smart home......»»
Saturday Citations: Brown dwarf actually brown dwarfs; the adaptability of ice-age humans; archaeologists excited
This week, researchers discovered a near-Earth microquasar that sheds new light on sources of relativistic outflows. Doctors reported finding a triphallic gentleman. And neuroscientists reported on modest cognitive boosts from short (or "acute," in c.....»»
Turns out your standing desk may not be so healthy for you after all
Looks like standing desks may not be so healthy after all according to study from highly reputable universities. What are the dangers to look out for?.....»»
Controlling sound waves with Klein tunneling improves acoustic signal filtration
In the context of sensory modalities, eyes work like tiny antennae, picking up light, electromagnetic waves traveling at blistering speeds. When humans look at the world, their eyes catch these waves and convert them into signals the brain reads as c.....»»
Autoliv"s Q3 profits meet expectations as supplier outperforms global market
The safety equipment supplier's third-quarter sales decreased 0.8 percent in an overall market where global light vehicle production was down 4.8 percent......»»
Physicists show that neutron stars may be shrouded in clouds of axions
A team of physicists from the universities of Amsterdam, Princeton and Oxford have shown that extremely light particles known as axions may occur in large clouds around neutron stars. These axions could form an explanation for the elusive dark matter.....»»
Simple voltage pulse can restore capacity to Li-Si batteries
The bad news is that there's not a lot of pure Li-Si batteries in use. If you're using a large battery for a specialized purpose—say grid-scale storage or an electric vehicle—.....»»
New study sheds light on lily toxicity in cats—outpatient treatment may be viable option
A study published recently in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association has revealed new insights into the treatment of cats exposed to toxic lilies, offering hope for pet owners facing this common household hazard......»»
A look into cloudy liquids: New method makes the expansion of turbid drops in water visible
When driving though a bank of fog, car headlights are only of limited help as the light is scattered by the water particles suspended in the air. The situation is similar when you try to observe the inside of a drop of milk in water or the internal s.....»»
Visible light energy yields two-for-one deal when added to carbon dioxide recycling process
By combining visible light and electrochemistry, researchers have enhanced the conversion of carbon dioxide into valuable products and stumbled upon a surprising discovery. The team found that visible light significantly improved an important chemica.....»»
Democrats and Republicans agree on one thing: Censoring hate speech
There is strong disagreement in the United States as to whether, when and how much hate speech should be censored when posted on social media platforms. Democrats and Republicans, in particular, often argue about this question, especially in light of.....»»
Cryo-electron microscopy sheds light on endothelin signaling mechanisms
Endothelin is a peptide hormone known for its vasoconstrictive effects. Researchers at University of Tsukuba used cryo-electron microscopy to examine the complex structure of the endothelin receptor and G protein, which are crucial for signal transdu.....»»