Measuring nanocomposite structures with neutron and X-ray scattering
Experiments with state-of-the-art scattering instruments reveal an absence of specific patterns in the X-rays scattered by nanocomposite materials. With the help of advanced simulation techniques, a new study suggests that attractive interactions bet.....»»
New structures offer insight into how a bacterial motor powers bacterial chemotaxis, a key infectious process
Bacteria existed for millennia before humans and have been infecting us from the beginning. Although we can treat infections through pharmaceuticals, bacteria continue to become resistant to treatment thanks to their rapid evolution. Bacterial infect.....»»
Synthesis of two new carbides provides perspective on how complex carbon structures could exist on other planets
Researchers at the University of Bayreuth have gained new insights in the field of high-pressure carbon chemistry: They synthesized two new carbides—compounds of carbon and another chemical element—with unique structures. The results may provide.....»»
Freeze casting—a guide to creating hierarchically structured materials
Freeze casting is an elegant, cost-effective manufacturing technique to produce highly porous materials with custom-designed hierarchical architectures, well-defined pore orientation, and multifunctional surface structures. Freeze-cast materials are.....»»
Imaging technique shows new details of peptide structures
A new imaging technique developed by engineers at Washington University in St. Louis can give scientists a much closer look at fibril assemblies—stacks of peptides that include amyloid beta, most notably associated with Alzheimer's disease......»»
AI designs active pharmaceutical ingredients quickly and easily based on protein structures
A new computer process developed by chemists at ETH Zurich makes it possible to generate active pharmaceutical ingredients quickly and easily based on a protein's three-dimensional surface. The new process, detailed in Nature Communications, could re.....»»
New model extends theory of pattern formation to the nano-cosmos
A new model developed by scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization (MPI-DS) extends the theory of elastic phase separation towards nanoscopic structures. Such patterns are frequent in biological systems and also used.....»»
Gone in a puff of smoke: 52,000 square kilometers of "long unburnt" Australian habitat has vanished in 40 years
Landscapes that have escaped fire for decades or centuries tend to harbor vital structures for wildlife, such as tree hollows and large logs. But these "long unburnt" habitats can be eliminated by a single blaze......»»
CMS Collaboration observes new all-heavy quark structures
For over a decade, the CMS Collaboration, a large team of researchers based at different institutes worldwide, has been analyzing data collected at the Compact Muon Solenoid, a general-purpose particle detector at CERN's Large Hadron Collider (LHC)......»»
Study shines light on properties and promise of hexagonal boron nitride, used in electronic and photonics technologies
Single-photon emitters (SPEs) are akin to microscopic lightbulbs that emit only one photon (a quantum of light) at a time. These tiny structures hold immense importance for the development of quantum technology, particularly in applications such as s.....»»
Advances in understanding the evolution of stomach loss in agastric fishes
Living beings can evolve to lose biological structures due to potential survival benefits from such losses. For example, certain groups of ray-finned fishes show such regressive evolution—medakas, minnows, puffera, and wrasses do not have a stomach.....»»
Merging nuclear physics experiments and astronomical observations to advance equation-of-state research
For most stars, neutron stars and black holes are their final resting places. When a supergiant star runs out of fuel, it expands and then rapidly collapses on itself. This act creates a neutron star—an object denser than our sun crammed into a spa.....»»
First evidence of ancient human occupation found in giant lava tube cave in Saudi Arabia
If you look from above, you can see thousands of stone structures dotting the landscape of the Arabian peninsula. On the ground, you can find a bounty of stone tools and ancient fireplaces scattered along the edges of ancient lakes, as well as rock a.....»»
Astronauts to patch up NASA"s NICER telescope
NASA is planning to repair NICER (Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer), an X-ray telescope on the International Space Station, during a spacewalk later this year. It will be the fourth science observatory in orbit serviced by astronauts......»»
Paleontologists unearth what may be the largest known marine reptile
The fossilized remains of a second gigantic jawbone measuring more than two meters long has been found on a beach in Somerset, UK. Experts have identified the bones as belonging to the jaws of a new species of enormous ichthyosaur, a type of prehisto.....»»
A powerful technique for tracking a protein"s fleeting shape changes
Researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine have developed a powerful, new technique to generate "movies" of changing protein structures and speeds of up to 50 frames per second......»»
Spintronics: A new path to room temperature swirling spin textures
In some materials, spins form complex magnetic structures within the nanometer and micrometer scale in which the magnetization direction twists and curls along specific directions. Examples of such structures are magnetic bubbles, skyrmions, and magn.....»»
Improved mid-infrared nanoscopy enables 30 times clearer view of the insides of bacteria
A team at the University of Tokyo have constructed an improved mid-infrared microscope, enabling them to see the structures inside living bacteria at the nanometer scale. Mid-infrared microscopy is typically limited by its low resolution, especially.....»»
Scientists develop framework to measure plastic emissions and bolster U.N. efforts to reduce pollution
University of Toronto (U of T) scientists have developed a framework for measuring plastic pollution emissions akin to the global standard for measuring greenhouse gas emissions. The researchers say the approach will boost identification of the bigge.....»»
Neutron stars could be heating up from dark matter annihilation
One of the big mysteries about dark matter particles is whether they interact with each other. We still don't know the exact nature of what dark matter is. Some models argue that dark matter only interacts gravitationally, but many more posit that da.....»»
A machine learning-based approach to discover nanocomposite films for biodegradable plastic alternatives
The accumulation of plastic waste in natural environments is of utmost concern, as it is contributing to the destruction of ecosystems and is causing harm to aquatic life. In recent years, material scientists have thus been trying to identify all-nat.....»»