Notre Dame cathedral first to use iron reinforcements in 12th century
Devastating 2019 fire gave scholars access to previously hidden parts of the cathedral. Enlarge / The Notre-Dame de Paris has been under restoration since a devastating fire destroyed the main spire and roof in April 2019. (credi.....»»
Scholars discover rare 16th-century tome with handwritten notes by John Milton
Poet crossed out one racy passage, deeming it "an unbecom[ing] tale for a hist[ory]" Enlarge / John Milton citing Spenser on the recent history of Ireland in his 1587 edition of Raphael Holinshed's Chronicles. Note Milton's itali.....»»
John Milton’s handwritten notes make this 16th century history book a rare find
Poet crossed out one racy passage, deeming it "an unbecom[ing] tale for a hist[ory]" Enlarge / John Milton citing Spenser on the recent history of Ireland in his 1587 edition of Raphael Holinshed's Chronicles. Note Milton's itali.....»»
Exploring interface phenomena for more durable and effective nickel–tungsten alloys
Alloying is a key process in creating new materials. By combining metals with desirable traits, scientists can produce alloys with suitable properties. For example, stainless steel, formed by combining iron with chromium, nickel, and other elements i.....»»
Chemists succeed in synthesizing a molecule first predicted 20 years ago
The first and the best-known metallocene is "ferrocene," which contains a single iron atom. Today, sandwich complexes can be found in many inorganic chemistry textbooks, and the bonding and electronic structure of metallocenes is taught in undergradu.....»»
Researchers elucidate ultrafast laser-induced solid-to-overdense-plasma transitions
The interaction of solids with high-intensity ultra-short laser pulses has enabled major technological breakthroughs over the past half-century. On the one hand, laser ablation of solids offers micromachining and miniaturization of elements in medica.....»»
Transforming common soft magnets into next-generation thermoelectric conversion materials with 3-minute heat treatment
A research team from NIMS and Nagoya University has demonstrated that an iron-based amorphous alloy, widely used as a soft magnetic material in transformers and motors, can be transformed into a "transverse" thermoelectric conversion material that co.....»»
Changes in pig farming in the 20th century spread antibiotic-resistant Salmonella around the world, finds study
Historical changes in pig farming led to the global spread of Salmonella, resistant to antibiotics—a new international study led by researchers at the University of Warwick suggests......»»
NASA and JAXA XRISM spot iron fingerprints in nearby active galaxy
After starting science operations in February, Japan-led XRISM (X-ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission) studied the monster black hole at the center of galaxy NGC 4151......»»
Anti-Piracy Veteran Tim Kuik Retires After Leading BREIN for a Quarter Century
BREIN CEO Tim Kuik has retired, shutting down an impressive career that pre-dates the world wide web. Kuik started working at a home video distributor in the 1980s and became director anti-piracy at the Motion Picture Association a decade later. He.....»»
Smart labs for bespoke synthesis of nanomaterials are emerging
In the early 20th century, the development of a catalyst for ammonia synthesis by the Haber-Bosch method took more than 10,000 experiments before it was successful. The development of new materials is a time-consuming and costly process from design t.....»»
Bio-inspired materials" potential for efficient mass transfer boosted by a new twist on a century-old theory
The natural vein structure found within leaves—which has inspired the structural design of porous materials that can maximize mass transfer—could unlock improvements in energy storage, catalysis, and sensing thanks to a new twist on a century-old.....»»
Researchers explore raw materials and firing technology for porcelain from late sixth-century Xing kiln
In the process of firing ceramics, the appearance, structure and properties of ceramics are determined by raw materials and firing technology, so the study of raw materials and firing technology of ancient ceramics has always been a very important ar.....»»
Eating the way we do hurts us and the planet, Canadian study finds
In an age of abundance and variety in food options, are Canadians eating better than they were half a century ago? According to a recent paper by researchers at McGill University and the International Food Policy Research Institute, those relying on.....»»
Glow of an exoplanet may be from starlight reflecting off liquid iron
A phenomenon called a "glory" may be happening on a hellishly hot giant planet. Enlarge / Artist impression of a glory on exoplanet WASP-76b. (credit: ESA) Do rainbows exist on distant worlds? Many phenomena that happen.....»»
Beautifully crafted Roman dodecahedron discovered in Lincoln—but what were they for?
Roman dodecahedra are something of an enigma: there is no known mention of these 12-sided, hollow objects in ancient Roman texts or images. First discovered in the 18th century, around 130 dodecahedra have been found across the Roman Empire, although.....»»
Call of the conch: Archaeologists suggest Indigenous Americans used sound to organize local communities
Archaeologists have modeled the auditory range of conch-shell trumpets in the 9th–11th century US Southwest, proposing that the sound was key in the structuring of pre-Columbian Pueblo communities......»»
Assyriologist claims to have solved archaeological mystery from 700 BC
Ancient symbols on a 2,700-year-old temple, which have baffled experts for more than a century, have been explained by Trinity Assyriologist Dr. Martin Worthington......»»
What’s new on HBO and Max in May 2024
HBO and Max's May 2024 lineup includes Turtles All the Way Down, Hacks season 3, The Iron Claw, Home Sweet Rome, Mad Max, and MoviePass, MovieCrash......»»
Researchers discover key functions of therapeutically promising jumbo viruses
Antibiotic medicines became a popular treatment for bacterial infections in the early 20th century and emerged as a transformational tool in human health. Through the middle of the century, novel antibiotics were regularly developed in the medication.....»»
Robots can"t outrun animals. A new study explores why
The question may be the 21st century's version of the fable of the tortoise and the hare: Who would win in a foot race between a robot and an animal?.....»»