Snakeskin inspires new, friction-reducing material
A research team led by CU Boulder has designed a new kind of synthetic "skin" as slippery as the scales of a snake......»»
Spontaneous supercrystal discovered in switching metal-insulator
A supercrystal formation previously unobserved in a metal-insulating material was discovered by a Cornell-led research team, potentially unlocking new ways to engineer materials and devices with tunable electronic properties......»»
A novel thermal insulation material for ultra-high temperature applications: Hierarchical porous high-entropy ceramics
Thermal insulation material is a critical part of the thermal protection system (TPS) of hypersonic vehicles. Recently, high-entropy ceramics have attracted great attention in thermal insulation for their low thermal conductivity due to the scatterin.....»»
Researchers zero in on the underlying mechanism that causes alloys to crack when exposed to hydrogen-rich environments
When deciding what material to use for infrastructure projects, metals are often selected for their durability. However, if placed in a hydrogen-rich environment, like water, metals can become brittle and fail. Since the mid-19th century, this phenom.....»»
Opening up new ground in the search for dark matter
A new kind of detector for dark matter has the potential to make a direct detection of the enigmatic material, according to an analysis by RIKEN physicists......»»
Material with molecular trapdoor holds promise for highly selective gas adsorption
An international team led by scientists at City University of Hong Kong has found a flexible metal-organic framework (MOF) with one-dimensional channels that acts as a "molecular trapdoor" to selectively adsorb gases, such as carbon dioxide, in respo.....»»
Restoring eroded peatlands could reduce flood risk for communities downstream, say UK researchers
Scientists from The University of Manchester, The University of Aberdeen and Newcastle University have found that the restoration of upland peatlands is a highly effective strategy for reducing downstream flooding......»»
Why Connecticut is a model for reducing racial disparities in traffic stops—and why other states haven"t succeeded
More than 20 million drivers are stopped by police every year in the U.S. Although traffic stops are relatively routine, they can also turn deadly, particularly for minority drivers. It's why some states have started to more closely examine racial di.....»»
How a futuristic material is able to change its properties from soft to rigid, and back again
In our everyday life, we are surrounded by objects that have properties enabling them to perform certain functions. Rigidity and softness enable an object to perform a specific function. These properties are seemingly opposing in nature, and one prop.....»»
Smartphone reminders found to have negative impact on learning times
Do smartphone reminders encourage pupils to engage regularly with learning material? Researchers at the DIPF | Leibniz Institute for Research and Information in Education investigating this question came to the conclusion that simple reminders such a.....»»
Scientists develop new AI method to create material "fingerprints"
Like people, materials evolve over time. They also behave differently when they are stressed and relaxed. Scientists looking to measure the dynamics of how materials change have developed a new technique that leverages X-ray photon correlation spectr.....»»
Asexual reproduction usually leads to a lack of genetic diversity. Not for these ants
Genetic diversity is essential to the survival of a species. It's easy enough to maintain if a species reproduces sexually; an egg and a sperm combine genetic material from two creatures into one, forming a genomically robust offspring with two disti.....»»
Examining the benefits of worksite weight-based discrimination training
A workshop developed by University of Oregon researchers shows promise in reducing bias against people with larger bodies in the workplace, according to a new study......»»
Kenyan crop contamination outbreak inspires grad student to improve rice storage
While half the global population relies on rice as a staple, about 15% of rice produced each year is contaminated by potentially fatal aflatoxins. Seeing this threaten lives in her home country of Kenya prompted a graduate research assistant to focus.....»»
Observing how light makes a metal—new details about the insulator-to-metal transition in a quantum material
With just the flick of a switch, quantum materials can undergo drastic changes. One notable example is the insulator-to-metal transition, a reversible physical phenomenon in which a material shifts from an insulating state, which will not conduct ele.....»»
Minneapolis is on the leading edge of biochar, a carbon sequestering material full of promise and still under research
Minneapolis is on track to become one of the first U.S. cities to invest in biochar, a multifunctional, charcoal-like material said to help grow bigger plants, reduce storm water runoff and remove carbon from the atmosphere......»»
This super-expensive Analogue Pocket is about to go on sale
Analogue announced its latest special-edition Pocket, and it's made out of aluminum. However, that material comes at a cost......»»
Prussian blue analogs unlock affordable, long-lasting lithium-ion batteries
Prussian blue (PB), a well-known pigment used to dye jeans, has been recognized as an emerging material for next-generation batteries. A team of researchers, led by Professor Hyun-Wook Lee in the School of Energy and Chemical Engineering at UNIST has.....»»
New experiment investigates light-induced Meissner effect in optically driven superconductor
Superconductivity is a fascinating phenomenon, which allows a material to sustain an electrical current without any loss. This collective quantum behavior of matter only appears in certain conductors at temperatures far below ambient......»»
Scientists propose new solutions to keep drinking water safe as pesticide use skyrockets worldwide
Water scientists from Australia and China have proposed a more effective method of removing organic pesticides from drinking water, reducing the risk of contamination and potential health problems......»»
High-speed electron camera uncovers new "light-twisting" behavior in ultrathin material
While taking snapshots with the high-speed electron camera at the Department of Energy's SLAC National Acceleratory Laboratory, researchers discovered new behavior in an ultrathin material that offers a promising approach to manipulating light that w.....»»