Spiropyran-functionalized photochromic nylon webbings for long-term ultraviolet light sensing
Webbing structures—from chin straps and parachute material to space habitats—are extensively employed in engineering systems as load-bearing components. They are frequently subjected to extended ultraviolet (UV) light irradiation, which can affec.....»»
Study sheds light on limitations of zooplankton for inactivating pathogen contaminated water
Scientists at The University of Texas at El Paso and Stanford University were recently surprised to find that the natural community of zooplankton—tiny, aquatic animals known to graze on bacteria—present in freshwater and saltwater do not clean w.....»»
Scientists find plant-like behavior in human cells
A team of scientists from Monash University has solved the structure of a protein known as "LYCHOS," which can detect and regulate cell growth by sensing cholesterol levels in the body......»»
There were more black holes in the early universe than we thought, research finds
Supermassive black holes are some of the most impressive (and scary) objects in the universe—with masses around 1 billion times more than that of the sun. And we know they've been around for a long time......»»
Wastewater bacteria can break down plastic for food, yielding new possibilities for cleaning up plastic waste
Researchers have long observed that a common family of environmental bacteria, Comamonadacae, grow on plastics littered throughout urban rivers and wastewater systems. But exactly what these Comamonas bacteria are doing has remained a mystery......»»
Logic with light: Introducing diffraction casting, optical-based parallel computing
Increasingly complex applications such as artificial intelligence require ever more powerful and power-hungry computers to run. Optical computing is a proposed solution to increase speed and power efficiency but has yet to be realized due to constrai.....»»
Protection decisions loom for endangered North Atlantic right whales
Pregnant North Atlantic right whales will soon begin the long swim from the frigid waters off New England's shores to the warm calving grounds of Georgia's coast......»»
Geological surveys shed light on the formation mystery of Uruguay"s amethyst geodes
Amethyst is a violet variety of quartz that has been used as a gemstone for many centuries and is a key economic resource in northern Uruguay. Geodes are hollow rock formations often with quartz crystals, such as amethyst, inside......»»
Decades-long research reveals new understanding of how climate change may impact caches of Arctic soil carbon
Utilizing one of the longest-running ecosystem experiments in the Arctic, a Colorado State University-led team of researchers has developed a better understanding of the interplay among plants, microbes and soil nutrients—findings that offer new in.....»»
FORD: 1st quarterly decline for Ford brand since 2022; Lincoln sales rise
Ford Motor Co.'s U.S. light-vehicle sales rose 0.7 percent in the third quarter, with retail sales up 4 percent......»»
Hurricane Helene shuts down North Carolina facilities crucial for microchip production
Facilities in North Carolina operated by two companies that mine a crucial mineral needed for semiconductor production remain down because of the impacts of Hurricane Helene, raising worries about potential long-term effects on microchip supply......»»
Why PFAS-enriched foam is forming on some of the cleanest lakes in the country
A curious phenomenon springs up occasionally on New York's Finger Lakes: white foam, sometimes in miles-long swathes, almost as if a massive washing machine emptied out into the water......»»
As the Advanced Photon Source upgrade nears completion, scientists anticipate experimental possibilities
In June, X-rays began to shine again at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Advanced Photon Source (APS), a facility where intense, directed X-ray light beams are used to inspect everything from materials for better solar cells and batteries to ant.....»»
NASA powers down Voyager 2 plasma instrument to extend mission
To save power, NASA has switched off another scientific instrument on its long-running Voyager 2 spacecraft......»»
Quantum research paves the way toward efficient, ultra-high-density optical memory storage
As our digital world generates massive amounts of data—more than 2 quintillion bytes of new content each day—yesterday's storage technologies are quickly reaching their limits. Optical memory devices, which use light to read and write data, offer.....»»
The Gut Might Hold the Key to Treating Long Covid in Kids
A placebo-controlled study aims to test if treating gut issues can help children struggling with persistent Covid symptoms......»»
Solar Sails and Comet Tails: How Sunlight Pushes Stuff Around
It seems crazy, but light actually exerts a physical force on objects. It could power a new generation of spacecraft for deep-space missions......»»
Monkey fossils found in cave shed light on the animals" extinction centuries ago
By studying rare fossils of jaws and other skull parts of a long-extinct Caribbean monkey, a team of researchers that includes a Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine professor says it has uncovered new evidence documenting the anatomy and ecol.....»»
Researchers create orientation-independent magnetic field-sensing nanotube spin qubits
Purdue University researchers have developed patent-pending one-dimensional boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) containing spin qubits, or spin defects. The BNNTs are more sensitive in detecting off-axis magnetic fields at high resolution than traditiona.....»»
Q&A: Researchers examine link between light pollution and interest in astronomy
Picture walking outside on a dark, cloudless evening. You look up to admire the stars—maybe even a planet, if you're lucky—and a sense of wonder washes over you. New research from the University of Washington shows this might be more than a memor.....»»
Influence of a black hole"s spin: First evidence of precession in ultraluminous accretion disks
Gas swirls around a black hole due to its intense gravity, forming an accretion disk. These accretion disks, being among the most efficient energy conversion mechanisms in the universe, emit light and plasma jets. When a black hole spins on its axis,.....»»