Physics

  1. Physics

    Signs of new five-quark particle

    Physicists at a German particle collider unveiled evidence of a new five-quark particle.

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  2. Physics

    Particle breakdowns beat expectations

    A fresh analysis of 2002 accelerator data finds a third instance of a type of breakdown of subatomic kaons that's not supposed to happen so often, suggesting that shadowy, hypothetical particles predicted by a theory called supersymmetry may be influencing kaon behavior.

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  3. Materials Science

    High-temperature ceramics takes flight

    A recent NASA flight test of ultrahigh-temperature ceramic materials might lead to a new aerospace design that would make the space shuttle look downright old-fashioned.

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  4. Materials Science

    Scientists tone down silicon rockers

    Researchers have created pairs of silicon atoms that stay level instead of slowly rocking in place, permitting scientists to study silicon-surface reactions in unprecedented detail.

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  5. Materials Science

    Crystal puts pressure on diamonds

    A new type of synthetic crystal called moissanite allows researchers to study more material at high pressure than is possible with traditional diamond devices.

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  6. Materials Science

    Nanotubes take on the Grand Canyon

    A new technique can turn forests of carbon nanotubes into a foamlike material with ideal properties for making lightweight shock absorbers.

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  7. Physics

    A New Form of Water: Melting ice turns oddly dense

    The density of a recently made film of water far exceeds that of ordinary water, suggesting that the film may be the first isolated sample of a proposed form of water thought to contribute to ordinary water's odd properties.

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  8. Materials Science

    Tiny Trouble: Nanoscale materials damage fish brains

    Although nanomaterials could one day lead to more powerful electronics and better medicines, new research shows these tiny materials can also be toxic to fish.

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  9. Physics

    Quantum link connects light, ions

    By proving experimentally for the first time that an atom and a photon can become entwined in a quantum embrace called entanglement, physicists took a step toward teleporting quantum characteristics from one atom to another.

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  10. Materials Science

    Forensics on Trial

    A decades-long practice of matching bullets on the basis of their chemical makeup is flawed, and the story behind this forensic technique reveals how science can get distorted in the courtroom.

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  11. Physics

    Complexity by way of simplicity

    Researchers have demonstrated a new way to simplify some intricate patterns whose extreme complexity has convinced theoretical physicist Stephen Wolfram that traditional science can't explain many important natural phenomena.

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  12. Materials Science

    New work improves stainless steel surface

    A novel electrochemical method improves the surface of stainless steel without making the metal brittle or prone to corrosion.

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