Physics

  1. Physics

    Cassini confirms Einstein’s theory

    En route to a 2004 rendezvous with Saturn, the Cassini spacecraft has verified a key prediction of Einstein’s theory of general relativity to an accuracy 50 times better than that of previous measurements.

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  2. Physics

    Hot Crystal

    In seeming violation of one of the laws of physics, a new type of metal microstructure promises to lead to far more efficient incandescent light bulbs and also to boost the development of light-based microcircuits and heat-to-electricity generators.

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  3. Materials Science

    A Soft Touch: Imaging technique reveals hidden atoms

    Researchers have devised a new imaging technique for visualizing every carbon atom in the basic unit of graphite.

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  4. Materials Science

    Charging cartilage

    A hybrid material made of biodegradable polymers and carbon nanotubes yields an optimal scaffold for growing cartilage.

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  5. Materials Science

    Soft spheres yield photonic structures

    A novel technique for patterning light-guiding channels through photonic crystals made of hydrogel nanoparticles may lead to faster, all-optical telecommunications technologies.

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  6. Materials Science

    Molecular Memory: Carbon-nanotube device stores data in molecules

    Scientists have created a memory device in which data are encoded in switching molecules called catenanes that are attached to a carbon nanotube.

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  7. Physics

    One-Atom Laser: Trapped atom shoots steady light beam

    A single, ultracold cesium atom sandwiched between two mirrors yields the most orderly beam of laser light ever.

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  8. Physics

    Particle decays hint at new matter

    A surprising disagreement between particle-physics theory and a Japan-based research team's measurement of decay rates of matter and antimatter hints that unknown, heavy subatomic particles may exist.

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  9. Physics

    Electron breakup? Physics shake-up

    A controversial theoretical proposal that challenges more than a century of theory and experiments suggests that loose electrons in liquid helium may break into pieces, dubbed electrinos.

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  10. Physics

    One-molecule chemistry gets big reaction

    Carrying out a widely used chemical reaction on one molecule at a time, researchers demonstrate unprecedented control of molecular behavior and, possibly, the ability to make novel nanotechnology devices and compounds that can't be created with ordinary chemistry.

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  11. Physics

    Fusion Boost: Promising path to heavy nuclei

    By using radioactive nuclei as projectiles in accelerator-based nuclear collisions, scientists may be able to produce more readily than expected many exotic heavy nuclei that are impossible to make today but are crucial for future advances in nuclear physics.

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  12. Materials Science

    Sopping Up Heavy Metal: Hybrid material removes mercury from water

    A hybrid material consisting of a bacterial protein and a temperature-sensitive polymer proves efficient at removing mercury from contaminated water.

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