Materials Science
- Materials Science
Bone-inspired steel cracks less under pressure
Steel that’s structured like bone resists cracks better that the traditional form of the heavy-duty building material.
- Chemistry
New, greener catalysts are built for speed
Researchers are designing catalysts to move chemical reactions without using precious metals, or at least using less of them.
- Materials Science
Germanium computer chips gain ground on silicon — again
Having pushed silicon to its limit, engineers are turning back to germanium.
- Physics
New claim staked for metallic hydrogen
Scientists report transforming hydrogen into a metal at high pressure, but some experts dispute the claim.
- Materials Science
New ‘smart’ fibers curb fires in lithium-ion batteries
To stifle battery fires, scientists create component with heat-release flame retardant.
- Chemistry
New molecular knot is most complex yet
The knot is woven from 192 atoms of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen and forms a triple braid with eight crossing points.
- Materials Science
Graphene Silly Putty detects pitter-patter of spider footsteps
Sensor made of graphene and Silly Putty can detect pulse, breathing — and spider feet.
- Physics
Despite lack of free electrons, bismuth superconducts
Bismuth conducts electricity with no resistance at temperatures near absolute zero, despite lack of mobile electrons.
- Materials Science
Superflexible, 3-D printed “bones” trigger new growth
New ultraflexible material could be the future of bone repair, but awaits human testing.
- Physics
A metallic odyssey, what’s causing sunspots and more reader feedback
Metallic hydrogen, sunspot formation, salty desalination leftovers and more in reader feedback.
- Physics
Nobel awarded for using math of shapes to explain exotic matter
The three scientists who won the 2016 Nobel Prize in physics predicted new materials using mathematics illustrated by bagels and pretzels.
- Materials Science
Qian Chen makes matter come alive
Materials scientist Qian Chen is coaxing nanomaterials to self-assemble in new and unexpected ways.
