Physics

  1. Physics

    Test puts pedal to heavy metal

    Stellar explosions forge heavy elements such as gold more quickly than scientists had predicted, as indicated by the first measurement of the half-life of a rare form of nickel that's a key link in the chain of element formation.

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  2. Materials Science

    Something to Chew On

    Researchers are closer than ever to making synthetic enamel to improve dental implants and perhaps to grow a whole tooth from scratch.

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  3. Materials Science

    Shape shifter

    Scientists have created a polymer that, after being deformed, will revert to its original shape when exposed to ultraviolet light.

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  4. Physics

    Einstein at Home

    The Einstein@Home program offers participants a chance to use idle time on their computers to search for spinning pulsars in data collected by gravitational-wave detectors in the United States and Europe. This Web site describes the program and lets you sign up your computer for cutting-edge astrophysics research. Go to: http://einstein.phys.uwm.edu/

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  5. Physics

    Extreme Matter: Mother of all material flows into view

    By making an extremely hot and dense state of matter that, surprisingly, is a liquid, physicists say they may have finally created a sample of matter much like the primordial stuff that permeated the newborn universe and gave rise to all other matter.

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  6. Physics

    Built for Speed: Novel transistor design spurns limits

    The novel design of what's now the world's fastest transistor opens the possibility of even speedier devices that could operate as fast as a trillion cycles per second.

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  7. Physics

    Lone protein molecule could tip this scale

    A scale-on-a-chip capable of weighing individual, biologically active proteins took a step closer to reality as a minuscule, vibrating bridge detected the mass of a mere 30 xenon atoms.

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  8. Physics

    Tense encounters drive a nanomotor

    Exploiting the relative strength of surface tension forces in the world of tiny objects, a novel type of nanomotor creates a powerful thrust each time molten metal droplets merge.

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  9. Physics

    Pinstripe Electricity: Novel fuel cell relies on thin, aqueous streams

    A promising new type of fuel cell exploits microstreams of water, which behave like flows of gooey honey.

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  10. Materials Science

    Clever Coating: New polymer may prolong life of medical implants

    Coating medical implants such as glucose sensors and coronary stents with copper-doped polymers could dramatically extend the devices' functioning.

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  11. Physics

    Light’s Hidden Holdup: Reflected laser beams loiter a little

    Using an ultrashort pulse laser, physicists have measured a minuscule time delay that affects light reflecting off many surfaces.

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  12. Materials Science

    Nanostructures mimic Inuit stone sculptures

    Chemists have created nanoscale versions Inuit rock sculptures, an advance that could facilitate the development of next-generation sensors and electronic devices.

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