Physics

  1. Materials Science

    Slick Surfaces: Pressure builds to make better motor oils

    Motor oil's protection against the wear and tear of steel engine parts takes effect only at high pressures.

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  2. Physics

    Primordial Nukes

    The rocky remains of nuclear reactors that formed spontaneously in African uranium deposits 2 billion years ago are yielding striking new details about their operation as well as signs that a fundamental aspect of the universe may have once been stronger than it is today.

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  3. Materials Science

    Venetian Grinds

    Venetian Renaissance artists, renowned for their vibrant colors, mixed powdered glass with their paints in an attempt to expand their palettes and create unique optical effects.

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  4. Physics

    Brutal Bubbles: Collapsing orbs rip apart atoms

    Spikes of heat and pressure in sonoluminescence caused by the implosions of light-emitting bubbles in liquids can strip atoms of electrons.

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  5. Physics

    Particle Physics Phun

    An array of games, such as Particle Pinball and Race for Energy, challenge visitors at a Web site hosted by the high-energy physics center known as the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. Aimed at kids, the “Fermilabyrinth” pages introduce players to a zoo of elementary particles while it exercises pattern-recognition skills that scientists use to spot […]

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  6. Physics

    Electronic Soup: Molecules in acid broth act as circuit parts

    An electronically promising molecule functions well in acid as a tiny amplifier, underscoring the importance of controlling molecules' electrochemical environments to achieve predictable performance.

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  7. Physics

    A quantum fluid pipes up

    After 40 years of trying, physicists have heard a quantum-mechanical whistle emanating from two reservoirs of oscillating liquid helium separated by a perforated membrane.

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  8. Physics

    Dial-a-Splash: Thin air quells liquid splatter

    How much liquids splatter when drops hit surfaces depends on the surrounding air pressure.

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  9. Materials Science

    Tiles stack for shell strength in abalone

    In abalone shells, microscopic tiles of calcium carbonate stack on top of each other in a highly ordered arrangement to create a superstrong material.

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  10. Physics

    Putting a new spin on silicon

    Embedding ions of manganese in silicon imparts a magnetic field to the otherwise nonmagnetic semiconductor.

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  11. Materials Science

    Petrified wood: Quick and easy

    Materials scientists have turned wood into stone in a matter of days, mimicking a natural process that takes millions of years.

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  12. Materials Science

    Infrared Vision: New material may enhance plastic solar cells

    The vision of flexible, low-cost, lightweight plastic solar cells has moved one step closer to reality with the creation of a material that can harness infrared light.

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