Last update:

Why petting your cat leads to static electricity

Anyone who has ever pet a cat or shuffled their feet across the carpet knows that rubbing objects together generates static electricity. But an explanation for this phenomenon has eluded researchers for more than two millennia.

More news

Nanomaterials
Fluorescent nanomaterial could transform how we visualize fingerprints
Nanophysics
An unprecedented feat: Printing 3D photonic crystals that completely block light
Nanomaterials
Researchers develop proton barrier films using pore-free graphene oxide
Nanomaterials
Novel coupled nanopore platform offers greater precision for detecting molecules
Bio & Medicine
Hyperspectral microscopy reveals the nanostructures that give butterflies their colors
Bio & Medicine
Iron-doped carbon-based nanoparticles boost cancer treatment with enhanced precision and safety
Bio & Medicine
Diagnostic test that combines two technologies with machine learning could lead to new paradigm for at-home testing
Nanomaterials
Atomic diffusion technique could lead to mass production of metal nanowires
Bio & Medicine
Experimental nanomedicine delivers chemo drugs directly to tumors in mice
Bio & Medicine
High-throughput biosensor measures metabolite levels that indicate disease
Bio & Medicine
Novel quantum dot hydrogel shows improved photothermal conversion efficiency
Bio & Medicine
Silver nanoparticles and a new sensing method can fight back against antibiotic-resistant biofilms
Nanomaterials
Open-source software helps streamline 2D materials research with scanning tunneling microscope automation
Bio & Medicine
New mass spectrometry technology could transform tiny sample analysis
Nanomaterials
Unraveling the fundamental principles of eutectic solidification with real-time, nanoscale imaging
Bio & Medicine
Separating viruses from saliva with sound waves for therapeutic studies
Nanomaterials
Research team achieves high-resolution 2D imaging for graphene devices under high pressure
Bio & Medicine
New molecular engineering technique allows for complex organoids
Nanomaterials
Nanoscale silver exhibits intrinsic self-healing abilities without external intervention
Bio & Medicine
Low-cost nanomaterial technology can detect cancer genes with ultra-high sensitivity

Other news

Astrobiology
Volcanoes may help reveal interior heat on Jupiter moon
Ecology
Fossil site in Massachusetts reveals 320-million-year-old ecosystem
Analytical Chemistry
When ions go hiking: New insights into solvation kinetics at electrocatalyst surfaces
Planetary Sciences
NASA develops process to create very accurate eclipse maps
Plants & Animals
Scientists unearth key clues to cuisine of resident killer whale populations
Planetary Sciences
New study uncovers unexpected interaction between Mars and the solar wind
Social Sciences
Learning mindset could be key to addressing medical students' alarming burnout
Archaeology
10,000-year-old human DNA provides insights into South African population history
Polymers
Mussel-inspired adhesive comes unglued on command
Astronomy
Observations provide crucial insights into the nature of a white dwarf–brown dwarf binary
Analytical Chemistry
AI model can reveal the structures of crystalline materials
Cell & Microbiology
The mystery of human wrinkles: What do the cells say?
Plants & Animals
How do coexisting animals find enough to eat? Biologists unlock insights into foraging habits in Yellowstone
Earth Sciences
Tropical cyclone intensity exacerbated by increasing depth of ocean mixed layer, finds study
Astronomy
Astronomers' new technique measures temperature of a star with high precision
General Physics
Findings hint at a superfluid phase in ²⁹F and ²⁸O
Plants & Animals
Buzz-pollinating bees shake pollen loose with rapid vibrations and biting, study shows
Earth Sciences
Lake ice quality degrading as planet warms—skaters, hockey players, ice truckers on thin ice
Condensed Matter
Topological quantum computers a step closer with new method to 'split' electrons
Cell & Microbiology
Researchers uncover why cells struggle to fully change identity in reprogramming efforts