Polonium's most stable isotope gets revised half-life measurement

Scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have determined* that polonium-209, the longest-lived isotope of this radioactive heavy element, has a half-life about 25 percent longer than the previously ...

The fluorescent fingerprint of plastics

LMU researchers have developed a new process which will greatly simplify the process of sorting plastics in recycling plants. The method enables automated identification of polymers, facilitating rapid separation of plastics ...

NEMO closes in on neutrino mass

The NEMO (Neutrino Ettore Majorana Observatory) experiment, whose goal was to elucidate the nature of neutrinos and measure their mass, yielded very positive results. The product of an extensive international collaboration ...

No evidence of the double nature of neutrinos

After two years of searching for a special radioactive decay that would provide an indication of new physics beyond the standard model, an experiment deep under ground near Carlsbad has so far found no evidence of its existence. ...

No qualms about quantum theory

A colloquium paper published in European Physical Journal D looks into the alleged issues associated with quantum theory. Berthold-Georg Englert from the National University of Singapore reviews a selection of the potential ...

Diamonds grow like trees, but over millions of years

Diamonds consist of highly compressed carbon atoms and develop deep underground at relatively high pressures and temperatures of over 1000 degrees Celsius. Earth scientists from VU University Amsterdam show that diamonds ...

Exotic alloys for potential energy applications

The search for thermoelectrics, exotic materials that convert heat directly into electricity, has received a boost from researchers at the California Institute of Technology and the University of Tokyo, who have found the ...

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