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Toward practical laser-driven light sails using photonic crystals

Most space missions rely on chemical rockets for propulsion. Rockets must carry fuel, which increases spacecraft mass and limits their speed and travel distance. For decades, researchers have explored light sails as an alternative. ...

Using individual atoms to achieve fossil-free chemistry

Every chemical reaction faces a barrier: For substances to react with one another, it is first necessary to supply energy. In many cases, this energy barrier is low—such as when striking a match. For many key reactions ...

Intermediate phases unlock faster nanoparticle crystallization

Crystalline nanomaterials are valuable because their highly ordered structures give them useful properties for technologies such as data storage and optical devices. But forming nanoparticles from those orderly crystals is ...

New 2D membrane reactor improves photocatalytic synthesis

Chinese researchers have developed a photocatalytic membrane reactor that dramatically improves the synthesis of imines—a class of compounds essential to the production of pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, and advanced synthetic ...

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2D memristors could help solve AI's energy problem
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LED-powered e-nose detects multiple hazardous gases at room temperature
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Diamond surfaces are covered in thin, ice-like water layers
Bio & Medicine
Color-changing nanopigment sensor tracks pH one to ten with stable, repeatable readings
Nanophysics
When smaller means better: How device scaling enhances memory performance
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Scientists deliver new molecule for getting DNA into cells
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Stretchy plastics conduct electricity via tiny, whisker-like fibers
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Charged nanoparticles linked to higher fish embryo mortality
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Nanodevice produces continuous electricity from evaporation
Nanomaterials
Nature-inspired method forms ZnO quantum dots in solid crystals at room temperature
Nanomaterials
Transistor-like MXene membranes enhance ion separation
Bio & Medicine
Chemistry-powered 'breathing' membrane opens and closes tiny pores on its own
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When electronics become flexible: Atom-thin materials for future devices
Nanophysics
Mass production technology developed for ultra-high color purity perovskite emitters
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Nanoengineers realize an on-chip excitonic hyperlens
Nanomaterials
World's smallest QR code, read via electron microscope, earns Guinness recognition
Nanophysics
Tuned nanocrystals speed light-driven reactions by matching molecular vibrations
Nanomaterials
New nanohole-based microscopy monitors electrochemical reactions millisecond by millisecond

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First absolute dating of Paleolithic paintings in the Dordogne
Evolution
Why lethal mutations persist: Fruit fly study points to newly transferred jumping genes, not small DNA errors
Ecology
Ancient stone jars shows how tree cover shapes freshwater ecosystems over millennia
Cell & Microbiology
Why averages fail for bacteria in the open ocean
Biochemistry
How boron helps to produce key proteins for new cancer therapies
Earth Sciences
Glacial lakes in Alaska are expanding rapidly and could quadruple in size
Polymers
Moisture-powered polymers could make cleaning CO₂ from air more efficient
General Physics
Precisely measuring quantum signals in large spin ensembles
Archaeology
Ancient parrot DNA reveals sophisticated, long-distance animal trade network pre-dating the Inca Empire
Analytical Chemistry
Scientists harness quantum tunneling to boost heavy water production efficiency
Cell & Microbiology
Probiotic sugar compound blocks norovirus from attaching to cells
General Physics
Understanding how wind moves pollen can guide urban planning decisions about green spaces
General Physics
How does snow gather on a roof? Simulation considers turbulence alongside snowflake size
Environment
Life-limiting heat exposure has doubled since the 1950s, study finds
Environment
Subway systems are uncomfortably hot—and worsening, study finds
General Physics
Study shows spiral sound can shift sideways
Astronomy
Strange cosmic burst from colliding galaxies shines light on heavy elements
Earth Sciences
Subglacial weathering may have slowed planet's escape from snowball Earth
Optics & Photonics
Miniature laser technology could bring lab testing into your home
Archaeology
More than clothing: How ancient needles and awls shaped survival, medicine and ritual

Silica nanocomposite can generate biocides on demand

A surface capable of responding to chemical signals generated by microorganisms and automatically producing biocidal substances—this is not a futuristic vision, but a description of how the B-STING silica nanocomposite ...

Novel nanomaterial uses oxidative stress to kill cancer cells

Scientists at Oregon State University have developed a new nanomaterial that triggers a pair of chemical reactions inside cancer cells, killing the cells via oxidative stress while leaving healthy tissues alone. The study ...

A new route to synthesize multiple functionalized carbon nanohoops

The field of nanomaterials is witnessing a transformative shift at the intersection of organic chemistry and molecular engineering. Among the most promising molecular structures are carbon nanohoops, of which [n]cycloparaphenylenes ...