https://phys.org/ en-us Phys.org internet news portal provides the latest news on science including: Physics, Nanotechnology, Life Sciences, Space Science, Earth Science, Environment, Health and Medicine. When certain atoms are irradiated with laser light, they can produce a very different kind of laser light: laser pulses with extremely high frequencies in the X-ray range. These laser pulses, which helped achieve record-breaking results at TU Wien in the 1990s, were the subject of the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physics. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-rays-nobel-prize-limit.html Optics & Photonics Tue, 11 Aug 2026 13:40:07 EDT news705665527 Nanoscience, which studies small objects, has a big problem. According to a team of scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the field confronts a pervasive data analysis error that can give misleading insights into how these tiny objects' properties depend on their size. The team also offers a practical solution—a mathematical correction that can reveal how these materials truly behave. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-sizing-errors-true-nanoparticle-behavior.html Nanomaterials Thu, 06 Aug 2026 03:00:02 EDT news705141061 Scientists at Los Alamos National Laboratory have demonstrated a new quantum-dot mechanism that could significantly expand the reach of light-driven chemistry. By introducing magnetic manganese dopants into semiconductor quantum dots, the team created an ultrafast spin-exchange pathway that captures hot-electron energy before it is lost as heat and uses it to drive chemical reduction. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-magnetic-dopants-quantum-dots-chemical.html Nanophysics Tue, 04 Aug 2026 09:40:03 EDT news705054241 Researchers in the lab of Sam Peng, the Pfizer Inc.–Gerald Laubach Career Development Assistant Professor of Chemistry at MIT and a core institute member of the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, have developed a super-resolution imaging technology. It allows scientists to visualize molecular structures with angstrom-level localization precision—three orders of magnitude beyond the nanometer-scale limits of standard fluorescent dyes—while simplifying the imaging process. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-microscopy-method-angstrom-scale-localization.html Nanophysics Sun, 02 Aug 2026 14:00:05 EDT news704556380 Ethanol is an alcohol used in a vast number of industrial and household applications. When dehydrogenated—in this case, stripped of some of its hydrogen atoms—it yields another important compound: acetaldehyde, which is used to make resins, dyes, perfumes and synthetic flavors, among many other products. But currently available catalysts for ethanol dehydrogenation suffer from deactivation, poor performance over time and unwanted side reactions. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-successful-sustainable-catalyst-ethanol-dehydrogenation.html Materials Science Wed, 29 Jul 2026 08:40:01 EDT news704530201 Cancer cells survive by hiding from the immune system's surveillance. A KAIST research team has developed a new anticancer platform that makes cancer cells send out their own danger signals—prompting immune cells to attack—while simultaneously delivering gene therapy. The approach is expected to offer a new treatment strategy that combines cancer immunotherapy and gene therapy in a single nanoparticle. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-helical-nanoparticles-trigger-cancer-alarms.html Bio & Medicine Tue, 28 Jul 2026 09:20:04 EDT news704448901 Light typically interacts with a material the same way whether it enters through the front or the back—like polarized sunglasses that work the same from either side. Cornell researchers have demonstrated a simple route to breaking that symmetry, opening new possibilities for photonics and quantum information processing. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-simple-semiconductor-front-symmetry.html Optics & Photonics Mon, 27 Jul 2026 16:20:05 EDT news704381282 All cells in the human body—and the motions they enable, from our beating hearts to our wiggling toes—use energy generated by a molecule called ATP. Its energy is thought to be released to fuel cellular processes in only one way: when ATP's decomposition is initiated by an enzyme, a specific type of protein. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-natural-molecule-cellular-energy.html Biotechnology Sat, 25 Jul 2026 12:00:02 EDT news704032756 Museums, libraries, archives and heritage organizations face a difficult problem: Many of the objects they preserve are made from materials that naturally deteriorate. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-smarter-greener-ways-fragile-cultural.html Archaeology Fri, 24 Jul 2026 20:00:01 EDT news704113611 Photographs can reveal things that are otherwise impossible for the naked eye to see, be they distant galaxies or microscopic cells. Researchers at Osaka Metropolitan University have developed a practical and versatile imaging technique that makes another usually invisible phenomenon visible: surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs), light waves that travel along metal surfaces. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-quantum-dots-reveal-hidden-metal.html Nanophysics Fri, 24 Jul 2026 14:40:07 EDT news704113602 Researchers from Skoltech, in collaboration with the Harbin Institute of Technology and Jiangsu University (China), have published a study presenting the first empirical model to explain and predict the sensing behavior of hierarchical tri-phase carbon nanotube systems across a wide temperature range (from -170°C (-274°F) to 90°C (194°F)). The study has been published in the Carbon journal. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-carbon-nanotube-reveals-smart-sensors.html Nanophysics Mon, 20 Jul 2026 17:20:05 EDT news703780670 Nanocrystals are so useful that they formed the basis of the 2023 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. But despite their usefulness, scientists have so far been able to make these microscopic crystals from only a limited palette of materials. A group of chemists at the University of Chicago and Argonne National Laboratory has announced a way to make nanocrystals from a useful class of materials known as metal nitrides—a previously impossible task. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-chemists-gallium-nitride-material-nanocrystals.html Nanomaterials Thu, 16 Jul 2026 10:20:07 EDT news703405455 Man-made substances surround us everywhere in our daily lives. According to the current understanding of the "Planetary Boundaries" framework, the carrying capacity for so-called novel entities—which include chemicals, microplastics, and nanomaterials—is considered to have been exceeded, and a target value of "zero" has been set for their release into the environment. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-tailored-limits-chemicals-goal.html Environment Tue, 14 Jul 2026 18:00:03 EDT news703263570 Imagine trying to trap a miniature star inside a machine without letting it touch the walls or burn itself out. This is the central, high-stakes challenge of high-temperature plasma engineering. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-reimagining-furnace-magnetic-supercharge-industrial.html Plasma Physics Sat, 11 Jul 2026 16:00:06 EDT news702895983 Researchers at Kyushu University have developed a new food preservation solution. Using pumpkin peel as a raw material, they synthesized a nanomaterial for food packaging that slows the deterioration of fruit and other produce while reducing transport damage. The findings were published April 30, 2026, in Food Research International. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-pumpkin-food-fresh.html Biochemistry Mon, 06 Jul 2026 20:40:01 EDT news702563399 Researchers in the Texas A&M University J. Mike Walker '66 Department of Mechanical Engineering have developed a new method for producing graphene oxide, a high-value carbon nanomaterial used in batteries, electronics and advanced manufacturing. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-unexpected-discovery-yields-graphene-oxide.html Nanomaterials Mon, 06 Jul 2026 13:40:07 EDT news702553665 A newly developed framework for understanding the photoproperties of both natural organic matter and eumelanin, a natural pigment responsible for dark colors in organisms, may inspire advanced sustainable technologies, scientists say. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-common-nanostructures-photoproperties-widespread-dark.html Nanophysics Sat, 04 Jul 2026 14:00:01 EDT news701963416 A research team has developed a methodology to precisely design and control the "degree of disorder" in nanopattern arrays using metal-infiltrated block copolymer (BCP) thin films. The work was led by Professor So Youn Kim of the Seoul National University College of Engineering Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, in collaboration with Professor Su-Mi Hur's team at DGIST and Professor S. Joon Kwon's team at Sungkyunkwan University. The paper is published in the journal Nature Communications. The study was selected as an Editors' Highlight in materials science and chemistry. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-nanopattern-method-precise-disorder-devices.html Nanophysics Sun, 28 Jun 2026 16:00:01 EDT news701617181 Closing wounds, burns and deep cuts isn't enough to kick-start healing. A wound needs a clean environment, free of bacterial infection and interruption. That calls for three components working together—one to kill bacteria, one to clean the wound and one to support recovery. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-blue-gold-graphene-nanodots-wound.html Bio & Medicine Sun, 28 Jun 2026 11:40:02 EDT news701432439 Carbon quantum dots (CQDs) are tiny carbon-based nanomaterials that have attracted increasing attention as environmentally friendly alternatives to conventional heavy-metal quantum dots. They are lightweight, photostable and potentially biocompatible, and their light absorption and emission properties can be tuned. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-atomic-defects-carbon-quantum-dots.html Nanophysics Fri, 26 Jun 2026 15:00:01 EDT news701696975 In a perspective published in Nature Reviews Earth & Environment, Colorado State University researchers describe a management approach to prevent the uptake of arsenic, cadmium and mercury in rice grains to protect human health. They propose strategies that would change soil chemistry in a way that immobilizes toxic metals and prevents plant uptake. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-rice-paddy-approach-aims-toxic.html Agriculture Thu, 25 Jun 2026 16:20:07 EDT news701619988 Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science has developed a toxicity assessment system that automatically measures and analyzes the heart rate of Daphnia magna. Capable of processing heart rate data from approximately 150 individuals per hour, the system can assess the toxic effects of pollutants at low concentrations more sensitively than conventional methods that rely on average values from a small number of specimens. The technology is expected to help detect early warning signs of hazardous nanomaterials and environmental pollutants before more visible effects appear. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-automated-early-nanomaterials-toxicity.html Analytical Chemistry Wed, 24 Jun 2026 12:00:06 EDT news701516770 Diamonds have long been coveted for their beauty. Their dazzling color and clarity make them perfect candidates for luxury jewelry. However, it's their other unique characteristics, including their hardness, thermal conductivity and chemical resistance, that make diamonds suitable for various applications in industry and advanced technologies. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-diamond-high-quantum-materials.html General Physics Wed, 24 Jun 2026 11:00:01 EDT news701516613 New instruments on the horizon promise the most precise tools yet to study and experiment on the smallest and most complex materials ever manufactured. In a paper published in the journal Nature Materials, University of Cincinnati assistant professor Hanxun Jin highlighted advances in ultrasensitive technology to measure and manipulate some of the tiniest nanomaterials used in manufacturing, aerospace, medicine and more. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-advances-materials-science-secrets-nanomaterials.html Nanomaterials Tue, 23 Jun 2026 09:40:07 EDT news701425442 Materials engineers have developed the ability to manipulate structure and matter at the nanoscale for solid-state alloys called intermetallics, making it possible to alter their properties for improved performance. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-nanoscale-coal-gpa-strength-plastic.html Nanomaterials Sun, 21 Jun 2026 15:00:02 EDT news700932224 Neural interfaces are devices that can detect or modulate neuronal activity when placed in contact with the brain. They are already used to treat various conditions related to the nervous system. However, current technologies still have limitations that can reduce their effectiveness. One example is their unidirectional function. While most existing interfaces can stimulate the brain, they cannot accurately detect or decode brain activity simultaneously. Even when they can do so, they often face limitations in the detection of certain signals, particularly those at very low frequencies. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-flexible-graphene-based-neural-interface.html Bio & Medicine Tue, 16 Jun 2026 18:10:01 EDT news700844882 Researchers have developed a solar-driven catalyst material that harnesses the energy of a single photon to reduce carbon dioxide and oxidize organic waste at the same time, producing valuable chemicals in both reactions. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-photon-reactions-catalyst-biowaste-simultaneously.html Biochemistry Fri, 12 Jun 2026 05:00:03 EDT news700385161 A KAIST research team has succeeded, for the first time, in synthesizing the core raw material for fabricating asymmetric MXene, a so-called "Janus-faced" nanomaterial that can perform distinct functions because of differing atomic compositions on its two sides, paving the way for the development of multifunctional materials with applications such as removing radioactive pollutants and shielding electromagnetic waves. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-janus-nanomaterials-pave-capturing-radioactive.html Nanomaterials Thu, 11 Jun 2026 11:00:10 EDT news700391943 Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are among the most promising nanomaterials for future technologies because of their exceptional mechanical strength, electrical conductivity and thermal performance. However, translating these remarkable properties into practical products depends on the ability to efficiently grow long, high-quality CNTs. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-ironscandium-catalyst-carbon-nanotube-growth.html Nanomaterials Wed, 10 Jun 2026 21:00:01 EDT news700324681 An international collaborative research group has developed a new computational method to visualize the electronic states of aperiodic nanomaterials as band structures through first-principles calculations on finite-sized giant molecule models. The approach reformulates band unfolding for giant molecule models and works even when translational symmetry is imperfect or the material is curved. The team includes Assistant Professor Naoya Yamaguchi and Professor Fumiyuki Ishii of the Nanomaterials Research Institute at Kanazawa University, Associate Professor Chi-Cheng Lee of Tamkang University in Taiwan, and Professor Taisuke Ozaki of the University of Tokyo. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-visualizing-band-nanostructures-theory-imperfect.html Nanomaterials Wed, 10 Jun 2026 18:00:04 EDT news700318545