All Stories by Maria Temming
- Tech
A mini chemical lab could one day test for toxic nerve agents in the field
Portable lab equipment that detects nerve agents could help judge when it’s safe to return to previously exposed areas.
- Earth
How ancient oceans of magma may have boosted Earth’s oxygen levels
Chemical reactions involving iron could have increased the amount of oxygen-rich compounds in the early Earth’s mantle, lab experiments suggest.
- Tech
A chip made with carbon nanotubes, not silicon, marks a computing milestone
Silicon’s reign in cutting-edge electronics may soon over. The carbon nanotube could be its successor.
- Chemistry
Plant-based fire retardants may offer a less toxic way to tame flames
Flame retardants created from plant materials could be less harmful to the environment than traditional flame-smothering chemicals.
- Climate
Climate change may make El Niño and La Niña less predictable
Atlantic Niñas and Niños have been fairly reliable bellwethers for severe El Niño and La Niña events in the Pacific. A warming world may change that.
- Earth
Fluid in superdeep diamonds may be from some of Earth’s oldest unchanged material
Primordial rock deep in the mantle and dating to just after Earth’s formation could yield insights about the planet’s formation and evolution
- Space
A planetary body may have smashed into Jupiter, creating its weird core
A planetary body smashing into Jupiter may have jostled the gas giant’s insides during its formative years, creating the strange interior seen today.
- Astronomy
Giant, active galaxies from the early universe may have finally been found
Overlooked galaxies from when the universe was younger than 2 billion years old could be the ancestors of other ancient and modern monster galaxies.
- Earth
A new map is the best view yet of how fast Antarctica is shedding ice
Stitching together data from several satellite missions allowed scientists to create the most comprehensive map of Antarctic ice flow ever.
- Tech
Tiny magnetic coils could help break down microplastic pollution
Carbon nanotubes designed to release plastic-eroding chemicals could clear the long-lasting trash from waterways.
- Materials Science
Permanent liquid magnets have now been created in the lab
Magnets that generate persistent magnetic fields are usually solid. But new little bar magnets have the mechanical properties of liquids.
- Tech
50 years ago, lambs survived but didn’t thrive inside artificial wombs
Artificial wombs to support preemie babies are closer to reality.
