SQUASH THE SLOSH Just a few layers of surface bubbles can save a beverage from splashing all over the kitchen counter.
Vinicius Revecchi/Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
Matter & Energy
Topic Image Rail
VACUUM ATTRACTION Fleeting electromagnetic waves nudge parallel plates together through a phenomenon called the Casimir effect, illustrated here. If the same thing works with gravitational waves, it could prove the existence of particles that transmit gravity.
Emok/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
TAKING THE BAIT In an iron (FE) nanoparticle (blue) with an iron hydroxide shell containing oxygen (O, green), uranium (U, red) first takes the bait created by the shell and then is trapped inside the solid iron core.
Adapted with permission from L. Ling and W. Zhang/Journal of the American Chemical Society 2015
Matter & Energy
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Physics
Mystery Solved
Why lattes are less prone to spills than regular coffee
Foam dampens liquids’ sloshing, keeping keeps lattes and beer from spilling so easily, researchers find.News in Brief
How a violin’s f-holes influence its sound
F-shaped holes move air faster, allowing classic violins to put out more powerful sounds at lower frequencies than their ancestors, a new study shows. -
Chemistry
News in Brief
Iron nanoparticles snatch uranium
With a dash of iron nanoparticles and a magnet, researchers can quickly harvest radioactive fuel.Science TickerBrute-force chemistry study retracted
The journal Science has retracted a notable 2011 chemistry study in which authors reported a brawny method to break sturdy chemical structures. -
Materials
NewsOld chemistry gives jolt to modern batteries
Chemical reactions discovered in the 19th century improve the performance of futuristic batteries.News
Oxygen sneaks into titanium, making it brittle
Oxygen atoms trigger defects in titanium’s atomic structure, making the metal brittle. -
Quantum Physics
NewsLight trick can retrieve missed messages
Even if photons pass you by, you can still snatch a signal from their electromagnetic wake, physicists propose.News
Trying to get the down-low on gravity
A twist on a classic quantum mechanics experiment could lead to the discovery of elusive gravitons. -
Condensed Matter
