Physics
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Physics
Test puts pedal to heavy metal
Stellar explosions forge heavy elements such as gold more quickly than scientists had predicted, as indicated by the first measurement of the half-life of a rare form of nickel that's a key link in the chain of element formation.
- Materials Science
Something to Chew On
Researchers are closer than ever to making synthetic enamel to improve dental implants and perhaps to grow a whole tooth from scratch.
- Materials Science
Shape shifter
Scientists have created a polymer that, after being deformed, will revert to its original shape when exposed to ultraviolet light.
- Physics
Einstein at Home
The Einstein@Home program offers participants a chance to use idle time on their computers to search for spinning pulsars in data collected by gravitational-wave detectors in the United States and Europe. This Web site describes the program and lets you sign up your computer for cutting-edge astrophysics research. Go to: http://einstein.phys.uwm.edu/
- Physics
Extreme Matter: Mother of all material flows into view
By making an extremely hot and dense state of matter that, surprisingly, is a liquid, physicists say they may have finally created a sample of matter much like the primordial stuff that permeated the newborn universe and gave rise to all other matter.
- Physics
Built for Speed: Novel transistor design spurns limits
The novel design of what's now the world's fastest transistor opens the possibility of even speedier devices that could operate as fast as a trillion cycles per second.
- Physics
Lone protein molecule could tip this scale
A scale-on-a-chip capable of weighing individual, biologically active proteins took a step closer to reality as a minuscule, vibrating bridge detected the mass of a mere 30 xenon atoms.
- Physics
Tense encounters drive a nanomotor
Exploiting the relative strength of surface tension forces in the world of tiny objects, a novel type of nanomotor creates a powerful thrust each time molten metal droplets merge.
- Physics
Pinstripe Electricity: Novel fuel cell relies on thin, aqueous streams
A promising new type of fuel cell exploits microstreams of water, which behave like flows of gooey honey.
- Materials Science
Clever Coating: New polymer may prolong life of medical implants
Coating medical implants such as glucose sensors and coronary stents with copper-doped polymers could dramatically extend the devices' functioning.
- Physics
Light’s Hidden Holdup: Reflected laser beams loiter a little
Using an ultrashort pulse laser, physicists have measured a minuscule time delay that affects light reflecting off many surfaces.
- Materials Science
Nanostructures mimic Inuit stone sculptures
Chemists have created nanoscale versions Inuit rock sculptures, an advance that could facilitate the development of next-generation sensors and electronic devices.
