Physics
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Physics
Dial-a-Splash: Thin air quells liquid splatter
How much liquids splatter when drops hit surfaces depends on the surrounding air pressure.
- Materials Science
Tiles stack for shell strength in abalone
In abalone shells, microscopic tiles of calcium carbonate stack on top of each other in a highly ordered arrangement to create a superstrong material.
- Physics
Putting a new spin on silicon
Embedding ions of manganese in silicon imparts a magnetic field to the otherwise nonmagnetic semiconductor.
- Materials Science
Petrified wood: Quick and easy
Materials scientists have turned wood into stone in a matter of days, mimicking a natural process that takes millions of years.
- Materials Science
Infrared Vision: New material may enhance plastic solar cells
The vision of flexible, low-cost, lightweight plastic solar cells has moved one step closer to reality with the creation of a material that can harness infrared light.
- Materials Science
Magnetic nanorods on cruise control
Chemists have created miniature engines out of nanoscale metallic rods that propel themselves using chemical energy.
- Physics
Twinkle Toes: How geckos’ sticky feet stay clean
Besides allowing geckos to cling to walls and ceilings, the millions of tiny fibers on the undersides of these lizards' toes clean themselves with each step.
- Physics
Probe bares heart of X-ray inferno
Physicists have snapped the first real-time pictures of the exploding core of the world's most powerful X-ray source other than a nuclear bomb.
- Materials Science
Sweet Glow: Nanotube sensor brightens path to glucose detection
An implantable glucose sensor based on carbon nanotubes could allow patients with diabetes to monitor their blood sugar levels without the need for daily pinprick tests.
- Materials Science
Concrete Nation
From ultrahigh-performance concrete that bends like metal to concrete blocks that transmit light, scientists are pushing the physical and architectural limits of this ubiquitous construction material.
- Materials Science
Mussel glue inspires coating for medical implants
An antifouling coating inspired by the sticky adhesive secreted by mussels could protect future medical implants from failure.
- Materials Science
Glass materials let Venetian art shine
Sixteenth-century Venetian painters mixed glassy materials with their paints to expand their palettes and enhance the vibrancy of their colors.
