Physics
- Physics
Light comes to halt again—in a solid
By stopping laser light pulses cold in a crystal, storing them, and then releasing them, physicists have achieved the same feat accomplished last year in gases, but this time in a more practical material.
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- Materials Science
Carbon pods are more than a pack of peas
Researchers have found that they can manipulate the electronic properties of nanoscopic carbon structures.
- Physics
Anatomy of a Lightning Ball
Metallic fuzz, acid droplets, or other fairy dust may conjure up ball lightning (with video clips).
- Physics
Balloon bursts give clue to fast cracks
A casual observation about the edges of popped balloons may have led researchers to previously unknown features of the most common and least understood types of fractures.
- Materials Science
Metallic materials made to order
A new process for creating specifically patterned, three-dimensional microstructures could lead to new catalysts or optoelectronic devices.
- Materials Science
Mammal cells make fake spider silk better
Using long and abundant water-soluble proteins secreted by bioengineered mammal cells, scientists have spun the first artificial spider silk demonstrated to have some of the remarkable mechanical properties of the real thing.
- Materials Science
Flattery for Faience
By replicating ancient materials with their own hands, researchers are gaining new insights into details of Egyptian faience manufacture that have been lost for thousands of years.
- Physics
Electrons grab unexpected energy share
When atoms or molecules react with a metal surface, even briefly, they can inject much more energy into surface electrons than previously realized.
- Physics
Liquid computer takes key quantum step
The first, rudimentary implementation of a method, called Shor's algorithm, for using quantum mechanics in computations suggests that larger-scale implementations are possible and may eventually break the codes used today to protect secret messages on the Internet and elsewhere.
- Physics
Organized Disorder
This well-organized Web site introduces visitors to the realm of thermodynamics and the concept of entropy. Originally created by autonomous software agent “Chris Hillman” and now maintained by Penn State’s Roland Gunesch, these Web pages start with the Chinese character for entropy, then offer intriguing glimpses of disorder and randomness in information and coding theory, […]
- Materials Science
Getting Out the Thorn
Researchers are developing new ways to improve the compatibility of implantable biomaterials in the body.
