ScienceDaily: Matter & Energy News

The latest fashion: Graphene edges can be tailor-made Posted: 23 Jan 2015 04:02 PM PST Theorists show it may be possible to tune graphene edges by varying heat and force as graphene is fractured. Edge configurations affect graphene's electronic and mechanical properties, which are important for applications.

Scientists slow down the speed of light travelling in free space Posted: 23 Jan 2015 11:41 AM PST Scientists have managed to slow photons in free space for the first time. They have demonstrated that applying a mask to an optical beam to give photons a spatial structure can reduce their speed.

Boston's leaky pipes release high levels of heat-trapping methane Posted: 23 Jan 2015 08:07 AM PST A research team estimates that each year about 15 billion cubic feet of natural gas, worth some $90 million, escapes the Boston region's delivery system. The findings have implications for other regions, especially cities that, like Boston, are older and rely on natural gas for a significant and increasing portion of their energy needs. While policymakers have focused on the production end of the natural gas supply chain--wells, off-shore drilling platforms, and processing plants--much less attention has been paid to the downstream gas delivery infrastructure.

Silver nanowires demonstrate unexpected self-healing mechanism: Potential for flexible electronics Posted: 23 Jan 2015 08:07 AM PST Researchers found that silver nanowires can withstand strong cyclic loads, which is a key attribute needed for flexible electronics.

Calculating the future of solar-fuel refineries Posted: 23 Jan 2015 08:07 AM PST A team of engineers has developed a new tool to help engineers better gauge the overall yield, efficiency and costs associated with scaling solar-fuel production processes up into large-scale refineries.

New technique helps probe performance of organic solar cell materials Posted: 23 Jan 2015 08:07 AM PST Researchers have developed a technique for determining the role that a material's structure has on the efficiency of organic solar cells, which are candidates for low-cost, next generation solar power. The researchers used the technique to determine that materials with a highly organized structure at the nanoscale are not more efficient at creating free electrons than poorly organized structures -- a finding which will guide future research and development efforts.

New technique for producing cheaper solar energy suggested by research Posted: 23 Jan 2015 08:07 AM PST Pioneering new research could pave the way for solar energy to be converted into household electricity more cheaply than ever before. The global PV market has experienced rapid growth in recent years due to renewable energy targets and CO2 emission controls.

New breast exam nearly quadruples detection of invasive breast cancers in women with dense breast tissue Posted: 23 Jan 2015 07:16 AM PST Molecular Breast Imaging (MBI) is a supplemental imaging technology designed to find tumors that would otherwise be obscured by surrounding dense breast tissue on a mammogram. The new breast imaging technique nearly quadruples detection rates of invasive breast cancers in women with dense breast tissue, according to the results of a major study.

Revolutionary device found to lower blood pressure Posted: 22 Jan 2015 04:39 PM PST A revolutionary device has been shown to significantly lower blood pressure among patients with uncontrolled high blood pressure, compared to those treated with usual drug measures. "High blood pressure is very dangerous and leads to hospital treatment, stroke, heart attack and chronic kidney disease. We must find better means of treating high blood pressure as drugs do not work for everyone and the Coupler is a big step forward in our search for alternative treatment," said the lead investigator.

Scientists search for new ways to deal with U. S. uranium ore processing legacy Posted: 22 Jan 2015 01:59 PM PST Researchers are trying to find out why uranium persists in groundwater at former uranium ore processing sites despite remediation of contaminated surface materials two decades ago. They think buried organic material may be at fault, storing toxic uranium at levels that continue to pose risks to human health and the environment, and hope their study will pave the way for better long-term site management and protection of the public and environment.

Hydrogels deliver on blood-vessel growth Posted: 20 Jan 2015 08:17 AM PST Injectable hydrogels promote the growth of healthy blood vessels in new tissue. New research shows promise for a broad range of tissue regeneration strategies, as well as therapies to help victims of heart attack, stroke and ischemic tissue diseases, scientists report.