ScienceDaily: Matter & Energy News

Discovery demystifies origin of life phenomenon Posted: 11 Mar 2015 03:58 PM PDT Biomolecules, if large enough (several nanometers) and with an electrical charge, will seek their own type with which to form large assemblies. This is essentially 'self-recognition' of left-handed and right-handed molecule pairs.

New material captures carbon at half the energy cost Posted: 11 Mar 2015 03:58 PM PDT Capturing carbon from power plants will likely be necessary in the future to avoid the worst effects of climate change, but current technologies are very expensive. Chemists have now developed a new material, a diamine-appended metal-organic framework, that captures carbon dioxide with much reduced energy costs compared to today's technologies, potentially lowering the cost of capturing and sequestering this greenhouse gas.

Green solid electrolyte for electrochemical devices Posted: 11 Mar 2015 03:56 PM PDT Researchers have studied the capability of new polymers derived from potato starch as insulators which do not show any remarkable electro activity.

Perovskites can improve fabrication of ceramic electronics Posted: 11 Mar 2015 03:56 PM PDT Scientists in Japan are finding that perovskites have the potential to improve the fabrication of electrodes and wiring in ceramic-based electronics such as spark plugs.

Is US immigration policy 'STEMming' innovation? Posted: 11 Mar 2015 01:04 PM PDT Foreign-born graduate students in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) disciplines who wish to pursue a career in industry or NGOs are much more likely to stay in the US than those who wish to pursue a career in academia or government concludes a new study.

Mystery of the dancing droplets solved Posted: 11 Mar 2015 01:03 PM PDT A puzzling observation, pursued through hundreds of experiments, has led researchers to a simple yet profound discovery: under certain circumstances, droplets of fluid will move like performers in a dance choreographed by molecular physics. The unexpected findings may prove useful in semiconductor manufacturing and self-cleaning solar panels.

Physics of clouds: Long-held ideas about turbulence disproven Posted: 11 Mar 2015 11:09 AM PDT In 1941, Russian physicist Andrey Kolmogorov developed a theory of turbulence that has served as the basic foundation for our understanding of this important naturally occurring phenomenon. Turbulence occurs when fluid flow is characterized by chaotic physical changes. Kolmogorov's theory has been interpreted to imply that transitions from one state of turbulence to another must be a smooth evolution because very intense fluctuations that are part of the process itself would smooth out anything sharp. Now, however, a new experiment disproves this interpretation of Kolmogorov's theory.

Uncovering the effects of cooking, digestion on gluten and wheat allergens in pasta Posted: 11 Mar 2015 09:47 AM PDT Researchers trying to understand wheat-related health problems have found new clues to how the grain's proteins, including gluten, change when cooked and digested. They report that boiling pasta releases some of its potential allergens, while other proteins persist throughout cooking and digestion. Their findings lend new insights that could ultimately help Celiac patients and people allergic to wheat.

Graphene: A new tool for fighting cavities and gum disease? Posted: 11 Mar 2015 09:47 AM PDT Dental diseases, which are caused by the overgrowth of certain bacteria in the mouth, are among the most common health problems in the world. Now scientists have discovered that a material called graphene oxide is effective at eliminating these bacteria, some of which have developed antibiotic resistance.

Particle jets reveal the secrets of the most exotic state of matter Posted: 11 Mar 2015 09:46 AM PDT Shortly following the Big Bang, the Universe was filled with a chaotic primordial soup of quarks and gluons, particles which are now trapped inside of protons and neutrons. Study of this quark-gluon plasma requires the use of the most advanced theoretical and experimental tools. Physicists have taken one crucial step towards a better understanding of the plasma and its properties.

Polymers designed for protection Posted: 11 Mar 2015 09:46 AM PDT Scientists are investigating a possible solution to help polymers stand up to the kinds of threats Army Soldiers could face in future conflicts. Researchers want to start by unraveling the complex relationship between polymer chemistry, microstructure and energy absorption.

Silk could be new 'green' material for next-generation batteries Posted: 11 Mar 2015 09:44 AM PDT Lithium-ion batteries have enabled many of today's electronics, from portable gadgets to electric cars. But much to the frustration of consumers, none of these batteries last long without a recharge. Now scientists report the development of a new, 'green' way to boost the performance of these batteries -- with a material derived from silk.

News coverage of Fukushima disaster minimized health risks to general population Posted: 11 Mar 2015 09:42 AM PDT A new analysis finds that U.S. news media coverage of the Fukushima disaster largely minimized health risks to the general population. Researchers analyzed more than 2,000 news articles from four major U.S. outlets.

Physicists propose new classification of charge density waves Posted: 11 Mar 2015 06:10 AM PDT Physicists have proposed a new classification of Charge Density Waves. Charge Density Waves, or CDWs, are observed in many solids, especially in low-dimensional systems.

Theoretical physicists design 'holy grail' of materials science Posted: 11 Mar 2015 05:17 AM PDT Graphene is a form of carbon in which the atoms are connected in a honeycomb structure. The possible ‘holy grail’ has this same structure, but is made of nanocrystals of mercury and tellurium. In their paper, theoretical physicists show that this material combines the properties of graphene with the qualities graphene misses. At room temperature, it is a semiconductor instead of a conductor, so that it can be used as a field-effect transistor. And it fulfils the conditions required to realise quantum spintronics, because it may host the quantum spin Hall effect at room temperature.

CT scanning shows why tilting trees produce better biofuel Posted: 11 Mar 2015 05:17 AM PDT Medical imaging techniques have been used to explore why making willow trees grow at an angle can vastly improve their biofuel yields. Using micro-CT scans, the team showed that the trees respond to being tilted by producing a sugar-rich, gelatinous fibre, which helps them stay upright.

'Nano-earthquakes' hold key to smarter electronics Posted: 10 Mar 2015 05:56 PM PDT The performance of mobile phone cameras and solar cells could be boosted by "nano-earthquakes," researchers have found.