Fine-tuning cobalt for cleaner chemical transformations
Finding alternatives to precious metals in chemical manufacturing may be less like sourcing a substitute and more like tuning an instrument already in hand.
Fluorescent sensors could help researchers see diabetes in action
Researchers from the University of Bath have developed fluorescent molecular probes that can detect changes in glucose levels inside living animals, giving scientists new ways of …
UV light locks radiation-detecting materials into durable, water-resistant films
Florida State University researchers have developed a method to make a class of materials more robust and potentially easier to manufacture for advanced radiation detection device…
3D light fields push electrons into quantum states previously beyond experimental reach
By superimposing two ultrashort laser pulses that converge from different directions, a team of physicists at the University of Oldenburg has succeeded in generating three-dimensi…
Zinc oxide quantum dots enable faster charge detection, laying groundwork for spin qubits
Researchers at Tohoku University, in collaboration with the National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS) and the University of Tokyo, have taken an important step toward semico…
Physicists identify 'octupolar' magnetism, with implications for quantum technologies
Most magnets have two poles: north and south, or positive and negative, in a familiar arrangement called a "dipole." But researchers are increasingly uncovering more complex forms…
Laser-made muons produce first images of dense objects
Muons are constantly being created as cosmic rays collide with molecules in Earth's upper atmosphere. With their ability to penetrate far into dense, solid materials, these cosmic…
After 20 years, jet diffusion wakes detected in quark-gluon plasmas
Boats passing over smooth water form a pair of diffusion wakes behind them veering off at a certain angle. Turbulence occurs along the line directly behind the boat, but the two d…
Crystal spacing predicts magnetic states in complex alloys better than electron count
In materials chemistry, identifying common parameters that can organize magnetic ground states across complex intermetallic compounds remains a central challenge. Researchers have…
Revisiting a Young Isaac Newton
Isaac Newton is typically portrayed as a solitary scientist with intense focus who was obsessed with power and deeply egotistical. But a new book by Caltech historians Jed Buchwal…
Rethinking liquid hydrogen storage with metal-organic frameworks
Liquid hydrogen (LH₂) is attractive for long-distance energy transport because of its high volumetric energy density. But even well-insulated tanks cannot completely prevent heat …
Light-driven nickel catalyst forms chemical bonds using less metal
Pharmaceuticals, fine chemicals, and agrochemicals are produced industrially using a wide range of chemical reactions. These processes need to become more efficient, less expensiv…
Molecular simulations reveal how an enzyme's shape guides molecular recognition
Enzymes are often described as molecular machines that recognize and process specific molecules. However, they are not rigid structures. Their shapes can change, affecting how mol…
Physics-grounded AI framework aims to make predictions about new materials more testable
Artificial intelligence is increasingly being used to discover new materials, but conventional data-driven approaches can struggle to explain their predictions, work reliably beyo…
New device measures curved mirrors' absolute shape to within 2 nanometers without touching them
Researchers at AIST have developed a device that measures the absolute surface profile of curved optical elements with high precision without touching them.
AI structure prediction speeds discovery of 'molecular glues' to treat disease
A Baylor College of Medicine-led team has developed a strategy that combines the analysis of thousands of proteins with artificial intelligence to accelerate the discovery of smal…
A new family of materials for efficiently converting sunlight into clean energy
Researchers at Oregon State University have developed a new family of materials that use light to produce hydrogen from water, opening the door to new ways of converting the sun's…
Rotating light pattern reveals laser frequency in a single image
An international team of physicists has developed a new method for determining the precise color of laser light using an image that rotates as the laser's frequency shifts.
Scandium's electrons may explain predicted room-temperature superconductivity
Scientists have confirmed the existence of a predicted room temperature superconductor, while explaining the microscopic mechanism that distinguishes it from a similar one discove…
Enantioresolution turns bright but racemic gold-silver clusters into circularly polarized emitters
Chiral metal clusters that emit circularly polarized light often face a trade-off between photoluminescence efficiency and luminescence dissymmetry. A study published in the journ…
Two-color glowing molecule could make wind tunnel tests more accurate
Most sensors can measure only one thing at a time, like a thermometer for temperature or a pressure gauge for pressure. Measuring two properties accurately from the same surface a…
Experimental evidence of altermagnetism in a layered material opens a promising path toward future spintronics
To build the ultrafast computers of the future, scientists are looking beyond the electrical charge of electrons to another property: their spin. While conventional hardware relie…
Uncovering species–specific chemical sensitivity by focusing on mammalian hormone receptor evolution
Chemicals affect biological species in different ways, posing a major challenge for assessing environmental chemical risks. However, the mechanisms behind these differences have r…
Water-stable catalyst could bring carbon-bond chemistry closer to use in living cells
Olefin metathesis is one of the most important reactions in organic chemistry for forming carbon–carbon bonds—for example, in the production of pharmaceuticals, plastics and compl…