Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Engineering: Nanotechnology Physics: General Physics: Quantum Computing
Published

Small yet mighty: Showcasing precision nanocluster formation with molecular traps      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Nanoclusters (NCs) of transition metals like cobalt or nickel have widespread applications in drug delivery and water purification, with smaller NCs exhibiting improved functionalities. Downsizing NCs is, however, usually challenging. Now, scientists have demonstrated functional NC formation with atomic-scale precision. They successfully grew cobalt NCs on flat copper surfaces using molecular arrays as traps. This breakthrough paves the way for advancements like single-atom catalysis and spintronics miniaturization.

Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Oceanography
Published

Some plastic straws degrade quicker than others      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Not all plastics are created the same, and some last longer in the ocean than others. Scientists have been working for years to quantify the environmental lifetimes of a wide range of plastic goods to see which have the shortest and longest lifespans in the ocean. To determine what plastics persist in the ocean, the team tests different products in large tanks that recreate the natural ocean environment.

Anthropology: Early Humans Anthropology: General Archaeology: General Biology: Evolutionary Paleontology: Early Mammals and Birds Paleontology: Fossils Paleontology: General
Published

How did humans learn to walk? New evolutionary study offers an earful      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new study, which centers on evidence from skulls of a 6-million-year-old fossil ape, Lufengpithecus, offers important clues about the origins of bipedal locomotion courtesy of a novel method: analyzing its bony inner ear region using three-dimensional CT-scanning. The inner ear appears to provide a unique record of the evolutionary history of ape locomotion.

Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Engineering: Nanotechnology
Published

High-efficiency carbon dioxide electroreduction system reduces our carbon footprint and progressing carbon neutrality goals      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Global warming continues to pose a threat to human society and the ecological systems, and carbon dioxide accounts for the largest proportion of the greenhouse gases that dominate climate warming. To combat climate change and move towards the goal of carbon neutrality, researchers have developed a durable, highly selective and energy-efficient carbon dioxide (CO2) electroreduction system that can convert CO2 into ethylene for industrial purposes to provide an effective solution for reducing CO2 emissions.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Computer Science: General Engineering: Robotics Research Physics: General
Published

Utilizing active microparticles for artificial intelligence      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Artificial intelligence using neural networks performs calculations digitally with the help of microelectronic chips. Physicists have now created a type of neural network that works not with electricity but with so-called active colloidal particles.The researchers describe how these microparticles can be used as a physical system for artificial intelligence and the prediction of time series.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Energy: Technology
Published

How to shift gears in a molecular motor      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists have long strived to develop artificial molecular motors that can convert energy into directed motion. Researchers have now presented a solution to a challenging problem: how motion can be transferred in a controlled manner from one place to another through a 'molecular gear'. Molecular motors have the potential for use in, for example, energy storage applications and medicine.

Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry: Thermodynamics Energy: Batteries Energy: Technology
Published

Polymer power: Researchers enhance the safety of lithium batteries      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Lithium-ion batteries face safety concerns as a result of internal separator issues which often lead to short circuits. Scientists have now developed a method to improve the stability and properties of separators with a layer of silicon dioxide and other functional molecules. Batteries employing these separators demonstrated improved performance and reduced growth of disruptive root-like structures, paving the way for high-safety batteries that can aid the adoption of electric vehicles and advanced energy storage systems.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry
Published

Deep learning reveals molecular secrets of explosive perchlorate salts      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Perchlorate compounds are known for their explosive nature. To understand what makes these compounds so explosive, a team of researchers developed a novel deep learning-based method that analyses their crystal structure and molecular interactions to elucidate their physical properties. This novel technique avoids dangerous laboratory-based experiments and uses data to study the nature of compounds. Overall, the study marks a significant step towards data-driven and artificial intelligence-based methods for chemical research.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: General Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Cellular scaffolding rewired to make microscopic railways      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers were able to control the growth of thin, branching networks that support cellular structure and help cells function. The networks, called microtubules, can exert force and precisely transport chemicals at a subcellular level.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Engineering: Robotics Research
Published

Autonomous synthesis robot uses AI to speed up chemical discovery      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Chemists have developed an autonomous chemical synthesis robot with an integrated AI-driven machine learning unit. Dubbed 'RoboChem', the benchtop device can outperform a human chemist in terms of speed and accuracy while also displaying a high level of ingenuity. As the first of its kind, it could significantly accelerate chemical discovery of molecules for pharmaceutical and many other applications.

Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Mathematics: General Mathematics: Modeling Physics: General
Published

New method flips the script on topological physics      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The branch of mathematics known as topology has become a cornerstone of modern physics thanks to the remarkable -- and above all reliable -- properties it can impart to a material or system. Unfortunately, identifying topological systems, or even designing new ones, is generally a tedious process that requires exactly matching the physical system to a mathematical model. Researchers have demonstrated a model-free method for identifying topology, enabling the discovery of new topological materials using a purely experimental approach.

Anthropology: Cultures Anthropology: General Archaeology: General Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

New research challenges hunter-gatherer narrative      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Analysis of the remains of 24 individuals from the Wilamaya Patjxa and Soro Mik'aya Patjxa burial sites in Peru shows that early human diets in the Andes Mountains were composed of 80 percent plant matter and 20 percent meat.

Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Computer Science: Quantum Computers Engineering: Graphene Physics: General Physics: Optics Physics: Quantum Computing Physics: Quantum Physics
Published

Researchers add a 'twist' to classical material design      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers grew a twisted multilayer crystal structure for the first time and measured the structure's key properties. The twisted structure could help researchers develop next-generation materials for solar cells, quantum computers, lasers and other devices.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Engineering: Nanotechnology Physics: General
Published

Hacking DNA to make next-gen materials      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists have developed a universal method for producing a wide variety of designed metallic and semiconductor 3D nanostructures -- the potential base materials for next-generation semiconductor devices, neuromorphic computing, and advanced energy applications. The new method, which uses a 'hacked' form of DNA that instructs molecules to organize themselves into targeted 3D patterns, is the first of its kind to produce robust nanostructures from multiple material classes.

Anthropology: General Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Botany Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Nature Environmental: Biodiversity Paleontology: Fossils
Published

Complex green organisms emerged a billion years ago      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Of all the organisms that photosynthesize, land plants have the most complex form. How did this morphology emerge? A team of scientists has taken a deep dive into the evolutionary history of morphological complexity in streptophytes, which include land plants and many green algae. Their research allowed them to go back in time to investigate lineages that emerged long before land plants existed.

Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Energy: Alternative Fuels
Published

New sustainable method for creating organic semiconductors      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have developed a new, more environmentally friendly way to create conductive inks for use in organic electronics such as solar cells, artificial neurons, and soft sensors. The findings pave the way for future sustainable technology.