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Published

Webb finds evidence for neutron star at heart of young supernova remnant      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has found the best evidence yet for emission from a neutron star at the site of a recently observed supernova. The supernova, known as SN 1987A, was a core-collapse supernova, meaning the compacted remains at its core formed either a neutron star or a black hole. Evidence for such a compact object has long been sought, and while indirect evidence for the presence of a neutron star has previously been found, this is the first time that the effects of high-energy emission from the probable young neutron star have been detected.

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Published

A new beginning: The search for more temperate Tatooines      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Luke Skywalker's childhood might have been slightly less harsh if he'd grown up on a more temperate Tatooine -- like the ones identified in a new study. According to the study's authors, there are more climate-friendly planets in binary star systems -- in other words, those with two suns -- than previously known. And, they say, it may be a sign that, at least in some ways, the universe leans in the direction of orderly alignment rather than chaotic misalignment.

Offbeat: General Offbeat: Space Space: Astronomy Space: Astrophysics Space: Cosmology Space: Exploration Space: General Space: Structures and Features Space: The Solar System
Published

Brightest and fastest-growing: Astronomers identify record-breaking quasar      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Astronomers have characterized a bright quasar, finding it to be not only the brightest of its kind, but also the most luminous object ever observed. Quasars are the bright cores of distant galaxies and they are powered by supermassive black holes. The black hole in this record-breaking quasar is growing in mass by the equivalent of one Sun per day, making it the fastest-growing black hole to date.

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

Graphene research: Numerous products, no acute dangers found by study      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Graphene is an enormously promising material. It consists of a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a honeycomb pattern and has extraordinary properties: exceptional mechanical strength, flexibility, transparency and outstanding thermal and electrical conductivity. If the already two-dimensional material is spatially restricted even more, for example into a narrow ribbon, controllable quantum effects can be created. This could enable a wide range of applications, from vehicle construction and energy storage to quantum computing.

Energy: Batteries Energy: Technology Engineering: Nanotechnology
Published

New water batteries stay cool under pressure      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A global team of researchers has invented recyclable 'water batteries' that won't catch fire or explode. The team use water to replace organic electrolytes -- which enable the flow of electric current between the positive and negative terminals -- meaning their batteries can't start a fire or blow up -- unlike their lithium-ion counterparts.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Engineering: Nanotechnology Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

An environmentally friendly way to turn seafood waste into value-added products      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Reduce, reuse, recycle, and repurpose: These are all ways we can live more sustainably. One tricky aspect of recycling, though, is that sometimes the recycling process is chemically intensive, and this is the case for recycling one of the world's most abundant materials -- chitin. Researchers have tackled this problem and found a way to sustainably recover chitin from seafood waste.

Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Energy: Alternative Fuels Engineering: Nanotechnology Environmental: General Geoscience: Geochemistry Physics: General Physics: Quantum Computing Physics: Quantum Physics
Published

Revolutionary breakthrough in solar energy: Most efficient QD solar cells      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A research team has unveiled a novel ligand exchange technique that enables the synthesis of organic cation-based perovskite quantum dots (PQDs), ensuring exceptional stability while suppressing internal defects in the photoactive layer of solar cells.

Offbeat: General Offbeat: Space Space: Astronomy Space: Astrophysics Space: Exploration Space: General Space: Structures and Features
Published

Black hole at center of the Milky Way resembles a football      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The supermassive black hole in the center of the Milky Way is spinning so quickly it is warping the spacetime surrounding it into a shape that can look like a football, according to a new study. That football shape suggests the black hole is spinning at a substantial speed, which researchers estimated to be about 60% of its potential limit.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Microbiology Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Engineering: Nanotechnology
Published

Engineering a coating for disease-free produce      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Texas A&M researchers combine food-grade wax with essential oils to defend produce from bacteria.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Engineering: Nanotechnology Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Plastic recycling with a protein anchor      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Polystyrene is a widespread plastic that is essentially not recyclable when mixed with other materials and is not biodegradable. A research team has now introduced a biohybrid catalyst that oxidizes polystyrene microparticles to facilitate their subsequent degradation. The catalyst consists of a specially constructed 'anchor peptide' that adheres to polystyrene surfaces and a cobalt complex that oxidizes polystyrene.

Offbeat: General Offbeat: Space Space: Astronomy Space: Astrophysics Space: Exploration Space: General Space: Structures and Features
Published

Astronomers report oscillation of our giant, gaseous neighbor      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A few years ago, astronomers uncovered one of the Milky Way's greatest secrets: an enormous, wave-shaped chain of gaseous clouds in our sun's backyard, giving birth to clusters of stars along the spiral arm of the galaxy we call home. Naming this astonishing new structure the Radcliffe Wave, the team now reports that the Radcliffe Wave not only looks like a wave, but also moves like one -- oscillating through space-time much like 'the wave' moving through a stadium full of fans.

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Published

New chip opens door to AI computing at light speed      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Engineers have developed a new chip that uses light waves, rather than electricity, to perform the complex math essential to training AI. The chip has the potential to radically accelerate the processing speed of computers while also reducing their energy consumption.

Engineering: Graphene Engineering: Nanotechnology
Published

First human trial shows 'wonder' material can be developed safely      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A revolutionary nanomaterial with huge potential to tackle multiple global challenges could be developed further without acute risk to human health, research suggests.

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Published

New nuclei can help shape our understanding of fundamental science on Earth and in the cosmos      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

In creating five new isotopes, scientists have brought the stars closer to Earth. The isotopes are known as thulium-182, thulium-183, ytterbium-186, ytterbium-187 and lutetium-190.

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Published

A star like a Matryoshka doll: New theory for gravastars      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

If gravitational condensate stars (or gravastars) actually existed, they would look similar to black holes to a distant observer. Two theoretical physicists have now found a new solution to Albert Einstein's theory of general relativity, according to which gravitational stars could be structured like a Russian matryoshka doll, with one gravastar located inside another.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Chemistry: Biochemistry Engineering: Nanotechnology
Published

Nanoparticles that can light up the lymph node cancer cells otherwise undetectable by MRI      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have developed a new nanoparticle that can 'hitch a ride' on immune cells, or monocytes. Because of its tiny size, the particle can tag along directly into lymph nodes and help metastasis show up on MRIs where it would otherwise be too hard to detect. The process offers game-changing benefits for the early detection of cancer metastasis in the lymph nodes. While previously, metastasis could only be assessed by an increase in lymph node size; the new particles could lead to MRI contrast agents that can highlight metastatic cells in lymph nodes that may otherwise appear normal.

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

Exploring the effect of ring closing on fluorescence of supramolecular polymers      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The properties of supramolecular polymers are dictated by the self-assembled state of the molecules. However, not much is known about the impact of morphologies on the properties of nano- and mesoscopic-scale polymeric assemblies. Recently, a research team demonstrated how terminus-free toroids and random coils derived from the same luminescent molecule show different photophysical properties. The team also presented a novel method for purifying the toroidal structure.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Engineering: Nanotechnology Physics: General
Published

Scientists study the behaviors of chiral skyrmions in chiral flower-like obstacles      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Chiral skyrmions are a special type of spin textures in magnetic materials with asymmetric exchange interactions. They can be treated as quasi-particles and carry integer topological charges. Scientists have recently studied the random walk-behaviors of chiral skyrmions by simulating their dynamics within a ferromagnetic layer surrounded by chiral flower-like obstacles. The simulations reveal that the system behaves like a topological sorting device, indicating its use in information processing and computing devices.