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Categories: Chemistry: Thermodynamics, Physics: Optics

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Stacked layers of ultrathin semiconductor materials feature phenomena that can be exploited for novel applications. Physicists have studied effects that emerge by giving two layers a slight twist.

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In chemistry, we have He, Fe and Ca -- but what about do, re and mi? Using a technique called data sonification, a recent college graduate has converted the visible light given off by each of the elements into soundwaves. The notes produced for each element are unique, complex mixtures and are the first step toward an interactive, musical periodic table.

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The cold blast of an air conditioner can be a relief as temperatures soar, but 'A/C' units require large amounts of energy and can leak greenhouse gases. Today, scientists report an eco-friendly alternative -- a plant-based film that cools when exposed to sunlight and comes in many textures and bright, iridescent colors. The material could someday keep buildings, cars and other structures cool without requiring power.

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A research group has discovered that near-infrared absorbing dyes, which had previously been considered to have closed-shell electronic structures, have an intermediate electronic structure, between closed- and open-shell structures. They also found that as the wavelength of near-infrared light that can be absorbed becomes longer the contribution of open-shell forms increases within the dye. These newly discovered characteristics are expected to be utilized to develop new near-infrared absorbing dyes that can absorb longer wavelength near-infrared light.

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Most climate models do not yet account for a recent discovery: methane traps a great deal of heat in Earth's atmosphere, but also creates cooling clouds that offset 30% of the heat.

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Nuclear physicists have found a new way to see inside nuclei by tracking interactions between particles of light and gluons. The method relies on harnessing a new type of quantum interference between two dissimilar particles. Tracking how these entangled particles emerge from the interactions lets scientists map out the arrangement of gluons. This approach is unusual for making use of entanglement between dissimilar particles -- something rare in quantum studies.

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Chemists use high-precision quantum chemistry to study key elements of super-efficient energy transfer in an important element of photosynthesis.

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The impact of multi-story building design considerations on embodied carbon emissions, cost, and operational energy has been revealed.

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Existing sensor probes for microelectrical devices can measure only their average electric properties, providing no information on their spatial distribution. Liquid crystal droplets (LCDs) -- microscopic droplets of soft matter that respond to electric field -- are promising in this regard. Accordingly, researchers recently visualized the electric field and electrostatic energy distribution of microstructured electrodes by recording the motion of LCDs under an applied voltage, making for high detection accuracy and spatial resolution.

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Imagine a home computer operating 1 million times faster than the most expensive hardware on the market. Now, imagine that being the industry standard. Physicists hope to pave the way for that reality.

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Scientists have created a comprehensive 'roadmap' to guide global efforts to convert waste energy into clean power.

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Researchers have demonstrated a caterpillar-like soft robot that can move forward, backward and dip under narrow spaces. The caterpillar-bot's movement is driven by a novel pattern of silver nanowires that use heat to control the way the robot bends, allowing users to steer the robot in either direction.

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Physicists have built a new technology on a microchip by combining two Nobel Prize-winning techniques. This microchip could measure distances in materials at high precision, for example underwater or for medical imaging. Because the technology uses sound vibrations instead of light, it is useful for high-precision position measurements in opaque materials. There's no need for complex feedback loops or for tuning certain parameters to get it to operate properly. This makes it a very simple and low-power technology, that is much easier to miniaturize on a microchip. What makes it special is that it doesn't need any precision hardware and is therefore easy to produce. It only requires inserting a laser, and nothing else. The instrument could lead to new techniques to monitor the Earth's climate and human health.

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Plants use photosynthesis to harvest energy from sunlight. Now researchers have applied this principle as the basis for developing new sustainable processes which in the future may produce syngas (synthetic gas) for the large-scale chemical industry and be able to charge batteries.

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Molecular engineers have triggered a domino-like structural transition in an organic semiconductor. The energy- and time-saving phenomenon may enhance the performance of smartwatches, solar cells, and other organic electronics.

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Atomic nuclei accelerated close to the speed of light become dense walls of gluons known as color glass condensate (CGC). Recent analysis shows that CGC shares features with black holes, enormous conglomerates of gravitons that exert gravitational force across the universe. Both gluons in CGC and gravitons in black holes are organized in the most efficient manner possible for each system's energy and size.

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Researchers have built and tested a bushfire safe room that exceeds current Australian standards and could keep people alive or protect valuables when evacuation is no longer an option.

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n a major breakthrough in the fields of nanophotonics and ultrafast optics, a research team has demonstrated the ability to dynamically steer light pulses from conventional, so-called incoherent light sources.

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How light interacts with matter has always fired the imagination. Now scientists for the first time have demonstrated the ability to manipulate single and double atoms exhibiting the properties of simulated light emission. This creates prospects for advances in photonic quantum computing and low-intensity medical imaging.

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By adapting technology used for gamma-ray astronomy, researchers has found X-ray transitions previously thought to have been unpolarized according to atomic physics, are in fact highly polarized.