Modeling Surface Chemistry and Predicting New Materials

The ruddy flakes of a rusted nail are a sure sign that an undesirable chemical reaction has occurred at the surface. Understanding how molecules and atoms behave with each other, especially at surfaces, is central to managing both desirable chemical...
25-Oct-2017 10:05 AM EDT Add to Favorites

Nanosensors Demystify Brain Chemistry

Nanosensors are incredible information-gathering tools for myriad applications, including molecular targets such as the brain. Neurotransmitter molecules govern brain function through chemistry found deep within the brain, so University of...
24-Oct-2017 10:05 AM EDT Add to Favorites

Discovering the Source of Dragonfly Wing Colors

Dazzling dragonfly wings may send poets rhapsodizing, but scientists yearn for a better understanding. In particular, they want to know the chemistry of the different layers giving rise to natural photonic crystals that help create color. Now, a...
25-Oct-2017 1:05 PM EDT Add to Favorites

Nature’s Way

Researchers at the University of Maine have studied fungi, researching how these smallest of life forms break down giant trees, some of the few organisms able to do so. The team now focuses on generating new technology based on how living systems...
25-Oct-2017 8:05 AM EDT Add to Favorites

Folding Circuits Just Atoms Thick Using the Principles of Origami

While the creation of a paper swan using origami may be intriguing, the idea of creating 3-D circuits based on similar design principles is simply mindboggling. Researchers at the University of Chicago have focused on large scale synthesis and...
25-Oct-2017 8:05 AM EDT Add to Favorites

Low-Cost Graphene-Based Sensor Detects Contaminants in Water

Accurate and accessible detection technologies are necessary to ensure continuous water quality control and early warning capabilities to avoid public safety catastrophes like the ongoing Flint water crisis in Michigan. During the AVS’s 64th...
25-Oct-2017 9:15 AM EDT Add to Favorites

Metallic Glass Boosts Performance of Advanced MEMS Microphones

Polysilicon is the material most commonly used as a membrane for microphone devices today. But, in general, single-crystal and polycrystalline-silicon-based devices are brittle and prone to fractures that can cause interior defects during the...
24-Oct-2017 12:05 PM EDT Add to Favorites

Vacuum Technology Makes Waves -- Gravitational, That Is -- Detectable

In a presentation during the AVS 64th International Symposium and Exhibition, in Tampa, Florida, astrophysicists Rai Weiss and Michael Zucker will describe how LIGO scientists and engineers designed and constructed LIGO’s ingenious, ultra-high...
25-Oct-2017 2:05 PM EDT Add to Favorites

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