Curated News:

Article ID: 700866

The Penn State Department of Chemical Engineering’s cutting-edge work in the nascent field of artificial water channels was the subject of a recent Faraday Discussions conference held by the Royal Society of Chemistry and a breakthrough paper in the journal Nature Communications.

Article ID: 699771

Do you frequently forget passwords to a baffling array of accounts and websites? Much depends on a password’s importance and how often you use it, according to a Rutgers University–New Brunswick-led study that could spur improved password technology and use.

Article ID: 699534

“Listening-Watch” a program utilizing wearable devices and speech for two-factor authentication, thwarts potential mobile device attacks while requiring minimal effort from the user.

Article ID: 699485

A simulator that comes complete with a virtual explosion could help the operators of chemical processing plants – and other industrial facilities – learn to detect attacks by hackers bent on causing mayhem.

Article ID: 698374

Attend press conferences live – online at http://bit.ly/ACSLive_Boston2018 or in person -- at the 256th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS). Press conferences will be held Monday, Aug. 20, through Wednesday, Aug. 22, 2018. Below is the schedule, which will be updated as needed.

Article ID: 698208

Lithium-ion batteries commonly used in consumer electronics are notorious for bursting into flame when damaged or improperly packaged. These incidents occasionally have grave consequences, including burns, house fires and at least one plane crash. Inspired by the weird behavior of some liquids that solidify on impact, researchers have developed a practical and inexpensive way to help prevent these fires.

Article ID: 698215

Soldiers on the battlefield or at remote bases often have to wait weeks for vital replacement parts. Now scientists report they have found a way to fabricate many of these parts within hours under combat conditions using water bottles, cardboard and other recyclable materials found on base as starting materials for 3D printing. They say this ‘game-changing’ advance could improve operational readiness, reduce dependence on outside supply chains and enhance safety.

Article ID: 698163

Thousands of shipwrecks litter the seafloor all over the world, preserved in sediments and cold water. But when one of these ships is brought up from the depths, the wood quickly starts deteriorating. Today, scientists report a new way to use “smart” nanocomposites to conserve a 16th-century British warship, the Mary Rose, and its artifacts. The new approach could help preserve other salvaged ships by eliminating harmful acids without damaging the wooden structures themselves.

Article ID: 698308

Once in the territory of science fiction, “nanobots” are closer than ever to becoming a reality, with possible applications in medicine, manufacturing, robotics and fluidics. Today, scientists report progress in developing the tiny machines: They have made nanobot pumps that destroy nerve agents, while simultaneously administering an antidote.

Article ID: 698305

For thousands of years, people in the Middle East and South America have extracted water from the air to help sustain their populations. Drawing inspiration from those examples, researchers are now developing a lightweight, battery-powered freshwater harvester that could someday take as much as 10 gallons per hour from the air, even in arid locations. They say their nanofiber-based method could help address modern water shortages due to climate change, industrial pollution, droughts and groundwater depletion.