August 20, 2020: Researchers at the University of Tsukuba have developed a new kind of color-shifting crystalline material that can be used to indicate the presence of water. The change in hue is dramatic enough to be gauged by the unaided human eye. This work could lead to the creation of highly sensitive “vapochromic” sensors that can show if a particular gas or water vapor is present without the need for external power.
August 20, 2020: Using micro CT scanners, which generate 3D images with 100-times the resolution of medical CT scans, mummified animals' remains from ancient Egypt were analyzed in previously unseen detail, giving an insight into how they were killed and the ritual behind it.
August 24, 2020: Scientists are preparing for the increased brightness and resolution of next-generation light sources used in high-resolution X-ray imaging using supercomputers to demonstrate a computing technique that reconstructs images faster and with more precision.
August 26, 2020: New work led by Sally June Tracy of the Carnegie Institution examined the crystal structure of the silica mineral quartz under shock compression and is challenging longstanding assumptions about how this ubiquitous material behaves under such intense conditions.
August 31, 2020: A team of Florida State University researchers led by Biwu Ma, a professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry has developed a new material that could be used to make flexible X-ray detectors that are less harmful to the environment and cost less than existing technologies.
September 3, 2020: Contrary to what was thought to be a scientific impossibility, scientists detected rust—a product that requires oxygen, water and oxidative conditions—on the surface of the Moon, a famously oxygen-poor, liquid waterless and reducing environment that prohibits oxidation.
September 3, 2020: Researchers have demonstrated that certain molecules previously viewed as potentially detrimental to copper electrolyte performance are crucial to suppressing recombination losses and maximizing efficiency when harnessed correctly.
September 4, 2020: Better batteries are a critical enabling technology for everything from your gadgets all the way up to the stability of an increasingly renewable grid. A recent paper covers a new electrode material that seems to avoid the problems that have plagued other approaches to expanding battery capacity and it's a remarkably simple material: a variation on the same structure that's formed by crystals of table salt.
September 4, 2020: One proposed paradigm for shifting away from fossil fuels is using hydrogen gas to power society’s electrical needs. Scientists are studying the process of splitting water to mass produce hydrogen gas, which would result in hydrogen fuel and breathable oxygen gas.
September 9, 2020: Researchers from the University of St. Andrews have developed an innovative new technique using lasers to accurately measure the authenticity of some of the world’s most exclusive whiskies—without ever removing the cap.
September 10, 2020: Superhard materials are of great interest in various practical applications, and an increasing number of research efforts are focused on their development. A group of Skoltech scientists used machine learning methods to predict superhard materials based on their crystal structure.
September 14, 2020: At the core of the quest for the origins of Stonehenge’s stones are petrographical and geochemical analyses, and one of the most frequently used of these analytical tools is X-ray fluorescence (XRF). It offers a quick method for identifying the unique elements that make up a sample.
September 14, 2020: Israeli researchers have developed new accurate radiation sources using unique materials. According to the Israel Institute of Technology (Technion), the development is expected to lead to breakthroughs in medical imaging and other areas. It includes the analysis of chemicals and biological materials, X-ray equipment for security screening and other uses of accurate X-ray sources.
September 15, 2020: A new research consortium–featuring industry, academia and government–will use the power of artificial intelligence to accelerate design of the next generation of high-performance materials, with applications ranging from renewable energy to consumer electronics.
September 15, 2020: A new study found that 176 open access journals from 47 countries vanished from the internet between 2000 and 2019, and nearly 900 "inactive" journals may be at risk of vanishing in the future.
September 16, 2020: Researchers at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base are seeking to patent a novel process for manufacturing a type of material called preceramic polymer-grafted nanoparticles, or “hairy nanoparticles” (HNP).
September 16, 2020: A team from Empa, the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, was recently granted European and U.S. patents for a process that could help lower the cost and environmental footprint of the world's most widely used building material. The technology helps make concrete elements leaner and easier to work with, yet durable and stable.
