MaterialsScience
Superblack material reflects less than 0.4% of visible light
Superblack material reflects less than 0.4% of visible light Researchers at the University of Notre Dame have developed a new superblack material that reflects less than 0.4% of visible light across the full spectrum. The material, made from microscopic, sheer-walled “caves” just 10 microns wide, is robust, low-cost, and easy to customize, unlike many other […]
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Our team of physicists inadvertently generated the shortest X-ray pulses ever observed
Our team of physicists inadvertently generated the shortest X-ray pulses ever observed Physicists at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory have generated the shortest X-ray pulses ever observed, clocking in at 60-100 attoseconds. The new X-ray laser pulses were created using a technique called Rabi cycling, which splits energy levels into different frequencies, allowing for the generation […]
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NSTGRO 2025
NSTGRO 2025 Astronaut-Powered Laundry Machine: Researchers at the University of California, Davis are developing an astronaut-powered laundry machine that can clean clothes using only solar energy and water. Computational Modeling of Lithium Magnetoplasmadynamic Thruster for Nuclear Electric Propulsion: Scientists at Stanford University are working on a computational model to optimize the performance of lithium magnetoplasmadynamic […]
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What is rust? A materials scientist explains metal’s crusty enemy
What is rust? A materials scientist explains metal’s crusty enemy Rust is a natural process that occurs when iron or steel reacts with oxygen and moisture, leading to the formation of iron oxide (rust) and causing metal to break down. The combination of rain, exposed metal, and time can trigger rusting on objects like bicycles, […]
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Granular systems, such as sandpiles or rockslides, are all around you − new research will help scientists describe how they work
Granular systems, such as sandpiles or rockslides, are all around you − new research will help scientists describe how they work Scientists have long struggled to understand how granular systems, such as sandpiles or rockslides, behave when individual grains interact with each other. A new research approach uses photoelasticity, a property that makes transparent materials […]
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Power on the Dark Side: Stimulus-Responsive Adsorbents for Low-Energy Controlled Storage and Delivery of Low Boiling Fuels to Mobile Assets in Permanently Shaded Regions
Power on the Dark Side: Stimulus-Responsive Adsorbents for Low-Energy Controlled Storage and Delivery of Low Boiling Fuels to Mobile Assets in Permanently Shaded Regions Researchers are developing stimulus-responsive adsorbents to store low-boiling fuels for mobile assets in permanently shaded regions. The project focuses on Metal Oxide Frameworks (MOFs) that can store methane and oxygen, which […]
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Developing Oxychalcogenide Membranes for Superconducting Power Transmission
Developing Oxychalcogenide Membranes for Superconducting Power Transmission Researchers are developing oxychalcogenide membranes for superconducting power transmission, aiming to create a cable that can operate on the Moon with low electrical losses. The team will use novel manufacturing techniques to grow alternating layers of FeSe SrTiO3 films onto a substrate, resulting in a superconducting tape that […]
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Is ranch dressing a liquid or a solid? A physicist explains
Is ranch dressing a liquid or a solid? A physicist explains It pours like a liquid but maintains its shape like a solid. Jack Andersen/Stone via Getty Images Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to curiouskidsus@theconversation.com. Is ranch […]
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