Matter and Its Interactions
- Physics
Trying to break a photon would create a quantum mess
Attempting to cut a light particle in half would spawn up to infinite new photons, a new model shows.
- Chemistry
Scientists Say: Fluoride
This electrically charged form of fluorine boasts powerful tooth-strengthening abilities.
- Environment
Hawaii is turning fishnets and other plastic trash into roads
Scientists are testing whether plastic pollution from the ocean can be transformed into safe and durable highways.
- Chemistry
New polish could turn long nails into touchscreen styluses
It registers nails' touch by disrupting the touchscreen’s electric field. But this high-tech varnish isn’t ready to hit store shelves yet.
- Health & Medicine
Meet CLA, a naturally ‘healthy’ fat in burgers, ice cream and more
Solid at room temp, the natural trans fat conjugated linoleic acid resembles saturated fats — except that it appears good for the body in many ways.
- Health & Medicine
Here’s what nutrition experts say about dietary fat
New U.S. dietary guidelines promote eating full-fat dairy and meats. But health experts say nuts and seed oils are better sources of the two crucial fats we need.
- Health & Medicine
Explainer: What are ultraprocessed foods?
Packed with chemical additives, these foods have become a major part of our diets. Scientists have begun to worry about how ultraprocessed foods may impact health.
- Physics
Scientists Say: Entropy
To understand the universe, we must look to entropy — the chaos engine of the cosmos.
- Tech
New light-activated coating can kill stubborn germs
Based on graphene, this new material can knock out hard-to-kill germs on contact — even in your mouth.
- Chemistry
Explainer: What is chirality?
Chiral molecules are mirror images of each other. They might not seem all that different — but can have drastically different effects in medicine, materials and more.
- Climate
As winters warm, athletes must cope with harder snow and tricky ice
Ice arenas and artificial snow now dominate the winter Olympics. Athletes there — and everywhere — may need to adjust how they train and perform.
- Animals
Radioactive animals don’t glow — but do show the power of radiation
Wild species exposed to nuclear contamination help show how radiation affects living things — including its risks to people.
