Physics
- Chemistry
Moisture unmasks camouflaged message
Researchers have developed a new type of chemical that will mask some hidden message — until you add water.
- Science & Society
Legendary physicist Stephen Hawking dies at 76
Theoretical research by Stephen Hawking helped shape how scientists and the public alike would come to understand black holes and other facets of astrophysics.
- Physics
Explainer: What is thundersnow?
Wacky weather produced lots of thundersnow during New England’s recent winter storms. Some scientists now suspect Mother Nature got some human help.
- Materials Science
New device makes water give up its sounds
A new device can dramatically boost the ability of people above the water’s surface to hear what’s going on below.
- Materials Science
Hairy nanoparticles put viruses in a deadly embrace
Current drugs can’t stop viruses for good. But newly developed hairy nanoparticles just might. They surround and put pressure on the viruses, which ultimately destroys them.
- Tech
In bobsledding, what the toes do can affect who gets the gold
South Korean scientists have been developing shoes that could give their national bobsled team an advantage at the Olympics.
- Agriculture
New ‘tattoo’ could lead to drought-tolerant crops
Scientists create stick-on 'plant tattoo.' It measures how efficiently crops use water, a key to better identifying breeding stock for more drought-resistant crops.
- Tech
This hydropower harnesses energy one water drop at a time
A single drop of water sliding across a surface can light up 15 LEDs. This charging by friction is due to what’s known as the triboelectric effect.
- Earth
Pollution from new technologies threatens astronomy
Pollution from new technologies will make it harder to observe the night sky, astronomers say.
- Materials Science
Cool Jobs: Drilling into the secrets of teeth
A bioengineer, a biologist and an archaeologist all study teeth to explore new materials, to grow better tissues and to learn more about prehistoric humans.
- Animals
Analyze This: Electric eels’ zaps are more powerful than a TASER
Shocking! A biologist reached his hand into a fish tank and let an electric eel zap him. It let him measure precisely how strong a current it could unleash to defend itself.
- Physics
Probing the power of the winds
Young researchers have been exploring the energy in wind to see how best they might tame it, harness it and understand its role in shaping the natural world.
