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Phys.org / Superconducting altermagnets could carry spin without energy loss
Researchers have proposed that a newly identified class of magnetic materials could extend the zero-resistance currents of superconductors to electron spins. Publishing their calculations in Physical Review X, Kyle Monkman ...
Phys.org / Plastic washing at recycling plants can spike phthalates in wastewater, study suggests
Potentially harmful chemicals can contaminate untreated water used in recycling plants to clean plastics before they're processed into new products, according to a new study by an Iowa State University research group. Researchers ...
Tech Xplore / Platinum-free fuel cells get a boost thanks to carbon-coated nickel catalyst
A high acid environment is great for a snappy hydrogen oxidation reaction—the reaction at the heart of a clean-energy fuel cell. The problem is the only catalysts that won't dissolve in the high acid of traditional fuel ...
Phys.org / Why cultivating drought-resistant plants disappoints: Soil physics may be the real bottleneck
Plants need water, light, and air to thrive. But when they transport water from the soil up to their leaves, they defy gravity. Scientists describe this astonishing phenomenon as "negative water potential," a form of negative ...
Tech Xplore / Stamping high-res imagery onto everyday items to 'reprogram' their appearance
Imagine a world where you could change the designs you see on bags, shirts, and walls whenever you want. Typical clothes would become customizable fashion pieces, while your humble abode could turn into a smart home. That's ...
Phys.org / Belt-like VO₂(B) single crystals unlock high-sensitivity gas detection at room temperature
An international research team has successfully synthesized oriented belt-shaped vanadium dioxide (VO2(B)) single crystals via a hydrothermal reduction method, using one-dimensional vanadium pentoxide (V2O5) nanofibers as ...
Phys.org / New imaging technique maps membrane lipids in 3D at nanoscale
Biological membranes of cells and their subunits (organelles) are organized into tiny regions (nanodomains) made up of fats (lipids) and proteins. Those specialized regions carry out important tasks for the cell, such as ...
Phys.org / 'Gray-box' AI reveals why catalysts work while speeding discovery
Self-driving laboratories (SDLs) powered by artificial intelligence (AI) are rapidly accelerating materials discovery, but can they also explain their results? Researchers from the Theory Department of the Fritz Haber Institute, ...
Tech Xplore / LLMs and creativity: AI responses show less variety than human ones
Can using a large language model (LLM) make a person more creative? Prior work has shown that using LLMs can make creative outputs more homogeneous, but this homogenization could stem from the specific LLM used or from widespread ...
Tech Xplore / Bird‑like robots promise greater flexibility and control than drones
A bird banking in a crosswind doesn't rely on spinning blades. Its wings flex, twist and respond instantly to its environment. Engineers at Rutgers University have taken a major step toward building bird-like drones that ...
Phys.org / New findings on the first steps in protein synthesis
In the earliest phase of creating human proteins, the protein complex NAC performs an essential task by starting the first steps toward folding proteins into their correct three-dimensional structures. An international research ...
Phys.org / Genomic test could help stop destructive Asian spongy moth in its tracks
Invasive species cost Canada billions of dollars each year. Now, a team led by UBC researchers has developed a new genomic test that can trace the Asian spongy moth—one of the biggest threats to North America's forests—back ...