A mysterious magnetic property of subatomic particles called muons hints that new fundamental particles may be lurking undiscovered. In a painstakingly precise experiment, muons’ gyrations within a magnetic field seem…
Author: ID
‘Designer molecules’ could create tailor-made quantum devices
Quantum bits made from “designer molecules” are coming into fashion. By carefully tailoring the composition of molecules, researchers are creating chemical systems suited to a variety of quantum tasks. “The…
Researchers have unlocked the secret to pearls’ incredible symmetry
For centuries, researchers have puzzled over how oysters grow stunningly symmetrical, perfectly round pearls around irregularly shaped grains of sand or bits of debris. Now a team has shown that…
Lithium-ion batteries made with recycled materials can outlast newer counterparts
Lithium-ion batteries with recycled cathodes can outperform batteries with cathodes made from pristine materials, lasting for thousands of additional charging cycles, a study finds. Growing demand for these batteries —…
These colorful butterflies were created using transparent ink
You’ve heard of disappearing ink. Now get ready for suddenly appearing ink. Using a clear liquid, researchers can print a full rainbow of colors on transparent surfaces. The trick is…
These weird, thin ice crystals are springy and bendy
Try to bend an icicle and it’ll snap in two. With its tendency to crack into shards, ice’s reputation for being stiff and brittle seems well-established. But thin, pristine threads…
The teeth of ‘wandering meatloaf’ contain a rare mineral found only in rocks
The hard, magnetic teeth of a leathery red-brown mollusk nicknamed “the wandering meatloaf” possess a rare mineral previously seen only in rocks. The mineral may help the mollusk — the…
Scientists can’t agree on how clumpy the universe is
The universe is surprisingly smooth. A new measurement reveals that the universe is less clumpy than predicted, physicists report in a series of papers posted July 30 at arXiv.org. The…
‘The End of Everything’ explores the ways the universe could perish
The End of EverythingKatie MackScribner, $26 Eventually, the universe will end. And it won’t be pretty. The universe is expanding at an accelerating clip, and that evolution, physicists expect, will…
Despite a new measurement, the debate over the universe’s expansion rages on
When it comes to the expansion rate of the universe, physicists have apparently agreed to disagree. Two types of measurements clash over how fast the cosmos is expanding (SN: 7/30/19).…
