Blog Profile / Physorg Features
| URL : | http://www.physorg.com/ | |
|---|---|---|
| Filed Under: | Academics / General Science | |
| Posts on Regator: | 433 | |
| Posts / Week: | 2.7 | |
| Archived Since: | April 9, 2010 | |
Blog Post Archive
Ferroelectric memristors may lead to brain-like computers
(Phys.org)—As electrical pulses travel through the body's nervous system, they are passed from neuron to neuron by synapses. A synapse, which consists of a gap junction and the cell membranes of the transmitting and receiving neurons on either side of this gap, has a structure that is a lot like the electrical component called a memristor. Show More Summary
'Tunneling of the third kind' experiment could search for new physics
(Phys.org)—In an attempt to solve some of the observational puzzles in physics, theorists have proposed a number of new physics models. Several of these models suggest the existence of extremely weakly interacting lightweight particles with tiny fractional electric charges called minicharged particles (MCPs). Show More Summary
Quantum mechanics could make money, credit cards, and tickets immune to fraud
(Phys.org)—Theoretically, the laws of quantum mechanics – particularly the "no-cloning theorem" – guarantee that any attempt at counterfeiting a credit card, bill, coin, token, etc., will fail if the object is embedded with quantum information. Show More Summary
Why moderate beliefs rarely prevail
(Phys.org)—We live in a world of extremes, where being fervently for or against an issue often becomes the dominant social ideology – until an opposing belief that is equally extreme emerges to challenge the first one, eventually becoming the new social paradigm. Show More Summary
New LED packaging technology improves performance
(Phys.org)—Many researchers have reported improvements in LED technology by enhancing the properties of the LED itself. But the packaging that secures and protects the LED also impacts its overall performance. In a new study, researchers...Show More Summary
Making a molecular micromap: Imaging the yeast 26S proteasome at near-atomic resolution
(Phys.org)—Biological systems are characterized by a form of molecular recycling – and proteins do not escape this fate. In particular, unneeded or damaged proteins biochemically marked for destruction undergo controlled degradation by having their peptide bonds broken by proteasomes. Show More Summary
Small is beautiful: Viewing hydrogen atoms with neutron protein crystallography
(Phys.org)—Creating 3D visualizations of hydrogen atoms in proteins is especially challenging, often requiring their locations to be inferred from those of nearby carbon, nitrogen, oxygen or sulfur atoms stored in protein structure databases. Show More Summary
Scientists develop method for fabricating individual magnetic quantum dots
(Phys.org)—Quantum dots are semiconductor crystals that contain a few hundred atoms constrained into such a small space they're considered zero-dimensional objects, often called "artificial atoms." Researchers have fabricated quantum dots made of various materials and sizes. Show More Summary
Freestanding carbon nanotubes may be thinner than previously thought possible
(Phys.org)—Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are renowned for their thinness, having diameters as small as 3 angstroms (Å), or 0.3 nm. It's generally thought that ultrathin CNTs with diameters smaller than 3 Å are unstable because, at that scale, the bonds that hold the atoms together become distorted and lead to collapse. Show More Summary
Physicists experimentally demonstrate one-way quantum steering
(Phys.org)—When Einstein described the interaction between two distant objects as "spooky interaction at a distance," he was referring to the quantum phenomenon called steering. Steering can occur in strongly entangled systems and implies a direction between the two parties involved, while entanglement without steering generally has no direction. Show More Summary
From vitro to vivo: Fully automated design of synthetic RNA circuits in living cells
(Phys.org)—Synthetic biology combines science and engineering in the pursuit of two general goals: to design and construct new biological parts, devices, and systems not found in nature; and redesign existing, natural biological systems for useful purposes. Show More Summary
Scientists discover second purpose for vortex generators
(Phys.org)—An airplane's vortex generators, which look like small fins on its surface, improve the plane's aerodynamics similar to the way in which the dimples on a golf ball improve the ball's aerodynamics: by delaying "boundary layer...Show More Summary
Point-like defects in a quantum fluid behave like magnetic monopoles
(Phys.org)—No one has ever definitively observed a magnetic monopole, the hypothetical fundamental particle that has only a north or south magnetic pole, but not both like normal magnets do. However, scientists have observed a few types...Show More Summary
Optical microscopy enters a new phase: 3D measurement through tomographic bright field imaging
(Phys.org)—A widely-used tool for studying cellular structure – indeed, a technique in use throughout biology – phase contrast microscopy converts optical phase shifts to changes in brightness. At the same time, several issues in phase...Show More Summary
Focusing the phenotype: Controlling genetic expression through external feedback
(Phys.org)—Gene expression plays a central role in the orchestration of virtually all cellular processes. While inducible promoters have proven invaluable in understanding regulatory networks by modifying gene expression levels, their use has faced some shortcomings. Show More Summary
Inverted polymer solar cell efficiency sets world record
(Phys.org)—For many years, researchers have strived to reach the goal of 10% efficiency for polymer-based organic photovoltaic (OPV) solar cells, a target widely considered to be the threshold for commercial applications. Now in a new...Show More Summary
Fairness can evolve by imitating one's neighbor: physicists
(Phys.org)—As humans, we have a strong sense of fairness that often causes us to go out of our way to punish an unfair person, even when such an action comes at a cost to ourselves. This desire for fairness is epitomized by the ultimatum game, in which two players must share a sum of money. Show More Summary
Physicists demonstrate first time reversal of water waves
(Phys.org)—In spite of its name, the time reversal of a wave doesn't involve sending the wave back in time, but for scientists, the process is almost as compelling. After a source generates a wave, the wave propagates through a medium and is recorded at a few points in its surroundings by an optical method. Show More Summary
Crystals take a chill pill: A thermomechanical theory of low-temperature melting
(Phys.org) -- Virtual melting is a phase transition phenomenon associated with solid-solid phase transformation and relaxation of nonhydrostatic stresses and other effects in HMX explosives, as well as with crystal-crystal and crystal-amorphous phase transformation under high pressure. Show More Summary
Into the breach: Transporting molecular cargo through algal cell walls
(Phys.org) -- Algae constitute a widespread, highly varied group of primarily photosynthetic organisms found in many ecological niches. The roughly estimated 300,000 species range in size and complexity from small to very large, and unicellular to multicellular, respectively. Show More Summary