Matter and energy from Science Daily Feed

By carefully placing nanostructures on a flat surface, researchers have significantly improved the performance of so-called optical metasurfaces in conductive plastics. This is a major step for controllable flat optics, with future applications such as video holograms, invisibility materials, and sensors, as well as in biomedical imaging.

If you've ever sat waiting at the doctor's office to give a blood sample, you might have wished there was a way to find the same information without needles. But for all the medical breakthroughs of the 20th century, the best way to detect molecules has remained through liquids, such as blood. New research, however, could someday put a pause on pinpricks. A group of scientists announced they have created a small, portable device that can collect and detect airborne molecules -- a breakthrough that holds promise for many areas of medicine and public health.

Hydrogen boride (HB) nanosheets can inactivate viruses, bacteria, and fungi within minutes in the dark conditions. By coating surfaces with HB nanosheets, it rapidly inactivates SARS-CoV-2, influenza virus, and other pathogens. The nanosheets work by denaturing microbial proteins, offering a safe, effective, and versatile antimicrobial coating for everyday items.

Ferromagnetic semiconductors, which combine semiconductor and magnetic properties, are key to developing spin-based devices. Previously studied materials, such as (Ga,Mn)As, have Curie temperatures below room temperature, thereby limiting their practical use. Now, researchers have overcome these limitations by utilizing the step-flow growth method, achieving a record-high Curie temperature of 530 degrees K, facilitating the development of stable, room-temperature semiconductor spintronic devices.

Researchers have detailed the physics behind a phenomenon that allows them to create spin in liquid droplets using ultrasound waves, which concentrates solid particles suspended in the liquid. The discovery will allow researchers to engineer technologies that make use of the technique to develop applications in fields such as biomedical testing and drug development.

Scientists have demonstrated a new recording principle that improves recording efficiency by 35% by combining spin torque with conventional heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR). This advancement is expected to reduce thermal energy consumption during magnetic recording and enhance the durability and reliability of hard disk drives (HDDs).

Researchers have observed hydrogen and deuterium molecules in tiny spaces called picocavities using advanced spectroscopy. This study reveals unique differences between the molecules due to quantum effects, potentially aiding future research in energy storage and quantum technologies.

Researchers developed a way to extend the shelf life of vegetables by injecting them with melatonin using biodegradable microneedles.

Researchers have demonstrated that by using a semiconductor with flexible bonds, the material can be moulded into various structures using nano containers, without altering its composition, the discovery could lead to the design of a variety of customised electronic devices using only a single element.

Large shifts in UV radiation at Lake Tahoe are associated with wet and dry climate extremes, finds a new study.

A metamaterial is a composite material that exhibits unique properties due to its structure, and now researchers have used one featuring a small sawtooth pattern on its surface to move and position objects underwater without touching them directly. Adjacent speakers exert different forces on the material based on how the sound waves reflect off it, and by carefully targeting the floating or submerged metamaterial with precise sound waves, researchers can push and rotate the object attached to it.

Researchers have developed an inexpensive and potentially scalable approach that uses a commercially available peroxide to bind polyethylene and polypropylene together, thereby creating a more useful, high-quality plastic recycling additive.

A team of researchers studied the properties of membranes to understand how these cellular structures influenced the chemistry of life on Earth as it began.

Increasing renewable energy may not reduce the use of fossil fuels in the United States, according to a new study .

Scientists developed a smartphone-compatible ethanol sensor using a metal-organic framework called Cu-MOF-74. The sensor visually detects ethanol concentrations across a wide range, with no electronics or lab tools required. This technology has promising applications in environmental monitoring, healthcare, industrial processes, and alcohol breath analysis.

Scientists have made a breakthrough in eco-friendly batteries that not only store more energy but could also help tackle greenhouse gas emissions. Lithium-CO2 'breathing' batteries release power while capturing carbon dioxide, offering a greener alternative that may one day outperform today's lithium-ion batteries.

The orbital angular momentum of electrons has long been considered a minor physical phenomenon, suppressed in most crystals and largely overlooked. Scientists have now discovered that in certain materials it is not only preserved but can even be actively controlled. This is due to a property of the crystal structure called chirality, which also influences many other processes in nature. The discovery has the potential to lead to a new class of electronic components capable of transmitting information with exceptional robustness and energy efficiency.

Imagine drawing on something as delicate as a living cell -- without damaging it. Researchers have made this groundbreaking discovery using an unexpected combination of tools: frozen ethanol, electron beams and purple-tinted microbes. By advancing a method called ice lithography, the team was able to etch incredibly small, detailed patterns directly onto fragile biological surfaces.

Photovoltaic systems are increasingly being installed not only on roofs but also on open land. This does not always meet with citizens' approval. What is known as agrivoltaics (Agri-PV), however, is viewed more favorably, as researchers have now been able to show. In this case, the solar cells are installed in spaces used for agriculture -- such as on pastures or as a canopy over grapevines. According to a survey of almost 2,000 people, this form enjoys much higher acceptance than normal solar parks.

The average energy project costs 40% more than expected for construction and takes almost two years longer than planned, finds a new global study. One key insight: The investment risk is highest for nuclear power plant construction and lowest for solar. The researchers analyzed data from 662 energy projects built between 1936 and 2024 in 83 countries, totaling $1.358 trillion in investment.