Matter and Its Interactions
- Physics
Scientists Say: Piezoelectric
Piezoelectric materials produce an electric voltage when they are bent or squished. This can let us harvest electricity from movement.
- Physics
Physicists have clocked the shortest time span ever
The experiment revealed how long it takes light to cross a hydrogen molecule: just a couple hundred zeptoseconds.
- Chemistry
A new catalyst turns greenhouse gas into jet fuel
The catalyst is an improvement over its predecessors. Made of cheap materials like iron, it produces jet fuel in a single step.
- Agriculture
Dew collector brings water to thirsty plants
This invention grabs water from the air at night. All it needs is the sun’s warmth the next day to release that moisture to growing plants.
- Chemistry
Scientists Say: Molecule
A molecule is a group of atoms linked with chemical bonds. It’s the smallest particle of a substance that has all of its chemical properties.
- Tech
Bye-bye batteries? Power a phone with fabric or a beacon with sound
New piezoelectric systems produce electricity in unusual ways, such as when a certain nylon bends or underwater ceramics vibrate.
- Chemistry
A soil-based ‘concrete’ could make buildings green, even on Mars
A new soil-based material offers an alternative to concrete for 3-D printing environmentally friendly buildings.
- Tech
Flexible devices may help clothes solar power your screens
A fluorescent polymer duo boosts the efficiency of solar cells. One day this material may coat your jacket, hat or backpack to provide power on the go.
- Environment
Old clothes soon may be recycled, not trashed
One day, clothes may be recycled almost as much as plastics and glass are now. See how chemists are moving us in that direction.
- Environment
Why today’s ‘fast fashions’ can be bad for the planet
The constant buy-wear-toss cycle of fast fashion isn’t sustainable. It hurts the environment and takes a toll on our wallets, too.
- Chemistry
Here’s how to make flip-flops biodegradable
Innovative flip-flops made from an algae-based plastic decompose in soil or compost. The comfy shoes also avoid use of fossil fuels.
- Tech
This artificial skin feels ‘ghosts’ — things you wish were there
Engineers have developed a wearable device that simulates the sense of touch. It may benefit robotic surgery and deep-sea exploration.
