Add BrightSurf on Google Email

The trouble with thaw

A recent study reveals that thawing Alaskan permafrost is releasing about twelve times higher amounts of nitrous oxide than previously assumed, making it a significant contributor to global warming. The potent greenhouse gas can stay in the atmosphere for up to 114 years, posing an additional threat to the ozone layer.

SourceHarvard University·JournalAtmospheric Chemistry and Physics·DateApr 12, 2019

New family of glass good for lenses

Penn State researchers develop a novel zinc germanosilicate glass with high transparency, UV shielding, and favorable forming properties, making it an ideal material for lens applications. The new glass composition overcomes roadblocks associated with achieving high refractive index, such as crystallization and toxicity.

SourcePenn State·JournalJournal of Non-Crystalline Solids·DateApr 3, 2019

Custom-made artificial mother-of-pearl

Researchers at ETH Zurich developed a method to produce artificial mother-of-pearl with tailored properties, similar to natural mussels. The material's structure is composed of tiny plates stacked on top of each other and interconnected with mineral bridges, which can be adjusted to achieve desired physical properties.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateDec 11, 2018

Silica paradox

Researchers have synthesized and described metastable phases of high-pressure silica, coesite-IV and coesite-V, with crystal structures drastically different from earlier models. These new materials exist at extreme pressures and challenge Pauling's rules on bonding in inorganic materials.

SourceNational University of Science and Technology MISIS·JournalNature Communications·DateDec 11, 2018

Artificial synapses made from nanowires

Scientists have created a memristive element made from nanowires that functions similarly to biological nerve cells, storing and processing information in parallel. The discovery offers promising advantages for bioinspired computers, which can work decentralised with multiple processors connected by networks.

SourceForschungszentrum Juelich·JournalNature Communications·DateDec 5, 2018

Full of energy

Engineers are working on a $1.88 million grant to study the fundamental properties of gallium oxide for use in high-voltage power systems. The goal is to minimize energy losses and enhance performance in devices such as surveillance drones, all-electric airplanes, and electric vehicles.

Nanosized ferroelectrics become a reality

Researchers at the University of Groningen have successfully created nanosized ferroelectric materials using hafnium oxide, which can store information like magnetic bits. The discovery could lead to more efficient and compact computer memory by leveraging the unique properties of these materials.

SourceUniversity of Groningen·JournalNature Materials·DateOct 22, 2018

Metal leads to the desired configuration

Researchers found a way to change the spatial arrangement of bipyridine molecules on surfaces using metals, which can improve dye-sensitized solar cells. The cis configuration is formed through the addition of iron atoms and increased temperature, altering the chemical conformation.

SourceUniversity of Basel·JournalACS Omega·DateOct 9, 2018

New, highly stable catalyst may help turn water into fuel

Researchers from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have developed a new, porous electrocatalyst that can split water molecules at a higher rate than current industry standards. The material, made from a mixture of metal compounds and perchloric acid, has shown improved stability in acidic environments.

SourceUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, News Bureau·JournalAngewandte Chemie International Edition·DateSep 28, 2018

Back to the future of climate change

Researchers at Syracuse University use nitrogen isotopic composition of sediments to understand changes in marine conditions during the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum, a brief period of rapid global warming approximately 56 million years ago. The study provides a benchmark for present and future climate and ocean models.

SourceSyracuse University·JournalNature Communications·DateAug 9, 2018

Giant neurons in the brain may play similarly giant role in awareness and cognition

Research from Rockefeller University reveals that giant neurons in the brainstem, called nucleus gigantocellularis, express genes linked to nitric oxide production and blood vessel relaxation. This discovery supports their role in initiating behavior and potentially understanding psychiatric disorders like bipolar disorder and ADHD.

SourceRockefeller University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJul 23, 2018

Two faces offer limitless possibilities

Researchers at Argonne National Laboratory have developed a new way to chemically deposit a second face on Janus membranes, resulting in more robust and precisely structured membranes. This breakthrough could help optimize or enable various industrial processes, including wastewater treatment and biofuel production.

SourceDOE/Argonne National Laboratory·JournalAdvanced Materials Interfaces·DateJul 19, 2018

Nitric oxide tells roundworms to avoid bad bacteria

A new study published in eLife reveals that roundworms, specifically Caenorhabditis elegans, use nitric oxide gas as a sensory cue to avoid the pathogenic bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The protein thioredoxin plays a crucial role in regulating the temporal dynamics of the worm's response to the gas.

SourceeLife·DateJul 17, 2018