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Why we slip on ice: Physicists challenge centuries-old assumptions

Researchers at Saarland University discovered that molecular dipoles in ice and shoe soles interact to create a disordered, amorphous structure on the ice surface. This interaction causes the ice to become slippery, leading to slips and falls, rather than pressure or friction.

SourceSaarland University·JournalPhysical Review Letters·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateSep 4, 2025
Apple iPhone 17 Pro

Apple iPhone 17 Pro delivers top performance and advanced cameras for field documentation, data collection, and secure research communications.

Researchers create the first comprehensive characterization of the extraordinary thermoelectric properties of cadmium arsenide thin films

Scientists have discovered a material that can harness waste heat, increasing energy efficiency and sustainability. The researchers found that thinner cadmium arsenide films exhibit higher thermoelectric sensitivity, allowing for more efficient cooling in cryogenic environments.

SourceUniversity of California - Santa Barbara·JournalAdvanced Materials·DateJun 27, 2024

Automated calculation of surface properties in crystals

Scientists create high-throughput automation to calculate surface properties of crystalline materials using established laws of physics. This accelerates the search for relevant materials for applications in energy conversion, production, and storage.

SourceUniversity of Oldenburg·Journalnpj Computational Materials·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateMar 28, 2024
Kestrel 3000 Pocket Weather Meter

Kestrel 3000 Pocket Weather Meter measures wind, temperature, and humidity in real time for site assessments, aviation checks, and safety briefings.

Nanodiamonds can be activated as photocatalysts with sunlight

Researchers have discovered that nanodiamonds can emit solvated electrons in water when exposed to visible light, a crucial step towards using them as photocatalysts. This discovery could lead to the development of inexpensive and metal-free processes for converting CO2 into valuable hydrocarbons or converting N2 into ammonia.

SourceHelmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie·JournalNanoscale·TypeExperimental study·DateNov 30, 2022

“Kagome” metallic crystal adds new spin to electronics

Researchers discovered a novel metallic crystal, Kagome metal, with unusual electronic behavior on its surface. The material's unique atomic structure allows for the manipulation of electrons' spin chirality, which can be controlled by applying a local voltage.

SourceCity University of Hong Kong·JournalScience Advances·TypeExperimental study·DateOct 27, 2022

New research furthers understanding of the electronic structure of graphite

Researchers have made significant advancements in understanding the electronic structure of graphite, a crucial component in battery production. The study's findings highlight the importance of surface effects in bulk intrinsic electronic state measurements, revealing new insights into the material's electrical properties.

SourceNational Institutes of Natural Sciences·JournalPhysical Review B·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 19, 2022

Researchers detect two-dimensional kagome surface states

Scientists have successfully detected two-dimensional kagome surface states in the material RV6Sn6, offering a new approach to investigating intrinsic physics of kagome lattices. The detection was achieved using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) with real-space resolution.

SourceUniversity of Science and Technology of China·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateJan 6, 2022
Sky-Watcher EQ6-R Pro Equatorial Mount

Sky-Watcher EQ6-R Pro Equatorial Mount provides precise tracking capacity for deep-sky imaging rigs during long astrophotography sessions.

UCLA engineers bend light to enhance wavelength conversion

The UCLA-led team has devised a solution to enhance wavelength-conversion efficiency by exploring semiconductor surface states. Incoming light is bent using a nanoantenna array, allowing for easy and efficient conversion of wavelengths.

SourceUniversity of California - Los Angeles·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 30, 2021

Unusual semimetal shows evidence of unique surface conduction states

Scientists experimentally verify exotic surface conduction states in topological semimetals, materials that conduct on the surface but insulate inside. A new study reveals a coupled pair of electronic Weyl orbits under a magnetic field, opening doors to controlling these phenomena via external fields and interface engineering.

SourceTokyo Institute of Technology·JournalNature Communications·DateMay 6, 2021

Sonic Dirac points and the transition towards Weyl points

Scientists create and experimentally realize a pair of class I acoustic 3D Dirac points, demonstrating surface state dispersion evolution toward Weyl points. The team also designs pseudospin-polarized interface states with chirality inversion, inspiring topological device design.

SourceLight Publishing Center, Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics And Physics, CAS·DateMar 10, 2021
Garmin GPSMAP 67i with inReach

Garmin GPSMAP 67i with inReach provides rugged GNSS navigation, satellite messaging, and SOS for backcountry geology and climate field teams.

Single-atom alloy: Superb cocatalyst for photocatalysis

Researchers have developed a single-atom alloy co-catalyst that significantly enhances photocatalytic hydrogen production activity. By precisely controlling the Pt content in the Pd@Pt/MOF composite, they achieved an exceptionally high photocatalytic activity, surpassing its counterparts.

SourceScience China Press·JournalNational Science Review·DateOct 28, 2020

Symmetry-enforced three-dimension Dirac phononic crystals

Researchers have created a 3D phononic crystal that hosts symmetry-enforced Dirac points at the Brillouin zone corners. These points exhibit conical dispersion and vanishing density of states around them, making the material an ideal platform for simulating relativistic Dirac physics.

SourceLight Publishing Center, Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics And Physics, CAS·DateMar 19, 2020
SAMSUNG T9 Portable SSD 2TB

SAMSUNG T9 Portable SSD 2TB transfers large imagery and model outputs quickly between field laptops, lab workstations, and secure archives.

Exotic new topological state discovered in Dirac semimetals

Researchers found that Dirac semimetals exhibit robust, conducting electronic states in 1D, challenging previous conclusions about the nature of these materials. The discovery settles the decades-old problem of whether condensed matter Dirac fermions have topologically protected surface states.

SourceUniversity of Illinois Grainger College of Engineering·JournalNature Communications·DateJan 31, 2020
Anker Laptop Power Bank 25,000mAh (Triple 100W USB-C)

Anker Laptop Power Bank 25,000mAh (Triple 100W USB-C) keeps Macs, tablets, and meters powered during extended observing runs and remote surveys.

New class of solar cells, using lead-free perovskite materials

Researchers at UNIST have developed a new generation of solar cells using lead-free perovskites, showcasing enhanced efficiency and stability. The study demonstrates that the surface state of Cs2SnI6 is highly redox active, facilitating charge transfer through it.

SourceUlsan National Institute of Science and Technology(UNIST)·JournalAdvanced Energy Materials·DateJan 19, 2019

A trend towards a stable, warm and windless state in China

A new study found that northern and northeastern China's surface temperature has increased, while wind speed decreased from 1961 to 2014. This trend indicates a stable, warm, and windless state of the surface weather conditions over NNEC.

SourceInstitute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences·JournalAdvances in Atmospheric Sciences·DateMay 2, 2017
Nikon Monarch 5 8x42 Binoculars

Nikon Monarch 5 8x42 Binoculars deliver bright, sharp views for wildlife surveys, eclipse chases, and quick star-field scans at dark sites.

Anomalous sinking of spheres in apparently fixed powder beds discovered

Scientists observed anomalous sinking phenomena in apparently fixed powder beds due to local fluidization. The final sunken depth varied with sphere density and air strength. This discovery could lead to the development of dry-type gravity separation technology for separating three objects with different densities.

SourceOsaka University·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateMay 2, 2016

Measuring chemistry: Local fingerprint of hydrogen bonding captured in experiments

Scientists have successfully mapped the potential surface of a small molecule, acetone, using resonant inelastic X-ray scattering. This technique provides direct access to the ground state potential energy surface around selected atomic sites, enabling researchers to study hydrogen bonding and its effects on molecular behavior.

SourceHelmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie·JournalScientific Reports·DateMar 17, 2016

Self-destructive effects of magnetically-doped ferromagnetic topological insulators

A new study reveals extreme disorder in a fundamental property of the surface electrons known as the Dirac mass in ferromagnetic topological insulators. The research found that the disorder is directly related to fluctuations in the density of magnetic dopant atoms on different parts of the crystal surface.

SourceDOE/Brookhaven National Laboratory·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJan 19, 2015

Research brings new control over topological insulator

Researchers have shown that tensile strain can lift topological order and compressive strain can shift the Dirac point in Bi2Se3 films, enhancing or destroying Dirac states. This breakthrough suggests new ways to control TI electronic properties by applying stress.

SourceUniversity of York·JournalNature Physics·DateMar 20, 2014

An easier way to make a topological insulator for advanced electronics

Physicists at U-M create topological insulators by doping bismuth telluride with thallium, enabling control over electrical conductivity and unique surface properties. The new approach reveals the properties of the surface states, opening doors to applications in quantum computing and Majorana fermions.

SourceUniversity of Michigan·JournalPhysical Review B·DateJul 18, 2013
Aranet4 Home CO2 Monitor

Aranet4 Home CO2 Monitor tracks ventilation quality in labs, classrooms, and conference rooms with long battery life and clear e-ink readouts.

Princeton scientists find unusual electrons that go with the flow

Princeton researchers have found unique electrons that can bypass obstacles and flow efficiently on surfaces of certain materials, potentially revolutionizing electronics. This discovery opens the door to creating faster integrated circuits by leveraging the flow of surface electrons.

SourcePrinceton University·JournalNature·DateJul 14, 2010
Sky & Telescope Pocket Sky Atlas, 2nd Edition

Sky & Telescope Pocket Sky Atlas, 2nd Edition is a durable star atlas for planning sessions, identifying targets, and teaching celestial navigation.