Matter and energy from Science Daily Feed

Creating and controlling quantum dots via electrical methods, is likely to lead to new frontiers in the quest to develop stable and efficient qubits. Exploring how zinc oxide can be used in electrically defined quantum dots, researchers have unearthed some surprising phenomenon.

Covalent organic framework compounds are more active as catalysts than one would expect. Researchers have now discovered why.

A chemical reaction can convert two polluting greenhouse gases into valuable building blocks for cleaner fuels and feedstocks, but the high temperature required for the reaction also deactivates the catalyst. A team has found a way to thwart deactivation. The strategy may apply broadly to other catalysts.

Engineers and biochemists have brought their skills together to make it possible for untrained users to confirm contamination in fluids using a biogel test that changes color in the presence of such bacteria as E. coli, listeria and other frequent testing targets.

Researchers have clarified the conditions under which large numbers of 'squishy' grains, which can change their shape in response to external forces, transition from acting like a solid to acting like a liquid. Similar transitions occur in many biological processes, including the development of an embryo: cells are 'squishy' biological 'grains' that form solid tissues and sometimes flow to form different organs. Thus, the experimental and theoretical framework elaborated here will help separate the roles of mechanical and biochemical processes, a critical challenge in biology.

Studying the filter-feeding mechanism of mobula rays, engineers developed a new design for industrial cross-flow water filters. Research shows the filter-feeders strike a natural balance between permeability and selectivity that could inform design of water treatment systems.

Researchers have created a novel protein-based gel as a potential ingredient in sustainable and high-performance personal skincare products (PSCPs). This protein-based material, named Q5, could transform the rheological -- or flow-related -- properties of PSCPs, making them more stable under the slightly acidic conditions of human skin. This innovation could also streamline the creation of more eco-friendly skincare products, offering increased efficacy and durability while addressing market demands for ethically sourced ingredients.

A team of researchers has successfully demonstrated nonlinear Compton scattering (NCS) between an ultra-relativistic electron beam and an ultrahigh intensity laser pulse using the 4-Petawatt laser. The innovative approach was the usage of only a laser for electron-photon collisions, in which a multi-PW laser is applied both for particle acceleration and for collision (also called an all-optical setup). This achievement represents a significant milestone in strong field physics, in particular strong field quantum electrodynamics (QED), offering new insights into high-energy electron-photon interactions without the need for a traditional mile-long particle accelerator.

Introducing the innovative 'UniMat' platform utilizing 3D engineered nanofiber membrane.

LEDs with low polarization in a direction similar to standard LEDs show greater efficiency at higher power by resisting 'efficiency droop', a new study shows. The findings open the door to a new generation of efficient, high-powered LED lighting which exceeds the capabilities of existing systems.

A research team has achieved a major advance in X-ray science by generating unprecedented high-power attosecond hard X-ray pulses at megahertz repetition rates. This advancement opens new frontiers in the study of ultrafast electron dynamics and enables non-destructive measurements at the atomic level.

Researchers explored protective coatings to resist corrosion in fusion reactors. They tested -Al2O3 oxide layers on ODS alloys in a high-temperature, flowing lithium-lead environment. Even bare ODS alloys formed a durable -LiAlO2 layer in situ, which suppressed further corrosion. The layers exhibited strong adhesion under mechanical stress, making these findings crucial for improving material durability in fusion reactors and high-temperature energy systems.

Not all plastics are equal -- some types and colors are easier to recycle than others. For instance, black foam and black coffee lids, which are often made of polystyrene, usually end up in landfills because color additives lead to ineffective sorting. Now, researchers report on the ability to leverage one additive in black plastics, with the help of sunlight or white LEDs, to convert black and colored polystyrene waste into reusable starting materials.

A new study warns that current plans to achieve zero emissions on the grid by 2050 vastly underestimate the required investments in generation and transmission infrastructure. The reason: these plans do not account for climate change's impacts on water resources. Specifically, changes in water availability caused by climate change could decrease hydropower generation by up to 23% by the year 2050, while electricity demand could increase by 2%.

Investigators evaluated whether data collected from a fitness tracker could be used to accurately detect mood episodes in people with bipolar disorder.

Scientists have recently identified electrons and positrons with the highest energies ever recorded on Earth. They provide evidence of cosmic processes emitting colossal amounts of energy, the origins of which are as yet unknown.

To understand the practical challenges of indoor augmented reality applications on smartphones, researchers conducted 113 hours of extensive experiments and case studies over 316 patterns to determine the factors that degrade localization accuracy in real-world indoor environments. Landmarks for vision systems, LiDAR, and the IMU were evaluated. To solve the identified problems, the researchers suggest radio-frequency-based localization as a potential solution for practical augmented reality applications.

Engineers have found a way to simultaneously mitigate three types of defects in parts produced using a prominent additive manufacturing technique called laser powder bed fusion.

As part of an effort to overcome the long-term energy-storage challenge, engineers have invented a water-soluble chemical additive that improves the performance of a type of electrochemical storage called a bromide aqueous flow battery.

A novel hydrogen sensor offers a promising solution for real-time hydrogen leak detection, addressing safety concerns in industrial applications. This sensor, made with nano-patterned cupric-oxide (CuO) nanowires (NWs) with voids, can detect hydrogen at extremely low concentrations with high response, recovery speed, and precision, significantly improving previous CuO-based sensors. It has the potential to enable safer and more reliable use of hydrogen in clean energy applications.