Physical Sciences, Chemistry, Materials & Engineering

Diamond's Newfound Defect May Tame Vibrations That Hinder Quantum Light Sources

Article link | Phys.org | Phys.org | July 31, 2026

Researchers identified a diamond defect whose interaction with lattice vibrations may improve the stability of quantum-light emitters.

Chemists Unlock Appel Fluorination With Potassium Fluoride

Article link | Phys.org | Phys.org | July 31, 2026

Chemists adapted the Appel reaction to use potassium fluoride, offering a potentially safer and more practical route to fluorinated molecules.

New Open-Source Software Predicts Energy Transfer Between Tiny Defects in Solids

Article link | Phys.org | Phys.org | July 31, 2026

An open-source modeling package predicts energy transfer among atomic-scale defects, supporting research on quantum materials and solid-state devices.

New Low-Water Method Could Make Clean-Energy Materials Greener

Article link | Phys.org | Phys.org | July 31, 2026

Researchers developed a manufacturing process that sharply reduces water use in producing materials needed for clean-energy technologies.

New Microwave Neural Network Could Compress and Secure Wireless Communications

Article link | Tech Xplore | Tech Xplore | July 30, 2026

A microwave-domain neural network processes ultrafast wireless signals directly in hardware, with potential benefits for compression and security.

Neutrons Reveal How Friction Stir Welding Could Strengthen Steel Armor

Article link | Oak Ridge National Laboratory | Tech Xplore | July 30, 2026

Neutron measurements reveal residual stresses produced by friction-stir welding and may help engineers strengthen steel armor.

Vacuum Attachment Designed to Improve Nuclear Fallout Collection

Article link | Tech Xplore | Tech Xplore | July 30, 2026

A specialized collection device is designed to gather radioactive fallout particles more efficiently for nuclear forensics and emergency response.

Muscle Radar Unlocks Potential for Future Robotic Limbs

Article link | Tech Xplore | Tech Xplore | July 30, 2026

Noninvasive ultra-wideband radar sensors measure muscle forces and could improve control of prosthetic limbs and wearable mobility devices.

Legged Robots Raise Surveillance, Job and Battlefield Accountability Concerns

Article link | Tech Xplore | Tech Xplore | July 30, 2026

Researchers examine governance questions created by rapidly improving quadruped and humanoid robots in workplaces, policing and military operations.

Massive Quantities of Undeclared Uranium Exported From the DRC

Article link | Tech Xplore | Tech Xplore | July 30, 2026

Nuclear engineers identify gaps in international accounting that may allow large amounts of uranium from the Democratic Republic of Congo to go undeclared.

Charging Drones Mid-Flight With Lasers

Article link | Tech Xplore | Tech Xplore | July 29, 2026

Researchers are developing laser-based wireless power systems that could recharge drones while they remain airborne.

Standardized Battery Database Could Improve AI-Guided Solid-State Battery Design

Article link | Tech Xplore | Tech Xplore | July 29, 2026

A standardized research database is intended to make battery results more comparable and support machine-learning discovery of solid-state battery materials.

Hybrid Battery Binder Could Improve EV Range Without Changing Production Lines

Article link | Tech Xplore | Tech Xplore | July 29, 2026

A hybrid electrode binder improves battery performance while remaining compatible with existing electric-vehicle battery manufacturing equipment.

Seed Crystals Push Solvent-Free Perovskite Cells to 25.53% Efficiency

Article link | Ingrid Fadelli | Tech Xplore | July 25, 2026

A vacuum-deposition technique uses seed crystals to improve perovskite film quality, efficiency and stability without liquid solvents.

A Spider-Inspired Robotic Boat Could Track and Rescue People in Water

Article link | Ingrid Fadelli | Tech Xplore | July 24, 2026

A small water-surface robot inspired by fishing spiders can maneuver, track targets and collect floating objects for possible rescue applications.

Soft Exosuit Shows Motor-Free Path to Wearable Walking Assistance

Article link | Tech Xplore | Tech Xplore | July 24, 2026

A lightweight exosuit provides walking assistance through passive mechanical design rather than powered motors.

Sensitive Measurements Uncover Dual Superconducting States

Article link | Science X | Phys.org | July 15, 2026

Measurements of atom-thin NbSe₂ and TaS₂ reveal two strongly interacting superconducting states hidden within what appeared to be one energy gap.

Rust and Iron Could Provide Long-Term Renewable Energy Storage

Article link | Science X | Tech Xplore | July 8, 2026

Energy-system modeling finds that cycling iron powder between iron and rust could complement hydrogen for long-duration renewable energy storage.

Quantum Computers Map Fusion Fuel Material Configurations

Article link | Science X | Phys.org | July 7, 2026

Researchers used quantum computers to calculate molecular configurations of FLiBe and improve understanding of how the fusion material binds tritium.

Non-Hermitian Geometry Reveals When Quantum Amplification Depends Only on Start and End Points

Article link | Phys.org | Phys.org | June 27, 2026

Physics research shows how non-Hermitian geometry can determine when quantum amplification depends mainly on starting and ending states rather than the full path taken.

New Workflow Transforms Nonfunctional Protein Scaffolds Into Active Enzymes

Article link | Phys.org | Phys.org | June 27, 2026

Researchers developed a workflow for turning inactive protein scaffolds into functioning enzymes, potentially expanding tools for synthetic biology and protein engineering.

Engineers Cram 100 Billion Transistors Onto a Microchip

Article link | Adrian Cho | Science | June 26, 2026

Science reports on engineering advances that pack 100 billion transistors onto a chip, highlighting progress and limits in semiconductor scaling.

Inorganic Nanoscale Device Behaves Like a Single Neuron, Opening Doors for AI and Retinal Implants

Article link | Phys.org | Phys.org | June 25, 2026

Researchers report an inorganic nanoscale device that behaves like a single neuron, with possible applications in neuromorphic computing, artificial intelligence, and retinal implants.

A Thermodynamic Approach to Gravity Could Explain Cosmic Acceleration Without Dark Energy

Article link | Phys.org | Phys.org | June 25, 2026

Physics article discusses a thermodynamic model of gravity that could offer an alternative explanation for cosmic acceleration without invoking dark energy.

Sugar-Coated Nanoparticles Show Promise for Treating Most Aggressive Form of Brain Cancer

Article link | Phys.org | Phys.org | June 24, 2026

Study reports that sugar-coated nanoparticles may help target glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer, by improving delivery of therapeutic compounds.

Scientists Catch Classical Space-Time Crystals Moving Like Majorana Quasiparticles

Article link | Hiroshima University / Phys.org | June 24, 2026

Researchers created classical space-time crystals in liquid crystals at room temperature, showing Majorana-like behavior in a durable soft-material system.

Artificial DNA Tiles Could Deliver Drugs and Monitor Neurons Non-Disruptively

Article link | Phys.org | Phys.org | June 24, 2026

Researchers describe DNA-based nanoscale structures that could deliver drugs and monitor neurons without disrupting normal cellular activity.

A Nanotrap for HIV: Liposomes Repurposed to Trigger Immune Response

Article link | Phys.org | Phys.org | June 24, 2026

Researchers repurpose liposomes as nanotraps for HIV, aiming to trigger immune responses and offer a new direction for antiviral strategies.

Nanoparticles Sneak Antibodies Into Cells to Inhibit Cancer and Inflammation

Article link | Phys.org | Phys.org | June 23, 2026

Nanoparticle delivery systems were used to move antibodies inside cells, potentially opening new approaches for treating cancer and inflammatory disease.

Hidden Dark Force May Slow Cosmic Structure Growth, Not Speed It Up

Article link | Phys.org | Phys.org | June 23, 2026

A cosmology study explores whether dark matter particles exert an additional hidden force and finds that such a force could slow, rather than accelerate, cosmic structure growth.

Diamond-Based Particle Detector Captures One-Picosecond Timing Precision

Article link | Phys.org | Phys.org | June 18, 2026

Researchers developed a diamond-based detector capable of extremely fast timing measurements, with potential uses in particle physics and high-speed radiation detection.

Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer Reveals Four Cosmic Ray Surprises

Article link | Phys.org | Phys.org | June 18, 2026

Data from the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer revealed unexpected patterns in heavy cosmic nuclei, giving physicists new clues about cosmic rays and high-energy astrophysical processes.

Physicists Identify Upper Limit to Resistivity in a Pure Metal

Article link | Phys.org | Phys.org | June 16, 2026

Experimental atomic physicists discovered a maximum possible electrical resistivity from electron collisions in a pure metal, clarifying limits on how metals conduct electricity.

When Less Is More: Scaling Law Explains Why Ultrathin Materials Get Stronger

Article link | Phys.org | Phys.org | June 14, 2026

Materials-science article explains a scaling law showing why some ultrathin materials become stronger as they get thinner.

Light-Programmed System Projects 28-Layer 3D Images in One Shot

Article link | Phys.org | Phys.org | June 14, 2026

Researchers developed a light-programmed imaging system that can project multilayer three-dimensional images in a single shot, with possible uses in displays and optical systems.

Chemical Impurities Make Carbon Surfaces Superslippery

Article link | Phys.org | Phys.org | June 14, 2026

Materials researchers found that certain chemical impurities can make carbon surfaces extremely slippery, offering insight for future low-friction coatings and nanoscale devices.

Unique Chromium Beam Experiment Unlocks Cosmic Ray Clues

Article link | Phys.org | Phys.org | June 13, 2026

Nuclear-physics experiment used a chromium beam to collect isotope data that could improve models of cosmic rays and galactic chemical processes.

TRACERS Spacecraft Maps Solar Energy's Route Into Earth's Atmosphere

Article link | University of Iowa / Phys.org | June 13, 2026

Researchers used electron measurements to map how solar energy travels through Earth's magnetic cusps, improving understanding of space weather.

Scientist Creates 'Mini-Universe' to Measure Time Without a Clock

Article link | Phys.org | Phys.org | June 12, 2026

A quantum experiment suggests that time can emerge from changes inside an isolated system rather than requiring an external clock.

Physicists Harness Potential of Quantum Phase Transitions

Article link | Phys.org | Phys.org | June 9, 2026

Researchers studied how quantum phase transitions could improve ultra-sensitive quantum sensors and other technologies operating near fundamental measurement limits.

Nuclear-Fusion Firm Says Plant Will Deliver Electricity to Grid - but Big Questions Remain

Article link | Elizabeth Gibney | Nature | June 8, 2026

Nature reports on Commonwealth Fusion Systems papers describing its ARC fusion power-plant design, while noting that major engineering questions remain.

World's Largest Particle Smasher Halts for Upgrade to Boost Hunt for Dark Matter

Article link | Phys.org | Phys.org | June 2026

Physics article reports that the Large Hadron Collider is pausing for upgrades meant to increase collision power and improve the search for dark matter and new particles.

Terahertz Biophotonics: Understanding the Path Towards Practical Applications for Biological Imaging

Article link | Phys.org | Phys.org | June 2026

Review-based article on terahertz radiation for biological imaging, including potential advantages for noninvasive, nondestructive, label-free measurement.

Science With Military Applications Is Cited More Than Civilian-Only Research

Article link | Miryam Naddaf | Nature | June 2026

Article on research finding that dual-use science connected to military or security applications tends to receive more citations than civilian-only research.

Rocket Launches and Reentries Harm Earth's Ozone Layer

Article link | Phys.org | Phys.org | June 2026

Atmospheric-science article on how rocket launches and spacecraft reentries can affect the ozone layer, an issue likely to grow as space activity increases.

Quantum Mechanics Theory May Work Without Imaginary Numbers, Analysis Shows

Article link | Phys.org | Phys.org | June 2026

Physicists examined whether quantum mechanics can be formulated without imaginary numbers, showing that real-number versions may be possible in some theoretical frameworks.

Cloud-Tested Quantum Noise Model Predicts Superconducting Qubit Errors With Sevenfold Better Accuracy

Article link | Phys.org | Phys.org | June 2026

Quantum-computing article on a noise model that more accurately predicts superconducting qubit errors, potentially improving quantum-device reliability.