Scientists have built a novel sonic tractor beam that can lift and move objects using sound waves. High-amplitude sound waves are used to generate an acoustic hologram which can pick up and move small objects.

To prolong the lifespan of Hall thrusters, scientists have experimentally optimized the operation of a novel, wall-less thruster prototype developed a year ago by the same team. The preliminary performance results were satisfactory, the team said, and pave the way toward developing a high-efficiency…

Scientists have developed a new optical detector from graphene which reacts very rapidly to incident light of all different wavelengths and even works at room temperature. It is the first time that a single detector has been able to monitor the spectral range from visible light to infrared radiation…

Avalanching sand from dune faces can trigger loud, rumbling 'booming' or short bursts of 'burping' sounds -- behaving as a perfectly tuned musical instrument. This sound is persistent and the dunes 'sing' in frequencies ranging from 70 to 105 Hertz, with higher harmonics. Researchers discovered that…

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Intrinsic neural connections -- called crossmodal mappings -- can be used by assistive devices to help the blind detect their environment without requiring intense concentration or hundreds of hours of training. This new multisensory perspective on such aids (called sensory substitution devices)…

Physicists shorten electron pulses down to 30 femtoseconds duration, enabling them to gain detailed insight into atomic motions in molecules.

Scientists have demonstrated that microwaves can help create nanostructured molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) catalysts with an improved ability to produce hydrogen. The microwave-assisted strategy accomplishes this by increasing the space, and therefore decreasing the interaction, between individual…

A new and exciting way to elucidate the properties of novel two-dimensional semiconductors has been identified by scientists. These materials have unique properties that promise better integration of optical communication with traditional silicon-based devices.

We've all heard about 'power houses' -- buildings that in the course of their lifetimes generate more energy than they consume. Now is the time to launch 'power roads'. The idea is that over the course of their lifetimes all constructions, including roads and bridges, should generate more energy…

Thanks to their unique properties, ionic liquids are all in the rage as solvents as "green" sustainable chemical processes. Recently, two research teams discovered how enzymes can perform their catalytical processes in a switchable ionic liquid. The discovery paves way for enzymatic refinement of…

New Samsung HQ facilities demonstrate a corporate commitment towards leading-edge technologies in an eco-friendly, collaborative workspace

Researchers propose a novel learning rule to explain the development of sensorimotor intelligence.

Engineers have reported on the development of a microscopic motor operating between two thermal baths, that is, a micro Carnot engine.

A team of physicists has discovered an unusual form of matter -- not a conventional metal, insulator, or magnet, for example, but something entirely different. This phase, characterized by an unusual ordering of electrons, could hold the solution to a long-standing mystery in condensed matter…

Increasing numbers of natural gas-powered trucks and buses are hitting the road, but a major disadvantage is the bulky equipment needed to store compressed NG or to keep liquefied NG cold. Now chemists have developed an innovative new storage material for methane that could lessen the hassle of…

An international team of scientists have observed how a mysterious quantum phenomenon in organic molecules takes place in real time, which could aid in the development of highly efficient solar cells.

Collections of ants have a remarkable ability to change shapes and tasks based on the demands of their environment. When floodwaters hit, they self-assemble and form rafts to stay alive. They can also use their bodies to build bridges and span gaps. What are the properties of these ant aggregations…

A new molecular tool for continuous super-resolution fluorescence microscopy has been introduced to scientists. The new photostable fluorescent dye for super resolution microscopy could serve as a powerful tool to visualize biological events and structural details in living cells at real-time for…

An engineer's solution for streamlining the construction of skyscrapers is having a skyscraper moment in one of the most seismically active regions of the country. All coupling beams in the 1.5 million-square-foot Lincoln Square Expansion --which includes luxury condos, a hotel, dining, retail and…

A firm has developed an evaporative cooler that has an integrated photovoltaic system isolated from the electrical network, which enables to refresh an area of ??approximately 200 square meters.

Scientists have described a new method for examining small molecules and their communication with membrane proteins. The research will allow scientists and clinicians to study these interactions at an astonishingly minute scale with unprecedented precision.

Researchers have used a new 3-D bioprinting method to bioprint models of hearts, arteries, bones and brains out of biological materials. The work could one day lead to a world in which transplants are no longer necessary to repair damaged organs.