When clouds loft tropical air masses higher in the atmosphere, that air can carry up gases that form into tiny particles, starting a process that may end up brightening lower-level clouds, according to a new study. Clouds alter Earth's radiative balance, and ultimately climate, depending on how bright they are. The new paper describes a process that may occur over 40% of the Earth's surface.
Read moreArapaima gigas is a big fish in a bigger river full of piranhas, but that doesn't mean it's an easy meal. It's evolved armor-like scales that deform, but don't tear or crack, when a piranha — which has one of the animal kingdom's most powerful bites — attacks. Researchers describe the unique properties of the Amazonian Arapaima skin and its potential for human-made materials.
Read moreMany of today's scientific processes are simulated using computer-driven mathematical models. But for a model to accurately predict how air flow behaves at high speeds, for example, scientists need supplemental real life data. Providing validation data, using up-to-date methods, was a key motivating factor for a recent experimental study.
Read moreScientists are studying the fabrication of polymeric nanofibers and microfibers — very thin fibers made up of polymers. The fibers can be woven into textile-like structures but depending on the use, different fiber thicknesses may be necessary. To study the effects of various parameters on fiber fabrication, the researchers compared the characteristics of fibers created in different ways.
Read moreA phenomenon that has previously been seen when researchers simulate the properties of planet cores at extreme pressures has now also been observed in pure titanium at atmospheric pressure. Chains of atoms dash around at lightning speeds inside the solid material.
Read moreUsing a range of theoretical and simulation approaches, physicists have shown that liquids in contact with substrates can exhibit a finite number of classes of behavior and identify the important new ones.
Read moreAn oscillation assisted digital light processing (DLP) based 3D printing approach is developed to enable ultrafast fabrication of microlens arrays with optically smooth surface (1 nm surface roughness) via a single 1-3 seconds exposure of grayscale UV light.
Read moreTiny magnetic vortices known as skyrmions form in certain magnetic materials, such as Cu2OSeO3. These skyrmions can be controlled by low-level electrical currents — which could facilitate more energy-efficient data processing. Now a team has succeeded in developing a new technique at the VEKMAG station of BESSY II for precisely measuring these vortices and observing their three different predicted characteristic oscillation modes (Eigen modes).
Read moreHydrogen-containing substances are important for many industries, but scientists have struggled to obtain detailed images to understand the element's behavior. Researchers now demonstrate the quantification of hydrogen for different states of water — i.e., liquid, frozen and supercooled — for applications to eco-friendly fuel cells.
Read moreScientists use the plasmonic properties of gold nanoparticles to amplify light from molecules triggered by electrochemiluminescence. The work could help researchers analyze the active surfaces of catalysts and other materials at the nanoscale.
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