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Mimicking Bug Eyes Could Brighten Reflective Signs
Retroreflective materials, including some tapes and road paints, work by bouncing light back toward the original source, such as a car’s headlights, making them bright and easy to see.
Soil Moisture Used to Predict Hurricane Power Outages
Drought makes tree branches more likely to snap off, and over-saturation makes trees more likely to be uprooted.
Water-Wave Laser Developed
Researchers have shown that water-wave oscillations within a liquid device can generate laser radiation.
Japan to Close Troubled Fast-breeder Nuke
The government plans to remove the spent nuclear fuel from the reactor by 2022 and finish dismantling by 2047.
Breathalyzer IDs Disease "Fingerprint"
The device achieved 86% accuracy in both detecting and identifying diseases.
Sodium-Embedded Carbon for Better Energy Devices
The material can improve the performance of solar cells and supercapacitors.
New Source of Anti-Cancer Drugs?
A new family of enediyne natural products, called tiancimycins kill selected cancer cells more rapidly and completely in comparison to toxic molecules used in FDA-approved antibody-drug conjugates.
Method Removes Chromium from Drinking Water
Electrocoagulation uses two pieces of iron metal in the water. When a voltage is applied between them, the iron is dosed into the water and converts the chromium-6.
The Race for More Efficient Engines
The auto-ignition properties determine the performance of an engine and so have a significant influence on its design.
Submersible Speedboat Geared to Offshore Inspections
Scubacraft uses proprietary technology that allows it to transform its buoyancy from a floating craft into a streamlined submersible.
Starter Fertilizer Does Little to Boost Corn Yield
The assumption is that "in-furrow application" allows farmers to plant their corn earlier than they otherwise could. This means a longer growing season and, the hope is, greater yield benefits.
Toy Safety Advances Stem from Protecting Soldiers from Eye Injuries
A dummy headform outfitted with impact sensors allows researchers to measure forces exerted by a projectile on the eyes and face and determine which impacts are likely to cause injury.
Optical Probe May Allow More Precise Removal of Breast Cancer
The newly developed probe operates on the principle that cancer tissue has a more acidic environment than normal cells, generating more lactic acid as a byproduct of its aggressive growth.
New Catalysts Improve Path to More Sustainable Plastics
The new boron nitride catalysts produce a greater proportion of propene during the reaction than do traditional oxide catalysts.
Boosting Heat Transfer in Microelectronics
With the current trend of constant increases in power and device miniaturization, efficient heat management has become a serious issue for reliability and performance.
What to Look For in a Thermal Design Solution
Computational fluid dynamics enable engineers to model thermal responses including all the modes of heat transfer, namely conduction, convection and radiation. The results can be used to judge component and environment design viability.
POINTER: Enhancing Safety for First Responders
The tracking system works reliably inside buildings and may help to pinpoint a first responder’s location, increasing safety for firefighters and other emergency personnel.
Research Finds Students Often Abandon Creativity
The newer the idea, the less likely a student would be to pursue the idea, says a Penn State researcher.
Efficient Water Splitting with Nickel Selenide Catalyst?
The bifunctional catalyst drives both hydrogen and oxygen production.
Deer Antlers Could Lead to Stronger Materials
The team looked at the antler structure at the nano-level and were able to identify the mechanisms at work, using computer modeling and x-ray techniques.