Graphene is an exceptional material with attractive properties to explore fundamental physics and for use in technological applications. While ideal graphene is non-magnetic, custom-shaped graphene nanostructures can be designed to exhibit complex magnetic phenomenology, with promising possibilities for a new generation of nanoscale spintronics devices. In fact, graphene π magnetism is more delocalized and isotropic […]
Every geography schoolbook has them: maps that look like today’s Earth, but not quite, since all continents are merged into a single supercontinent. Those maps were used to explain why dinosaurs in South America and Africa, or North America and Europe looked so alike. “Paleogeographic” reconstructions like these provide context to study the processes that […]
A common saying refers to the power of the eyes as a window inside our souls; interestingly, our eyes could also be a window into our brains, helping identify certain neurological conditions like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Recent work published in Frontiers in Neuroscience found distinct electrical recording signatures […]
Sandy clouds swirl around brown dwarfs According to new modeling based on telescope data collected nearly 20 years ago, silicate-rich clouds swirling around brown dwarfs likely form when the chemistry and temperature –1,000 to 1,700 degrees Celsius — of the atmospheres of the substellar objects align. Full Story: Space Plant cycles affected by urban lighting […]
Twisted bilayer graphene (TBG) has taken the spotlight in the condensed matter community since the discovery of correlated phases. Now, a team of researchers studies heterostructures of TBG and hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) using an atomistic tight-binding model together with semi-classical molecular dynamics to consider relaxation effects. Isolated atomic planes, two-dimensional (2D) materials, like graphene […]
We can model the motions of planets in the Solar System quite accurately using Newton’s laws of physics. But in the early 1970s, scientists noticed that this didn’t work for disc galaxies – stars at their outer edges, far from the gravitational force of all the matter at their centre – were moving much faster […]
Antidepressants are the mainstay for treating depression, but their use is clouded by doubts about their short-, medium- and long-term efficacy. This is not to say that we should not use them, as these drugs save lives in many cases, but a recent review reinforces these questions as it sees little difference in the quality […]
Robots recreate evolutionary journey of ancient ammonites By studying the dynamic interaction between maneuverability and stability in robotic ammonites, a team of researchers has traced the evolution of shell variations of live ammonite shells in response to different needs and advantages. “Throughout their evolution, externally shelled cephalopods navigated their physical limitations by endlessly experimenting with […]
The so-called van der Waals materials consist of two-dimensional layers bound by weak van der Waals forces. After the isolation of graphene, the field of two-dimensional van der Waals materials has experienced an explosive growth and new families of two-dimensional systems and block-layered bulk materials, such as tetradymite-like topological insulators – electronic materials that have […]
Most internet users are by now aware of the vulnerability of their personal data. When the news broke that tech companies misuse and manipulate our personal data, there was a widespread “techlash” against the corporate giants Facebook, Amazon and Google. The explicit motive for data harvesting is the prediction of consumer wants and needs. And […]