The electrification of road transport is no longer just a trend—it is a key step in reducing carbon emissions and addressing climate change. Beyond environmental benefits, it also carries strategic and geopolitical importance, prompting major automotive manufacturers to invest heavily in electric mobility . The success of this transformation depends on a crucial element: the […]
Water, a substance so familiar in our daily lives, harbours complexities that continue to intrigue scientists. One such enigma is the behaviour of water when it transforms into a glass-like state, known as vitrification, especially under confinement. A recent study delves into this phenomenon, shedding light on the intricate nature of confined water vitrification and […]
A team of researchers has experimentally demonstrated a quantum tornado for the first time by refining an established method. In the quantum semimetal tantalum arsenide (TaAs), electrons in momentum space behave like a swirling vortex. This quantum phenomenon was first predicted eight years ago. Scientists have long known that electrons can form vortices in quantum […]
Women’s health has long been ignored by pharmaceutical research. Not only are they less often included in clinical trials, but many exclusive female conditions are either not or barely researched. One of those is menopause. A change that every woman will experience and that is characterised by a plethora of (unwelcome) symptoms: hot flashes, brain […]
A team of researchers has developed a reproducible and scalable method for producing graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets from commercial carbon fibres, marking a breakthrough in sustainable nanomaterial synthesis. The process involves exfoliating carbon fibres with nitric acid, which provides high yields of one-atom-thick sheets of graphene oxide with characteristics comparable to commercial GO sourced from […]
Superconductivity, the phenomenon where electrical current flows without resistance, has long captivated scientists and engineers. This unique state of matter holds promise for revolutionizing technologies, from power grids to magnetic levitation. A recent study delves into the intriguing world of graphene-based superconductors, shedding light on how twisting multiple layers of graphene can influence their superconducting […]
In a leap forward for quantum computing, a Microsoft team led by UC Santa Barbara physicists on Wednesday unveiled an eight-qubit topological quantum processor, the first of its kind. The chip, built as a proof-of-concept for the scientists’ design, opens the door to the development of the long-awaited topological quantum computer. “We’ve got a bunch […]
Hydrogels are fascinating materials that can absorb and retain large amounts of water, making them useful in various fields such as medicine, environmental science, and engineering. A recent study has explored a new type of hydrogels made from cellulose nanofibres (CNFs) and lignocellulose nanofibres (LCNFs), aiming to enhance their strength and water-absorbing capabilities. Cellulose and […]
Cement is a fundamental material in modern construction, used in everything from buildings to bridges. One of its key components, tricalcium aluminate (C₃A), plays a crucial role in determining cement’s setting time and durability. A recent study has provided new insights into how C₃A behaves under heat, combining computer simulations with experimental data to deepen […]
A new study reveals that implementing enhanced weathering (EW), the practice of adding crushed basalt to soils, with U.S. agriculture could remove between 160 and 300 million metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere annually by 2050, rising to 250 to 490 million tons of CO2 removal by 2070. The authors demonstrate that […]