Physics
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Materials ScienceLet’s learn about the future of smart clothing
Researchers are fashioning new materials to make clothes more comfortable and convenient.
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Materials ScienceNew cloth cools you when you’re hot, warms you when you’re cold
Scientists 3-D printed the new fabric, which has even more tricks up its sleeve — such as conducting electricity and resisting radio waves.
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PhysicsExplainer: The fundamental forces
Four fundamental forces control all interactions between matter, from the smallest subatomic particles to the largest structures in the universe.
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Materials ScienceEngineers borrow a tree’s cellulose to toughen new materials
Cellulose gives plants their strength. Engineers are turning this renewable, environmentally friendly resource into brand new materials.
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PhysicsScientists Say: Doppler effect
The Doppler effect is a perceived change in the frequency of light or sound waves due to the wave source moving relative to an observer.
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PhysicsA new device uses atoms’ quantum weirdness to peer underground
Quantum sensors like this one could monitor magma beneath volcanoes or uncover archaeological artifacts.
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Materials ScienceA disinfectant made from sawdust knocks out deadly microbes
It’s made by pressure-cooking sawdust and water, is cheap and easy to make — and could lead to greener cleaning products than chemicals used today.
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ChemistryNew process can transform urban CO2 pollution into a resource
Researchers have developed a liquid metal that breaks down carbon dioxide in the air, converting it from a climate threat into a valuable raw material.
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PhysicsScientists Say: Dark Energy
Dark energy is the unknown force causing the universe to expand faster and faster.
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Environment‘Mining’ cryptocurrencies pollutes the real world
Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies exist only online. Yet the environmental impacts of their networks affect the real world.
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EnvironmentHow we choose to pay has hidden costs for the planet
Whether cash or credit, phone apps or digital currencies — all forms of payment have behind-the-scenes costs. And these can vary dramatically.
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PhysicsExplainer: How do mass and weight differ?
Learn why these terms aren’t the same and which to use where. And should you report your results in kilograms? Pounds? If in doubt, try using newtons.