Earth

University of Tokyo researchers have demonstrated an electrically-controllable valley current device that may pave the way to ultra-low-power "valleytronics" devices.

Seismologists at the University of Liverpool studying the 2011 Chile earthquake have discovered a previously undetected earthquake which took place seconds after the initial rupture.

This newly discovered phenomena which they called a `closely-spaced doublet' presents a challenge to earthquake and tsunami early warning systems as it increases the risk of larger-than-expected tsunamis in the aftermath of a typical subduction earthquake.

At the Inter-University Research Institute Corporation National Institutes of Natural Sciences National Institute for Fusion Science, for the first time in the world, using the newly installed "Plasma Simulator" we have simulated deuterium plasma turbulence in the Large Helical Device (LHD). From this result, we have clarified that the energy confinement in a deuterium plasma is improved in comparison to a hydrogen plasma. The performance of the plasma simulator, which is a specialized computer utilized for plasma and fusion science research, is the best in the world.

WASHINGTON, DC (November 16, 2015)--A new study assesses the factors that affect climate change adaptation and ranks six American cities, finding that Portland, Boston and Los Angeles are all in the advanced to middle stages of planning for extreme weather events linked to climate change while Raleigh and Tucson are in the early to middle stages.

Ultra-short x-ray pulses could shed new light on the fastest events in physics

If you've ever been captivated by slow-motion footage on a wildlife documentary, or you've shuddered when similar technology is used to replay highlights from a boxing match, you'll know how impressive advancements in ultra-fast science can be.

Bioenergy researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have explained the molecular mechanism of an effect that has puzzled scientists for years.

A team led by Jeremy Smith has discovered that lignin, when pretreated with a tetrahydrofuran-water solvent, shifts from a globule to an extended coil, providing unrestricted access of enzymes to cellulose.

The next-generation Earth system model will simulate climate systems at unprecedented resolution over an unprecedented time scale in order to understand climate change, Earth system feedbacks and potential tipping points.

The Accelerated Climate Model for Energy project, led by Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Peter Thornton, aims to answer the most pressing climate prediction questions, including how precipitation patterns will change in a warming climate and how the melting Antarctic ice sheet will contribute to sea level rise.

By using additive manufacturing to print active components of motors, Oak Ridge National Laboratory researchers are conducting research that cannot be done with conventional methods.

"To date, 3-D printed induction motors are made of plastic core pieces with copper windings to produce 'motors' that rotate," said Curt Ayers, who leads the effort that resulted in a motor made with printed metallic parts.

Nuclear Sound inspections

Inspections will play a crucial role in the decisions to extend operating licenses for many of the nation's aging nuclear power plants, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory has a tool that could help.

The Ecological Society of America turns 100 this year, with many reflections on the achievements of the discipline and the big questions for ecologists as we embark on a new century marked by great environmental upheaval. ESA's journal Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment celebrates the centennial of the society with perspectives on the potential for ecological science to influence the design of the next generation cities and their infrastructure.

Yan-Yeung Luk, associate professor of chemistry, and his research team have published their findings in ChemBioChem (John Wiley & Sons, 2015), explaining how they have created molecules that mimic and dominate toxic ones secreted by bacteria. The implications for the study of biology and pharmacology are said to be enormous.

As Cambodians celebrated Independence Day on Monday, Nov. 9, fishermen near Phnom Penh made a very special catch befitting the occasion: a rare Mekong Giant Catfish, also known as the “royal fish” because of its enormous size.

High-performance lithium ion batteries face a major problem: Lithium will eventually start to run out as batteries are deployed in electric cars and stationary storage units. Researchers from Empa and ETH Zurich have now discovered an alternative: the “fool’s gold battery”. It consists of iron, sulfur, sodium and magnesium – all elements that are in plentiful supply. This means that giant storage batteries could be built on the cheap and used stationary in buildings or next to power plants, for instance.

A garnet crystal only one micrometre in diameter was instrumental in a University of Alberta team of physicists creating a route to "lab-on-a-chip" technology for magnetic resonance, a tool to simplify advanced magnetic analysis for device development and interdisciplinary science.

"To most, a gem so tiny would be worthless, but to us, it's priceless," says Mark Freeman, University of Alberta physics professor and Canada Research Chair in condensed matter physics. "It was the perfect testbed for this new method."

Analysis of lava from deep within Earth's mantle suggests that water-soaked dust grains present early in the solar system, as the planets were just beginning to form, are the source of our planet's water. The lava samples, which offer a highly "pristine" representation of a newborn Earth, add intriguing details to the debate surrounding the planet's water origins. Researchers can learn about the origins of water on any planetary body by studying the water's deuterium/hydrogen (D/H) ratio, the ratio of hydrogen atoms that have one neutron or no neutron, respectively.