Earth

OAK RIDGE, Tenn., March 2, 2016 - Stacking layers of nanometer-thin semiconducting materials at different angles is a new approach to designing the next generation of energy-efficient transistors and solar cells. The atoms in each layer are arranged in hexagonal arrays. When two layers are stacked and rotated, atoms from one layer overlap with those in the other layer and can form an infinite number of overlapping patterns, like the Moiré patterns that result when two screens are overlaid and one is rotated on top of the other.

In light of the latest analysis on the decay of beauty mesons, the dawn of a new era, that of 'new physics', may be approaching. An important contribution to the analysis has been made by physicists from the Institute of Nuclear Physics of the Polish Academy of Sciences (IFJ PAN) from Poland.

Researchers from India's CSIR - Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology (IMMT) have tested a new way to improve the colour, clarity and lustre of rubies: microwaves. The study, conducted by Subhashree Swain, is published in Springer's journal Applied Physics A.

Rubies are among the world's most popular precious gemstones, and are also used in high power switches and sensors. Most natural rubies are not uniform in colour, and sometimes blue patches can be seen in the red stone. This decreases the value of a stone.

Intense fishing of primarily larger fish not only makes fish populations smaller, it changes the remaining fish. When the fish which have a chance to reproduce before being caught are smaller and have reached sexual maturity earlier, these characteristics are passed down to future generations. In many fish populations targeted by intense fishing, e.g., Atlantic cod across the west coast of North America, the sizes of fish have been observed to have decreased and the age of sexual maturity to have reduced.

One of the world's top particle accelerators has reached a milestone, achieving its "first turns" - circulating beams of particles for the first time - and opening a new window into the universe, a view that will give physicists access to a record rate of particle collisions in a tiny volume in space.

Japan's SuperKEKB accelerator fills a unique role in the pantheon of atom smashers worldwide. It's at the forefront of what physicists call the "intensity frontier," designed to deliver more than 40 times the rate of collisions between particles than its predecessor.

An interconnected structure, which water can easily flow through, is key to creating a highly effective mechanical sponge for clearing oil spills.

These are the findings from scientists at the Istituto Italiano di Technologia (IIT), Italy, in their paper published today, 2nd March 2016, in the Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics.

MINNEAPOLIS - If your neighborhood is well-lit at night, you may not be sleeping well, according to a study released today that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 68th Annual Meeting in Vancouver, Canada, April 15 to 21, 2016.

A research team from the Institute of Theoretical and Experimental Biophysics of the Russian Academy of Sciences have synthesized the material that is perfect for protection of respiratory organs, analytical research and other practical purposes. An almost weightless fabric made of nylon nanofibers with a diameter less than 15 nm beats any other similar materials in terms of filtering and optical properties.

Harnessing the power of computers to find new medicines and to explore the viability of alternative clean energy strategies will be the topics of a pair of Kavli Lectures at the 251st National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS), the world's largest scientific society. The meeting will take place March 13-17 in San Diego.

The presentations, which will be among more than 12,500 scheduled to take place at the meeting, will be held on Monday, March 14, from 4 to 5:10 p.m. and 5:15 to 6:30 p.m., PDT, Ballroom A-C, at the San Diego Convention Center.

Alexandria, VA - More than half of the total human population on Earth lives in urban areas, where, like rural areas, geology affects us every day. Yet when we think about "geology," most of us think of the hinterlands. That needs to change, argue the authors of a new feature in EARTH Magazine discussing what the role of urban geology is, what it can be and the potential role geoscience organizations can play in curating the geologic data revealed during construction, excavations and surveys.

New York, NY, March 1, 2016 - Climate change is already having a noticeable impact on the environment and global health. Around the world extreme weather events, increased temperatures, drought, and rising sea levels are all adversely affecting our ability to grow food, access clean water, and work safely outdoors. Soon in some areas, the transformation will be so drastic and devastating that native populations will be displaced and forced to find new homes as environmental refugees.

At present, mainstream physicists seem to have fully accepted Einstein's Special Theory of Relativity (STR) and to take it as the foundation of modern physics because the theory appears perfectly logical and its predictions seem to be supported by numerous experiments and observations. However, if one re-examines these experiments carefully and with an open mind, serious problems may emerge. The paper has examined many experiments that are considered as the evidences of relativistic effects, but found they either have null effects or are wrongly interpreted or calculated.

DURHAM, N.C. -- China's plan to ramp up production of new chemicals and synthetic fuels made from coal could derail recent efforts to lower its carbon dioxide emissions and instead lock the Chinese government into high-carbon investments for years to come, a new Duke University study finds.

"The high-carbon coal chemicals being developed as part of its new national action plan should not be qualified as 'clean coal' unless they incorporate carbon sequestration to lower their carbon footprints," said Chi-Jen Yang, research scientist at Duke's Nicholas School of the Environment.

Scientists at the University of York are part of an international research team that has made a significant step forward in understanding the processes naturally occurring enzymes use to degrade microbe-resistant biomass, a key aim in the development of biofuels.

The research is part of ongoing study of a recently discovered family of enzymes produced by fungi and bacteria, which are able to break down tough cellulose-based materials such as plant stems.

WASHINGTON, March 1, 2016 -- The sensation may be all too familiar - the intense, sharp pain in your foot caused by an unassuming LEGO® brick. Why does this tiny chunk of plastic cause so much pain? To answer this question, Reactions examines why we feel pain in the first place, as well as the material chemistry of LEGO® bricks. You may want to put on some slippers before stepping into this video: https://youtu.be/7HpE7oA-Fw8.