Please do spill the oxygen

Scientists show how clusters funnel atoms to create oxygen pools that benefit biofuels, fuel cells, and sensors.

Biodegradable nanogenerator made from DNA can generate power from touch (w/video)

Researchers report the development of a biodegradable nanogenerator made with DNA that can harvest the energy from everyday motion and turn it into electrical power.

For 2-D boron, it's all about that base

Scientists have theoretically determined that the properties of atom-thick sheets of boron depend on where those atoms land.

Cooperative carbon capture by a novel MOF material that mimics a plant enzyme

Innovative materials adsorb carbon dioxide via an unprecedented cooperative insertion mechanism.

Scientists predict phagraphene, a 'relative' of graphene

Scientists, using computer generated simulation have predicted the existence of a new two-dimensional carbon material, a 'patchwork' analogue of graphene called phagraphene.

Quantum dot solar cell exhibits 30-fold concentration

By combining designer quantum dot light-emitters with spectrally matched photonic mirrors, a team of scientists created solar cells that collect blue photons at 30 times the concentration of conventional solar cells, the highest luminescent concentration factor ever recorded.

New microfluidics device to determine bacteria's antibiotic resistance

This microfluidic technology uses microscale electric field gradients, acting on extremely small samples, to tell the difference between the two strains (antibiotic-resistant and antibiotic-susceptible) of Staphylococcus epidermidis.

A nanoscale view of a marine creature's magic trick (w/video)

Crystal nanostructures on the sea sapphire's back appear differently depending on the angle of reflection.

Designing resilient 3D hierarchical metamaterial nanolattices (w/video)

Researchers have designed a new kind of hierarchical nanostructure that is stronger than previous lattice structures and bounces back with less damage after compression.

New, ultrathin optical devices shape light in exotic ways

Engineers have created flat devices capable of manipulating light in ways that are very difficult or impossible to achieve with conventional optical components.

Synthesizing nanodiamond-like carbon chains inside nanotubes

The inner space of carbon nanotubes can act as a template for the synthesis of nanodiamond-like carbon chains. As a team of scientists report, this templated polymerization approach paves the way for the design of novel one-dimensional nanomaterials.

Turning clothing into information displays

Researchers have demonstrated the world?s first stretchable and conformable thin-film transistor (TFT) driven LED display laminated into textiles.

Shift from electronics to spintronics opens up possibilities of faster data

Electronics is based on measuring the tiny electrical charge of electrons passing through electronic circuits. An alternative approach under development is spintronics, which instead relies not on electrons? charge, but on another of their fundamental quantum-mechanical properties: spin.