The properties of friction change from one situation to the next, so a universal explanation doesn’t exist. Why is ice slippery? You might have heard that scientists don’t know the answer. If that surprises you, it could be because simple language can camouflage complex problems. Take the question “why doesContinue Reading
Researchers are concocting molecules specially suited for use as quantum bits or sensors Quantum bits made from “designer molecules” are coming into fashion. By carefully tailoring the composition of molecules, researchers are creating chemical systems suited to a variety of quantum tasks. “The ability to control molecules … makes themContinue Reading
Different types of atoms fall with the same acceleration due to gravity According to legend, Galileo dropped weights off of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, showing that gravity causes objects of different masses to fall with the same acceleration. In recent years, researchers have taken to replicating this test inContinue Reading
Scientists have measured the shortest unit of time ever: the time it takes a light particle to cross a hydrogen molecule. That time, for the record, is 247 zeptoseconds. A zeptosecond is a trillionth of a billionth of a second, or a decimal point followed by 20 zeroes and aContinue Reading
Celestron, maker of high-quality telescopes and other skywatching gear, has some great deals for Amazon Prime Day this year, including its NexStar 130SLT computerized telescope, which is on sale for 33% off. The NexStar 130SLT Newtonian reflector telescope is available for $333.16, down from its usual $499.95. The last timeContinue Reading
A vibrant, blue-and-orange hued photo highlighting the tiny vessels in and around the brain of a young zebrafish won first place in the Nikon Small World photography contest, an annual competition showcasing photos of our world at the microscopic level, Nikon representatives announced today (Oct. 13). In this jaw-dropping image,Continue Reading
Scientists should be able to create magnetic fields on Earth that rival the strength of those seen in black holes and neutron stars, a new study suggests. Such strong magnetic fields, which would be created by blasting microtubules with lasers, are important for conducting basic physics, materials science and astronomyContinue Reading
Seven studies describe progress thus far and challenges ahead for a revolutionary zero-emissions power source Two and a half years ago, MIT entered into a research agreement with startup company Commonwealth Fusion Systems to develop a next-generation fusion research experiment, called SPARC, as a precursor to a practical, emissions-free powerContinue Reading
The scientists who re-engineered the plastic-eating enzyme PETase have now created an enzyme ‘cocktail’ which can digest plastic up to six times faster. A second enzyme, found in the same rubbish dwelling bacterium that lives on a diet of plastic bottles, has been combined with PETase to speed up theContinue Reading
The practicality of quantum computing hangs on the integrity of the quantum bit, or qubit. Qubits, the logic elements of quantum computers, are coherent two-level systems that represent quantum information. Each qubit has the strange ability to be in a quantum superposition, carrying aspects of both states simultaneously, enabling aContinue Reading
