Science
Scientific discoveries and research
New high-frequency method boosts 2D material readout for next-gen quantum computers
Quantum computers represent a next step in the fast-paced evolution of technology. Using quantum bits (qubits), they have the potential to run certain calculati...
Sunlight gives biodiesel byproduct a second life as hydrogen and valuable chemicals
Australian researchers and international collaborators have demonstrated a solar-driven approach to convert glycerol, a low-value byproduct of biodiesel product...
A highway instead of a racetrack: Strong coupling of light and sound in an optical fiber
For the first time, scientists have achieved strong coupling between light and long-lived acoustic vibrations in an optical fiber. Optical fibers are used in bo...
First comprehensive Mars soil classification offers framework for exploration and future farming
A Ph.D. student at the University of Sydney has produced the first comprehensive classification system and map of Martian soils, creating a new framework that c...
Judging strangers' preferences may actually be easier when they're less like our own
Researchers already know that humans have a tendency to use egocentric anchoring—a cognitive bias in which people use their own preferences, beliefs and perspec...
Essential oil sprays kill cockroaches on contact but offer little lasting control
A German cockroach races across a kitchen floor. Someone grabs a bottle of essential oil spray, soaks the insect and watches it die. The product worked, but a n...
Belief in change matters more than political anger when it comes to voting intentions, study suggests
With the 2026 midterm elections around the corner, voters may be feeling everything from excitement to fear. But how might anger motivate political activism and...
Climate warming can slow how tree roots feed soil microbes
A plant's roots do much of their work out of sight, pulling in water and nutrients and holding the plant in place. That makes it hard to see how plants respond...
About 2% of natural gas supplied to a Midwest city leaks into the atmosphere
Most natural gas leakage in Indianapolis likely originates from homes and other buildings, not exterior pipelines and large-scale distribution infrastructure th...
New alloy design strategy combines strength and ductility by timing hardening mechanisms
Structural metals used in engineering projects are expected to have both high strength and high ductility: the ability to withstand heavy loads and deform befor...
Light and ultrasound reveal renewable routes to compounds for pharmaceutical research
Sustainable packaging is only the beginning. What a medicine is made from—and how its ingredients are produced—matters just as much. Yet the synthesis of compou...
World-record intensity in attosecond hard-X-ray pulses could unlock closer study of electrons in atoms and molecules
Researchers used the European XFEL to create X-ray flashes that were not only extremely short but also reached record intensity for this type of pulse. The rese...