A group of very smart people from OpenAI and Google Brain decided to start a new company called Periodic Labs. They want to use AI to discover new materials, like super conductors. They got a lot of money, $300 million, from investors to do this. The idea started when two friends, Liam Fedus and Ekin Dogus Cubuk, talked about how AI could help in science. They thoug...
A big problem in chemistry is separating ethane (C2H6) from ethylene (C2H4). These gases are similar, but important for different industries. Scientists have been working on ways to do this better. One approach is using special materials called metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). These are like tiny sponges that can pick out specific molecules. A new study focused on a...
Double perovskites are like the superheroes of solar tech, but they have a kryptonite: disorder in their atomic structure. Two of these heroes, Cs2AgBiCl6 and Cs2AgInCl6, have been under the spotlight. Scientists wanted to understand how these materials behave when their atoms get mixed up. They used fancy computer models to peek into the atomic world. What they fou...
Hydrogels are a big deal in the world of medical tech. They are flexible and play nice with the body. They can be used to track how the body is doing. But there is a catch. Making them strong, stretchy, and conductive is tough. It is like trying to make a rubber band that can also carry electricity and not break easily. A new type of hydrogel has been created. It is...
Zinc oxide is a material that can be tweaked by adding tiny amounts of other elements. This process is called doping. When samarium and silver are added to zinc oxide, interesting things happen. This is not just about mixing stuff together. It is about changing how the material behaves at a tiny level. The goal is to make zinc oxide useful for new kinds of gadgets...
Robots are becoming the future of space exploration. These robots are designed to work together in tough conditions. They can sense their environment and make decisions on their own. This is crucial for exploring harsh places like space. One big challenge is making sure these robots can talk to each other reliably. They need to share information quickly and accurate...
A team in Maryland has figured out how to turn regular wood into something incredibly strong. This isn't just any wood. It's a new kind of wood that can outmuscle steel. It's called Superwood. It all started in a lab at the University of Maryland. The person behind this breakthrough is a scientist named Liangbing Hu. He created a process to transform ordinary wood i...
The world of technology is always looking for ways to make things cheaper and last longer. One big challenge is making electrochemical technologies work better for everyday use. A recent breakthrough shows promise in this area. It's a new type of reactor that removes oxygen without needing a membrane. This reactor uses the natural buoyancy of oxygen bubbles to separa...
Hydrogen is a big deal for clean energy. It is a clean fuel. It can be made from water using electricity. This process is called water splitting. Scientists have been working on making this process better. They want it to be more efficient, last longer, and cost less. One way to do this is by using special materials called electrocatalysts. These materials hel...
The world of organic solar cells is buzzing with potential. One big challenge is managing how small molecules in the cathode interlayer stack together. These tiny building blocks can clump up too much, making the solar cells less effective. This is a problem for a popular small molecule called PDINN. Its backbone loves to bunch up, leading to too much crystal for...