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Squeezing curium between diamonds yields a surprise
Scientists can manipulate curium, one of the heaviest known elements, to a greater degree than previously thought. A team of researchers has demonstrated how curium—element 96 in the periodic table and...
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‘Blinking’ titanium dioxide crystals may prove useful
Researchers have created ultra-small titanium dioxide crystals that exhibit unusual “blinking” behavior. The crystals may help to produce methane and other fuels, according to a study in the journal...
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Scientists watch water leave a crystalline sponge
Elaborate observations clarify how a crystalline sponge changes shape as it loses water. The scientists focused on a porous, crystalline material made from metal and organic building...
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It only takes minutes for Earth to grow gems
In some cooling magmas, crystals can grow up to a yard in just one day, according to a new study. Aquamarine, emerald, garnet, zircon, and topaz are but a few of the crystalline minerals found mostly...
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How to combine nanocrystals that don’t like each other
Researchers have developed a blueprint for designing new materials using difficult combinations of nanocrystals. The work could lead to improvements in nanocrystals already used in displays, medical...
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Method predicts asymmetrical edges of 2D crystals
A new method can predict the shapes of asymmetrical crystals. A crystal’s shape is determined by its inherent chemistry, a characteristic that ultimately determines its final form from the most basic...
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Team sees light make atoms ‘dance’ in perovskites
New research shows how the atoms in perovskites move in response to light. The breakthrough in visualization supports the researchers’ efforts to squeeze every possible drop of utility out of...
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Team creates heaviest Schrödinger’s cat yet
Researchers have created the heaviest Schrödinger cat to date by putting a crystal in a superposition of two oscillation states. Even if you are not a quantum physicist, you will most likely have heard...
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Team uses DNA to make quasicrystal out of nanoparticles
Nanoengineers have created a quasicrystal—a scientifically intriguing and technologically promising material structure—from nanoparticles using DNA, the molecule that encodes life. The team reports the...
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Atomic ‘hula’ turns rare-earth crystal into magnet
A study finds that when the atomic lattice in a rare-earth crystal becomes animated with a corkscrew-shaped vibration known as a chiral phonon, the crystal is transformed into a magnet. Quantum...
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