Air conditioning and other space cooling methods account for about 10% of all electricity consumption in the U.S., according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Now, researchers reporting in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces have developed a material that cools the wearer without using any electricity. The fabric transfers heat, allows moisture to evaporate from … [Read more...] about New fabric could help keep you cool in the summer, even without A/C
Breakthrough method for predicting solar storms
Extensive power outages and satellite blackouts that affect air travel and the internet are some of the potential consequences of massive solar storms. These storms are believed to be caused by the release of enormous amounts of stored magnetic energy due to changes in the magnetic field of the sun's outer atmosphere - something that until now has eluded scientists' direct … [Read more...] about Breakthrough method for predicting solar storms
Room temperature superconductivity creeping toward possibility
The possibility of achieving room temperature superconductivity took a tiny step forward with a recent discovery by a team of Penn State physicists and materials scientists. The surprising discovery involved layering a two-dimensional material called molybdenum sulfide with another material called molybdenum carbide. Molybdenum carbide is a known superconductor -- electrons can … [Read more...] about Room temperature superconductivity creeping toward possibility
Metal-breathing bacteria could transform electronics, biosensors, and more
When the Shewanella oneidensis bacterium "breathes" in certain metal and sulfur compounds anaerobically, the way an aerobic organism would process oxygen, it produces materials that could be used to enhance electronics, electrochemical energy storage, and drug-delivery devices. The ability of this bacterium to produce molybdenum disulfide -- a material that is able to transfer … [Read more...] about Metal-breathing bacteria could transform electronics, biosensors, and more
Origami metamaterials show reversible auxeticity combined with deformation recoverability
The simplicity and elegance of origami, an ancient Japanese art form, has motivated researchers to explore its application in the world of materials. New research from an interdisciplinary team, including Northwestern Engineering's Horacio Espinosa and Sridhar Krishnaswamy and the Georgia Institute of Technology's Glaucio Paulino, aims to advance the creation and understanding … [Read more...] about Origami metamaterials show reversible auxeticity combined with deformation recoverability