184 articles from TUESDAY 20.9.2022

Super-resolved coherent Raman spectroscopy with quantum light

In recent years, entangled photons—a popular quantum light source—have been widely used in quantum imaging, optical interferometry, quantum computing, quantum communication, and other fields. Spontaneous parametric down-conversion generates the entangled photon pairs with conserved energy and momentum, so that the quantum correlation in space and time is encoded. Such a property enables a...

Energy storage materials built from nano-sized molecular blocks

Molecules of the rare metallic element niobium can be used as molecular building blocks to design electrochemical energy storage materials. Mark Rambaran, Department of Chemistry at Umeå University, presents in his thesis a method for producing solid materials from aqueous solutions containing nano-sized niobium molecules, called polyoxoniobates.

DART Tests Autonomous Navigation System Using Jupiter and Europa

Portal origin URL: DART Tests Autonomous Navigation System Using Jupiter and EuropaPortal origin nid: 482900Published: Tuesday, September 20, 2022 - 13:52Featured (stick to top of list): noPortal text teaser: After capturing images of one of the brightest stars in Earth’s night sky, the Double Asteroid Redirection Test’s (DART) camera recently set its sights on another...

Researchers estimate there are 2.5m ants for every human across the planet

The analysis is based on 489 studies of ant populations spanning every continent where the insects liveThe world’s human population is forecast to surpass 8bn in the coming months. Compared with ants, that is a mediocre milestone.Researchers have made the most thorough assessment to date of the global population of ants and the estimated total is a mind-blowing 20 quadrillion of them, or...

Workplace trauma can affect anyone in any occupation. How can we deal with it? | Ashwini Padhi

It doesn’t just happen to emergency or frontline workers, and can stem from accidents, bullying, and even severe stressThe modern mind is a column where experts discuss mental health issues they are seeing in their workWith no apparent signs of trauma, Kate* is by all appearances a put-together woman in her early 40s: professional, well-spoken, immaculate and confident.When I ask her what has...

How two isomers of [IrC₄H₂]⁺ independently react with either methane or water

This study was led by Prof. Shaodong Zhou (College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University) and Prof. Xiao-Nan Wu (Department of Chemistry, Fudan University). The experiments were performed by using an ion trap mass spectrometer equipped with a laser vaporization−supersonic expansion ion combined with quantum chemical calculations.

New chemistry happens when dust meets pollution

It is a new chemistry found to take place in a cloud droplet, a wet aerosol, or on the surface of a dust particle. All that it takes to get started is natural events like dust storms, ocean wave action, volcanic eruptions, and wildfires, which increase the amount of aerosols in the atmosphere.

Earth-like exoplanets unlikely to be another 'pale blue dot'

When searching for Earth-like worlds around other stars, instead of looking for the "pale blue dot" described by Carl Sagan, new research suggests that a hunt for dry, cold "pale yellow dots" might have a better chance of success. The near balance of land-to-water that has helped life flourish on Earth could be highly unusual, according to a Swiss-German study presented at the Europlanet Science...

SAGE III Sees Tonga Aerosols, Water Vapor Months After Eruption

Portal origin URL: SAGE III Sees Tonga Aerosols, Water Vapor Months After EruptionPortal origin nid: 482898Published: Tuesday, September 20, 2022 - 12:55Featured (stick to top of list): noPortal text teaser: A key part of NASA's climate observing system, the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment (SAGE) III instrument on the International Space Station (ISS)...

How retail is using AI to prevent fraud

Retailers face an evolving landscape of fraud tactics each day. It’s why companies are increasingly turning to AI to try and catch threat patterns never seen before, and block attacks before they ever happen. While this approach lends itself to efficiency, it’s also one that relies on increasingly complex data profiles of consumers. In this…

Geoengineering could destabilize tropical peat soils

The Earth is warming up at an increasing rate. A contributing factor is carbon dioxide (CO2), a greenhouse gas, prompting researchers to investigate methods to reduce levels. In her dissertation at the University of Bremen, Dr. Alexandra Klemme discovered that the "enhanced weathering" strategy—which, until now, has been considered a promising method—is not suitable for removing CO2 from...

Despite frequent sightings, red squirrel habitats in Berlin are small and fragmented

Red squirrels are among the most commonly sighted wildlife in European big cities such as Berlin. However, their habitats are more reminiscent of a patchwork quilt full of challenges, a team of scientists led by the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (Leibniz-IZW) found out, with the help of computer models and red squirrel sightings by citizen scientists. The models link sightings to...

Home ownership leads to less happiness than expected

We aren't very good at predicting what will make us happy. That is one finding from a study by Basel economists. They investigated the effects of purchasing a home on life satisfaction. The positive effect on happiness did not last as long as people expected.