material

Anakena site as it looks today after excavations and restoration. Credit: Andrea Seelenfreund, CC BY A team of archaeologists affiliated with several institutions in Chile reports evidence that early settlers on the island of Rapa Nui sailed to South America, interacted with people living there and then returned. In their study, published in PLOS ONE, the group analyzed plant material found on obsidian blades made by the early…

Researchers at the University of California San Diego have developed a new cathode material for solid-state lithium-sulfur batteries that significantly improves their electrical conductivity and self-healing properties. This material addresses key challenges associated with sulfur cathodes, such as poor electron conductivity and structural damage during use. The innovation holds promise for doubling the energy density of batteries in electric vehicles without increasing weight and extends the battery life, making…

Brazilian researchers have developed a method to enhance the efficiency and durability of perovskite solar cells by incorporating MXenes into the cells’ structure. This advancement, documented in the Journal of Materials Chemistry C, promises significant improvements in solar cell technology, with potential impacts on industrial production and sustainability efforts.A study by researchers at São Paulo State University (UNESP) has yielded results that could significantly benefit the future of the solar power sector.In an…

Documentary filmmaker Carla Gutierrez still remembers the moment her obsession with Mexican artist Frida Kahlo began more than two decades ago. “I hadn’t seen her art until I was a freshman in college,” says Gutierrez, a film editor who makes her directorial debut with the new documentary “Frida.” “Then I found one piece, one painting in a book in the library. “It was of her standing between the United States and Mexico,” she says. “You can see her full body – we actually use that painting in the film. And I was a pretty…

Ontario announced plans Thursday to produce a nuclear medical isotope that forms the essential component in a life-saving treatment for liver cancer, one of the leading causes of cancer deaths.The plan involves creating the medical isotope yttrium-90 (also known as Y-90) at the Darlington nuclear generating station in partnership with a pair of Ottawa-based companies, which transform the radioactive raw material into a cancer-fighting drug called TheraSphere.The two companies — BWXT Medical and Boston Scientific — already…

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is overflowing with content, including a wide variety of side quests to undertake as you work through its 50+ hour adventure. Some of these are given to you by returning characters, such as the lovable screwup, Johnny, who has found himself entangled in a whole new mess this time around. After finishing up some of the main story content in Costa Del Sol, Johnny will eventually task you with seeking out his clones in the Corel Region, who will grant you a quest called “The Saga of the Seaside…

Space and fashion lovers have a crossover accessory right now, and it's not just because there are some moons and stars dotted across it. Coperni, a French luxury brand, has unveiled the Air Swipe Bag, made entirely of NASA's nanomaterial silica aerogel, Fast Company reports. Scientist Steve Jones first created the substance for NASA's 1999 Stardust mission, which brought samples back from the Wild 2 comet.The Air Swipe Bag weighs only 1.1 ounces, with just 0.2 percent of its matter actually tangible. The rest is air that…

Material flows through the Australian economy in 2019. The displayed units are million metric tons (Mt).Credit: Australian material flow analysis to progress to a circular economy (2024). Australia's national science agency, CSIRO, has released a new report on the country's material use, highlighting opportunities to transition to a more circular and sustainable economy. …

In less than a week, Samsung will take the wraps off the Galaxy A35 and Galaxy A55, its newest mid-range offerings for consumers on a tighter budget and those who don't care for the latest and greatest specs that one gets on flagship smartphones. Samsung India recently revealed that the A35 and A55 will be unveiled on March 11, teasing some of the attractive features of the upcoming devices without outright revealing their name. We have seen real-life pictures and promotional materials for the two phones in numerous…

The first preliminary clinical trial of its kind on a handful of volunteers suggests our respiratory system can tolerate at least short-term exposure to low concentrations of graphene nanoparticles, new research shows.Graphene's impressive flexibility, exceptional strength and conductive properties mean it has potential in many fields from water filtration to condoms, supercomputers, and medical devices.Unfortunately we humans have an appalling track record of unintentionally poisoning ourselves and the life around us…