ScienceDaily: Matter & Energy News

Researchers have discovered why reducing particle pollution is leading to a rise in photochemical smog in some emerging economies such as India, Africa and China.

MIT Media Lab researchers developed a novel fabrication process to create smart textiles that comfortably and snugly fit the user's body, enabling very precise pressure sensor data that can be used to analyze and classify the wearer's postures and motions.

Researchers have entangled two quantum memories over a 33-kilometer-long fiber optic connection -- a record and an important step toward the quantum internet.

In materials science, candidates for novel functional materials are usually explored in a trial-and-error fashion through calculations, synthetic methods, and material analysis. However, the approach is time-consuming and requires expertise. Now, researchers have used a data-driven approach to automate the process of predicting new magnetic materials. By combining first-principles calculations, Bayesian optimization, and monoatomic alternating deposition, the proposed method can enable a faster development of next-generation electronic devices.

Muscovite mica (MuM) is a highly stable mineral that is commonly used as an insulator. However, the electrical properties of single-layer and few-layered MuM are not well understood. Now, a group of researchers reports and explains unusually high conductivity in MuM flakes that are only a few molecule layers thick. Their findings could open doors to the development of two-dimensional electronic devices that are robust against harsh environments.