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When a droplet of water falls on a hot pan, it dances across the surface, skimming on a thin layer of steam like a tiny hovercraft; this is known as the Leidenfrost effect. But now, researchers know what happens when a hot droplet falls on a cool surface. These new findings demonstrate that hot and burning droplets can bounce off cool surfaces, propelled by a thin layer of air that forms beneath them. This phenomenon could inspire new strategies for slowing the spread of fires and improving engine efficiency.

Researchers have published a new study showing an advanced new methane flare burner, created with additive manufacturing and machine learning, eliminates 98% of methane vented during oil production.

Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP) is the most common fungal pneumonia in children. But current diagnostic methods can take days an require an invasive bronchoscopy procedure. Now, a new CRISPR-based test has been developed to diagnose PJP more quickly and less invasively.

In the race to meet the growing global demand for lithium -- a critical component in batteries for electric vehicles -- a team of researchers has developed a breakthrough lithium extraction method that could reshape the industry. In their study, the researchers demonstrated near-perfect lithium selectivity by repurposing solid-state electrolytes (SSEs) as membrane materials for aqueous lithium extraction. While originally designed for the rapid conduction of lithium ions in solid-state batteries -- where there are no other ions or liquid solvents -- the highly ordered and confined structure of SSEs was found to enable unprecedented separation of both ions and water in aqueous mixtures.

A multi-institutional research team has engineered a way to preserve the electrical properties of materials as they are shrunk to the nanoscale. The use of the soft substrate hexagonal boron nitride reduces damage to the atomic structure caused by strain, allowing materials to keep their conductive properties as films as thin as 12 nm.

Scientists have come up with a lithium ion capacitor using electrodes produced from wood particles that are discarded as waste in sawmills. This biomass is both readily available and sustainable, inexpensive processes have been used to produce electrodes. The results reveal that the materials derived from biomass have excellent properties for obtaining eco friendly, cost-effective systems designed to store high-power energy.

A research team has developed a way for self-driving vehicles to share their knowledge about road conditions indirectly, making it possible for each vehicle to learn from the experiences of others even when they rarely meet on the road.

Scientists demonstrate a new quantum chip architecture for suppressing errors using a type of qubit known as a cat qubit.

Scientists have revealed how quantum interference and symmetry dictate molecular behavior in collisions with gold surfaces, offering new insights into molecular interactions. The findings can have important implications for chemistry and materials science.

A research group has revealed fundamental insights into anode-free solid-state batteries, paving the way for efforts to improve their manufacturability.

Strong, lightweight, superelastic, and able to function across a range of temperatures, this newly developed alloy could be a game-changer for space exploration and medical technology.

A twist you'll never see coming: a breakthrough in understanding the relationship between chirality and electric flow at a microscopic level may help us develop chiral information technology.

Perovskite solar cells could last ten times longer thanks to new research, which suggests alumina nanoparticles significantly enhance the lifespan and stability of these high-efficiency energy devices.

Researchers have developed a new technique to make glass water-repellent, a feature that could improve safety in vehicles, reduce cleaning costs for buildings and enhance filtration systems. The research shows how an innovative and non-toxic process using ultrasonic sound waves can alter the surface of glass, making it either hydrophobic (water resistant) or electrically charged.

A team has shown that artificial photosynthesis is feasible using organic materials. Using the technique, they successfully synthesized useful organic compounds, including pharmaceutical materials, and 'green' hydrogen, which is a next-generation renewable energy source, from waste organic materials using sunlight and water. Their findings are expected to contribute to the production of medicinal and agricultural chemicals as well as sustainable energy initiatives.

A multi-institutional research team has clarified the energy levels of color centers at the SiO2/SiC interface, paving the way toward the development of scalable quantum technologies that use them as single-photon emitters.

Researchers developed a new optimized printing approach that could enable super-resolution 3D direct laser writing (DLW) of microlenses, photonics crystals, micro-optical devices, metamaterials and more.

Researchers are working to enhance battery safety and efficiency by developing solid-state alternatives to lithium-ion batteries. These batteries offer improved energy efficiency and safety, but a major challenge has been the formation of an interphase layer at the junction of the solid electrolyte and cathode. This ultra-thin layer obstructs lithium ion and electron movement, increasing resistance and degrading battery performance.

The latest chemicals used in refrigerants and aerosols can break down into pollutants, scientists say.

A research team has successfully developed a super-photostable organic dye after two years of dedicated research demonstrating perseverance akin to that of Marie Curie, who painstakingly extracted just 0.1 grams of radium from eight tons of ore to earn her Nobel Prize.