Amid concerns over the potential health effects of existing flame retardants for home furniture, fabrics and other material, scientists are reporting development of an “exceptionally” effective new retardant that appears safer and more environmentally friendly.

Harnessing the unique features of the quantum world promises a dramatic speed-up in information processing as compared to the fastest classical machines. Scientists from the University of Vienna have succeeded in prototyping a new and highly resource efficient model of a quantum computer – the boson sampling computer.

Leading nanoscientists created beautiful, tiled patterns with flat nanocrystals, but they were left with a mystery: Why did some sets of crystals arrange themselves in an alternating, herringbone style? To find out, they turned to experts in computer simulation at the University of Michigan and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

A new joint innovation could pave the way for redefining the ampere in terms of fundamental constants of physics. The world's first graphene single-electron pump (SEP) provides the speed of electron flow needed to create a new standard for electrical current based on electron charge.

Researchers have managed to give graphene magnetic properties. The breakthrough opens the door to the development of graphene-based spintronic devices, that is, devices based on the spin or rotation of the electron, and could transform the electronics industry.

Matter is categorized as either conductive, semi-conductive or resistive to the flow of electrons based on its bulk properties. However, physicists have now predicted a new state of matter in which the bulk of the material is insulating—resisting electron flow—but where electrons are free to move along its edges.

The sun provides the most abundant source of energy on the planet. However, only a tiny fraction of the solar radiation on Earth is converted into useful energy. To help solve this problem, researchers looked to nature for inspiration, and they are now developing a new technology that makes it possible to use plants to generate electricity.

New quantum physics research will improve earth and space navigation telecommunications, geological exploration, and medical imaging. Researchers have developed a portable way to produce 'ultracold' atoms for quantum technology and quantum information processing.

High-level simulations reveal that plastic deformation in super-resilient alloys is governed by atomic zones with characteristic lengths.

Quick-cooling molten atoms give metal alloys a glassy, or random, atomic structure that generates higher elasticity and better wear- and corrosion-resistance than their crystalline alloy counterparts. However, these ‘metallic glasses’ also suffer from brittleness that makes them shatter.

The allure of personalized medicine has made new, more efficient ways of sequencing genes a top research priority. One promising technique involves reading DNA bases using changes in electrical current as they are threaded through a nanoscopic hole.   Now, a team of physicists has used solid-state nanopores to differentiate single-stranded DNA molecules containing sequences of a single repeating base.