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From pitcher plants to printing presses, study shows how sticky films can be tamed

A recent Cambridge study reveals why sticky liquids don’t always spread evenly, knowledge that could help cut waste, improve product quality and make everyday technologies more reliable.

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Weak points in diamond fusion fuel capsules identified

Scientists at the University of California San Diego have uncovered how diamond—the material used to encase fuel for fusion experiments at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) in Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory—can develop tiny structural flaws that may limit fusion performance.

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Ultrabroadband laser ‘comb’ can enable rapid identification of chemicals with extreme precision

Optical frequency combs are specially designed lasers that act like rulers to accurately and rapidly measure specific frequencies of light. They can be used to detect and identify chemicals and pollutants with extremely high precision.

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Falling water forms beautiful fluted films

When water drains from the bottom of a vertical tube, it is followed by a thin film of liquid that can adopt complex and beautiful shapes. KAUST researchers have now studied exactly how these “fluted films” form and break up, developing a mathematical model of their behavior that could help improve the performance, safety, and efficiency of industrial processes.

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New model describes result of non-reciprocal interactions between two non-linear molecules

Asymmetric interactions between different species of molecules have previously been demonstrated to result in self-organized patterns and functions. If one species A is attracted to B, but in turn, B is repelled by A, run-and-chase dynamic emerges.

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BWC: Wounded Houston officer returns fire during shootout with suspect

Despite being shot in the leg, Sgt. P. George fired back alongside Sgt. K. Burch during the encounter; the suspect was also hit

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Researchers develop novel miniaturized lidar technology based on cross dual-microcomb

Optical frequency combs, as a time and frequency “ruler,” have important applications in precision ranging. Conventional dual-comb ranging schemes utilize the optical Vernier effect to achieve long-distance measurements, and they typically require asynchronously secondary sampling, either after changing the repetition rates or swapping dual-comb roles.

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Room-temperature reactor uses electrochemistry to boost nuclear fusion rates

Using a small bench-top reactor, researchers at the University of British Columbia (UBC) have demonstrated that electrochemically loading a solid metal target with deuterium fuel can boost nuclear fusion rates.

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The most powerful tool in an astronomer’s arsenal is a lens—but not the kind you might think

Astronomers are living in a golden age of bigger and better telescopes. But even our most advanced technology pales in comparison to the power of nature’s own “cosmic magnifying glasses”—strong gravitational lenses.

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We’ve been sending animals into space for 7 decades—yet there are still no rules to protect them from harm

This week, Russia is expected to launch its Bion-M No.2 biosatellite from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, carrying 75 mice and 1,500 fruit flies.

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Watching how stars come into being using cosmic simulations

Pictures are the key to new insights in the field of astrophysics. Such images include simulations of cosmic events, which astrophysicists at UZH use to investigate how stars, planets and galaxies came into existence.

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Accidental double zoom reveals millimeter waves around supermassive black hole

An international team of astronomers led by Matus Rybak (Leiden University, Netherlands) has proven, thanks to accidental double zoom, that millimeter radiation is generated close to the core of a supermassive black hole. Their findings have been accepted for publication in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics and are available on the arXiv preprint server.

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New AI model advances fusion power research by predicting the success of experiments

Practical fusion power that can provide cheap, clean energy could be a step closer thanks to artificial intelligence. Scientists at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory have developed a deep learning model that accurately predicted the results of a nuclear fusion experiment conducted in 2022. Accurate predictions can help speed up the design of new experiments and accelerate the quest for this virtually limitless energy source.

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Colo. officer uses crusier to stop suspect in stolen patrol car

A man stole the Aurora PD cruiser and led officers on a 30-minute pursuit before losing a tire; a police sergeant then crashed into the suspect

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Tidal forces and orbital evolution of habitable zone planets investigated

How do tidal forces determine a planet’s orbital evolution, specifically planets in the habitable zone? This is what a recently submitted study hopes to address as an international team of researchers investigated how tidal forces far more powerful than experienced on Earth could influence orbital evolution of habitable zone planets with highly eccentric orbits around low-mass stars. This study has the potential to help researchers better understand the formation and evolution of exoplanets, specifically regarding where we could find life beyond Earth.

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